//------------------------------// // Chapter Nine // Story: Rainbow Connection // by ahilty //------------------------------// Chapter Nine Sweetie Bell urged Apple Bloom forwards with gentle shoulder nudges, eyes scanning the area for anything that even looked remotely nasty, which to her would be just about anything at this stage. Heck, even fluffy bunnies dancing a field of gumdrops would raise Sweetie Bell’s suspicions at this point. It would probably end up being some sort of trap. Apple Bloom started to wander to the side, and Sweetie gently nudged her back on the path. Sweetie sighed gently, and Scootaloo twisted her head from where she had been leading them to look behind. “Still no change?” She asked. Sweetie Bell shook her head. “She’s been like this since the castle…” That had been a day ago. The Crusaders had been walking determinedly on the path sense, hoping against all hope that there were indeed going to be ponies at the end of said path. This horrible place, however, seemed to have gotten to Apple Bloom, and she had been walking around in a haze. The other two took turns making sure she kept on the path with them, and kept an eye on her in case. Sweetie Bell knew that her spunky friend would snap back. She just needed…some mental alone time. She had taken the thing with the lizard creature rather hard. Sweetie Bell was making sure that nothing snuck up on them, as well as keeping Apple Bloom on the path. Who knows what evil, creepy thing was stalking them right now and what was that! Sweetie Bell lifted her ears. “Hey, you hear that?” Scootaloo stopped, and nodded. “Bushes, side of the road!” She fluttered her wings and disappeared into the brush, while Sweetie Bell urged Apple Bloom down into the brush as well. It was getting louder. The distinct sound of tromping hooves and what Sweetie Bell was starting to recognize as feet, usually humanoid feet. Both Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo had decided that from now on they would avoid everything and everyone until they got to Bright Valley. And to be fair Sweetie Bell was having her doubts about Bright Valley as well. Who knew if the ponies there were really friendly or if they were horrible? Though, right now at the very least they would be ponies, and Sweetie didn’t know how long they would last out here alone. But still, until they found other ponies, Sweetie and Scootaloo were not willing to just walk up and talk to something alien. Sweetie Bell placed her hoof on Apple Bloom’s back and gently pressed her down in the dirt. Apple Bloom’s eyes darted back and forth, wide and scared. Thankfully she didn’t make any noise, but simply shivered there in fear. Sweetie hated this. Apple Bloom was always tough, but not now. Now she needed her friends, and while Sweetie Bell was terrified herself, terrified to the core, right now she needed to take care of Apple Bloom. Sweetie Bell squinted through the brush and the clopping grew closer. Maybe it was a pony? It sounded like there were a lot of them. Something bony and white entered her vison and Sweetie blinked. It was indeed a hoof, a black tipped hoof, but something was odd about it. The leg attached was skinny, skinner then her’s, or even a horse like Far Strides’. Sweetie Bell followed the hoof upwards with her eyes, and blinked. The leg was…very thin. White and…wait a minute why was it in two pieces like that? It…oh no…oh sweet Celestia no! Sweetie felt her gut drop somewhere around her own hooves as the skeleton leg lifted, pausing as if on the verge of brushes the bushes back and finding her. Her eyes rolled all the way upwards to see…oh no. The head that hovered above her was not a head at all. It was a skull, just a bleached white horse skull. Or…no it was a pony. A pony skeleton. A zombie pony. The skeleton paused, tilting his horrible head to the side, as if it could sense the foals. However, something whistled. Sweetie Bell looked up to see a biped creature with batlike ears and huge jowls grabbed the skeleton by the head and turned it back to the path. The skeleton trotted back down the path, as if urged on by the creature. Sweetie Bell cringed as she could see more of the creatures leading a small herd of skeleton horses on the path. Sweetie Bell gasped as something poked her in the side. She started and looked up into the small eyes of one of the bipeds. She whirled, attempting to blast the creature with her magic. Heart racing she tried to pick up the creature’s spear, but the lime green energy fizzled, and the creature poked Sweetie Bell onto the path. She pressed close to Apple Bloom, protecting her as best Sweetie could as the creature forced the two onto the path. A few moments later another creature emerged, poking Scootaloo onto the path. Scootaloo fluttered to Apple Bloom’s other side, bearing her teeth at the creatures in defiance, determined to protect their friend. “Who are you, what do you want?” Sweetie Bell struggled to ignore the skeleton ponies surrounded them. One of the creatures sneered. “We learned our lesson from Tambelon.” He hefted his spear. “If it weren’t for ponies Lord Grogar would have taken this land! Kill them.” The creatures lifted their spears and advanced on the Crusaders. Sweetie Bell sparked her horn and, with a grunt of effort, managed to yank a spear out of a creatures’ grasp and fling it away. Another came at her and she managed to knock it away, but the third scraped against her flank, and she jerked away before it could fully spear her. One of the creatures lifted its huge boot and kicked her, pinning her to the ground. Sweetie’s horn sparked and flashed, but the magic just wasn’t coming anymore. She could hear Scootaloo screaming in rage in pain, but it seemed that neither filly could do a thing. Sweetie closed her eyes. “NO! NOT AGAIN!” Sweetie looked to the side and saw Apple Bloom, who had been cringing on the ground, suddenly spring up and lunge at the lead creature. He swung with his spear, but missed, and Apple Bloom grabbed something strapped to the creature’s side as she flew past. Sweetie blinked and laughed when she saw that Apple Bloom had just grabbed the creature’s sword. She darted to the side and, sword gripped her teeth, swung her head and split the spear the creature was aiming at Sweetie in half. Sweetie scrambled away, kicking at the creature that was pinning Scootaloo in the shins. The creature screamed and backed away, and the three fillies backed down the road, Apple Bloom still holding the blade in her mouth, swinging aggressively with her head at skeleton and biped alike. “Ha, you’ve never held a sword in your life!” The lead creature picked up his spear. “Give that back, you fool!” Apple Bloom stamped her hoof and snorted in response. “Just kill them.” The creature pointed with his spear, but to her shock Sweetie Bell heard something galloping on the path in front of them, to the east. Sweetie snarled, head lowered. They would not go down without a fight! “I don’t care how many of you there are, you aren’t hurting my friends!” Sweetie bellowed. “Yeah! Same here!” Scootaloo nodded, wings fluttering. Apple Bloom nodded vigorously and stamped. “Charge!” Someone shouted from the other side of the road, the place where Sweetie had heard the hoofbeats. Sweetie Bell blinked in surprise as a white pony with a poofy purple mane, wearing a rather silly looking blue and red jacket, exploded onto the skeleton horses, bucking one in the flank and badly cracking the bones. More strange ponies followed, with long muzzles and bodies and dull colors, four more of them. Sweetie, for the life of her, couldn’t tell if they were male or female. However, they launched themselves at the skeletons and the creatures, bucking, kicking and sometimes nipping. Apple Bloom snarled and lunged, swinging her new sword at a creature’s hind end, slapping him and making him howl. Though they were scary at first glace, the skeletons proved fragile, and soon the creatures had broken ranks and were fleeing, a few cracked and broken skeletons shambling along behind. “Yah! Take that, troggles! Grogar is NEVER coming back!” “Yeaahhh! Cutie Mark Crusader Flank Kickers!” Scootaloo reared in joy. “We sure shoed them!” She looked at Apple Bloom, who still had the sword in her mouth in a death grip. Scootaloo edged over and nuzzled her. “Hey, we are okay. It’s okay…” She lowered her voice gently. “Please, Apple Bloom, we need you…” Apple Bloom blinked and put the sword on the ground. Though she placed a possessive hoof over the weapon, she seemed more alert then she had been. She looked up at the other two, and Sweetie Bell cringed inwardly at the haunted look in her friends eyes. Apple Bloom grinned, and Sweetie Bell just knew it was fake. “Fine…Ah’m fine…it’s okay.” Her eye twitched. “Are you girls alright?” The purple maned white stallion trotted over, his voice gentle and soft. Sweetie Bell blinked. He didn’t have a Cutie Mark…in fact…all of the new ponies that had rescued them had blank flanks. “Hey!” Scootaloo blinked. “None of you have Cutie Marks, and you’re all adults!” She looked at Sweetie Bell. “They’re a herd of blank flanks?” “Blank what?” The white stallion blinked. “Blank flanks, ya’ll don’t have yer Cutie Marks.” Apple Bloom pointed at the stallions bare flank. He blinked. “Oh! You mean symbols? Like the Ponylanders up north? We’re from Bright Valley! We’re not the same breed they are!” The stallion smiled gently at them. “I’m Knight Shade, but you don’t have any symbol’s either…so you can’t be from Paradise Estate…and I don’t remember you seeing you last time I was up there.” Apple Bloom slowly blinked, then looked at her friends. Scootaloo’s mouth was hanging open, and Sweetie Bell was shaking her head. “They sent us here…cause we’re blank flank’s ourselves.” Sweetie Bell tapped her hood against her head. “Just…typical…” The blank flanked ponies stared at each other. “Knight Shade…do you have idea what they are talking about?” A tan Bright Valley asked. Knight Shade shook his head. “Look, we just ain’t earned our Cutie Marks…symbols, whatever yet!” Apple Bloom said. “Once we find our what our destinies are, we’ll get em!” The Bright Valley ponies stared at them. “You’re…not from around here, are you?” The tan pony, who Sweetie thought was a mare, asked. “Everyone knows that Paradise ponies are born with their symbols.” Scootaloo blinked. “Born…with their Cutie Marks?” Knight Shade looked around. “This isn’t the best place to talk about this. Who knows when the troggles will come back, and Zeb is probably still around as well…” Knight Shade snarled to himself, and then looked at the fillies. “Whatever kind of pony you are, you should probably come with us.” Sweetie Bell looked at Apple Bloom, who had grabbed her new sword from the ground and was holding it in her mouth. The sight of her friend, casually holding a weapon, and a weapon that ponies did not use as rule, sent a shiver down Sweetie Bell’s spine. Even though Apple Bloom nodded at them, and indicated that they should follow, Sweetie Bell was badly unnerved. Her best friend, one of the kindest ponies she knew, was now trotting beside an odd blank flanked stallion, carrying a sword around as if she was now attached to the thing. What was worse, Scootaloo was right beside them, smiling a bit and clearly happy, and unbothered by the presence of the weapon. What was happening to them? Sweetie Bell would probably have liked Bright Valley in any other circumstances. The place was settled in a nice canyon, the houses were nice and it looked like a normal village. But by now Sweetie Bell was so sick of this entire land that she didn’t feel that kindly towards Bright Valley. That and the fact that, within a few meters, they found not only bipedal mice wandering around, but more of the bat faced creatures that Knight Shade had called troggles. Sweetie Bell tensed the moment she saw one, and so did the other two Crusaders, Apple Bloom even stamping aggressively and backing towards the others. Knight Shade paused and looked at them. “…I guess that back there was the first time you meet a troggle? Don’t worry. The ones here don’t serve Grogar. It’s only a small faction of them that do.” “Who’s Grogar?” Scootaloo asked. “Grogar was a demon ram necromancer…or maybe a warlock. I’m not sure.” Knight Shade shrugged. “He was a magic user, at least. A dark one. He lives in an enchanted city called Tambelon, which he is bound to magically. Once every five hundred years Tambelon returns, and he gets a chance to take over Dream Valley. The last time he showed up was a few years ago. Most of the troggles, who he enslaved, rebelled, and he was banished by the Ponylanders. However there is still a small faction of troggles loyal to Grogar, and those are the ones on the road you met.” “Well…alright.” Scootaloo said. “But I’m keeping my eye on em.” Scootaloo eyed a troggle, who gave her a confused look. Knight Shade sat down and smiled at the fillies. “Now that we’re safe in Bright Valley, can you tell me what happened?” Apple Bloom put her new best friend down and gave Knight Shade a brief outline of what happened to them. Knight Shade frowned slightly, and continued to frown when she had finished. He looked over at the tan mare. “You think you can take some troggles and mice to Midnight Castle. If one of Scorpan’s is in danger we should help.” “Are you sure we should get involved? I know you have an attachment to the Ponylanders but…” The tan mare frowned. “We never would have gotten rid of Arabus if it hadn’t been for them. And things are getting worse and worse here. First Grogar’s followers took out Munsterville, then someone freed Arabus and Zeb. I think we should start talking to the other good people of Dream Valley before it’s to late!” Knight Shade stamped, and Sweetie Bell got the feeling that Knight Shade and the mare might have had this conversation before. Sweetie piped up. “When we left these scree creatures were attacking Scorpan’s castle.” “Scree are always attacking somebody ever since they lost the ability to rig bets.” The mare grumbled. “Yes, but think about it. Grogar’s followers rose up and took Munsterville, then not a week later someone frees Arabus and Zeb. Now these fillies tell us that they spotted a Gloom Witch poking around Midnight Castle. You know as well as I do that they don’t have any good business being around that place. Something is fishy and I don’t like it! What’s worse is that we haven’t seen Arabus around ever since he got lose. I know Arabus. He’d want revenge, and I don’t know why he is taking so long to get around to it. One incident would be chance, two a funny coincidence. All of this taken together? Something’s going on, and it might not end up just affecting Bright Valley, but everywhere!” The mare hesitated, and then nodded. “Alright. I’ll take them myself.” The mare got up and trotted over to some troggles, and after an exchange of words the creatures nodded and grabbed some spears. Within a few moments a small group of ponies, troggles and bipedal mice were heading for Midnight Castle. Apple Bloom breathed a sigh of relief. She looked up at Knight Shade. “Look…we really, really want to go home.” Knight Shade nodded. “I’ve been all over Dream Valley. Usually I’m a singer, but when Arabus was freed I came home to help. But I’ve never heard of Equestria. So…let’s go consult the Sea Ponies.” “Sea Ponies?” Sweetie Bell asked. “Yes. Some call them hippocampi.” Knight Shade waved them over with a hoof. “They’ve been all over this world. Well, all the bits that are underwater. Surely they know exactly where Equestria is!” Apple Bloom sighed. “Run around again…” She grumbled as she went to pick up the sword. Knight Shade put a hoof on her shoulder. “Are you really going to keep that?” He asked. She laid her ears back. “Ah’m tired of havin ta run away from things all ta time!” Knight Shade nodded. “Well, let me make a suggestion. Not all ponies use those, cause they aren’t designed for us. But I know a mouse blacksmith in town that can modify the handle to be more comfortable for a mouth, and he can probably get a sheath for you so you don’t have to lift it all the time. He should be through modifying it while we talk to the Sea Ponies. Fair deal?” Apple Bloom studied him. “…alright, but he better give it back after he’s done.” Knight Shade led the way to the blacksmith, and Sweetie Bell got the opportunity to study the sword more. Now that she looked at it she realized that the weapon was probably more along the lines of a dagger, or maybe a short sword at most. It was just big enough to be called a sword in Apple Bloom’s small hooves, but in one of these bigger creatures it was probably just something to use in case they lost their big pointy spears. Still, Sweetie Bell didn’t like the thing, at all. She wished that Apple Bloom would give it up permanently. It didn’t suit her at all. The mouse blacksmith had set up a small shop alongside a pony one, and it was clear that the rodent refugee was using the place in lue of whatever he had back in Munsterville. “Hey, can I talk to you?” Knight Shade pointed at Apple Bloom. “This little one needs a sword modified for pony.” The mouse turned and looked the filly over. He blinked, and then nodded. “You gonna pay for that, Knight Shade?” Knight Shade nodded and pulled out coins of some variety. He tossed a few at the blacksmith. Apple Bloom blinked. “Why ya payin?” She asked. Knight Shade shrugged “Let’s just say I have a lot to make up for…” “…why does everyone we met say that? And why is it usually in reference to these Ponylanders?” Scootaloo asked. The blacksmith picked up the blade and studied it. “Well, the Ponylanders have done a lot for Dream Valley. It’s been a much better place to live since they came.” He nodded at the Apple Bloom. “I’ll have this ready in a few hours.” Apple Bloom nodded and looked up at Knight Shade. “Sea Ponies now Ah guess?” Knight Shade nodded and trotted off to the edge of town, the fillies following. He eventually led them to a small river on the edge. It was a gentle, calm river, and seemed very peaceful and clean. Apple Bloom looked at it. “That…ain’t no sea.” “Sea Ponies are just called that because they have a kingdom under the sea. They can live in any body of water. They actually keep their young in small protected lakes and streams all over Dream Valley, to keep them safe from the dangers of the open ocean.” Knight Shade picked up a seashell and tossed it in. “One or two usually pass by around here, going back and forth from Ponyland where they have a small nursery, and their kingdom. They’re attracted by sea shells.” A few minutes passed, and Apple Bloom snorted. “Are ya sure they-akk!” There was splash, and a blue pony head, attached to a small body with flippers and fins emerged. The creature bobbed and sang out a ‘shoo-be-doo’ at them. Apple Bloom blinked. “What’s…with the singin’?” The blue Sea Pony smiled. “It’s how we Sea Ponies say hello! Wait…hey I’ve seen you before!” “What? Huh?” Sweetie Bell squeaked. “Well, okay, not you you, but I’ve seen ponies like you! You know Applejack, right?” “Applejack!” Apple Bloom jumped. “That’s my sister! You’ve seen my sister!” She jumped around. “Ah knew she’d be lookin’ fer us!” “What about my sister! Rarity! She’s a white unicorn with three diamond Cutie Mark…or wait…you call em symbols, right?” “Yeah, we sang with her! Didn’t understand a word she said, but she’s got good rhythm!” The Sea Pony smiled. “I’m Seawinkle! Nice to meet you!” “Is Rainbow Dash here too?” Scootaloo asked. “Can’t mistake her. Blue, rainbow mane, the best flyer that ever lived!” Her eyes widened in curiosity. Seawinkle stopped smiling. “No…I’m sorry. Whizzer was with them, but she was the only pegasus around. She’s pretty fast though.” “Oh…” Scootaloo deflated a bit, and Sweetie Bell patted her on the back. “I’m sure she is looking for us back home. You know she wouldn’t abandon you, Scoots.” Sweetie Bell said. Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah! That must be it!” “You need em to go find them? I can tell them where you are. Since you’re their sisters and all, they must be worried about you.” Seawinkle asked. “Yeah!” Apple Bloom cheered. “We’re going home!” She jumped up, pumping her fist in the air and making the Dream Valley natives blink a bit at this odd display of flexibility. “One more thing, Seawinkle?” Knight Shade said. “Has anything strange been going on underwater?” “Now that you mention it…” Seawinkle flicked her fins, growing serious. “There seems to be an influx of octopi and squid, and some Sea Ponies are saying they’ve spotted a…a kraken.” She said the last word in a hushed, awed tone. “What’s a crackydo?” Asked Scootaloo. “A kraken is a huge squid, bigger then any other squid that ever lived. It eats Sea Ponies, and…well anything else it comes across.” Seawinkle shuddered. “And the dolphins are acting funny.” “Aren’t dolphins nice?” Sweetie asked. Seawinkle shook her head. “You would think that, with all the smiling and giggling they do but…they smile to fool you. They can be real bullies if you don’t show them a strong front. They like to play, but their games are mean, and they’ve been a bad influence on some of our young.” Seawinkle said. “Sharks are okay, believe it or not. You get what you see with a shark, and if you prove yourself tough enough, you’ll win their loyalty. But dolphins…you never know.” “Sounds like fishy Flim Flam brothers.” Apple Bloom said. “I don’t know a flim flam, but I know you can’t trust a dolphin. Either way, they are getting more aggressive. Even the shark shivers are becoming more…approachable towards us because of dolphin attacks. Neither of us like dolphins, even though Sea Ponies and dolphins are more similar, if only because we are both mammals.” Seawinkle shrugged. “I’ve been hoping that we can arrange a peace treaty with the sharks, if only to keep them from going along with the dolphins.” Knight Shade nodded. “There’ve been some pretty strange things happening up here as well. I don’t like it. Between Grogar’s followers, Arabus escaping and scree running around causing everyone grief, and now krakens and dolphins? I don’t like it.” “Neither do I…” Seawinkle flicked her fins. “But, for right now I will just swim on over the river and look for your sisters. I’ll point them here. Just stay put!” “Thanks a bunch Seawinkle!” Sweetie Bell grinned. Things were finally looking up. Whizzer watched Niblik out of the corner of her almost closed eye. Niblik had a strained, regretful look on his face as he dug up some rope out of one of his many storage containers. Whizzer suspected he hadn’t wanted to do this, not really, but she wasn’t about to lie down and let him haul them off to who knows where! As soon as the troll stepped past her to approach Applejack, rope in hand, Whizzer swung her back legs around and kicked upwards, catching Niblik in the side and sending him crashing to the ground. Applejack, reacting instantly, grabbed the rope in her teeth and leaped on Niblik’s back. She twisted the rope around, hogtying him. She leaped off and turned to glare at him. “Now what the hay do ya think ya were doin’?” Whizzer trotted next to Applejack and frowned at Niblik. “I’m-disappointed-after-Megan-and-I-found-you-a-friend…” Niblik blinked sadly. “That’s just the problem! They took Scrum!” Applejack blinked. “Who took him?” Niblik growled. “About a week ago that Gloom Witch, Hydia, showed up. She babbled a bit about taking over the world, and destroying you ponies. Bunch of nonsense. I told her to take a hike. But, three days ago, some troggles showed up and kidnapped Scrum. They said if I didn’t help Hydia and their allies they’ll kill him!” “That-explains-it! You-know-you-could-have-told-us-from-the-start.” Whizzer looked at Applejack. “Ya-don’t-mind-a-rescue-mission?” Applejack smiled. “Shoot, Whizzer, it’s like you can read my mind.” “Naw-but-Ribbon-could!” “I was talkin’ mettyforically.” “Huh?” “…never mind.” Niblik looked up. “You gonna untie me?” “Nope!” Whizzer grinned. “We’ll-go-rescue-Skrum-then-come-back! I-like-you-Niblik-but-I’m-not-going-to-risk-Skrum’s-life-in-case-the-troggles-come-back-and-realize-what’s-going-on.” She grinned and flicked her wings. “So-where-are-they-keeping-him?” “A few miles to the north…you should go now. It’s about noon, and the goblins will be back in their holes.” Whizzer nodded and trotted to the door. “Come-on-let’s-hurry-Applejack-we-don’t-have-all-day!” Applejack blinked, a bit taken aback by the speed of these decistions. However, she walked over to Whizzer anyway. She looked behind her. “Are ya sure we should leave Rarity and Sweet Stuff here?” “Well-we-can’t-carry-them-but-if-we-hurry-we-can-be-there-and-back-in-time.” Applejack shot a worried look over her shoulder, but followed. Whizzer sped up, galloping to the north, and Applejack had no choice but to follow. “Ya got a plan?” She asked when she caught up with Whizzer. “Ummmm….” Whizzer blinked. “I-will-figure-it-out.” “That ain’t that reassuring’” “I’m-no-Magic-Star-not-even-a-Gusty-I’m-doing-my-best.” Applejack sighed. “I guess I get your point…I ain’t no Twilight Sparkle myself…wish she was here.” “Yeah…” Whizzer sighed slightly as the two pressed on. It wasn’t long before the two ponies came to a giant crater in the ground. It was a small, shallow crater, relatively, and Applejack could spot a small collection of tents at the very bottom of the crater. Whizzer squinted, narrowing her crystal eyes. “Yer eyes any better’n mine?” “Can-you-see-the-troggles?” “Naw…what’s a troggle?” “Golbinoids-bat-faced-guys-usually-with-spears.” “Ah can see…figures, but I can’t see any details.” “I-can-see-em-down-there-“ “Can you see the troll?” “No-let’s-sneak-closer.” Applejack nodded and slid down the crater, jumping behind rocks and bushes. Whizzer followed, showing a surprising amount of stealth. It didn’t take them that long to reach the edge of the small camp, and the two ponies ducked behind a tent, keeping low to the ground. Whizzer gently lowered her nose to the and peered around. She looked back at Applejack and whispered. “I-think-there-are-only-a-few-here-. I-can-lure-them-away. You’ll-have-to-be-fast-and-search-the-tents.” Applejack looked around, there had to be about ten of them. “Alright. Are you sure you can make it?” “Yeah-no-problem.” Whizzer began to step out, but paused. “You-do-know-how-to-carry-right? Just-in-case.” “Carry?” “Carry-a-two-leg-on-your-back?” “…Once or twice with a baby dragon.” “I-hope-you’re-strong.” Whizzer said. “Ah’m plenty strong.” Applejack snorted in irritation. Whizzer nodded. “Alright-here-I-go.” Whizzer reared and leaped out from behind the tents, snorting and pawing at the ground. She charged, and Applejack peered around the side of the tent, watching about twenty or so troggles pick up spears and run after Whizzer, who was speeding off towards the other side of the crater, occasionally stopping to buck a few troggles in the chin to keep them interested. Applejack ran to the first tent and charged in. She blinked, coming face to face with a troggle. She whirled and bucked him in the chest, sending him into a nearby barrel. She looked around, no troll. She kicked the troggle in the head again, knocking him unconscious. She ran out and tried the next one. This one held no troggles, but no troll either. Gritting her teeth in frustration she ran across to a third. Two troggles stood next to a large cage, containing a tall troll that was sneering at the two troggles. The troggles blinked and lowered their spears. Applejack snorted and took out her rope. She twirled it as the leftmost troggle charged, lowering his spear to skewer her. Applejack sidestepped and flung her rope, catching him around the shoulders as he ran past. She yanked and ducked, sensing the other troggle jumping at her. The two troggles’ heads slammed together, stunning them. Applejack darted around them, roping them up. She dropped her lasso, knowing she couldn’t keep it. She looked down at one of the troggles and grabbed the keys hanging on his belt. She dashed to the cage and, after a bit of fumbling, managed to get it into the lock. The troll pushed the door open. “Are ya Skrum?” Applejack asked. The troll nodded. “You are an odd looking pony.” The creature’s voice tones almost reminded Applejack of Rarity, if Rarity were male. And a rather ugly biped. “Ah’m from Equestria. Now let’s vamoose before them troggle doohicks come back!” Skrum’s frown deepened and he nodded, following Applejack out of the tent. She looked to the far end of the crater, noting Whizzer still leading the troggles on a chase over rocks and bushes. She nodded and ran the opposite direction with Skrum. It didn’t take them to long to get out of the crater, and Applejack turned to make sure Whizzer hadn’t been caught yet. Sure enough, Whizzer was still running around the crater. Applejack whistled and Whizzer turned her head their direction. Applejack raised a hoof and waved at her, and the pegasus nodded. Whizzer, with a great flap, launched herself into the air. Her wings caught a stiff breeze, and she quickly soared their direction. The troggles collided into each other, not expecting Whizzer to leap into the air. Whizzer landed next to Applejack, flexing her wing in pain. She tossed her head and started to run back to Nibliks. “Let’s-go-before-the-catch-up!” She gasped. Applejack nodded and followed, keeping an eye on their troll friend as they ran. To her relief he followed fast enough, but the sounds of many running feet soon reached Applejack’s ears. She looked behind her and snorted. Troggles were on their heels. Whizzer turned her head and snorted. She dodged to the east, yelling over her shoulder. “Let’s-try-this!” Applejack blinked, but followed. The desert was starting to give way to small grasslands, and Applejack didn’t really understand why they were running this way. Then she spotted the river in the distance, and it connected. “Do…ya…think?” She gasped. “I-hope-so!” Whizzer sped up towards the river. She ducked her head under Skrum and lifted him onto her back. Whizzer’s wings buzzed as she hovered across the river, troll on her back, while Applejack leapt over the river in one huge jump. She paused on the other side and looked behind her as the troggles started to wade into the water. “It’s not wor-“ Applejack blinked as one of the troggles went down, splashing and kicking at something before the surface. A blue Sea Pony head burst from the waves and suddenly turned as she smacked a troggle in the head with a large flipper. More of the adult Sea Ponies bobbed up, slapping troggles with their fins and flippers, knocking them into the river, and making rather bold attempts to drown them. The majority of the troggles ended up being floated down the river, who knew where. Seawinkle smiled and bobbed over to three land dwellers. “Takes care of them!” Applejack sighed and sat down. “Much obliged ta ya. Ya really saved our tails there!” “Wow, you can talk normal now!” Seawinkle grinned and clapped her front fins together. “Great! Do you remember me now, Applejack?” “Awww, Ah’m sorry ta say, but I ain’t yer Applejack.” “Not our Applejack? What do you mean?” Seawinkle asked, confused. “It’s like this. Ah and my friend Rarity been lookin fer our lost sisters, and we ain’t from around here. We’re actually from a land called Equestria. Fer some reason ya got a pony that looks similar to me with my name, but we ain’t the same pony.” Seawinkle blinked. “…that does explain why you have that huge creepy head.” “…my head ain’t that creepy…” Applejack snorted. But Seawinkle kept talking. “And you have sisters, right? Apple Bloom?” Applejack leaped up. “Yeah! That’s my sister! Do ya know were she is?” “Sure do! At Bright Valley!” Seawinkle grinned. “Hey, I got an idea!” She dove into the water and a few minutes later she and three other Sea Ponies were supporting a large clam shell. “We can take you to her the fast way!” Applejack’s mouth hung open, then she shook her head. “Mighty nice of ya, but we should get Rarity and Sweet Stuff first…” Skrum, who had been listening quietly, nodded. “I think I need to get Niblik and myself out of the desert for now. Just in case those troggles or anyone else of Hydia’s ilk comes by again. I’d rather not go through this a second time.” Whizzer nodded. “Sounds-like-a-plan-think-you-can-hold-the-shell-for-us-till-we-get-back?” The Sea Ponies nodded. “Why sure, take your time!” The trek back to Niblik’s house was fortunately uneventful, and by the time they got there Rarity and Sweet Stuff were waking up. Applejack untied Niblik, who was grumpy, but still pleased to see his friend. Almost immediately the two of them started to pack, eager to get out of dodge before the troggles regrouped and came back for them. “Where are you going to go?” Rarity asked, still trying to decide if she should be offended at being poisoned or grateful that Applejack had taken care of things so quickly. Rarity had to admit that Applejack always seemed to pull through when you really needed her. Niblik looked at Whizzer and Sweet Stuff. “Even after…what happened, do you think we should go to Paradise Estate? At the very least we can tell em what’s going on.” Whizzer nodded. “Yeah-sounds-good-sorry-you-have-to-flee-though!” Niblik scowled. “Not your fault. But if I ever get my hands on that witch…” He growled slightly as he glared around his home, eyes flicking over his various treasures. “Bah, let’s go.” Without another word Niblik stamped out the door. Skrum muttered something about manner less oafs before following. “…they are a very odd pair.” Rarity said as she trotted towards the door. “Shall we go? Mustn’t keep our ride waiting. It’s terribly rude.” Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle a bit as she followed. Still, she couldn’t help but be eager. She was so close to her sister! Soon they would be headed home, and Applejack couldn’t wait. The clam was a very soft transport, and Applejack was pleased that she and Whizzer could get a rest, but that they were also traveling at a very swift pace due to the Sea Ponies pushing them with their heads. Occasionally one of them would swim up for a chat. “Yer wing doing alright, Whizzer?” Applejack asked. “Should-be-mostly-alright-now-still-hurts-but-not-as-much.” She worked the wing up and down. “Think-it’ll-be-sore-for-a-bit-but-like-you-saw-I-can-fly-if-I-really-have-to.” “Your wings must be very strong.” Rarity said, looking at him. “But why do you keep them held upright like that?” “Dunno-just-the-way-we-hold-em.” Whizzer shrugged. “So, other Applejack?” Seawinkle poked her head out of the water. “Do you have any Sea Ponies in Equestria?” “Well, not that Ah’ve seen.” Applejack said. “But we got Crystal Ponies, and there are Princess Luna’s special guards. They’re like pegasi, but they got bat wings.” “Hmmm, maybe all your Sea Ponies don’t like to come to the surface?” Seawinkle grinned, totally confidant that there were Sea Ponies everywhere. Applejack smiled. “Maybe…how much further?” She lifted her head and peered around them. They had passed by the desert and Applejack was getting edgy. “Not far, just around that bend.” Rarity leaned forwards, almost unbalancing the clam. She wasn’t the only one, as Applejack leaned forwards as well, eagerly watching the bend as they sailed around it. She spotted a small bridge up ahead, that lead to some village of some sort. She managed to spy some equine figures up ahead near the bridge, and she whooped in joy. “APPLE BLOOM! YEEEHAAAAAAW!” At her cry one of the figures looked up and leaped into the air. “APPLEJACK!” The young filly started to run forwards to meet the clam, grinning wide. “RARITY!” Sweetie Bell’s voice squeaked adorably as her usually well groomed sister leaped off the clam into a small muddy portion of the bank, but right now the awful experience of DIRT was nothing to fact that Sweetie Bell was RIGHT THERE! Rarity squealed in joy as the two unicorn sisters collided into each other. Rarity scooped Sweetie Bell up in her hooves and squeezed her to her chest, sobbing. “Oh Sweetie I was so so worried!” The stress from the trip, and her worry over her sister, finally overwhelmed Rarity, and she openly sobbed into Sweetie’s mane. As if responding to her sister’s emotional turmoil, Sweetie began to cry in joy as well. Apple Bloom slammed into Applejack like a small yellow rocket, and while she didn’t cry she did manage to knock her strong sister to the ground, clinging to her neck like a overly emotional monkey. Apple Bloom nuzzled her sister’s neck, burying her face in Applejack’s fur and trembling. “It was AWEFUL big sis! This place is horrible! Ah hate it here! AH HATE IT!” Sweet Stuff and Whizzer, who at first had been smiling at the reunion, looked at each other, clearly a bit taken aback by the violent reaction against their home. Scootaloo buzzed over, looking at the clam as if expecting someone. Seeing only Whizzer and Sweet Stuff she blinked. “Hey, where’s Rainbow…and what’s wrong with your eyes?” She squinted at the two Twinkle eyed ponies. Sweet Stuff blinked. “There’s nothing wrong with my eyes.” She ducked her head, as if embarrassed that the filly had brought up the crystals. Whizzer flicked her wing across Sweet Stuff’s shoulder in comfort and looked hard at Scootaloo. “Haven’t-seen-a-Rainbow-just-us-and-we’re-Twinkle-eyed-ponies.” She nudged Sweet Stuff. “It’s-nothing-to-be-ashamed-of-and-you-know-it,-Sweet-Stuff.” “It’s just that they’re freaky…everything here is freaky! And wrong! Even the ponies are wrong!” Scootaloo snorted. Inwardly she was mad, and hurt, that Rainbow hadn’t come with Applejack and Rarity. She thought that she meant something to Rainbow! Sweet Stuff, however, took this as an insult, and turned her face away, trying not to show weakness and failing. “…I’m sorry.” She whimpered, and Whizzer glared at Scootaloo as if she was seriously considering plucking the small pegasus of her feathers. “Don’t-be-mean-to-her-she-didn’t-have-to-come-along-just-to-find-some-rude-foal-she’s-never-met-before-then-get-insulted-by-her.” Whizzer stepped in between Scootaloo and Sweet Stuff. “Neither-of-us-had-to-help-your-kin-but-we-did!” Scootaloo was about to reply when Applejack, Apple Bloom still clinging to her neck, put a hoof around her shoulders. “Scoots, she’s right. These two are just like any old pony! Ya shouldn’t go around insultin’ em.” Scootaloo sat down. “I just thought Rainbow would be here…you know…she…” Scootaloo sighed and looked at the ground, scuffing a bit with her hoof. “Ya don’t think she’s scouring Equestria right now? Ain’t her fault ya stumbled into another world! She and the others are probably lookin’ fer all of us, and if she ain’t I’ll eat twenty of my spare hats! Pinkie Promise!” Applejack winked at Scootaloo. Sweet Stuff, momentarily distracted from her sadness looked at Applejack and then looked at Whizzer. “…spare hats? Pinkie Promise?” Whizzer shrugged. “Bobble-heads-are-weird.” Knight Shade, who had hung back while the fillies reunited with their sisters, slide over to the two Ponylanders. “Nice to see them back together, is everything okay at the Estate?” Whizzer looked up. “Far-as-I-know-why-do-you-ask?” “A lot of strange things have been going on…” Knight Shade outlined the events so far, and Whizzer frowned the more he talked. She stood up. “Knight-Shade-have-you-ever-heard-of-a-Changeling?” “A what?” Knight Shade blinked. “Something-from-their-world-that-feeds-on-love.” Whizzer flicked her ears towards Applejack and Rarity, who were now listening to the conversation, still holding their sisters, but each had a hoof around Scootaloo, giving her some sisterly comfort as well. Whizzer continued. “One-of-them-tricked-us-into-thinking-they-attacked-a-Flutter-Pony-Niblik-the-troll-was-blackmailed-into-helping-Hydia-and-now-all-of-this?” Applejack’s ears lowered in aggression. “Anypony else getting’ the feelin’ we’ve been missin’ a rather big forest fer the trees?” Knight Shade nodded. “I think…we need to hurry back to your Estate. From there we can contact the Flutter Ponies and get in contact with this Equestria place.” “From-what-Ribbon-said-through-a-bit-of-telepathy-Wind-Whistler-and-Gusty-are-probably-already-there-they-might-know-more-but…” Whizzer paused. “Ribbon-hasn’t-tried-to-dreamwalk-in-my-head-what-about-you-Sweet-Stuff.” “No.” Sweet Stuff shifted uncomfortably. “I think we really need to head back. I have a very bad feeling.” Knight Shade stood up. “Bright Valley can last without me. I’m coming to. Arabus is involved, and I’m not letting that big sack of wind have his way again!” “Aright.” Applejack stood up, still clutching Apple Bloom. “Then how’s about we get back on the Sea Pony Express and make water tracks ta yer home, ladies.” She nodded at Whizzer and Sweet Stuff, who nodded. “I want ta get you back ta the farm, but if memory serves that rainbow doohick we took should be in that direction anyway…that is if ya Sea Ponies don’t mind?” Seawinkle ducked her head. “Not at all. We should check on our young as well. If something bad really is stirring up all the evils in Dream Valley, we’ll need some adult Sea Ponies to look after the babies!” Alright then, let’s saddle up!” Applejack leaped back on the clam, craddeling Apple Bloom. She was soon followed by a still slightly muddy Rarity, as well as Whizzer, Sweet Stuff, and Knight Shade. The Sea Ponies attached some kelp ropes to the clam and began to drag them up the river towards Paradise Estate. Applejack eyed Rarity, mentally counting. When she got to five Rarity suddenly screamed. Knight Shade leaped around, eyes darting for danger. “What is it?” “OH my beautiful hooficure is RUINED! There’s mud EVERYWHERE! WHHHHHYYYYY DOES THIS PLACE HAVE TO BE SO DIIIIIIRRRRTY!” Whizzer and Sweet Stuff leaned away from Rarity, clearly wondering if the unicorn had lost her mind. Applejack just chuckled at the baffled looks on their muzzles. “Don’t worry, that’s just Rarity.” Applejack finally reassured them. “…bobble head ponies are weird.” Seawinkle sighed. Knight Shade watched Rarity with a mixture of awe and fear. In fact, the arrival of such strange and high pitched bobble head ponies had caused the musician to completely forget about the sword Apple Bloom had found. And perhaps that was for the best.