//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 Magical Apples // Story: Friendship Has Many Names // by Mikey_030 //------------------------------// “So what are we all talking about?” We all looked at Fluttershy as if we saw a ghost. “You get out of here! C'mon girls we have to go NOW!” “Whatever do you mean, I just want to hang out with my good ole pals.” Twilight looked at me with confusion, “This is the evil monster?” Guys you don't understand I saw her snap angels neck right in front of me. “Yeah and I saw her rip a bear to pieces but she was just giving him a message.” Twilight added. As we argued we took our attention away from Fluttershy. In the middle of all the yelling we hear a small thump at the bottom of our hooves, on the ground in front of us is a mangled bunny carcass. Rarity screamed in terror. We slowly aimed our vision onto Fluttershy. She was giving all of us an evil grin. Fluttershy's voice hitting different pitches of highs and lows as she stutters her words, “What? Ha-ha-ha-haven't you se-se-se-seen a bu-bu-bu-buunny be-be-be-before?” Her body started shaking violently as parts of her phased different colors. She started laughing hysterically, her fur turning blue and her mane turning into the same assortment of colors as a rainbow. “S-s-s-so, who wants race!” “I'll Take that challenge!” Applejack shouted as she pulled a rope out of her hat. Before I could protest she wrapped the lasso around the blue and rainbow monster and started pulling it down with her teath. Rainbow Dash started laughing as her body surrounded the rope, her skin followed up the rope to the source of Applejacks head. “Wht n tr-na-tion” She mumble through the rope in her mouth as the monster's skin engulfed her head. “Applejack let go!” We all pulled at her tail as her body became a game of tug-of-war between us and the monster. We pulled as hard as we could but to no avail we lost her. We flew back on our haunches as her hooves jerked into the air and bucked us in the face right as the rest of her body was sucked in. We all got back up shaking our heads. Pinkie Pie started to cry. “Ah don't worry Pinkie Pie, I'm all right, I'm still me you did it you beat nopony, now come give your good friend Applejack a hug.” Pinkie Pie trotted forward slightly hoping that her friend was still there. I placed my hoof in front of her blocking Pinky's path. Tears were falling down everypony's faces to have witness another one of there friends become a victim to this monster. “Oh don't be sad girls, I'm still my old self, you can trust me.” “STOP, we already know what you are so just give it a rest, you think your so tough, then why was I able to get Gilda back!” Speaking of which where is that Griffin. “You think just because you were able to save one of your friends means you can save them all, that's jus' down right pathetic.” “CAN YOU PLEASE DROP THE APPLEJACK ACT FOR ONE BUCKING SECOND!” “Oh I'm sorry where are my manners, here who would you like, I've got Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, various other ponies from Clouds Dale, Oh speaking of which, do you guys like the Wonderbolts, I don't care for them really but I've got Soarin' if you want his autograph!” “You think this is a game, Cut it out and give us your regular form, the one from the forest.” “Oh fine, your no fun.” He returns to his former self. “So what did you want to talk about?” “I want to talk about how your scared of me.” Since were on this conversation again he easily became furious. “You little foal, you better watch your mouth around me or Purple over there is going to get it next!” Anger shot out of me as I reacted to his comeback. “You touch her and that's the last thing you'll ever do!” “Ah yes, well, is that why I just took the Orange one and still haven't a scratch on me?” “How dare you, you think that I can't save her like I saved Gilda, I know theres a way to beat you and you know just as well as I do that I'm going to!” “For all you know that could have been a mistake on my part, your just as far from beating me as you are with saving the lives of those few ponies behind you.” He reached for my friends determined to take them as well. From above I hear wings flapping, Gilda and Derpy were carrying Trixie to the scene. They threw Trixie in front of us as she cast a defense spell to block him. Trixie looks back at us. “GO NOW” Twilight casts a bubble over us as Derpy and Gilda carried us to safety. I regretfully looked back, Trixie's spell had broken, she tried to run away but he grabbed her off of the ground, I turned away as I knew what was going to happen. We have to find the Princess, she can tell us anything on how we could possibly stop him. She's got to be somewhere in Ponyville still helping ponies. After not much searching we soon find her speaking with one of the royal guards. “Twilight what happened, where are Applejack and Fluttershy?” No one answered. The Princess took the hint. “Princess, we can hide ponies all we want, but that's not going to stop him, we need a plan we need answers, do you know anything that could help?” The Princess looked at us with sorrow. “I- I honestly don't know. A long time ago when he first made his presence I struggled in a fierce battle, it took place a few hundred years ago, I tried to defeat him but all the magic I knew couldn't stop him, I'm afraid he's just too strong. The only thing I could do at that point was seal him in the forest, I knew it couldn't hold him for long, I tried to keep ponies out but they just wouldn't listen. Back then I had no idea he could steal ponies like that.” “Princess its worse than you think, if he takes a pony he can take upon its image to look completely identical to them.” “That's how he escaped... he used Rainbow Dash.” Pinkie Pie had tears running down her face, “I want my friends back.” “I know Pinkie Pie but we need to gather up all of our information first.” Twilight started to list. “He can take ponies and make them his own form. He can now transform into an Earth pony from Applejack, a Pegasus pony from Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Soarin', and Most of Clouds Dale..” I Spoke up. “And... A Unicorn...” We all looked down in despair as we remember the courageous act from Trixie. “...And a unicorn, and can withstand the most powerful of magic we have to offer 'aka Princess Celestia'. So what can we use to stop him.” “...Me?...” Princess Celestia trotted forward to me. “How can we stop him using you?” “I was able to save Gilda and I can save the others... somehow.” Gilda decided to speak up. “Listen I don't know how but he got me out of there so we have to trust him, theres gotta be a way to beat this!” As we thought something else crossed my mind. “Hey, did anyone check on those Cutie Mark Crusaders yet?” Rarity let out another sceam, “Sweety Belle, we have to find them we just have too!” We headed back to Sweet Apple Acres fast in hope to find the 3 fillies still in one piece. ___________________________________________ Meanwhile... “So girls any ideas on how to get our Cutie Marks Today?” A knock was heard at the door. Applebloom got up to answer it. “Oh hey Applejack!”