//------------------------------// // Chapter 20: Hope // Story: Quill's Journal (a.k.a. The journey to the center of Equestria) // by Waterwitch222 //------------------------------// "Alright, we got ye as close to ye swamps as possible. Good luck to ye!" Hoofbeard called from the wheel, as Quill and Time Turner walked off of the ship. "Thanks Hoofbeard! Bye Jewel!" Quill called, waving as she did. Jewel waved from her spot in the water. "Goodbye Quill! Farewell Time Turner! Good Luck!" she called back. With one final wave, the duo set off into the swamp. Of all the places in Equestria, the Hayseed Swamps was Quill's least favorite. It was foggy, wet, smelly, hot, and at times dangerous. Turner looked at her as she shuddered at the hot fog around them. "So, have you been here before?" he asked. Quill turned to him and slowly nodded. "Yeah. It was the worst trip I'd ever been on! I nearly got myself killed." she said in annoyance. Turner stopped walking. "K-k-killed!?" he stuttered in fear. Quill turned to him and gave a nervous laugh. "Don't worry. The Fire Center of the swamp is where the danger is. If we stay away, we should be fine." she said, a fearful tremor in her voice. Turner's grey coat began to turn paler. "Quill... that's the part of the swamp we need to cut through." he said quietly, as if he was scared to speak any louder. Quill stared at him in disbelief. "Seriously?" she asked in horror. Time Turner nodded, lifting up the book to show her. Quill gulped. "Okay, now tell me this. Did we happen to remember to pack flame proof boots, a chair, a snake charmer's flute, and a hunk of ricotta cheese?" she asked nervously, trying her best to remain calm. Turner gave her a weird look. "No. Why would we need that stuff?" he asked in confusion. Quill sighed. This trip just got harder. --------------------------------------------- After Firecracker explaining everything she could, Ash looked like he has just witnessed a dream visit from Princess Luna. "So, the unicorn who visited me was your mom?" he asked. Firecracker sighed. "Yeah. I didn't know 'till a couple minutes ago. I jus' wish I found out sooner." she said, hanging her head in sadness. Ash could tell Firecracker was sad even if he couldn't see, so he decided to try to change the subject. "So, what was it like to travel with my brother and this... future friend of mine?" he asked. Firecracker turned toward him, a small smile appearing on her face. "Ya brother Time Turner is just 'bout da most overprotective, grumpy, serious stick in da mud I've ever met. But without him, we might not've made it dis far. He loves ya and misses ya a lot. He'll be glad to see ya when this is all over." she told him, hugging him close as she spoke. Ash Brush blinked his sightless eyes in astonishment and talked some more. "Who's this future friend then?" he asked in confusion. Firecracker laughed. "Oh, ya gonna love Quill! If it weren't for her, ya brother and I might not've been able to get along. She's a little annoying and weird at times, but she has a good heart and gives a shoulder to cry on whenever me or Time Turner need it. Time Turner knows her better than I do, so if ya wanna know more, ya will have to ask him or Quill herself." Firecracker told him. Her words encircled through Ash's mind like a whirlwind. He could hardly believe that after this he'll not only have a new friend, but will be reunited with his BBBFF again! However, as he thought about all this, a question came to mind. "Firecracker? What about you?" he asked. Firecracker looked at him in confusion. "What do ya mean?" she asked. "When this is all over, and I get to be with Time Turner again, what will you do?" he asked. Firecracker thought a moment. "I... I don't really know Ash. I'll probably go back to Manehattan and try to keep those guards off my tail. I did a lot o' bad things to get money and I don't want ya to mix yaself with dat when ya don't have to." Ash's eyes began to fill with tears. That wasn't the answer he was expecting. "But... but you've taken care of me for the last year! You've fed me, healed me, and gave me a place to sleep! Your like my older sister AND your my best friend! I-I don't want you to go back to living in the streets of Manehattan! Not after all you've done for me!" Before Firecracker could say anything to cheer Ash Brush up, the force field around them disappeared as the door of their cell opened. A changeling guard and Chrysalis stood in front of them, malicious smirks on their faces. "Let's get started then!" Chrysalis said, picking up Firecracker with a green glow while the guard did the same to Ash Brush. Firecracker tried to struggle, but her attempts were in vain. Not even a spell could get her out of this. Whatever Chrysalis was going to do to her and Ash, she couldn't do anything to stop it. They were on their own. --------------------------------------------- Quill and Time Turner have been walking for over an hour, and they've actually been met with a decent trip through the swamp. No dangers, no need to run, and nothing to fear. Though it made Turner feel better about the whole thing, Quill couldn't help but feel pretty nervous. "You okay Quill? You seem pretty tense... more so than usual." he said. Quill turned to him and sighed. "It's just a bit to quiet for my liking. We're getting pretty close to the fire center and we should be seeing smoke, fire, and a scary beast by now. The silence is just... abnormal to me." she explained. Turner stared at her. "Really? I find this kinda peaceful. If danger isn't coming right away, I say we enjoy the quiet while we can." he said, trotting ahead to emphasize his point. Quill looked around before galloping after him. 'But this isn't normal, I know it isn't! I'm not gonna relax until we see a sign of danger.' she thought, laughing to herself about her line of thinking. Her mental laughter was interrupted when she bumped into Turner, who'd suddenly stopped in his tracks. "What gives?" Quill asked. Turner said nothing. He simply lifted his hoof and pointed into the clearing in front of them, mud falling off because of his quivering body. Quill followed his hoof and felt her heart stop. Changelings. 10 or 20 of them flying in the clearing, staring at them with hatred, as if they'd been waiting for awhile for the duo to show up. Quill gulped. She hadn't expected this at all. "Is this the danger you were telling me about?" Turner asked in terror, the changelings flying closer and closer to them. Quill shook her head. "No, there was supposed to be a Chimera! Where's the Chimera!? I'd MUCH prefer the Chimera right now!" she said quickly, her good wing coming to her face, covering her eyes in fear. Turner looked at her as if she was an alien that just landed on Equestria. "A Chimera!? Are you insane?!" he shouted. Quill shook her head. "Seriously. There was a Chimera out here." she said, her eyes perking out between her feathers. The changelings were coming too close for comfort. Turner didn't want to find his brother like THIS! So he did the first thing that came to mind. He punched. The changeling snarled at the blast, rubbing it's jaw in pain. Quill stared at Turner in disbelief. She never thought she'd see the day when Turner would personally harm another living thing. Quill hid behind her wing again, too scared to move. Turner simply punched any changeling that came close to them, making the group very angry. "I've had enough!" a hissing voice cried in annoyance. With those words, a green glow surrounded the duo, picking them up off the ground. Quill tried her hardest to move, but even her hurt wing wasn't twitching anymore. Turner tried as well, but was also met with failure. The changeling that was levitating them showed itself to be a changeling with blue armor. "Let's report back to our queen! She shall be pleased!" it called. The changelings around the duo and armored changeling saluted. "Yes General Cacoon sir!" With that, the duo was taken through the swamp toward the Badlands, as prisoners rather than rescuers. ---------------------------------------------