//------------------------------// // III: Trust Issues // Story: The Misadventures of the Renegades // by reading is magic //------------------------------// Alarmed by Twilight’s sudden announcement, Ponyville became silent as its residents stopped to stare at the changeling. Their faces showed surprise, horror, and confusion. How can anyone blame them; the changelings did try conquering Canterlot. Meanwhile, Twilight still had her hoof pointed at Frost Bite. “Uh, I mean no harm?” Frost Bite said aloud. For a second, nobody responded, and then some pony screamed, “RUN!” Panicking ponies ran in all directions, rushing to get inside their homes, abandoning stalls, and hiding underneath tables and barrels as they screamed. For a short time, every pony was gone and surprisingly, nothing was damaged from the sudden stampede. “Wow, that’s something,” Frost Bite commented, knowing that even changelings don’t move that fast and carefully. “GET ‘IM!” Applejack announced, carrying a lasso ready to capture Frost Bite. Twilight pointed her horn at Frost Bite, which made him run. He ran as if a bear was going to maul him. “I’m sorry! I don’t know what I did, but I’m sorry!” Frost Bite screamed as he ran. “You ruined my brother’s wedding!” “But they still got married right!?” No wonder she’s angry; it was her brother’s wedding. Maybe she was the maiden of honor? “Enough!” Applejack jumped in front of Frost Bite and Twilight covered his back. He glanced left and right, seeing an alleyway in the former and a giant gingerbread house on the latter. While the house did look delectable and interesting, he knew his life was on the line so he ran to his left. He kept going then turned left and then another left. Finding a dead end, he looked around for something usable. He found a barrel and stuffed himself inside. Oh, sheesh, they're gonna kill me! Probably torture me, or worse, send me to the moon! What’s worse, Sing Song’s gone missing! This can’t get any worse. The thoughts swirled in his head. For that moment, he changed to his pony form. Hopefully, the one called Twilight wouldn’t use her spells on him if he was ever found. And then, he heard hoof steps. “Ah think he was ‘round here.” “Check everything, Applejack. We can’t let one changeling ruin our home. I’m pretty sure Chrysalis is up to no good.” Hearing the Queen’s name made his ear twitch. Frost Bite realized that they were thinking that Her Majesty sent him here. He thought of talking to them, but then he shook his head. It wasn’t going to work. Especially when he ruined a little mare’s brother’s wedding. The barrel’s lid he was hiding in got lifted by Applejack and she looked down on Frost Bite. “Yer safe now, come on,” Applejack said as she reached for what she assumed to be an innocent pony. Which he was. “Ah! No! Get away from me!” Frost Bite flailed his hooves at Applejack. “Simmer down, sugarcube. It’s me, Applejack. When ya got the zap apple, remember?” Of course, Frost Bite didn’t simmer down. How could he, knowing that Twilight Sparkle could bring down the hammer of justice on him at the moment she pointed her horn at him? “Who’s that?” the purple winged unicorn asked. “Some pony new ‘round here. Probably passin’ by. She played a bit of boppin’ apples.” Twilight then walked to them. “Let me check her, just to be sure.” Oh, good hives, here it comes! Frost Bite closed his eyes for the incoming magic, as if expecting it to hurt. “Twilight, there’s no need for that. Ah look in her eyes and ah know it’s her. This ain’t no changeling.” Twilight observed the pony in question. She then became worried for the blue unicorn who was obviously scared as she hid her face with her hooves and her teeth jittered. “Alright,” Twilight said as she powered down her magic. “Miss, you’re safe now. We won’t let anything harm you.” “Really?” Frost Bite asked as he felt Twilight’s words were genuine concern. “Yes, I assure you. Now we have to get you to safety; there’s a changeling on the loose.” Sing Song woke up to the question of ‘Who?’ that was repeated too many times. Who? Who? Who? “SHUT UP! Sing Song looked around and found she was in a branch of a tree and that she was covered in pumpkin flesh. She shook off the fruit remains. She realized she had been thrown away. “Who.” “I told you to shut—” Sing Song turned around and found an owl, just looking at her. “Oh.” Sing Song placed her hoof on her face. Sing Song realized the who’s weren’t questions; it was an owl hooting. She moved to see outside the tree and saw an empty town. Wait, what? The festival’s over? “Who.” “You’re annoying, you know that?” “Who?” “You.” “Who.” “Stop asking!” Sing Song heard a door opening and closing along with a set of hooves. She moved towards the tree and saw a window on the bark. It’s literally a tree house. Peering inside, Sing Song found three ponies; a purple alicorn, a light blue unicorn, and an orange earth pony. Frost Bite! The sight of her comrade filled her with relief and anger. He did made her flung all the way here. “Alright, there could be more of them outside, or maybe they have already replaced some of them,” the purple one said. “The changelings just won’t give up.” “Darn toothin’. Every pony’s in danger if we don’t do somethin’ ‘bout that.” The orange pony replied as she moved Frost Bite to sit in a cushion. “You alright, hun?” “I’m okay,” Frost Bite answered weakly. Sing Song can see Frost Bite’s nervousness being around them. Great, somehow every pony knows he’s a changeling! No wonder the town’s deserted. At least they know it’s not him. “Right. I have to write to Princess Celestia about this. That changeling queen is back; I’m pretty sure the first one we saw is just a scout.” Twilight went upstairs. Frost Bite, a scout? That’s a joke I’m pretty sure the queen of changelings will find so funny that she’ll be rolling on the ground like she’s on fire. “You do that; Ah’ll take care of her. Poor lil’ mare, scared like ah lil’ kitty.” Sing Song flew down from the window and landed on the table in front of the poneis. “Sing Song! You’re okay!” Frost Bite happily said. “You threw me into this tree!” “Right, sorry.” And he did look sorry. “Glad ya found your friend there,” Applejack said. Before Frost Bite could even say thanks, the library’s door was slammed open, revealing a pink hyper pony in a chicken costume. On her back were a pair of buckets filled to the brim with candy. “Twilight! Emergency! Every pony started hiding, and I can’t get candy anymore!” Pinkie Pie boomed. “Pinkie, calm down. Twilight’s already onto it, and ya already got too much candy,” Applejack said. “Was Nightmare Night over!? Did I do something? Did Princess Luna have gotten angry again?” Twilight came back to the room. “Alright, I have sent a letter to the Princess, we just have to wait.” “Twilight!” Pinkie immediately grabs the purple pony’s hoof. “Was Nightmare Night over again!?” “Pinkie, no, it’s not. It’s fine, don’t worry,” Twilight reassured Pinkie. “Actually no, there’s a changeling spotted.” Pinkie Pie’s face changed from worry and panic to a guerrilla soldier’s—stoic and serious and somehow, face painted with green camouflage. “Let’s get him.” Frost Bite began to tremble at the sight of the happy-go-lucky pony into a serious hunter. Oh my Queen, they want my dead body! He turned to Sing Song. “We have to get out of here! They’ll put my head on a stick and dance around it!” He muttered to his little friend, shaking his front hooves in the air. “First of, that’s a disgusting thought. Secondly, you’re overreacting! These ponies won’t harm a single fly. They’ll probably capture you alive, and negotiate with you.” “You don’t know what ponies are capable of!” Frost Bite grabbed Sing Song and brought her up to his face. “How did you think we got kicked out of that wedding? Not voluntary, that’s for sure!” Ponies were interesting and scary at the same time for Frost Bite. They dominated most of Equestria and even outnumbered the griffins or any other major species and for Frost Bite, their history was much more interesting than his own kind. Still, remembering the day they got blown away from Canterlot was a day he would never forget. Only ponies were capable of such magic, and not even Her Majesty could do such. “What’cha girls talking about?” Pinkie suddenly appeared on Frost Bite’s right. “WAH!” The pair screamed. The face-painted pony smiled at them. Well, she won’t be smiling for long once she knew I’m the one they’re looking for. “Nothing! We were just, uh… Talking about…” Sing Song struggled to find the word. “Mangoes!” Frost Bite exclaimed, while at the same time, Sing Song said “Apples!” They look at each other. Sing Song began to signal Frost Bite using her eyes. With that, Frost Bite nods with a look of absolute cooperation. “Mangoes!” Sing Song exclaimed, while at the same time, Frost Bite said “Apples!” For the unknownth time, Sing Song wanted to smack Frost Bite in his eyes, that way it could lead to permanent pain. She tried her best not to plant her hoof into her face and just sigh. Instead, she glared at the pseudo pony. “You guys must be hungry! Have some candy!” Pinkie Pie held out her bucket of sugar rush. “No thanks,” Sing Song answered, while Frost Bite took a candy cane and said, “Thanks!” “I’m kinda having a déjà vu here. Felt like it happened before, I can’t quite place it.” Pinkie rubbed her chin, trying to remember. “Alright, girls.” Twilight moved in between all of them. “We’ll split up and look for this changeling. Now, I will give each of you one of these.” She started giving out white gems. “Oooooh! Shiny!” Pinkie took hers from Twilight’s magic. “What’re these for, Twilight?” Applejack took hers as well. “These gems are enchanted so that they turn black whenever it is pointed at a changeling, whether in disguise or not. Since not all of us can cast the spell I’m using, this is the best tool for you so all of us can search. I’m going to find Rainbow so she can help us.” Help them search and destroy me. “You can stay here, uh…” Twilight said as she tried to remember Frost Bite’s name. “Frost Bite,” Applejack finished her sentence. “You’ll be safe here, sugarcube.” For a moment, Frost Bite wanted to believe in Applejack’s words but he knew she was also hunting for him. That wasn’t reassuring. “Let’s go!” Twilight announced. The three ran and left the library, leaving the wanted changeling and a breezie. “We have to get outta here!” Frost Bite bellowed. “Those ponies want me dead or alive and I think they’re more inclined to the former!” Sing Song hovered over Frost Bite’s face. “Chill out, you bugger. Look, I’ve seen ponies and they’re not as brutal as you think they are.” She then floated over the table. “They even left us one of those magic gems they’re using. I wonder if it actually works.” “No! It might disable my changeling abilities!” “Yeah right.” “You could care less since you’re not the one being hunted; I am! I am the changeling!” Frost Bite thundered. At the same time he did, the library’s door hanged open and in the door frame was a purple-scaled, wingless baby dragon whose jaw dropped at Frost Bite’s word. “Oh boy,” Sing Song muttered. “Oh boy what?” Frost Bite asked, to which Sing Song pointed at the door. “Oh.” Frost Bite began to stare at the dragon and the dragon did the same. They held gaze at each other, and Frost Bite slammed the door shut with his magic, which made the dragon jolt at the sudden movement. “Now what genius?” Sing Song inquired. “Stay back, Sing Song. This might get ugly.” From what Frost Bite knew, dragons were one of the most dangerous species he had heard back at the hive. He heard of tales where dragons stole treasures worth more than castles and kept them for collection and in most of the stories he heard, towns ended in mayhem and destruction. If that dragon was here, then they are in danger. Or at least that’s what was going on in Frost Bite’s mind. Frost Bite glared at the enemy and began to walk sideways, as if to engage combat. The dragon returned his glare, and followed suit, as if to accept the challenge. “You won’t get away with this,” the dragon said. Frost Bite then realized that the dragon was male from his voice. “Of course I won’t; I already have,” Frost Bite snapped back. Oh gosh, that’s such a cool comeback! “Yeah? I bet you can’t get through me!” The dragon hissed as he bared his claws. “I, uh, know martial arts!” Frost Bite answered and then made sounds of martial artists, such a wooooooooooo, and wachaa. I know, it sounds ridiculous. “Oh yeah!? I got, uh, really sharp claws!” The dragon announced as he swiped the air with slashes from his claws. That does sound painful. “Is that all? ‘Cause I got , um… magic! Magic that can, uh, break your bones!” Frost Bite continued to make ridiculous martial artist sounds and now, adding his horn to his arsenal, shook his head as if it was a weapon. “I can breathe fire, ha!” The dragon puffed out his chest, feeling confident. “Is that so? Well, I can—” “ENOUGH!” The dueling rivals stopped walking in circles, and faced the source of the sound. Sing Song was floating above them and then descended to Frost Bite’s face. “What were you thinking, picking a fight with a BABY dragon?!” Sing Song bellowed as she waved she waved her hooves frantically. “B-Baby?” Frost Bite muttered. “And to think you threatened to break his bones! Just-Just think about what you just said!” “I just thought dragons are dangerous...” “‘I just thought dragons are dangerous’,” Sing Song mockingly quoted. “Well, now you’re just being judgmental! Don’t you wanted the ponies to think otherwise for you? And yet just now you were doing the opposite of that!” With those words, Frost Bite fell on his haunches and looked at the floor, ashamed of what he had done. “And you!” Sing Song flew over to the dragon’s face. “Just because he’s a changeling, doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy!” “But the changelings attacked Cadence’s wedding...” “‘But the changelings attacked Cadence’s wedding’, whatever! They have a queen and they were probably following orders! That doesn’t make all of them bad!” It was the dragon’s turn to look down and feel bad for what he had just done. “There’s a reason the word ‘negotiation’ was made, and you two need to do that! But first, I think you owe each other an apology,” Sing Song said as she folded her hooves. The changeling and the dragon looked at each other, both hearts crushed at the realizations the breezie just gave them. After a few apologetic peeks at each other, the two muttered in unison, “I’m sorry.” “Look, I’m really sorry. I don’t really know martial arts,” Frost Bite said. “Me too. I never really used my claws other than holding stuff,” the dragon replied. “I don’t even know magic that much; I can barely lift stuff!” “I can breathe fire, but not much that can harm any pony!” And so the two laughed and soon, both of them were on the floor as they laughed. It took a full minute before their laughter subsided and turned to smiles. “So, you’re not a bad changeling?” the dragon asked. “Yeah. So you’re not a bad dragon?” “Yup.” They stood up and walked closer to each other. “Well thank goodness that was over,” Sing Song said, floating above them. “I’m Spike,” the dragon said as he stretched his claw. “I’m Frost Bite,” the changeling placed his hoof, and shaked. He then pointed up. “And that’s Sing Song!” Sing Song then landed on Frost Bite’s head. “It’s kinda weird, you know,” Spike said. “What is?” Sing Song asked. “You two!” Spike exclaimed. “You’re the oddest pairing I’ve ever seen; I mean a changeling and a breezie, that coupling is weird. No offense.” “None taken,” Frost Bite replied. “We’re actually travel buddies; we plan to go all over Equestria!” “That’s awesome!” “I know right?” “So, uh,” Spike stammered. “Can I see your real look? What you really look like?” The question took Frost Bite by surprise and even Sing Song too. Heck, me too. “Um, why?” “I don’t know. I’m just curious.” “Well,” Frost Bite said. He paused for a while, and thought about if it was a good idea or not. “Okay, I trust you, and I think I can prove that by showing you. Just don’t panic when you see, okay?” Spike nodded. Frost Bite undid his disguise; his white made was replaced with short, spiky, dark cerulean mane, his blue coat turned to black and clear insect wings appeared on his sides that spreaded wide open. “Whoa, dude that’s creepy,” Spike commented as he pointed at him. “Hence, my original form,” Frost Bite said as he reverted back to his pony version. “Wait, original?” “It’s my own look! It’s what I think I’d look like if I was a pony.” “So you want to be a girl? I mean, from your changeling form, you do look like a dude...” Spike tilted his head. “No!” Frost Bite screeched. “Why does every pony think of that?” “That you’re a changeling?” “No, that I’m female!” “Then why do you even change into a mare?” “Because I look good! I feel cool and awesome.” A knock came from the door. Spike went and opened the door, only to be greeted by three little fillies, whom Frost Bite recognized as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Hey girls!” Spike said. “Oh, hey Spike!” the yellow one named Applebloom replied “We’re looking for a changeling!” the orange Scootaloo said as she looked around, scanning for their prey. “Cutie Mark Crusaders Hunters!” Sweetie Belle hollered. Frost Bite’s face contorted into fear. If they find out that I’m the one, they’ll tell Twilight then she’ll take me to the authorities then capital punishment! Spike looked at Frost Bite and gave him a reassuring nod. Frost Bite felt a bit better, knowing that some pony was on his side, but it felt odd for him to gain comfort from a baby. “Nope, no changeling here! Just me and uh, Frost Bite here.” Spike gave the fillies a smile that Frost Bite hoped would make the fillies leave. “Frost Bite?” Sweetie Belle wondered loudly. “Isn’t he the one dressed-up as a changeling earlier?” “Yeah, then Twilight said he’s the real deal! We found him!” Scootaloo said. All of a sudden, the Crusaders took out tools; Sweetie Belle held a net, Scootaloo, held a baseball bat, and Applebloom held a pair of hoof cuffs. Frost Bite held a face of fear. “Wait a minute!” Spike said as he jumped in front of Frost Bite. “Just wait!” Scootaloo ignored Spike and tackled Frost Bite, knocking him down as he yelped. “Why?” Scootaloo questioned. “He’s right here, tricking you into something evil and diabolical!” Diabolical? Frost Bite knew he wouldn’t dare to do something like that; that’s the Queen’s job. “He’s not a bad changeling!” Spike exclaimed as he waved his claws toward Frost Bite. “He might be one of those who ruined the wedding, but he’s a nice guy; give him a chance.” The Crusaders looked baffled at what Spike had to say. They looked at each other and whispered. Mumblings and hushes emitted from the small gathering, and after a few seconds, they faced Spike again. “Okay, we’ll give him a chance,” Sweetie Belle announced. “What?” Spike and Frost Bite said. “Well, that was easy,” Sing Song smirked. “Wait wait wait...” Frost Bite scratched his head. “Aren’t you girls there at the wedding we trashed? We ruined a wedding of some pony you know!” “Of course we were there!” Applebloom proudly answered. “But it’s not like we got harmed or anything.” “We could’ve done something, but Sweetie Belle insisted that we hid right after we tossed the petals around,” Scootaloo remarked. “That changeling queen did look creepy, but I sure could have helped Rainbow Dash kicking her royal butt!” Scootaloo bucked the air with her hind hooves. “More like end up in green icky goo,” Sweetie Belle commented. “What did you say?!” “Nothing.” “I dare you to say that again!” “You’ll just have to clean your ears more often if you want to hear properly.” “Why you—” The two started to fight, waving their hooves at each other from a safe distance. To others, the fight looked more like foals trying to play with each other. “So, do they always fight like this?” Frost Bite inquired, scratching his head probably too many times by then. “Well, they were arguing about who gets to name the changeling when we capture it before we got here, but I guess we won’t be doing that.” Applebloom watched her friends with little interest. Frost Bite shuddered at Applebloom’s sentence, but also relieved knowing that won’t be the case anymore. To named like a pet, ugh… The fight ended with zero casualties. With new friendships formed, they all waited for Twilight and gang to return and explain to them what had just happened. As they wait, Spike pulled out a board game of Monopoly, and invited the others to play. Spike set up the game on the floor and took a silver horseshoe as his piece. For Frost Bite, he picked the breezie piece, which was almost the same size as Sing Song; Scootaloo picked a small bike, Sweetie Belle a thimble, and Applebloom,—guess what it is—an apple. Since Frost Bite didn’t know how to play, Spike teached him the rules, and minute, they started to play the board game known to drive families and friends alike apart. Sing Song decided to be the banker. After ten minutes, Spike was leading the highest earner, Applebloom second, Sweetie Belle going third, Scootaloo grumpily taking fourth, and Frost Bite ended last. Frost Bite landed too much on ‘Go To Jail’, and every time he took a community chest, he would go to jail or pay random bills. Since then, he feared the chests and chances; they were cursed to him. Much later in the game, Frost Bite undid his pony form. The Crusaders were persistent, so he reluctantly agreed to show them. The amazement on the kids didn’t last a minute and soon they were back in the game. It made Frost Bite disappointed; he thought his form could distract them from the game and he could take a bit from the back, but then Sing Song was the banker; he might get a penalty from her. Staying in his true form, Frost Bite stashed his money on his hoof’s holes. It was an odd sight, but it’s pretty handy for him. “Do not pass go...” Frost Bite mumbled as he read the chance card. He hated that set of orange cards that seemed bent on making him lose all of his money. It made him wonder if he was bad at gambling as well (He was terrible). The library opened, revealing Twilight Sparkle and her friends behind her. When Twilight saw the crusaders and her baby dragon playing Monopoly with a changeling, her mind immediately tried to reason with the scene. The reason that won in her head was that the changeling was controlling their minds, forcing them to play the very board game her friends refused to play. Twilight liked that board game, but her friends didn’t seem to share the excitement and enthusiasm of buying and trading properties, and making your rivals bankrupt. What’s not so fun about that, she thought to herself. “Spike?” Twilight called out. Spike contemplated whether he should buy Canterlot with his hard-earned money or not. Leaving it for auction might make it cheaper for others, and he did not want to give the others the satisfaction. “Spike!” “Okay! I’m buying it!” Spike exclaimed. Suddenly, the board game flew away from the players, and drew their attention to the newcomers. “Oh.” The Crusaders and Spike became enveloped in Twilight’s magic and got pulled away from the changeling. “You’re not tricking any other ponies anymore, mister!” Applejack stomped in front. Frost Bite swore he saw fire blowing out of Applejack’s nose, but it was most likely just in his head. “Not this again,” Sing Song said as she dropped a green plastic house she was playing with. Frost Bite flinched at Applejack’s statement, and suddenly he was encased in magic and levitated towards Twilight. “Twilight, stop! He’s a good guy!” Spike grabbed Twilight’s leg. “That’s what he wanted you guys to believe. Now get behind us!” Twilight exclaimed as Applejack took out a rope. Twilight then pointed her horn at Frost Bite. “Yeah, out of the way Spike. Just let me at him!” the rainbow-maned pegasus said as she stretched her wings, preparing to take Frost Bite down. “Of course that’s what he wanted us to believe! He IS a good guy!” Spike ran in front of the mares. “Just give him a chance! Look what happened with Zecora; you can’t judge him because of what his kind did. He is his own pony!” Twilight paused as did the magic from her horn. The iridescent, however, had other plans. Fast as a bolt of lightning, she tackled the changeling, and pinned him to the ground. “Now Pinkie!” Out of nowhere, a pink blob jumped out behind them, and the rainbow pony tossed Frost Bite inside a barrel. “Do the honors, Pinkie!” “Aye aye, captain!” Pinkie saluted, wearing a pirate cap and an eye patch. Cramped inside the barrel, Frost Bite could smell the sweet scent within it, mostly like cake and frosting. “Frost Bite!” Sing Song jumped inside the barrel, and faced Frost Bite’s rear. “Get out of there!” “I’m afraid that’s not an option I can make!” Unbeknownst to the duo, Pinkie Pie turned the barrel around and then lit a matchstick. She then lit the barrel. “Do you smell that?” Frost Bite tried to move, but the space just didn’t allow it. “Smells like a burning matchstick...” A barrel AND a matchstick… It clicked together to the minds of the duo inside. It wasn’t a barrel, it was a— “A CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON?!” The Renegades blasted out of the library’s window, and as soon they were out of sight, a star twinkled in their place. Pinkie Pie went outside the library and drew a big breath. “IT’S A PARTY CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!”