//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: Starving // by Foals Errand //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash swooped down to fly right above Applejack’s head. “I spotted them, they’re hiding behind a large boulder. About a quarter mile from here.” Applejack gave a nod. “Dash, you fly there and find out what is going on. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Rainbow Dash gave a small salute before tearing off towards where she had just spotted the Crusaders. After about a minute of a brisk flight, she landed silently behind them and frowned; they seemed to be staring at a small opening in the cliff face. She have a snort to get their attention, and when that failed, she sighed. “What in the name of the Princesses are you three doing here, huh?" The three fillies jumped and turned, Scootaloo’s eyes lighting up as she raced over to Dash straight away, only to hide under her wing. “Oh, Rainbow Dash! We’re so glad you came and found us! You gotta do something!” “Woah, Squirt, calm down! Tell me what’s going on!” Rainbow Dash looked to the other two fillies, hopeful they’d be less panicky. Sweetie Belle glanced back to where the small opening was. “Ms. Twilight went in there, Rainbow Dash. We watched it as it happened a-and there were changelings there, too! It was like they were expecting her!” Rainbow Dash followed Sweetie Belle’s line of sight and stared, mouth slightly open. After a few moments, she shook her head. "That can’t be right! I mean yeah, Twi’s an egghead willing to study just about everything, but those things almost destroyed her brother’s wedding! There is no way she would come out here willingly." Scootaloo scooted from under Rainbow Dash’s wing so she was able to look her in the eye. “We’re being honest, Rainbow Dash! But I dunno if she came willingly or not. She was acting really weird the whole time here. She even galloped at top speed only stopping once and we heard her talking to herself like there was somepony else there. She kept saying she was going as fast as she could, but that she needed to rest. It was kinda scary. And I know Sweetie said that the changelings were waiting for her here but they didn’t act like they were welcoming a friend or anything. It was almost like they were arresting her and she had just turned herself in.” Rainbow Dash chewed her lip as she considered what Scootaloo had just told her—she didn’t like it not one bit. Was Twilight a changeling or working with them? "So… they took her in that hole against her will, Squirt?" Rainbow struggled to keep her emotions from her face Don’t assume anything until you know all the facts Dash. Scootaloo squirmed under Rainbow Dash’s intense stare, trying to think of the best way to explain what she saw. “Well like… like a fish!” “A fish? What do you mean a fish?” Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and Scootaloo nodded eagerly. “Like when you are fishing and the fish is reeled in but as you pull it out of the water it fights a lot! It was like that!” Rainbow Dash stared at Scootaloo and subconsciously chewed her bottom lip. Doesn’t sound like Twi came here by choice… She shook her head as she heard the sound of hooves galloping towards them. Applebloom looked up, a grin on her muzzle. “It’s Applejack! I told you she’d come!” Applejack came to a quick stop as she spotted Rainbow Dash’s wing gesturing towards her. “You found them! Thank Celestia they are ok!” She pulled Applebloom into a tight hug before bringing a hoof down onto her head “What in Tartarus were you thinking vanishing like that anyways? We didn’t know where you went or why! Do you have any idea how terrified we all were do yah?” Applebloom gulped and looked up into her older sister’s furious eyes. Her back legs ached like nothing she had ever felt before from all the bucking she had done in the last several hours. Tears ran down her cheeks and she sniffed. “But we didn’t have time to let anypony know! Ms. Twilight was acting so funny and when she took off she went fast and she didn’t stop! I hurt so bad an an she went in there and she hasn’t come back out! We’ve been watching for four hours now!” Applebloom lowered her head and began to bawl as she felt hooves wrap around her tightly. She looked up to see Applejack smiling down at her gently, brushing her mane from her eyes. “You did fine, Bloom, I’m awful proud of you and your friends. Now you three take a breather. Rainbow and I will figure out how to save Twi.” Applejack released Applebloom from the embrace and started forward determinedly before Scootaloo dashed in front of her. “Wait a second, Applejack, Rainbow Dash. Watch!” Scootaloo picked up a small stone and with her tongue stuck out of her mouth hurled it as far as she could. Immediately eight changeling drones flew out of the small opening and peered around their wings buzzing. After a few moments of the five ponies staying silent pressed against the rock they heard a screech which was obviously an all clear call. Scootaloo fell onto her haunches shivering her small wings wrapping around herself. “They never leave…” Applejack sighed, slumping for a moment before adjusting her hat until it was straight. She looked Rainbow Dash in the eye. “Well, were just gonna have to find another way in aren’t we, Dash?” Rainbow Dash released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She glanced up at the sky, trying to judge the time it was. Around one in the afternoon from what she could tell at least. “They should be changing the guard at any moment if they are anything at all like normal ponies. During that switch off we should take the chance to find Twilight.” She shivered her wings slumped “We have to be serious careful though AJ remember those things seem to be linked some how. If we run into even one of them the whole hive of them will know we're here.” Applejack nodded firmly in agreement before closing her eye and perking her ears. “I need you all to stay silent until I say so understand?” “We gotcha, sis, I promise.” Applebloom whispered as they all watched Applejack slowly walk away from the boulder they were hiding behind after a few moments she nodded and returned back to the boulder. “I’m pretty sure I found another way in, Rainbow.” “Another way in? But all you were doing was walking around with your eyes closed. Sorry if I’m not sure I fully believe you!” Rainbow dash sighed glancing back upwards it’d be anytime now. Applejack snorted. “Pegasi always thinking either up or down. I heard water flowing into the cliff face.” Rainbow stared and blinked cluelessly. “You lost me. What is there a river inside the cliff or something?” Applejack rubbed her forehead with a shake of her head. “Not exactly. What it means is that where the water is entering the cliff there is likely to be an opening. And even more likelier is that it won’t be guarded.” Rainbow blinked before nodding a sad smile on her face. “Yeah and that may be our best chance to find Twilight. But what do we do with these three?” Applejack glanced down at the three fillies. While it was true they never would've found where Twilight had gone without them, she sure as hay wasn’t going to let them come into the hive with herself and Rainbow Dash. Her eyes searched for a safe place for them before spotting a small alcove of trees. “You three go over there and wait for us. Big Mac should’ve gotten the girls and Spike and sent them after us. If they get here before we come back out tell Spike to write the princess understand?” The three fillies nodded, relieved they would not have to go any farther. Rainbow Dash steadied herself, releasing a small snort as she psyched herself up. “Go on, you three, get over there to safety quickly.” She watched with satisfaction  as Sweetie Belle and Applebloom got back into the wagon while Scootaloo opened her small wings with a wince and gave a mighty buzz—moving them swiftly towards the safety the trees would give them. Applejack stood next to Rainbow Dash, watching until the Crusaders were neither within sight nor sound. “You think they’ll be alright, Rainbow?” She glanced over as Rainbow Dash didn’t say anything before turning and walking towards where Applejack had heard the water. Applejack trotted beside her silently as Rainbow places a wing on her back. “We can’t go in there worried about those three, so yeah, they’ll be fine, AJ.” She cracked a smile before both of them fell silent again their emotions hidden as they found a small pony sized hole in the rock face where a small stream was flowing through. They nodded to each other and wiggled through the hole making sure not to splash the water. They followed the stream for only a few hundred feet when they came across a large unguarded cavern. Applejack stood back while Rainbow took a look into the cavern her eyes narrowed. “AJ, you need to see this.” Applejack took one more careful look around before she came to stand next to Rainbow. She immediately saw why Rainbow spoke so urgently. In the middle hanging from the ceiling was a familiar green pod. “It’s like that thing that the changeling queen put Princess Celestia in, AJ.” Rainbow whispered her eyes locked on the pod. Applejack nodded before licking her bottom lip. “You think… maybe that’s where they have Twi?” Rainbow pawed the ground and shrugged. “I think we need to take a closer look.” Twilight forced her eyes open the green goo had started to clump to her fur making it more difficult to move as time passed. Everytime she allowed her eyes to close, it took longer and more force to reopen them. Weakly, she kicked out her back leg jostling her prison. Applejack’s eyes narrowed as the green cocoon twitched. She crept closer and placed a forehoof onto it. “Twi, Are you in there? It’s Applejack. Rainbow is here to.” Twilight’s ear flicked. No, it… it must be a trick. But, what if it’s her trying to break me further? Oh please AJ let it be you! Twilight gathered the remains of her strength and kicked out her back legs. Applejack felt rather then saw the response from Twilight’s cocoon. “Alright, just calm down, Twi, we’re going to get you out. On the count of three i’m going to buck you right out of this thing.” Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath bracing herself to hit the ground. Oh please let me be head up! “One, two, three!” Applejack bucked the bottom of the pod as hard as she could and was rewarded with what sounded like the cracking of an egg before a slime covered pony crashed to the floor laying on their side. She stood back nervously waiting for the pony to do something. Her eyes searched for anything that would tell her this was Twilight. Horn was visible but the color hidden. With a frown she reached out and scraped away the green goo covering the limp pony’s cutie mark. Her breath caught as Twilight’s starburst was revealed. Twilight twitched at the touch then stopped moving. Applejack watched in horror  as Twilight just laid still before her—the goop dripping onto her head. “Please Twi…” She nudged her side with a hoof. “Come on, you gotta move! We need to get out of here!” Rainbow trotted over to stand next to Applejack and glanced down at the non moving pony. “Come on, Egg head, we know you are tired but this isn’t the place to take a nap.” Twilight continued to lay there on her side still. Applejack nudged her side harder. “Twilight, please!” She stared at her unmoving friend “Please we can’t leave you here! Please!” There was a sound that sounded like a soft crackling before Twilight began vomiting up what seemed to be gallons of the green goo that covered her body. She trembled violently  as she heaved. Applejack and Rainbow Dash watched as Twilight stopped heaving, her chest shakily rising with a hesitant breath. Slowly, her breathing regulated and Applejack wiped a tear away before laying on her belly. “Rainbow, come on we need to get Twilight out of her help me get her onto my back.” Slowly, she wiggled her head under Twilight’s side so not to jostle her. Rainbow Dash nodded and helped get Twilight safely onto Applejack’s back so her head was laying against Applejack’s neck. “Alright, AJ, she’s as secure as I can get her.” She laid a hoof on Twilight’s foreleg. “It’s alright ,Twi, we’re getting you out of here… Do what you can to help AJ though okay? Like try and hold onto her?” Slowly, Applejack felt Twilight’s hooves squeeze her barrel and she smiled. “Thanks, Twi. Just hold on now!” Applejack left the cavern at a fast trot followed by Rainbow Dash who had taken to the air so as to better be able to spot and approaching changelings. Luck was with them though as they reached the hole in the wall without even hearing a single hoofstep. Rainbow Dash landed without a sound and nodded to Applejack “You and Twilight go out first. Run for the tree line and don’t stop. I’ll be right behind you.” Applejack snorted and jostled Twilight a touch to get her better situated. “You better, RD. Alright, Twi, hold tight!” She squeezed through the small hole, being mindful  not to bump Twilight into anything before racing towards the trees. She stopped as soon as she saw the Crusaders. A moment later, Rainbow Dash landed—folding her wings against her barrel. Applejack laid down on the grass and carefully rolled Twilight off of her back so that she could lay comfortably in the grass. Scootaloo hesitantly approached Twilight and wrinkled her nose. “She looks worse than the time the three of us ate chili dogs and rode the Roller Coaster at Rocking Point!” Rainbow Dash turned towards Scootaloo with a half hearted chuckle. “Well, Scoots, if you had been in a changeling pod I doubt you’d look great either.” Scootaloo nodded and continued to stare the other two joining her. “What do we do now? I mean it won’t be easy to move her and we’re hours from home!” Applejack chewed her lip considering until she noticed Twilight was no longer taking slow but regular breathes. Her mouth remained open and her body twitched. “Oh no, Rainbow I think something is caught in her throat! You had to learn the heimlich, right?” Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash who was already lifting up Twilight in her hooves Rainbow simply nodded before thrusting under Twilight’s rib cage with her hoof 4 times in quick succession before Twilight coughed out a large wad of hardened goo. Twilight took several deep breaths before prying her eyes open a green sheen covered them but she could easily see Applejack standing in front of her and feel Rainbow dash’s hooves around her “Rai… Jack... Tha… you.” She felt so tired but forced herself to keep her eyes open as she was laid back on the soft grass. Applejack felt like her muzzle might crack from the grin covering it. “Don’t just thank us, Twi’, The crusaders were the ones who followed you. If it wasn’t for them I don’t know if we ever would of… I mean they… They are the real heroes, Twi.” Twilight slowly moved her eyes to taken in the image of the three fillies almost smiling she stared at them her muzzle weakly opening and closing “Tha… save…. girls.” Applebloom pawed at the floor a blush covering her cheeks. “Well, we had to, Twilight! We had to make sure you were alright!” Twilight’s lips moved in response as she relaxed. After a moment she felt a weight lay next to her. Seeing Applejack’s blonde mane next to her, she wiggled her body closer. “Earth pony, the loving… pony,” she quietly mouthed. Applejack nuzzled to Twilight’s mane “Unicorns, the magic pony.” Twilight moved her eyes as she felt a weight on her back and noticed a rainbow mane. Rainbow put her muzzle to Twilight’s ear so only she and Applejack could hear. "Pegasus, the flying pony.” Applejack snorted. “Well then, flying pony, why don’t you go find the girls and Spike. I want to get Twi’ home as soon as we can and neither you nor I can carry her!” Rainbow Dash stood up and stretched out her wings. “I’m gonna need a second pair of eyes. Come on, Squirt, you’re with me.” Scootaloo stared up at her “Huh me? But, Rainbow Dash, I don’t think I can even move my scooter!” She buzzed her wings twice, weakly “I-I’m sorry…” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Who said anything about your scooter?” She laid down on her belly “Hop on!” Scootaloo lit up and climbed onto Rainbow Dash’s back and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow’s neck. “Alright i’m ready!” Rainbow Dash spread her wings, then with a mighty flap she took to the air, flying as fast as she safely could with her passenger. Both of them scanned the ground for a group of very familiar ponies. “There! Rainbow Dash I see them down there!” Scootaloo cried out pointing at the ground where Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were galloping along the marked path Applebloom had left. Spike was riding on Rarity’s back holding tight. Rainbow Dash nodded and carefully angled her wings into a dive landing right in front of Fluttershy. Hoping they would notice her and stop. The three ponies tried to stop but ran into each other and wound up in a pile. “Ugh! Come on guys not now!” They managed to pull themselves out of the pile and Fluttershy raced to Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow! Where is Twilight? Is-is she?” Fluttershy bit her lip as she tried not to think of the worse. Rainbow grinned at her friends. "We got her, she's safe now!” She frowned, biting her lip. “But, shes not doing so well shes really weak. Can hardly talk or move.” “What happened?” Rarity questioned trotting forward her legs were speckled with mud but she didn’t even seem to notice Spike stood up on her back wringing his claws as Rainbow Dash hesitated. “I well that… s-she was in a changeling pod.” Rainbow blurted out. “That’s horrible!” Rarity gasped. “Are you sure she’s alright?” Fluttershy’s ears pinned back. “Do you think she’ll want a party? Princess Celestia never let me throw her a “I was in a changeling pod and survived party!” Pinkie bounced a bit in place. “Twilight…” Spike stared at the ground “We found a clearing in a small forest near the changeling hive. She’s there with Applejack and the other crusaders follow me!” Rainbow Dash took  back to the air careful to fly slow enough for them to follow her. Twilight stared longingly at the stream they were laying beside. “Wa...tr.” Applejack’s ears twitched at the small whisper “Water? Are you thirsty, Twi’?” She moved enough so that she could look into Twilight’s eyes they moved from looking at Applejack back to the water. “Ple?” Twilight gasped out her mouth and throat so dry it hurt. “Applebloom do you still have a cup from your lunch?” Applejack asked already walking towards the red wagon searching through the garbage of their lunch she found a empty juice bottle. Carefully carrying it in her teeth she dipped it into the stream gathering a small amount of water. “Applebloom!” Applebloom jumped at Applejack’s loud voice. “I’m sorry Sis I was… I was thinking.” Applejack shook her head and smiled. “Don’t worry about it I found something but may I borrow your ribbon?” “My… my ribbon? What do you need my ribbon for, Applejack?” Applejack sighed. “Applebloom do you see how weak Twi is?” At seeing her little sister’s nod Applejack undid Applebloom’s ribbon and dipped it into the bottle of water. “She isn’t going to be able to drink like normal so i’m going to let her suck the water out of your ribbon.” Applebloom’s ears pinned back, realizing just how weak Twilight was. “Sweetie come on we can help! Lets wash that gunk off of her.” Sweetie Belle nodded and grabbed the cloth napkins from their lunches, handing one to Applebloom. They soaked them in the stream and began to carefully wash the hardening goo off of Twilight’s coat, while Applejack allowed Twilight to suck all the water she desired from the ribbon. After about five minutes, Twilight finally stopped. “Twi’, those fillies aren’t scrubbing you too hard are they?” Twilight shook her head feeling her strength starting to return “No, in fact I think that the ichor had a paralyzing or weakening effect. The more that is washed off the better I’m feeling.” Applejack grinned “Well how bout that you’re even talking better!” Twilight simply smiled allowing Sweetie Belle and Applebloom to finish washing the hard ichor off of her. “She was saying things to me Applejack.” Applejack laid back down next to Twilight and nuzzled her “Her? You mean that giant bug? What’d she say?” Twilight opened her mouth to tell Applejack everything when a fierce buzzing filled her head and one word rang out NO. “I… I can’t remember, I’m sorry Applejack, it must be something in the goo. I just remember it was bad.” Applejack opened her mouth to comment just as Rainbow Dash landed followed quickly by the rest of their friends galloping into the clearing. Applejack sighed at the sight of them “Oh Thank Celestia!” Fluttershy rushed to Twilight’s side, giving her a quick exam as the others watched not sure what to do. After several tense moments she turned to Spike “We need Princess Celestia or Princess Luna Spike. She’s suffering from exposure and something else. I’m not sure what she at very least needs to be in bed.” Spike nodded and took out a piece of parchment and frantically began to write thankful that Celestia could track his letters. He rolled the parchment and breathed a plume of green flame over it. Hopeful she’d come quickly. He hopped off Rarity’s back and walked slowly to where Twilight was watching him and wrapped his arms around her neck. “I’m sorry Twilight! I never should have gone to Canterlot with you as sick as you were please forgive me!” He buried his face into her gooey mane sobbing “Always… you don’t need to ask my number one assistant.” Twilight nuzzled into him weakly A bright light filled the clearing as if a small sun had just appeared it quickly died down to reveal a concerned looking Celestia who carefully lifted Twilight and Spike onto her back with her magic she glanced back to make certain they were both safe then turned to the remaining ponies. “Luna is on her way with several guards and chariots. Stay here they will bring you to the palace.” With that she vanished from sight as the clearing filled with the bright light once again.