//------------------------------// // Journey to the Core // Story: Requiem of Equestria // by TheBlox //------------------------------// The nine ponies rushed to the core, with Scootaloo leading the way. On hoof they traveled for the sake of those who could not fly to keep up. As they journeyed through the dark tunnels of the hive, they seemed to climb higher. Scootaloo could feel her nerves twitching—she knew she was getting closer. “So, what’re we do when we get there?” Apple Bloom questioned the leading pegasus. “How many changelings are gonna be there?” asked a nervous Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo exhaled through her nose, and stopped to turn to the others. She had the look of fright in her eyes, but she kept a determined grin to keep moving. “There will be lots,” she revealed to them, “more than any of us can count.” “Oh…” Sweetie Belle’s ears tilted back at the thought. “I don’t know what we’re going to do when we get there,” Scootaloo said, following with a discomforting sigh. “But we can’t progress going backwards…” “Whatever happens, we’re in this together,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “We have to do something,” Rarity said with expressive hoof gestures. “If we don’t act now, all of Equestria will be doomed forever.” She put her hoof down and sighed. “I just hope there is something we ‘can’ do.” “There will be,” Scootaloo said, turning back around and leading them deeper into the caves. “I have faith there will be.” The others exchanged looks with each other. They knew it was hard even for Scootaloo to believe in her own words, but they trusted her, and continued to follow her in the dark. Ahead of them was their greatest challenge. The hive was waiting. As they carried on, a sound ahead of them was heard. Scootaloo stopped and held up her hoof to signal the others to halt. Her ears were perked, and she glared ahead with a squint. Ahead of her in the tunnel, she could make out a pair of turquoise eyes, squinting back at her in the shadows. “Oh my…” Fluttershy whimpered, stepping back a few paces. “A changeling…” The ponies all stood with caution. Being this close to the core, there was no telling how many there could be in these parts of the tunnels. After a long and intimidating glare at them, the changeling’s voice muttered to them through his teeth. “I can’t let you pass.” His voice was solemn. It didn’t make a lot of sense to the ponies that he stood up to them; there were nine of them, and he was alone. “You’ve got a lot of nerve standing up against us!” Rainbow Dash spat. “Heh…” The changeling then stepped forward into the light, exposing his identity. The changeling was scarred in many places, and he wore a saddlebag upon his back. “I won’t let you.” He turned his neck to look back, then he returned his glance to the ponies. “I can’t.” “Dozer…?” Scootaloo blinked, and acknowledged the saddlebag in his possession to be hers. “What?” Rainbow was confused. “But… I thought…” He addressed the changeling while looking to his friends. “Wasn’t he that giant changeling?” “Do you often make quick accusations?” he asked, squinting at her. Rainbow looked back at him, growling and gnashing her teeth. She arched her back and threatened to charge forward. Dozer reacted quickly to Rainbow Dash’s battle posture, and from his jagged horn, he fired a green spell at her. It struck her at the hooves, sticking her to the ground. “Hey!” Rainbow Dash shrieked and struggled. “That’s not fair!” “Calm down, pony,” he grumbled. “Alright, that’s it!” Scootaloo leapt forward, making a dash for the changeling. Dozer prepared himself for her attack, and she took flight, increasing speed. Charging up a spell as quick as he could react, he took aim and fired at the pegasus diving down at him from above. Scootaloo saw the green dart of magic hurtling toward her, and she swerved around it. The incoming pegasus was proven to be too swift for Dozer, and without enough reaction time to dodge, he braced himself for her impact. Scootaloo plowed down on top of him, pinning him into the ground on his back. “Why do you have my saddlebag, huh?!” “Get… off of me!” he growled up at her, tensing his limbs before he hoofed her off. His kick pushed her back, and she stumbled a few feet away from him. Quickly standing to his hooves, he stood defensively against her, and she leapt toward him again as soon as she regained her balance. “Scootaloo, stop it, now!” Reaching up, he blocked her assault. She growled inches from his face, and he struggled keeping her hooves off of him. Off to the side, Twilight had her horn illuminated. She was focusing a missile spell on Dozer, but she hesitated to fire her attack, afraid of mistakenly striking Scootaloo. They were head to head, and hooves between the pegasus and the changeling were swinging for one another, their aggression increasing with each attack. Scootaloo was beginning to lose her temper; the ponies could tell by the way her growling was growing louder. “You made a fool out of us!” she shrieked at him, slamming a hoof into his cheek, finally getting a good enough hit to knock him over. He stumbled sideways, and stopped to hold onto his aching jaw. With the changeling now out of reach of Scootaloo, Twilight positioned to target him, and she fired her magic bullet. Dozer saw the incoming spell of violet light, and in a panic, he tucked and rolled out of the way. Her spell struck the ground, leaving a small explosion of flashing particles, and a patch of black debris. Quick to return to his hooves, Dozer gave Twilight a glare. He then noticed a rainbow pony dashing in his direction; she had pulled free from the mesh that sealed her to the floor. Rainbow Dash came rushing after him, and before he had a chance to put up his hooves to defend herself, she plowed straight into him at her full velocity. She crashed down on top of him, and they rolled across the cave floor. As they rolled, Dozer seemed to counter their tumbling war, and found himself on top of her, pinning her down. “G...AH! Let me go!” she growled up at him, squirming. He had her in a fairly good lock; she had a very difficult time getting out of it. On her back, her wings were proven useless being pressed against the ground, and her legs were wiggling helplessly. “Stop it!” “There’s no time for this,” he grumbled impatiently. Scootaloo was about to take initiative and charge into him to defend Rainbow Dash, when something about his characteristics seemed to completely change. Dozer released Rainbow Dash, and he stepped aside, cautiously, to let her get back to her hooves again. Rainbow Dash scrambled to her hooves, and she turned to look at him in question. The cave was completely silent, and all the eyes of the ponies were locked on the changeling. He could have cocooned her right there. Having her pinned gave him the perfect opportunity, and to their confusion, he let her go. After a long and confusing stare, Rainbow Dash twitched and stomped her hoof. “Okay, what the heck?!” she muttered and gestured with her hoof to express her misunderstanding. “First you go on attacking us, then you let me go?! What is with you?!” “Correction, you attacked me,” he boldly replied. His statement caught the ponies off guard. They exchanged looks with each other, unable to fathom the situation. He had a point; they did make the first move. “But…” murmured Rainbow Dash, “You stood your post. You weren’t going to let us pass!” He nodded. “Aye?” Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof again and growled fiercely. “Would you please make some sense?!” Dozer shook his head and sighed. He sat on his flank, and gesturing with his hoof, he tried to explain himself. “I knew you were heading in this direction,” he exclaimed. “I had to catch you before you made a mistake.” “Mistake?” Scootaloo asked, stepping toward him. Nodding solemnly, he turned to face her, and continued with a calmer speech. “I spoke to Chrysalis… She told me a story; a story about her, and the Great Changeling King.” The others looked to one another briefly, and then returned their glance to the changeling with anticipation for him to continue. “She has sided with you, yes?” Slowly, they nodded, and their expressions became sorrowful. Dozer exhaled through his nostrils, and he glanced to the side. “She is deceased… isn’t she.” The others lowered their heads. Fluttershy could see the pain he expressed, and she murmured silently, “I’m sorry…” He nodded. “I kind of knew… I felt it.” “You felt it?” Twilight wondered. “It was strange…” he went on, trying to describe it, “I… felt something. Like a part of me became empty.” Fluttershy’s eyes wandered, and she put that to thought. “I wonder if your species has some kind of… connection?” “I believe so… Our hive is connected very deeply with our Queen. To levels nopony could understand…” Fluttershy nodded. “Well, I do.” Her ears lowered, and she expressed her sympathy in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Dozer…” He slowly nodded respectfully to her concerns for him. “Hold on…” Applejack stepped forward, seemingly startled. “Do you think that… if that connection thing is true… the entire hive would know about it, too?” Sudden terrified expressions upon the ponies’ faces were evident. They looked to each other, having a bad feeling about that. “If that is true, I can imagine they won’t be very happy right now,” Rarity determined. More timid silence. After a quiet moment, Rainbow Dash finally spoke up again, “Wait… so why did you try to stop us from heading to the core if you’re on our side?” She squinted at him, unsure if she understood that correctly. “You ‘are’ on our side… right?” Dozer’s ears sank low, and he sighed. “I couldn’t let you get to the core… Now is not the time.” He looked to Scootaloo more specifically. “There is something I need to show you. Which, as far as any of your plans are concerned, I am certain will change everything…” Scootaloo blinked, not sure what he meant. “What is it?” The expression in his eyes seemed to be filled with sorrow. He quietly, slowly exhaled through his nostrils, and he turned to walk deeper into the tunnels. “Come with me…” Scootaloo looked at the others. The ponies just shrugged, and their nervous curiosity escalated. Something seemed nerveracking about this whole ordeal, and Scootaloo felt she had to know. Without questioning him further, the pegasus followed him, and the others trailed behind. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Dozer took the ponies through pathways that seemed to lead closer to the core. They were getting more nervous with each step, but whatever it was that he had to show them felt that it was important. “We’re here,” he said silently, turning to a corridor. The ponies followed along, and they looked into the room ahead to see what it was he had to show them. The moment they laid eyes upon what was in the room, the ponies all gasped, and their eyes widened. Scootaloo was affected the most, and she nearly broke out into sobs. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and before she could give herself a chance to cry, she screamed out his name, “Flake?!” There in the quiet, small room, lied their friend. The green changeling was on his haunches, and he was alive. The wound in his side had been treated with a healing substance, and though the scar didn’t look too healthy, Scootaloo was overjoyed to see him breathing. He lifted his head and looked over to her, and he warmly smiled. “Mercy says hi,” he softly murmured. Scootaloo squeaked a small cry, and she galloped toward him. Flake managed to sit up enough to catch her embrace, and she wrapped her hooves around him, and broke into sobs over his shoulder. The other ponies had tears in their eyes as well, and smiles of gratefulness were expressed. This was purely a miracle, and few words could be said. “But I saw you die...” she whimpered in a sobbing tone. “How is this possible?” “Heh…” Flake groaned. “I’m not going anywhere.” Scootaloo pulled from their embrace, and she examined his wound. It was black like a burn, and crevices in the scar were radiating a glow of Red Death magic. The joyous expression on her face seemed to turn bitter when she had a look at it. “While I was away, I found your bag of potions,” Dozer solemnly explained, “and when I returned, Flake was the first one I found. He was out cold; I presumed dead. I pulled the broken horn out of him, and I used a recovery potion on his open wound.” Scootaloo turned to Dozer with hopeful eyes. “So, you’re responsible for this…” She smiled, tears trailing down her cheeks, and she respectfully nodded. “Thank you… so much. I’m really sorry I attacked you.” “No, I’m sorry,” he boldly replied, “I shouldn’t have listened to Chitin. Maybe none of this would have happened. If it weren’t for me, Trek would still be here.” Scootaloo lowered her head, and she slowly nodded. “Everything happens for a reason…” she murmured, looking back into Dozer’s eyes. “I forgive you.” They shared a moment of silence, and no words were said by the ponies. Scootaloo looked back to Flake’s wound, and then she returned her glance to Dozer. “So… he’s going to be okay, right?” Dozer could only sigh to express his guilt. “I’m afraid I don’t know… There is nothing more we can do to help him, but it’s not getting better. It seems to be getting worse.” “Worse?!” she snapped out a whimper, and the sudden shriek in her voice caused everypony to jump in surprise. “What do you mean, worse?!” “Aside from Chrysalis, there is only one pony in Equestria who can reverse the Red Death curse.” The way he announced that revelation gave Scootaloo chills down her spine. She had a feeling it wasn’t going to be simple to find the pony he spoke about. “If we are to ensure that Flake will survive, we need Celestia’s magic. Only she can save him now.” “W-wh… what are we…” In between trembles and whimpers, she looked back to Flake and held him close to her. She cried, trembling at the thought of losing him again. After as far as she has gone, the fact he was still alive gave her reason to believe in more hope than she was presented with. “There must be ‘something’ we can do!” “I’m afraid there isn’t…” Dozer sighed, and he gestured back to where they came from. “During my travels in these tunnels, I have found Celestia and Luna’s cocoons… Their prisons are sealed by a magical barrier that can only be opened by either Chrysalis or all six Elements of Harmony alone.” He returned his glance to Scootaloo, expressing his sympathy. “But you know full well that if you want to have a chance at stopping the Changeling King, you have to be at the core before he gets there. If he gets there before we do, he will convert all the changelings into monsters like him, and Equestria will be eternally doomed.” Scootaloo continued to tremble, and she looked to Twilight and the others. Her eyes were big, and glistening of tears. “If we go and free Celestia to save Flake, we will not return in time to stop the King,” Dozer continued. “I’m sorry, but there is nothing that can be done. I brought you here, because I thought you would want one last chance to speak to Flake before you no longer can…” Scootaloo’s eyes wandered, and she felt the heat of the situation burning her heart into ashes. She looked up at acknowledged that all the other ponies were crying, too, for her and Flake. It was obvious that they knew how she felt about him. “Scootaloo…” Flake murmured, catching her attention. She turned back to him in response, her gleaming eyes reflecting in the light from her tears. “Your destiny must be fulfilled… You have to go to the core. You’ve gone so far, and I’m so proud of you…” “N-no, Flake, I can’t finish this without you…” she whimpered and knelt down to him. “I watched you die once… I will ‘not’ let you do that to me again.” “Listen…” Flake breathed, “You need to be strong now.” He smiled at her. “You taught me that everything happens for a reason…” She nodded. “Yes… and there is a reason you’re alive,” the crying pegasus exclaimed. “Scootaloo, please understand…” Flake sighed and placed his hoof upon her shoulder. “There are more important things at stake right now than my life.” “How can you say that?!” Scootaloo’s voice shrieked loud, and she broke into a sob. “I can’t leave you here! I can’t!!” She gasped for air and screamed, “I love you!!” She gasped, catching herself saying that out loud, and she kept a hoof to her muzzle. Tears continued to trickle down her cheeks, and she turned around to see all the sympathetic expressions watching her. Flake especially was wide-eyed. With that revealed, Twilight’s ears fell back, and she spoke in a calm tone, “Cadence has always taught me that when the heart speaks for you… there is no arguing with it.” Scootaloo lowered her head with a very sad expression upon her face. She sat down, only able to weep. “What should we do?” asked the Princess of Friendship. “You have steered us all in your faithful path, and you have kept true to your mission, guiding us all where we were destined to be. I know you are scared; we all are. But if there is anypony here who I believe in right now, it is you.” Scootaloo’s ears twitched, and she slowly looked up to the Princess before her. “What…?” “I know that love can make us do crazy things and make decisions that make no sense… but I trust your judgement,” Twilight declared, and the other ponies looked to her. “What do you want us to do? I will follow your every command until the end.” “You’re… putting ‘me’ in charge?” “You have been in charge since the beginning,” said the Princess with a grin, “and that isn’t about to end.” Scootaloo’s eyes were wide, her tears kept trickling, and her heart was aching. “I… I do know what… ‘should’ be done,” she whimpered in a continued crying voice, “But what if I can’t accept it? I can’t picture my destiny without Flake in it!” “Listen to your heart,” Twilight reassured her, “You’ll know what to do…” Scootaloo’s eyes wandered, and amongst her crying, she put herself deep in thought. Shaking her head at the thought of losing Flake again, she kept puzzling her options. Then with a deep and hesitant breath, she turned to Flake, and the tears in her eyes spilled even harder. “Flake…” she whimpered in agony, “I can’t let Equestria fall…” She took a breath to give herself a moment. “But… I can’t do this without you either. We’re a team. We’re meant to do this together. Even if it means… we do this apart...” “Hm?” Flake leaned closer, feeling concerned. “What do you mean?” She turned to Twilight, solemnly looking her in the eye. “If I am in charge, here are my orders…” she said as clearly as she could through her sobs. “All of you must bring Flake to Celestia; Dozer will show you the way.” The others began exchanging looks with each other, feeling like they could sense where this was going. “Twilight… you and your friends need to use your magic to release her.” Twilight could feel the sudden tension in what she was implying. She stepped forth, shaking her head. “Scootaloo, what are you doing…? What are you saying?” “I’m… I’m going to the core…” whimpered the terrified pegasus. “...By myself.” Silence. Everypony began exchanging looks with each other, and the tension in the cave had become overwhelming. “Scootaloo,” Flake weakly spoke to her, “You can’t go alone… You should all go; you’re stronger together. You’re a team.” “If they come with me… you’ll die. And I can’t let that happen.” “And if you go alone, you will!!” Flake shouted hysterically, managing to stand up with shaking limbs. “I can’t let you do this by yourself!” Scootaloo nibbled her bottom lip, and she wrapped her hooves around him for an embrace of reassurance. She then stepped back, and looked deeply into his eyes. “You told me you believed I could do this without you, before I thought I saw you die…” Flake’s eyes wandered, and he chewed on his lip at the truth. “I need you to keep believing in me…” With a sniffle, Flake nodded. “I-I do… but—” Scootaloo tilted her head with a bittersweet smile. “It’ll be okay…” Slowly, Flake nodded, and he leaned in for another hug. He held her for a few moments before he released her, and he lifted her chin. “Be strong…” he whispered, “like you always are…” Scootaloo nodded and trembled. “I-I will.” Flake exhaled slowly. “I love you, too…” he whispered sweetly. With their goodbyes in place, Flake looked to the others. Twilight nodded, and she looked to everyone else. “Let’s go, everypony. We don’t have much time.” “You might want to bring this with you,” Dozer said to Scootaloo, slipped the saddlebag off his back, and he set it down next to her. Scootaloo nodded respectfully, and she wore it on her back. “Good luck, Scootaloo…” Scootaloo nodded, and she stepped back. “You, too.” Then, she looked to Flake for one last message. “I don’t know what our lives entail… but I have faith. Trust in my faith, as I have trusted you from the beginning.” Flake sniffled and tears trailed down his cheeks from his emerald eyes, and he respectfully nodded to her. “Okay. I will.” She gave him one last bittersweet smile, and she turned and ran into the darkness, once again leaving him behind. Flake watched her make her exit, feeling his heart sink deeper the further she ran. Twilight placed a hoof upon his shoulder, and he gasped, snapping out of his moment of silence. “She’ll be okay,” Twilight whispered. “I do hope so…” he quietly sighed. “Well, we’d better get going,” Dozer exclaimed, trotting back where they came from. The ponies all followed him, and Flake kept looking into the darkness where he watched Scootaloo leave. Then taking a few steps back, he turned and followed the others. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Alone once again, like in the beginning of her journey, Scootaloo climbed higher into the caves. She knew where she was going—the tunnels were horrifyingly familiar to her. The mesh walls were getting thicker as she traveled, so she knew she was getting closer. She could feel her heart jumping horrendously as she reached the final stretch. The one that went upward through strands of cobwebs. The hole where she had fallen into her escape from the very beginning. Gulping for air, she began climbing the green mesh. Higher into the dark, she could hear her own breath—she was gasping for air, frightened beyond anything she has ever felt before. Then passing up through the last few cobwebs, she climbed up out of the hole… A black cloud spinning in circles of the dome was the first thing she saw when she entered. The cloud was a thick swarm of thousands upon thousands of changelings, buzzing like hornets. Her ears fell back, and she trembled at the sight of the heart of the changeling hive. She knew that having faith was now the only thing left she had on her side. She felt cold, and completely alone. “Mercy, help me…” she whimpered, cowering before the core.