//------------------------------// // Applejack // Story: Corrupted // by sapphiremelody //------------------------------// A few months ago Applejack wiped the sweat from her face and bucked the apple tree again. As always, more than a dozen apples fell out of the tree and landed perfectly in the basket. "Applejack!" Applejack turned around to see Applebloom pulling an empty wagon which she rebuilt herself. Applebloom finally got her cutiemark for building stuff which was a toolbox with an apple in it. "Aw thanks Applebloom for fixing the ol' wheelbarrow, Grannie will be happy we're following the family tradition." An Apple family tradition says that every fall apple buck season, they must use the lucky wheelbarrow. "Aw shucks Applejack, thanks. Ya know I'd never get my cutiemark without your support." And with that Applebloom went to help Big Mac. "Impressive." Applejack turned around to see...Young Grannie Smith. "What magic is this?" "Changeling Queens can become figure in photos," Young Grannie replied and instantly a green flash covered her and when it diminished Queen Chrysalis stood in her place. "Chrysalis," Applejack hissed, getting into attack position. "I'm not here to fight farm pony." "Don't call me that!" Applejack grunted, not moving. "Fine. I just want to give you an..opportunity," Chrysalis bargained circling Applejack. Applejack slowly yet curiously got out of her attack position. "Alright, what is it?" "Be whoever you want, getting power every time some pony loves you, and make your family what you chose to become." "What are ya talking about?" Applejack asked as she started to back away. "How about you try it for one day and then the deal is off and you can have your normal life again?" Chrysalis faced Applejack, her holey hoof out for hers. "Deal," Applejack shook Chrysalis's hoof, and then Chrysalis's innocent grin became an evil smile in triumph. Her horn glowed and green cocoon surrounded Applejack. Applejack pounded at it but grew weaker in time. Green slime from the cocoon attached to Applejack's back. Applejack felt the sime crawl into her coat and felt piercing pain. Applejack looked behind her to see bug-like wings burst out of her back along with more green slime. "No." The green slime fell onto her legs and started to press on her legs like she was clay. " Chrysalis! What magic is this?" Applejack shouted as the rest of the cocoon started shrinking and started to shape around her. Applejack tried to wriggle out of it but it pressed her harder. Applejack tried to scream but then a wad of slime covered her face. She closed her eyes which felt blazing hot as the slime shaped her face. Applejack felt it press against her forehead and something sharp sprang out. Fangs starting appearing and her face continued being shaped. Finally, the slime stopped pressing against her and Applejack bucked her way out of the slimy mold of herself with her eyes closed. "Enough!" Applejack felt Chrysalis's hoof run against her slimey coat, wiping away extra slime. Applejack stopped bucking to see Chrysalis smiling happily. "What did ya'll do to me?" Applejack grunted, feeling different and tingly. "You tell me," Chrysalis made a mirror appear in front of Applejack. Applejack's eyes widened in shock. Her reflection was a changeling. It was completely black with and orange shell. It has orange bug wings and holes all over her body. The mane ,unlike other changelings ,was holey yet in her style with a horn peeking out and perched on the mess of a mane a was her hat. "Dear Celestia, YOU TURNED ME INTO A CHANGELING," Applejack felt her now terrible looking face. Chrysalis smirked and made the mirror disappear. "Just try it for one day," and with that Chrysalis disappeared with a green puff of smoke. Applejack's distorted face looked at the spot Chysalis was just standing at. She never told Applejack how to change back. Than the thought of her old form appeared in her head. She thought every detail. Every strand of hair in her mane to the contrast between the orange of her coat to the red of the apples she had for her cutie mark. She felt a jolting sensation through her as orange fire began appearing around her. After a few seconds it covered her completely and started to press on her. This time however it felt like a massage and then it died down. Applejack slowly looked at her hoof. It was sunset orange like she was a normal pony again. So that how changeling magic feel like. It was strange how she liked it so much. She yearned to transform more but her family could spot her and know her secret or worse. "Applebloom are ya even gonna move on? We got several trees for you and Big Mac to buck," Applebloom walked over to Applejack, the cart squeaking behind her. Applejack backed away, worried that Applebloom would start loving her and something bad would happen to Applebloom. Chrysalis only stole part Shining Armor's love and he was completely hypnotized. "Y-yeah Applebloom just having deja vu. I'll mosey along then to the next tree," Applejack fake laughed and galloped away, leaving a startled and confused Applebloom behind. After galloping away from Applebloom, Applejack stopped, caught her breath, and started bucking the nearest tree as hard as she could. "Applejack? Are ya feeling alright?" Applejack to see Applebloom heaving the squeaky wheelbarrow with a concerned yet also confused Big Mac following her. "Yup! Who said anything not feeling alright, am I not acting alright to you?" Applejack bucked the tree harder not aware that she did not hear the pounding of apples on the floor instead of a basket which she had forgotten. She is bad at lying. "Then why did you forget the basket and why are ya still bucking that tree?" Applejack looked back at the tree she was bucking. All the leaves were even off. Cross her off being bad at lying, she's the worst at lying. Applejack's time was up. Her family knew that when she acted like this there was a problem. "Well," Applejack tried to get her Changeling form but then Big Mac made her loose the thought. "You're probably just tired Applebloom I think you should go back to the barn to get some cider," Big Mac pulled his sister into a bear hug and started leading her to the barn. Applejack smiled, happy that her family didn't find out her secret. It felt so nice, she felt so happy and so powerful like she already drank some cider. It was so nice...and unnatural. Applejack broke into cold sweat and pushed Macintosh away. She was sucking the love from her own brother. Applejack looked to see her brother's orange pupils. Wait they were supposed to be green. Applejack blinked to Macintosh green pupils again. "You two should go on, cider season is only in a week," and with that Applejack started galloping to the farm. The strange and awful thing was pulling at her gut was the longing for more love. That night Applejack looked at her holey hoof. After hours of running and hiding from her family she finally was alone. She couldn't believe she was thinking this but her changeling body made her feel more free and powerful but she can only enjoy it for 30 more minutes. Soon Chrysalis will be here to take it all away and then she'll be normal. No power but able to accept love without hurting anypony. Applejack turned to the mirror and looked at herself. The changeling that stared back wasn't pretty but powerful. She could suck all the love from her family and then what? Her bug wings started making her hover. She maybe could even become the queen of the hive. Creeeak! Applejack turned around as her bug like pupils widened in horror. "A-Applejack i-is t-that y-you?" Applebloom slowly walked to Applejack while the others stayed behind. Big Macintosh tried to keep his normal expression but Applejack could see horror in his eyes. Granny was plain scared. She was trembling and her tired eyes were also widened in horror. "Applebloom, Big Mac, Grannie its not what y'all are thinking Chrysalis made a deal with me but she hid facts and!!" Applejack was interrupted by a hug from Apple Bloom and the rest of her family. "Don't worry Applejack a feeling tells me everything will be alright we'll always love you no matter if you're a changeling," Applejack hugged her family ignoring that they were hugging tighter. She looked up to Big Mac's orange eyes! Wait! Applejack blinked but they were still orange. Actually his eyes were now becoming completely orange. That's when it happened! Applejack felt a jolt of immense power, she looked at Applebloom and Grannie who's eyes were also become completly orange. "I n-need you," Applebloom spoke then all in unison the Apple family spoke,"We need you." Applejack tried to block all the love but the sensation was too overwhelming finally she collapsed from the overwhelming sensations. After a few minutes of darkness and the same words echoing in her heads which were "We need you." Finally she woke up to see a changeling hoof in front of her. Applejack looked up to see Chrysalis investigating the room. "Wow I heard that changelings could do it but no changeling of mine can receive that much love." Applejack stood up, feeling energetic more than Grannie after tried the Cure All Tonic story but when she saw her family she wanted to crawl into a corner. They were all changelings! Their eyes were plain orange unlike her's which had slits like Chrysalis. They all looked the same but their coats was black and had holes. Grannie was the most different. Instead looking fragile, Grannie looked strong and sturdy but her face was still kind but now more cold. "Applejack now we're like you," Applejack smiled, feeling strong, no more than strong, invincible! "Well Applejack? Are you staying a changeling?" Applejack smirked. "E'yup." "The hive is waiting for you, I was planning to make you a servant but now maybe a commander," Applejack felt a jolt of anger. She brought Queen Chrysalis new changelings who see her as the queen but this is how she thanks her? A servant or commander? No, she had to do something. "Tell me Chrysalis, how much do you love your hive," Applejack let her horn glow with orange magic. Chrysalis made a skeptical face but soon started telling why she loves the hive but Applejack didn't listen. What got her attention that every word Chrysalis grew weaker and Applejack grew taller. Finally Applejack sucked enough love that Chrysalis collapsed into a heartbreak coma (She read some of Twilight's books about changelings). Applejack saw her mirror again. Her mane was much longer and she was much taller. Everything about her was much bigger. Applejack picked up Chrysalis's crown, took off her hat, and placed on the crown. Suddenly, a jolt of electricity went through her and the crown became orange. "Come on Apples lets meet my hive," and with that Queen Applejack ,the new changeling queen, flew away with the new Apples leaving the last remnant of her old life..her hat.