//------------------------------// // Operation Harmony // Story: Scattered Seeds // by Istaran //------------------------------// After being out of contact for a few hours, the king had a rather unusual request for his subjects, one that was in direct contradiction to one of the principles they had tried to live by. But he was the king, and it was his place to make such demands. Prince Alexander Gabriella Stormbringer the First took command of the mission, codenamed Operation Harmony. He gathered a suitable team for the operation, while a second team took flight to Manehattan, preparing to receive the results of their success. Alexander strolled into Ponyville with the confidence of one who knew he belonged there, but the curiosity of one who had not been their before. A deep green cloak covered the back of the white unicorn colt, his lute cutie mark matching the instrument strapped to his back. He made his way casually through town, observing all the sights and making mental notes about it all, especially the flow of traffic. He'd certainly want to find a good place to play for the public, eventually, but he had another priority right now. One which had to act on its own initiative. "Hiyaa!" his target greeted loudly. "Welcome to Ponyville! Oh, hold on, I need to go get things ready!" "Wait a moment," he countered. "Are you Pinkie Pie?" he asked the mare that could not possibly not be Pinkie Pie. "Oh, you've heard of me? But that's not fair, I haven't heard of you!" the pink mare pronked back the few steps she had retreated. "Alexander Stormbringer," he said, offering a hoof which was promptly clopped. "I've heard of your legendary welcome parties, but I have a slight problem. You see, my twin sister, Gabriella, is somewhere in this town as well, and we simply can't have a welcome party for one of us but not the other!" He made a show of shading his eyes with one hoof and looking around. "But I can't seem to see her anywhere." Pinkie gasps out in alarm, and began darting from place to place in a fashion that dared physics to try and stop her. "I don't see her anywhere. Does she look like you?" Alexander shook his head, his pink mane getting in his eyes a bit before he brushed it back. "In some ways my opposite. Aside from gender, she's pink furred with a white mane, and while I have a horn, she has wings. Not quite the same shade as you... more like Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." "You mean Cadance? Come to think of it, your mane color does seem to match the pink parts of her mane," Pinkie pointed out. "I believe that is why I am so fond of love songs," Alexander offered. "That makes sense," Pinkie accepted. "So, shall we go find my sister?" the colt asked. "Okie dokie loki!" Pinkie replied, pronking off as the colt followed in a more mundane gait. He smiled at a job well done as he subtly watched the Element of Laughter's every move. Their conversation as they traversed the whole of Ponyville repeatedly ranged wildly across a vast range of topics, with the young bard easily following Pinkie's sudden shifts as if they'd been discussing the new topic all along, and occasionally derailing their conversation with similar abruptness. But despite all their searching, the pink pegasus was nowhere to be found. "Wow. We've looked everywhere, but I can't find your sister. Are you sure she's here in Ponyville?" Pinkie asked, finally, feeling a little down. "I'm quite certain. Perhaps if we split up we can find her faster?" Alexander offered. "Alright. You take the low road, and I'll take the high road!" Pinkie offered, before pulling a bundle of balloons out of her mane and letting them lift her up. Alexander nodded and took his leave slipping behind a nearby building while Pinkie was looking the other way. A moment later, a pink pegasus filly flew up from behind that building, looping around a tree and then nearly flew right into Pinkie Pie's balloons, barely stopping before she crashed. "Woah, hey! Didn't expect to meet an earth pony up here," she said in surprise. "Hiyaa! I'm Pinkie Pie! Are you Gabriella?" Pinkie inquired. At the nod, she continued. "Your brother and I were looking for you, so we can have a welcome to Ponyville party! We've been looking so hard, but now we finally found you!" "That's good. But we can't have a party without my brother, right? Where'd he get to?" she asked, making a show of looking around. "Why he's right..." Pinkie Pie began before letting out a gasp. "Oh no!" Soon Gabriella and Pinkie were scouring the town again, looking for the elusive unicorn. They paused for a quick snack break at Sugarcube Corner. "You know... I've never seen two ponies with the same cutie mark before," the mare noted, pointing at Gabriella's flank. She had a very similar instrument on her flank, as well as a rather similar cloak and rather similar lute strapped to her back. "It's close, but it's actually subtly different. If you look close, you'll see the highest string is vibrating in my cutie mark, while the lowest is vibrating in his. I prefer singing and playing a higher range than my brother... it's great in duets, especially," Gabriella pointed out. "Oh wow! I hadn't noticed that. That's so neat. Did you get your cutie mark doing a duet?" the pink mare asked. Gabriella nodded. "Let's finish our snack and then going looking. I have an idea where to go next," she explained. [Target Pinkie Pie: captured. Deploy second wave.] A light knocking interrupted the Apple family as they were in the middle of cleaning their dishes from breakfast. "Wonder who that could be. I'll get it," Applejack offered, before trotting to the door and opening it. "Hi there, miss Apple! Long time no see. Got any work for an itinerant farm hand?" Peach Seed inquired with a hopeful smile. "You can call me AJ, miss..." Applejack said, struggling to place the mare before her. "Peach Seed," she replied. "I know we've missed your farm the last few years. It's okay if you don't remember me, I know how it can be." "Peach Seed... oh! Now I remember. It really has been a few years, hasn't it? Have you had breakfast yet?" AJ asked, inviting the mare inside. "Not yet, though I brought my own. Don't want to impose," Peach offered. "Nonsense. What kind of farmer can't feed a farm hand? Go on now," Applejack insisted. "Certainly not a proud one like the Apple family," Peach teased, before accepting some apple-filled leftovers. "So why have you been missing our farm lately? And where's your group? We sure could have used some help around harvest time," Applejack asked. Peach was a bit nervous but didn't show it. The Element of Honesty would be difficult to lie to without being caught. She would have to be truthful without giving away the most important truths. Of course, some things were publicly shared even if they weren't widely known. "Things have been rough since Princess Cadance's wedding. The changelings got really aggressive in the lead up to the invasion, and afterwards. Kidnapped ponies, left them in pods, and so forth. Some of us have been working on helping with the problem, freeing the ponies and dealing with the changelings. Of course, we still have to actually do all the farm work, too. It's hard to keep up with both." Applejack put a hand on Peach's hoof to comfort her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." Peach shook her head. "Thanks for your concern. But all I really need from you right now is some work to get to, and perhaps a bit of company out with the trees. Think you can manage that?" "We've got some trees ready for buckin, and a barn that needs fillin'," Granny Smith offered. "Let's get to work," Applejack agreed. The two of them went out among the acres of Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack leading the way while Peach pulled a cart for them to fill. AJ got a bit disquieted for a moment, feeling the intensity of Peach's look at her. She let it go for a bit, but when it seemed that much more intense as they got to bucking trees, she finally had to say something. "Is there something the matter, Peach Seed?" Applejack asked. "You don't seem to be able to take your eyes offa me." Peach looked away, blushing. "Oh. I'm sorry. It's just, you've grown quite beautiful as you've come into adulthood. Or maybe I'm just seeing things a little different now that I've grown myself," she said. "I'll... if you don't want me to look any more, I'll keep my eyes to myself." Applejack blushed, going silent for a few awkward seconds before speaking up. "I guess it's okay ta look. But that's, all, okay? I've got... yer not the one fer me, okay?" "You have a special somepony already?" Peach inquired. "It's not like that!" Applejack objected, blushing even harder, while she smashed her hind hooves into a tree to distract herself. An apple bounced off her head, far from the first to have done so. Peach giggled. "Ah, I see. Somepony you're keen to look at," she said with a wink. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I just hope you'll have good news to share next time I come around this way." They worked in silence for a few minutes, filling their cart before taking it into the barn. "I thought I saw more ripe apples around that corner," Peach said, pointing the way toward one of the corners. As AJ nodded and lead the way, Peach followed on the other side this time, drinking in a good solid look at her flank before going off with her to a secluded corner of the farm. [Target Applejack: Captured] "Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no," a colts voice protested, floating out of the Everfree forest to reach Fluttershy's ears as she paused in the process of feeding her animals. "Shoo. Shoo!" the voice added, before a flight of birds scattered. "Oh my," Fluttershy stated, raising a hoof to her mouth as she looked toward the source of the sound. It couldn't have been far, but she couldn't see where it came from. She hesitated, drew in a deep breath, and then headed into the woods. The Everfree was absolutely terrifying to most ponies, and most things were terrifying to Fluttershy. But nature was her element, and besides, somepony might be in trouble. Or causing trouble. It hadn't been very nice of him to shoo those birds. "Hello?" she inquired, very faintly. There was silence for a moment, then the colt called out. "Is somepony there?" "I am," Fluttershy squeaked quietly before hiding behind a tree. A brown earth pony colt stepped out past a tree, looking around a bit before seeing her and heading her way with a cautious smile. "Oh, hello there. I thought I heard somepony approaching. I'm Bark Tender. Do you live around here?" Fluttershy nodded shyly, slowly slipping out of her hiding spot. "I'm Fluttershy. I help take care of the animals around here." "Really? Do you think you can keep them away from a couple of trees here for a few weeks?" the colt inquired. "I suppose so, but why? Aren't animals supposed to play on and around trees? Birds especially," she asked. "Well, come see for yourself," he said, gesturing for her to go on ahead of him. She looked at him a bit dubiously before cautiously creeping a little deeper into the Everfree. What she saw made her gasp. A trio of trees suffering from some quite obvious rot. They looked like they would be dead soon, if they weren't already. Open sores on the bark ran with ooze that didn't even look like proper sap. A bird tried to perch on one of the branches, but Bark quickly shooed it away. "These trees have fallen ill. The birds and other animals can spread the sickness to other trees. I've started treating these ones, but if it gets rampant throughout the forest... well, it'll be too big of a problem for one colt to handle," Bark Tender explained. "Can you help me keep them away? I'll work as fast as I can, but it'll take a few hours at least. It'd be best to keep the animals away for a month, really, to be sure." Fluttershy nodded with determination. "Alright, I'll help. Oh!" She fluttered up toward an approaching bird. "Please don't land on that tree, okay? Thank you!" she said, smiling and waving as the bird diverted to a healthier tree. "Wow, they really listen to you, huh?" Bark said, as he got to work, drawing a potion from his saddlebags and starting to rub it into the bark. Fluttershy blushed at the complement but nodded, before moving to divert an approaching deer. Bark kept an eye on her as he worked, watching her every move. He had her alone now, out in the Everfree of all places, just the two of them. And she was too distracted by her task to notice what he was up to. [Forgive me, trees,] he thought. [I know that poison was rough for you three, but I'll cure you right away. And I really needed you to play your role so I could do this.] [Target Fluttershy: captured] A gust of wind knocked Rainbow Dash out of the cloud she had been resting in, leaving her scrambling to get her wings going before she hit the ground. "Whoa, hay, watch it!" she objected, before spotting the retreating form of an unfamiliar pegasus stallion. The stallion dropped into the town proper, and Rainbow lost sight of him. But not for long! A rainbow contrail highlighted her approach as she blurred through town, tackling the other pony, and causing the package in his hand to be knocked loose, awkwardly falling into the hooves of the mare he had been handing it to. "Oh, hay, if it isn't the second fastest pony in Ponyville," the stallion said with a cocky grin. "I thought I saw you on my way in, but it was hard to tell at that speed." "Second fastest? I'm the fastest pony around, bar none," Rainbow declared. "Well, you will be again once I head home," the stallion pointed out. "It'll just be a second." "Just who do you think you are?" Rainbow demanded. "Top Flight," the pegasus offered. "Fastest courier in Equestria." "If you're so fast, why haven't I heard of you, or seen you in any of the Friendship Games?" Rainbow challenged. "I don't play games," Top countered. "Though I suppose I could make an exception for today. A race with you seems like the kind of gentle, slow paced restful experience I could use to relax before I fly home," he taunted. "A race? You're on," Rainbow accepted. "Name your course, then. I can outfly you anywhere, any day," Top bragged. "Prove it," she demanded, flying up above the town. As he joined her, she began laying out a route, a dizzying course winding all throughout the small town, with a few larger spurs flitting past the outlying buildings. Top nodded in acceptance. "On your mark, get set. Go!" He shouted, pausing a fraction of second for Rainbow to go first before dashing after her. He was fast, but she was faster... at least on the straightaways. He cornered better than the hasty mare, and gained on her at every turn. He also had an infuriatingly smug grin on his face as he used the tracks' contours as an excuse to get to different angles to ogle her from. Ugh, stallions! The flyby of Sweet Apple Acres and Fluttershy's cottage gave her a good bit of lead, but by the time they got back into town for the last several corners, swinging around twilight's library, fatigue was slowing Rainbow down, and the stallion was quickly catching up. The mare pushed herself to her limit, reaching out her hoof in a stretch to reach the flagpole they had agreed as the finish line. Her wing tangled in his as they flew a bit too close, both touching the flagpole in the same moment with outstretched hooves before tumbling to the ground in a tangled mess. "A tie?! What! No!" Rainbow Dash objected as she pulled herself free. "We'll just have to have a rematch then. You ready?" he asked, bracing himself as if to launch into the sky, but waiting for her answer. "What, no way! I uh, I still have to finish my nap you interrupted!" the mare complained. "You snooze, you lose,~" the stallion teased. Rainbow's stomach rumbled just then, the stallion's following suit shortly thereafter, and they looked awkwardly anywhere but each other for a moment. "How about we go grab a couple of hayburgers and celebrate our shared victory instead," Top Flight offered with a smile. "Yeah, alright... but this isn't a date!" Rainbow said emphatically. "Sure, sure. You can buy your own then," he said as he started to lead the way. He might have been a stranger to the town, but they'd flown by the place three times in the last few minutes. Rainbow was tired, trotting along where he led, not really thinking about where she was going or her surroundings. [Target Rainbow Dash: Captured] Stud Muffin slowly pushed the door open to the Carousal Boutique, slipping inside quietly and beginning to look around discreetly. "Can I help you?" Rarity asked when she noticed him, almost accusitorial in her town. Stud jumped a couple inches before shaking himself out. "Yes. Please! I'd really appreciate the help." Rarity trotted down the stairs to join him on the ground floor, calming down a bit. "Oh, and what could I possibly help a gentlecolt like yourself with? You're... not shopping for yourself, are you, darling?" she said, cringing a bit at the thought. "Oh, no no no. I'm looking for a dress to give my wife, as a gift. The name's Bran Muffin," Stud Muffin said, offering a hoof to clop. "I've heard good things about your work, and it's such a way to get to a bigger city with more fine clothing options. I'm really hoping you'll have something suitable. We don't have many excuses to dress up where we live, but we do have an anniversary approaching..." "Say no more, darling. Or rather, say a lot more about your wife. What's she look like? Do you know her measurements?" Rarity inquired. Stud was stumped a moment. He actually had access to Mirage's exact measurements to more detail than would ever be necessary, and she could always change them easily as a changeling. In fact, she generally wore a disguise that would fit things a little differently than her natural form. "She's about... a half hoof longer than you, this tall, and around this wide in the middle," Stud vaguely approximated. "Dark green fur, bright green mane," he added, approximating her changeling form as accurately as he dared. "Really, darling? Now that's an unusual combination, and you'll need a dress well suited to her colors. Emerald highlights, for sure," she began, quickly heading up to her drawing board, while Stud followed. "You are thinking of something for formal occasions, yes?" Stud nodded, and began to talk through the details with her, watching her every move as she worked. Rarity was so caught up in her efforts, she didn't notice what Stud was up to. [Target Rarity: Captured] "Twilight Sparkle. We have captured your friends. If you wish to see them, please consent to being captured as well," the voice rang out through the library. Twilight suddenly appeared before the intruder, horn aglow with charged energy. "What?! Captured?! Where are they? Talk!" The stallion before her raised a camera in his magic and snapped a picture of her. "Please turn ninety degrees to your right." "Um, what?" Twilight asked, confused, as she followed the directions. Another snap captured her likeness once again. "Please turn 180 degrees," the stallion requested politely. "I promise no harm will come to you. All rumors that cameras steal souls are in fact untrue and basely superstitions." "I know that," Twilight said as she complied. "But where are my friends? You said they had been captured?" "They will be on pages two through six, and again on pages twenty through sixty-nine," the stallion explained cryptically. "Now 90 degrees to your left." Twilight looked over her shoulder at the mysterious photographer. "Pages... wait, what's going on? Are you making a book about us?" "I apologize," the stallion said. "Can you lift your tail?" Twilight blushed. "What? No!" "Okay. An artist will estimate all unavailable details. Please trot about the room," he said. "What's that supposed to mean. And why are you apologizing?" the librarian demanded, getting increasingly frazzled, and pictured as such. "I know you like books. It will be a magazine," the stallion answered. "What's going on?" Spike inquired as he entered the room. "That's what I want to know!" Twilight Sparkle yelled. "Nothing. We are done here. Thank you for your time and cooperation," the stallion said before trotting for the door. "Oh no! You're not getting away that easily!" Twilight said, smashing his camera in her telekinetic grip, while lifting the stallion easily. She felt something as her magic brushed against him, and realized he was under the effects of some magic himself. She gasped, as she dispelled the magic, revealing a changeling beneath, who looked passively at her. "A changeling! Talk!" "My name is Dill. I am a chef," the changeling stated. "Oh, can he cook breakfast?" Spike asked. "What? No! He's impersonating somepony, trying to steal our love... badly?" Twilight really didn't understand the plot. "If I cook breakfast, you will love it," Dill pointed out. "Shouldn't you have lead with that? What was with all the photos? Is the magazine a total lie?" Twilight demanded. "What magazine?" Spike inquired. "I was sent to capture you," Dill stated. "Capture complete." "Um, don't look now, but we're the ones that captured you, Dill," Spike explained. Dill stared straight ahead. "Very well. I will not look. May I cook breakfast? You both look hungry." "No! You might try to poison it, or escape or something!" Twilight said. "Okay. I am done here then," Dill stated before his own horn lit up and he teleported away. [Agent Dill: captured. Briefly.] [Target Twilight Sparkle: captured.] [All targets captured, operation Harmony part A complete.] "Girls, I'm so glad to see you all alright," Twilight said, as she spoke to her gathered companions that evening. "Why wouldn't we be, darling?" Rarity inquired, confused. "I think Ponyville has been invaded by changelings. Very confusing, possibly mentally damaged, changelings," Twilight said, uncertainly. "Oh... oh! That makes sense!" Pinkie said, clopping her hooves together. "The brother was the sister! That's why nopony saw them both at the same time!" she explained, confusing everypony further. "No way a changeling could be that fast," Rainbow Dash asserted. "Peach Seed mentioned that they'd been having more troubles with changelings out in the more distant farms lately. I wonder why they've come here. We'll have to keep an eye out," Applejack added. "And are you suggesting my out of town customer today was a changeling, darling?" Rarity inquired. "That would be absurd. A changeling would have come in looking like a mare himself, and made things much simpler. Oh... unless he was trying to make things complicated to keep me busy for some reason... I do hope not, I want to see how that dress looked on his wife, after all my hard work." "We'll just have to all keep an eye out. I'm sure whatever they're plotting will erupt into dramatic chaos around us in the next few days, maybe even tonight," Twilight said. "But we'll be ready for them."