//------------------------------// // A Change of Form, part one // Story: Applejack Through the Ages // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Wow, you were a Pegasus?!? Mom, that's amazing! How'd you do that?! Well, apple blossom, let's just say it helped having friends in high places... Applejack trotted deep into the mastificent forest- that dark and mysterious place that had once been the everfree- and followed the old paths that she had known so well. The name change by ponydom made perfect sense- when every part of the land everywhere was now free of pony control, why call it the everfree? The birds and beasts that watched her trot along shot away in fear at her approach, reminding the orange earth mare of a time when the beasts were just as intelligent as she was. The thought that there could be dangerous predators out here, though... that made her pick up her pace a little bit. As she crossed over that old and rickety rope bridge, she thought of the dead stump of the tree of harmony that stood nearby- no, better not to think about the fall of everything that she had known and loved. But in this particular place, she couldn't help but reflect on the past. It was here she and her friends had had their first adventure retrieving the elements of harmony... at least, that's what she had read in the history books.... so these woods should have a lot of meaning for her. But the only thing on her mind, was the castle at the very heart of this wilderness she was now approaching. But as she approached the site of the former palace of the two sisters, she came upon a site that filled the earth mare with mixed emotions. The Dream Castle... the small pink keep that had been built on the ruins of the palace of the two sisters. It was a miracle of Equestrian magic and engineering, a structure that mostly existed in a pocket dimension that filled out more space in another world than it did in this one. In the days of Equestria, the castle existence had once been hidden behind the still-existing ruins of the old palace. But since the end of the Grogar wars (as they were now being called), the Dream Valley ponies had torn the remains of the ruins down, and allowed the castle's physical anchor to manifest in this dimension once more. The guards stood silently at the gate as she crossed over the drawbridge, barely even noticing her presence as she passed through the gatehouse. The queen had obviously told them of an impending visitor fitting the mare's description, as they failed to impede her progress as she ventured further inside. As she trotted amongst the castle's halls, Applejack couldn't help but feel... at home here. Dream Castle was filled with a group of ponies who went against the grain of everything had stood for; this herd was an unchanging horsemasterist relic, from before the age of friendship. That was something the extremely stubborn and unchanging earth pony could relate to. As she walked through through the endless pink corridors, AJ was surprised at the lack of any ponies out and about. All of the doors to the apartments were shut, and the columned corridors lining the hallways' two floors were eerily silent. So it was no surprise that a mysterious voice behind the mare made her nearly jump out of her coat. "Excuse me, Miss Applejack? My name is Masquerade, and I'm here to be your guide." A yellow Pegasus whispered. "The queen will see you now." The shocked Applejack only nodded, and followed silently behind the mare as Masquerade led her to the throne room. The orange pony was entirely creeped out, by the silent mare with her crystalline twinkle eyes. She knew there was no mare by the name of Masquerade in Dream Valley, of course... the pony before her was yet another one of the queen's changeling spies. But even as much as this unnerved the ancient mare, the silent queen on the throne before her was even scarier. "Greetings Applejack, I am pleased to have finally met the legendary survivor of the mighty harmony bearers." The mare on the throne asked her. "My enchanted viewing mirror has told me you were coming, and why you have ventured to my castle." Queen Majesty XVIII- Sovereign ruling monarch of Dream Valley, descendant of the great Queen Sunsparkle, most auspicious ruler of ponies under heaven, and the vicar of B'zekre on earth. Of all of the powers and ponies AJ had encountered on her adventures- the chaotic Discord, the power of the alicorn sisters to raise the sun and moon, even the mighty power of the elements of harmony- NOTHING put the fear of her life into AJ's heart as being in front of the ruler of Dream valley. For this queen... she bore the golden crown, an artifact that channeled the power of the horsemaster, bequeathing the wearer with the power to shape reality itself. The artifact, only usable by the queens of Dream Valley, made Queen Majesty the most powerful pony- no, the most powerful being- on this entire planet. But that power could be used to make the changes Applejack wanted to make, in order to get a closer to the humans. Only Applejack, of all the ponies who had lived in the age of Equestria- had the stubbornness and courage to approach this unicorn who was the spokespony of the maker of all things, and make such a bold request. "Applejack, while I very much agree with your desire to investigate these humans, are you sure that this is the best way to do it?" The unicorn monarch asked her, in a cool and regal voice. "Becoming a Pegasus is an extreme and usual step, especially considering how unfamiliar you will be with your new form." "I would be happy to teach the new Pegasus how to fly, and adjusting to a new form." Masquerade chimed in, without even so much as blinking. "I happen to know something about changing forms, and learning to disguise and blend in." "Very well then, Maquerade.. you shall go with our former harmony bearer, and ensure that no harm befalls her." Majesty's eyes began to glow, as the golden crown upon her head lit up in a blazing multicolored symphony of light. "And now, Applejack, prepare yourself to be changed. For this is going to hurt, a lot." The orange mare felt nothing, at first. Then a terrible wash of pain came over her, causing the mare to scream in terrible pain. Applejack, collapsed, as flesh and bone rearranged and reorganized itself. This wasn't a simple shape-shifting spell, such as Twilight had once used on her- oh no. This was a warping of the very fabric of reality, twisting and bending Applejack from the inside out, in order to make her a different pony. As the mare convulsed and started to black out from the terrible pain, she could feel two bony and feathery protrusions sticking out of her back, and saw the wispy strands of an unfamiliar-colored mane falling in front of her eyes....