//------------------------------// // Reunite // Story: Not All Is Set In Stone // by Tails_155 //------------------------------// The gemstone alicorn takes to the skies and scans Ponyville, blasting adult ponies as it sees them. Scootaloo makes it into Lucky Buck's house after running from the clubhouse. "Is anypony here? Everypony okay?" Rainbow Dash replies, "I was going to ask you the same thing. That was a huge earthquake! What took you so long to get home?" "I went to hang out with the Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, and then--the earthquake, and... and...." Scootaloo pants, trembling enough that standing is a labor of its own. Before she can finish her sentence, a flash of light illuminates outside the window, and a beam hits Rainbow Dash in the back. She yelps, and slowly becomes encased in a sapphire casing. Scootaloo yells for help and witnesses Rainbow Dash frozen in place, as a single feather, sapphire as her body, falls from Rainbow Dash's wing. The window and floor around her are covered in a crystalline crust, too, for a couple feet. Scootaloo panics and runs over to Rainbow Dash. "Mom? Mom...? Mom!" She shouts, trying to get a response. Her eyes drop to the floor, clouding up from tears. She catches sight of the solitary feather, which she takes to her room, where she breaks down, crying. "What is happening!?" She yelps, curling up into a ball, terror welling up into a burning coal in her stomach. She wretches hugs a pillow, teeth clenched tight. -------------------- Apple Bloom arrives in the house in time to witness Granny Smith's agonizing face becoming encased in peridot. Apple Bloom shrieks and runs toward the barn, where Big Macintosh is standing outside, a wail of fright permanently chiseled into his ruby visage. Apple Bloom bellows and charges for the orchard, seeking her big sister. All she finds is a citrine figurine the size of a mare, propped, back hooves against a tree. She, an apple, and the ground around her all crystalline replicas of their former selves. Apple Bloom runs over to try and help her, to no avail. Apple Bloom slumps down beside the tree. Spike, searching for the Crusaders, reaches Apple Bloom first, panting, he tells her "Apple Bloom, you need to find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and find Princess Celestia, she's on her way with the other princesses and Shining Armor." Spike eyes the crystal apple and licks his lips, his stomach growling. He walks over to the apple, and picks it up. Apple Bloom exclaims to him "Hey! What are you doing? That's my sister's! And find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo? What's wrong with my family? What's going on? The other princesses? I don't understand." "Woah, you're going a mile a minute! Just... just find them. That's all Princess Celestia told me! I don't know what's happening, either! How would I know?" He eyes the apple again, and is blocked by the filly, who scowls. Spike backs off, his heart sinking. "This is no time to be eating, and you better not lay a claw on my sister!" "What?! I'd never!" Spike expresses a genuine sense of offense. "I... just... That apple looks so good!" His eyes are nearly hypnotic. "You're coming with me." Apple Bloom insists, pocketing the apple in her saddlebags, beside the homework that has no chance of being completed today. "Twilight had the same thing happen to her. Apparently all the mares and stallions in town are having this happen. Celestia told me it was important for you to find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and get to her before it's too late. Celestia says it's the only chance for everypony!" She runs from the farm in tears, Spike trailing behind, trying to catch up. On her way to Rarity's house, she comes across Dinky Hooves, who is in tears, terrified, embracing a quartz replica of her mother. "A-are you okay, Dinky? Oh my..." Apple Bloom says, catching sight of a familiar gray pegasus, crystallized with a horrified look on her face. "Momma tried to protect me... now... now this happened... Momma? MOMMA!" She calls out in vain, then breaks down into tears once more. "Daddy is just the same... He's over there..." She points and continues to cry. Apple Bloom, knowing she has a job to do, refuses to let Dinky sit there in fear. She tries to comfort her friend and classmate, "D-don't worry. Sh-she loves you, n-no matter what has happened. W-we'll get things fixed! O-okay? Okay?" She hugs Dinky, fighting back her tears and pushing her doubts to the back of her mind. "We need to get you somewhere safe, but don't worry. She'll be okay. I-I promise." Apple Bloom's eyes burned hot as the fire of a full-grown dragon, but despite the pain, she refuses to break down, for Dinky's sake. "O...o-okay..." Dinky replies through the fear and sorrow; she follows Apple Bloom as the trio continues toward Rarity's house. Along the way, they find a cellar that has been left unlocked. "I think you'll be safe down here, nopony should find you. Uh, hide down there for now. I-I promise you we'll try and make everything right again." "You sure?" Dinky eyes the cellar, a basement to an unfamiliar house, lit only by a couple hanging lanterns. "W-well, I guess... I-I mean well... Apple Bloom... thank you..." Dinky says, giving Apple Bloom another hug before crawling into the cellar, finding that other foals have also hidden in there. She calms slightly at the thought of being with others, instead of alone. Apple Bloom enters The Carousel Boutique, finding Sweetie Belle in tears, slumped on the ground, sitting next to a heart shaped diamond at Rarity's feet. Before Apple Bloom has any time to say anything, Celestia's voice shouts out to her. "Apple Bloom! Is Sweetie Belle in there? We must hurry and find Scootaloo. Shining Armor is getting weak. We don't have much time." Apple Bloom forcefully drags Sweetie Belle, who grasps desperately for her sister, grabbing hold of the heart crystal lying on the ground. After Apple Bloom pats her on the back, insisting "We have to go, we'll make it right," Sweetie Belle places the crystal, as well as a picture of her family in Apple Bloom's saddlebags, and timidly follows Apple Bloom out of the shop. Throughout the time spent with the princesses, beams repeatedly target them, dissipating or bouncing off Shining Armor's and Cadence's barriers, and crystallizing various bits of the empty town. "Lucky Buck's house! She probably went to check on Lucky Buck and R--" Sweetie Belle cringes, the mental image of Rainbow Dash being in the air, and crashing to the ground, possibly shattering to pieces leaves a lump in her throat the size of a grapefruit.