//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1:  First Stirrings of Trouble 
// Story: Mismatched Hearts 
// by Jordan179 
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Introduction:  Airborne Early Warning


Deep in the Badlands is a hill crowned by a ring of age-worn menhirs, raised millennia before the sky flared and the world shook and the seas slopped across the lands.  Some of the menhirs have fallen down in the intervening ages.  They have been carefully replaced.  

Leering down on it is a mesa, its face riddled by cavern mouths, like that of a maggot-eaten corpse.  Of course no maggots ate out those cavities.  Maggots cannot tunnel through solid rock, an act perfectly within the capabilities of the members of the Tunneller subcaste of the Worker caste of the beings who actually dug them.

High above, a condor lazily circles.  It is a huge example of its species, huge enough to glide on its vast wings without need of any telekinetic flight field, such as might have drawn the attention of Pony observers.  Its body mass is equivalent to that of a small Pony, and it is high enough to see the ground for many miles around.

It orbits high and with very little expenditure of energy.  It is just in sight range, interestingly enough, of three other condors, similarly orbiting at three points of a triangle many miles from center to each vertex, in such a way as to create an enormous, roughly-triangular zone in which nopony and nothing can move without being noticed.  Its eyes systematically sweep the territory which it could see but its fellows could not, and checked to make sure that the other three condors in view were still present.

This is an odd behavioral pattern for condors, though it was one which would not have been easily noticed by Ponies, if there were any Ponies of the Three Kinds at liberty anywhere within dozens of miles of the mesa.  Which there are not.

Not of the Three Kinds -- and not at liberty.


1.  Dashie's Embarrassing Question


"Say, Applejack -- do you mind if I ask you a sort of embarrassing question?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash were out together in the snow-covered Southeastern Fields, one of the more dangerous parts of Sweet Apple Acres, as it bordered directly on the Everfree.  The Apples had erected obstacles to "what might come out of the Everfree," of course:  stone walls, the oldest of them built by Dawnflower Apple and Pokey Oaks a century ago, progressively reinforced and maintained by generations of Apples down to Big Mac and Applejack.  None of them would really stop a determined monster; they could be climbed, leaped or gone around, and something like a Great Wyrm could simply shove them down with its vast strength.

But such actions would leave tracks, marks which experienced Apple eyes might read, and give them warning of the monster's presence.  Thus, it was a good idea to patrol the walls regularly, to ensure that no creatures wandered north to menace the farm, let alone the town lying beyond.  This was a routine chore for the Apples, just one of the duties involved in protecting Ponyville.  But it was always safer and less boring with a partner, and Applejack was glad of Rainbow Dash's company.

Applejack had to fulfill her responsibilities, in any case.  As with all her responsibilities, Applejack took this one very seriously.

As she also did her responsibilities toward her friends.

So, though her every instinct warned her that anything Rainbow Dash considered "a sort of embarrassing question" would likely be either very embarrassing or very strange -- really, of all her best friends, only if it had been Pinkie Pie might this have been a worse sign -- Applejack simply shivered once, looked away for a moment to render her facial expression unreadable, softly sighed to herself, then turned back to her friend, smiled and said "Sure, Sugarcube, you can always ask me any sort of question."

This was not a lie.  Dashie was one of her closest friends in all the world, and Applejack would have suffered far worse than an embarrassing question for the sake of such a friend.

"Are you sure?" asked Rainbow Dash.  "I mean, it's really embarrassing ..."

Dashie might have said more, had not Applejack lifted one snow-flecked, cold and moist fore-hoof and gently touched it to Dashie's muzzle.

"Ah'm sure," Applejack said.  "Ask away."

Rainbow Dash fixed her with her her cerise eyes.  Those eyes were beautiful, and as far as Applejack was concerned, effectively guileless.  Dashie would very occasionally attempt to lie, but even before Jackie had become Honesty, let alone had gazed too long into the Pool of Truth and activated her deeper connection with her Element, Dashie had never been able to directly and successfully lie to her.  The fact was that Rainbow Dash was, despite any of her delusions to the contrary, a very honest Pony.

Which was one of the many reasons why Applejack deeply loved her hot-tempered friend.

Dashie gulped, gathered her courage, then blurted out:

"What do you do when somepony wants to do it with you -- all the time?"

Well, Dashie had warned her.

"Wal," Applejack said slowly, turning the question over and over in her mind, "Ah cain't rightly say that Ah've ever been in that precise situation mahself.  Only Pony Ah've ever been with that way was 'Scape, and we each pretty much wanted to make love about the same as did the other.  Not much quarrel there.  Ah mean, he was a stallion, so before we Intended, he sometimes wanted to go a bit further than Ah was comfortable with at the moment, but he was pretty good at letting me set the pace."  Applejack's ears drooped.  "Then, he was gone -- wish Ah knew if he were dead or alive -- Ah'm sorry, Dashie, Ah'm supposed to be helping you with yore problem, not frettin' over mine."

"S'okay, AJ," said Rainbow Dash.  "He was a good stallion."  The Pegasus had known Landscape Carrot for a year, the last year that he had lived in Ponyville, before he wandered off, two years before Luna's return, to seek a fortune to lay before his beloved -- and vanished from the ken of Ponykind, five years ago.  They had been casual friends, mostly because Dashie had become Jackie's friend.

"That he was," Applejack agreed in a heartfelt tone.  She thought a moment.  "Now, Ah reckon that you're talking about somepony who is already yore sweetheart, right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded.

"So, you're talking, specific-like, about Fluttershy?"  Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash nodded again.

Applejack stroked her own chin, considering this new information.  It shocked her less than she might have thought it would:  she'd long known that Dashie and 'Shy were lovers, and certain signs in their observed public conduct together had made her already aware that Fluttershy was probably more passionate than was Rainbow Dash.  She hadn't realized the difference between them was sufficient to be a problem, though.

"Ah guess still waters really do run deep," AJ mused aloud.

"Yeah," said Rainbow Dash.  "And warm.  Hot, really, when she really opens up to somepony.  And wet!  I mean, even when she's off-Cycle ..."

AJ gently touched Dashie's muzzle again.  "Ah think Ah get the picture," she said.  She thought a moment.  "So, sometimes she wants you to make love to her and you're just not in the mood?"

"Well," said Rainbow Dash, drawing herself up proudly, "it's not as if I'm not the most amazing lover in the history of the world and ..."

Applejack fixed her with a level stare.

"Well, yeah," Dashie admitted, looking shamefaced.

"All right." said Applejack.  "What does she say when you tell her that?"

"Well," said Dashie, squirming, "it's not like I actually tell her that.

"Wal, then," said Applejack, patiently, "what do you tell her?"

"Um ..." Dashie said, looking away sheepishly.  "I mostly just say that I have to do something else, or that I've got a muscle strain or a headache or something -- that was actually true that time I crashed through that tree headfirst -- stuff like that."

"Rainbow Dash," Applejack said, fixing her friend with a stern expression, "Are you saying that you lie to yore lover?"

Dashie hung her head in shame.  "Maybe?" she said.  "A little bit?"

"Dashie ... you know why you shouldn't do that," Applejack said, softly.  "Lies pizen everything, 'specially between best friends -- or lovers.  And 'Shy is both to you."

"I know," said Rainbow Dash, her voice starting to break a little.  "I just ... I didn't want to admit to her that I'm not as much into sex as she is.  I never really have been -- you prolly think of me as some sort of great seductive sex machine ..."

Applejack choked down a snort-laugh, her muzzle and mouth wrinkling with the effort.  Fortunately, Dashie was paying no attention to Jackie's expression at this moment.

"... but I'm actually not," continued Rainbow Dash.  "The truth is I never saw much point to doing anything mushy with anypony other than Fluttershy.  I never more than kissed anypony else, and not very often.  I just ... talked like I did ... cause I didn't want anypony to think I was lame.  I'm not as experienced as you might think.  Don't know if you'd noticed."

"Mebbe a bit," answered Applejack.  "But Ah never thought you were lame.  Not even a mite."

"Oh," said Rainbow Dash, smiling.  "Um -- thank you."

"But, Dashie --" Applejack's expression was very serious now.  "You have to play it straight with Fluttershy.  You're in love with each other.  How do you think she feels when you make excuses for not wanting to make love to her?"

"Hmm ..." thought Rainbow Dash.  She frowned.  "Pretty bad, I'd guess."  A look of realization dawned on her blue face.  Oh, horseapples!  I've been making her think that I'm falling out of love with her, haven't' I!  Crap!  I've been really terrible to her!"  Her face fell.  "I"m a rotten lover!"

"Not that terrible," Applejack said reassuringly.  "It's jest a misunderstanding, something you and her can work out between yoreselves.  You can be a bit more affectionate.  And she can be a bit less demanding.  Compromise.  It's worth it, ain't it, to keep what you have with her?"

"Of course it is!" said Rainbow Dash.  "Gee, AJ, thanks for talking to me about this mushy stuff.  I know you're probably not comfortable with it, but you're a true friend.  And you're really wise about things like this!"

"Light an' Life," laughed Applejack.  "Ah'm shore no love expert -- all Ah really know is how things worked between 'Scape an' me, an' what Ah've seen watching others.  But Ah am yore true friend, Dashie, and Ah know that love's a lot like true friendship.  Lies never make things better between friends.  Honesty's always the best policy.  You just need to start telling Fluttershy the truth about how you feel.  Ah'm shore she'll understand.  She loves you powerful, you know that."

"I know ..." said Rainbow Dash huskily.  "I'm ... I really care about her too.  That's why it's hard sometimes, to admit that I'm not ... agh, I'm no good with talking about this sort of thing.  But I'll try!" she said.  "I just gotta stop being such a wimp about this.  I don't want 'Shy to stop loving me."

"Why would you think Fluttershy would stop lovin' you?"  Applejack asked.  "Whole time Ah've knowed you, 'Shy's always wanted yore company.  Yore the best friend she's ever had.  Only other one comes close is Rarity, and Rares ain't into mares the way you are.  You got no real competition."

"I know," said Rainbow Dash.  "Maybe that's the problem."  She scratched her neck.

Applejack lifted an inquiring eyebrow.

"Nopony's really at her best without competition," Dashie explained.  "'Shy and me have been friends ever since I started protecting her when she was just a little filly back in Cloudsdale.  We were both little fillies together.  Long before I ... well, wanted anyting mushy with her, I had a sort of idea about her ..." Dashie blushed slightly "You're gonna think this is stupid ..."

"Oh, Ah don't know about that," said Applejack, smiling encouraging at her friend.  "Try me."

"Okay," said Dashie.  "But you gotta never tell anypony about this!"

"Secret's safe with me, sugarcube," Applejack reassured her.

"All right," said Rainbow Dash.  "See, when 'Shy and me were fillies, we used to play a kind of game.  A pretend game.  And 'Shy would be --" she blushed again "-- a High Lady.  You know, like from before the Unification, when the Clans all had their own armies and fougt wars with each other and stuff like that.  And I'd be, um, her sworn Bannermare.  Not just one of her Clan's warriors, but one of her trusted warriors, pledged to serve her above all others, unto death."  She blushed more deeply.  "Sheesh, I can't belive I'm telling you this.  You must think I'm, like, terminally soft."

Applejack regarded her friend warmly.  "You're not soft, Dashie, 'cept where it's right to be soft.  Yore good, an' kind, an' lovin'.  There ain't nothin' wrong with that.  Nothin' a'tall."

"Yeah," said Rainbow Dash uncomfortably.  "Just don't let it get around."  She licked her lips.  "Thing is, in the game I was supposed to serve her, whatever she wanted  me to do.  And -- as I got older -- I understood more about the old sagas.  Like, that sometimes the High Born and their Banner-Ponies were, um, really in love.  You know."

"Ah have a good idea," replied Applejack drily.

"Some of those old Clan leaders really got around!" Dashie confided, her eyes huge.  "I mean, they'd have more than one spouse, and concubines, and a dozen or more lovers on top of that!"

"Ah wonder how they kept it all straight," said Applejack.

"Sometimes they didn't," admitted Rainbow Dash.  "Some of the wars started that way.  There'd be secret seductions and spouse-stealing and slave-raids and duels and battles and tragic deaths.  It was way cool!" she said enthusiastically.  "Well, probably more fun to sing about than to live through.  If you know what I mean."

"Ah reckon Ah do," said Applejack, smiling slightly.

"Well, it's just that it was when I heard those old stories that I first started thinking mushy thoughts, and then some spicy thoughts, you know?  About, well, Fluttershy.  I started thinking that maybe if I were her Bannermare and she was my Lady, she might want me to -- you know?"

"Ah get it, Dashie."

"No, see -- it's that if she wants me to serve her that way, then I should be able, you know?  To do what she wants!  And If I can't, I'm letting her down!"  Her ears drooped in shame.  "I'm -- not good enough.  Maybe she deserves better."

"Dashie," Applejack said gently, "you're more than 'good enough.'  'Shy's a darn good Pony, but so are you.  Why are you putting yourself dwn like this?  You'd never do this regardin' anypony else."

"I don't know," said Rainbow Dash.  "I've always felt that 'Shy was sort of above me -- sweet, gentle, noble -- almost like an Alicorn.  She sort of looks like one when the sunlight catches her right -- ever notice that?"

"Not really," Applejack admitted.  "Though Ah will say she's a purty mare.  Cain't deny that."

"Huh," said Rainbow Dash.  "Maybe I'm just more inclined to see it.  Thing is, I've always felt 'Shy was gonna grow into something -- something really special and awesome.  Don't know what she'll be, or how I know she's becoming someting else -- I just know it."  Her eyes were shining with belief.  Then, her expression returned to normal.  "And ... you think I"m nuts."

"Ah think you have a really high opinion of her," Applejack said.  "Which is fine, seein' as you're in love with her.  But Ah'm afraid yore buildin' her up too high, higher'n anypony could ever really be.  Ah mean -- Ah loved 'Scape, Ah still love 'Scape, but Ah never thought he was some sort of saint, or god.  He was jest a real good stallion, if 'n you see what Ah mean?"

"I do," Rainbow Dash said.  "But it doesn't cange my opinion.  'Shy's special."  Her expression was almost belligerent.

"Sure she is, sugarcube," Applejack.  "She's special to you.  And in another way, to all her friends, me included.  Ah'm just worried that mebbe the reason yore having trouble tellin' her that she's more into makin' love than you is cause yore puttin' her on too high a pedestal, too far above you.  When, really, youre just both together, both just tryin' to make yore love work."  She paused, mustering her thoughts.  

"An -- Dashie?  One way Ah agree Fluttershy's special is that she's 'specially sweet an' kind an' nice an' understandin'.  You need to talk things over with her.  Ah don't think she'll get all mad at you, if'n you explained to her that you love her but yore just not as much into makin' love.  Jest talk to her.  That's what Ah'm sayin'."

Rainbow Dash thought about it.  "Maybe you're right, AJ," she finally said.  "At least that I should talk to 'Shy about this.  I still think she's special."

"Ah think she's special too," said Applejack.  "That's why Ah think you should make the effort to talk to her.  She's worth a lot o'effort, isn't she?"

"Yeah," said Rainbow Dash.  "She is."  Rainbow Dash paused, screwed up her face.  "AJ?" she asked.

"Yes, sugarcube?"

"Thank you for putting up with me getting all mushy.  And stupid.  And listening to me.  And giving me good advice."  Dashie just sort of stopped, clearly unsure of what to say next.

"Yore welcome," Applejack replied.  "Any time for a good friend like you."

Dasie ducked her head, but she was smiling.  "I sure hope that we find some creature from the Everfree," she commented.  "I really need to fly fast and hit something, to make up for all this mush!"

Applejack laughed good-naturedly, and the two friends continued on their patrol, their hooves crunching in the February snows.





The Pegasus courses through the skies over the Badlands, making for the territory patroled by the condors.  She is a very large smoky-gray Pegasus with long grayish-white hair and blue eyes.  At close quarters, she would be quite recognizable to many Ponies scattered rather widely across Equestria -- her special friends in many towns where her business takes her.  They would not be surprised to see her anywhere -- her business takes her to some very strange places, sometimes.

Nor would they be surprised to see her flying high and fast.  She is a very good flyer, one of the reasons why she is well-suited for the job of a South Wind, a courier and liasion for the Weather Service.

They might wonder why she is flying into the Badlands, far beyond any known Pony towns.  But then they aren't there to wonder.

And she isn't really there either, because this isn't really her.  Just her form.

As she flies into view of the condors, an invisible challenge passes betwen her and the sentry.  The sign is sent to her.  The countersign given in return.  The vast but simple mind which watches from below accepts her, classifies her on its situation display as "friendly contact," and appends her name:  Courier-829.

For she is indeed a courier.  Just not for Equestria.

When she gets to a certain distance into the protective circle of the airborne early warning system, she changes direction, diving directly for the tunnel-riddled mesa.  She is in safe airspace now; there is no more need for deceptive flying.

She makes full use of her current form's superior wings and flightfields to bleed off the velocity of her descent.  Then, when she is almost stationary in midair, she Shifts.  Sickly green fire shimmers over her form, seems to burn it away to reveal her true self -- a black-carapaced, green-eyed, jagged-horned, pseudo-insectoid horror with rapidly buzzing membranous wings -- what Pegasus legends call a "buzzy."

Transformed back into her true shape, the Changeling Courier swoops into Hive Chrysalis.