"Howdy, Candy!" said Apple Bloom. "We've been waitin' fer ya."
I hesitated at the entrance to the tree house, my heart skipping a beat. My eyes flicked between Apple Bloom and Scootaloo as they smiled at me. I shifted my gaze to Sweetie Belle. She sat on her haunches, her eyes narrowed in concentration, a crayon moving carefully in her magical grip.
"Waiting for me?" I said. "Why?"
"Well, this was sorta your idea to start with," said Scootaloo.
"An' we wanted ta make sure ya got yer chance to earn yer cutie mark, too," said Apple Bloom.
"Cutie mark in what?" I glanced down. Several heart-shaped art projects littered the floor. "Oh."
"Get-well card makin' of course!" Apple Bloom declared.
"Miss Cheerilee liked our card so much we decided to make more," Scootaloo said.
"We went around Ponyville askin' who else might be sick, an' we're gonna make cards fer all of 'em!"
"But it's kinda more than we can handle."
"Seems poor Miss Cheerilee gave the pony pox to a few others before she realized what she had," Apple Bloom said.
I managed a small smile. Besides being incredibly sweet, it would keep them occupied for a while. I could not have asked for better timing.
I heard the crayon drop. Sweetie Belle rose to her hooves and trotted over to me. My heart raced, and I trembled slightly as she gave me a hug. I slowly put my fore-legs around her. She felt just as soft and warm as she had always been. I could smell the faint floral scent of the shampoo she had used on her mane that morning.
She turned her head towards the others without breaking off the embrace. "I dunno, Apple Bloom, it's going to be a lot of work, and I wanted to spend the day with Candy." She turned back to me. "That's what you're here for, right? To take me back home?"
"Not just yet, Sweetie," I said immediately. Don't hesitate. I had drilled that into my head all the way over there. Business as usual.
"Something wrong?"
"Of course not," I said firmly. "Why would you think so?"
"You just seem a little nervous."
So was that just Sweetie Belle's normal perceptive nature, or a changeling sensing my emotions? My heart thundered with undirected fear; I had no idea who to be more scared for, her or myself. I glanced at the other Crusaders as if hoping for some subtle clue that maybe it was one of them instead, only to hate myself for wishing this upon anypony. "Oh, um, they're still trying to resolve the mess with Lyra."
Apple Bloom frowned and stepped towards me. "Consarn it, what's there ta resolve?"
Scootaloo joined her and nodded. "She's a changeling! What more do they need to know?"
"Sweetie Belle told us all 'bout her before ya got here," Apple Bloom said, likely in response to my surprised stare at their sudden hostile tone.
"I can hardly wait until Rainbow Dash is back," Scootaloo said. "She'll take care of that changeling for sure."
"If my big sister don't buck her all the way back ta the badlands herself."
"How about they both take turns?"
Apple Bloom grinned. "Sounds like a great idea ta me! Meantime, soon as we get a chance, we'll spread the word 'bout Lyra the changelin'."
"Girls, just don't worry about it right now," I said, my voice quavering slightly. "Let's just go back to making the cards."
What had happened while the rest of us were in the castle? Did Sweetie Belle convince them with her words, or did she do something else? Were this Earth, I could hold out hope this was nothing more than a nightmare, and if I waited long enough, I would soon wake up.
"You promised me we'd spend time together," Sweetie said in a soft, forlorn voice.
"I know, Sweetie, and we will, but ... a little later."
"Today, though? Please?"
Twilight words haunted me: whatever they're planning may happen soon. I was supposed to maintain this charade only for as long as it took Twilight to complete her work with the wards. I assumed if the others were going to head off on some rescue operation that one of them would come and tell me. I forced a smile and wondered how much a changeling's senses could detect the lie. "Yes, today. I promise."
I finished coloring my third card. How I had managed to get through so many in my delicate magical state, I had no idea. Every use of my horn sent a maddening tingle into my head and partially down my spine. Twilight had infused her spell into my body, and she had warned me it would interfere with my own use of magic if I pushed it too far. She had tried to explain how it worked, but I started zoning out when she rambled on about thaumic this or phasing that.
I had no idea how much time had passed, just that it was too long. Enough, at least, for the angle of the sun to have changed noticeably. Sweetie Belle sat close enough for her fur to brush against mine whenever either of us moved.
"Three whole cards!" said Apple Bloom. "That's some good work."
"Maybe we should stop here," said Sweetie Belle as she snuggled against me.
Don't tremble. Don't recoil. Don't hesitate. "Let's start on the next one and ... um, then we'll see about quitting."
"But it's getting late," said Sweetie.
"It's not all that late," said Scootaloo.
"Yeah, there's plenty of daylight left," said Apple Bloom.
"Well, I need to use the little filly's room first," Sweetie said. "Candy, will you take me?"
I managed not to flinch. "Oh, well, Sweetie, I'm sure you've been here hundreds of times and know the way to the house."
"I do, I just want some protection. You know, from the changeling."
"Good idea, Sweetie," said Apple Bloom. She looked at me. "Yeah, ya gotta protect Sweetie Belle. That's real important."
"Yeah, you don't want to take any chances," said Scootaloo.
My mind raced to find some reason -- any reason -- to cast doubt on the whole theory. The only thing that didn't make sense was her weakness. Why would she be weak if she had been feeding off my emotions? Didn't that mean somepony else was the changeling and was draining her, like Rarity had thought? Could Sweetie's need for escort be no more than a plea from a little pony more scared than she wants to let on?
Or was it the changeling's plan to get me alone? "If you're all so concerned, then perhaps we can all go to the house together."
Apple Bloom looked dubious. "I did kinda wanted ta keep workin' on this, though."
"We were going at it pretty good," said Scootaloo.
"But I guess if ya really want--"
"Um, it's okay," said Sweetie as she parted from me. "I'll just go by myself."
My heart ached. Was she sad I was ignoring her needs or was she disappointed her plan failed?
"Are you sure about that?" Scootaloo asked.
Sweetie headed towards the door. "Yeah, I'm sure."
"Sweetie, please make sure you get back here soon," I said.
"All right," Sweetie Belle said in a reluctant voice. She gave me one last glance before heading down the ladder.
"I'm not sure ya should leave her alone," Apple Bloom said with a slight frown.
"It'll be okay, girls," I said. "Now, let's get back to this ..."
"I knew ya shoulda gone with her!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
"She should've been back ages ago!" Scootaloo said.
Apple Bloom trotted over to the window and looked out. "We gotta go look for her!"
Scootaloo joined her. "Maybe the changeling did get onto the farm!"
"Girls, please, stop it!" I cried. "It ... it hasn't been that long."
Apple Bloom turned to face me. "Like hay it hasn't! She never takes that long ta get back from the house."
"Maybe she just stopped to get a snack, or something to drink," I said.
Apple Bloom frowned. "I reckon we shouldn't take any chances. We gotta make sure she's okay."
Dammit, where was Twilight? How long did it take to do that magic of hers? Should I just wait it out? I had to do something or the Crusaders would take matters into their own hooves again. Regardless of whether they exhibited just normal loyalty towards a friend or a mind-controlled fixation, I doubted I could contain them much longer.
I stepped over to them. "All right, fine. I'll go look for her."
"We're comin' with ya," Apple Bloom said.
I stomped a hoof. "No! Stay right here."
"Why?" Scootaloo demanded. "We're her friends, too!"
"Yeah, make up yer mind!" Apple Bloom snapped. "First ya want us all along an' now ya don't!"
I had no intention of playing the changeling's game. I was going to gallop straight for the house and fetch the others exactly as Twilight had said. "I don't want you to be hurt if--"
"Consarn all that!" Apple Bloom said. "We're all Crusaders. We stick together."
"Yeah! If you're going to look for her, so are we," Scootaloo said.
I sighed and ran a hoof through my mane. Even if I did get them to agree to stay, I doubted they would remain here for very long. Then I would have to worry about them being hurt when I wasn't there to help them. "Listen to me carefully, girls," I said in a firm voice. "We'll go together, but we're heading to the house first."
"Why do we have to do that?" Apple Bloom asked.
"So we can fetch your sister and brother, and they can help us look. Don't you think they'd be concerned for Sweetie Belle, too?"
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged a cautious look. I had to find some way around whatever false logic had been planted in their heads.
"She has a point," Scootaloo said.
Apple Bloom looked thoughtful. "I s'pose she does. Mebbe we'll get lucky an' run inta Sweetie Belle on the way there."
That was the last thing I wanted. "All right, let's go." I headed towards the door. "And stick close behind me."
Apple Bloom tilted her head. "Behind ya?"
"Yes, behind me. Please."
"Well, all right."
My heart thumped as they followed me out. Yes, this was another risk, if we were all wrong about Sweetie Belle, and it really was one of the other Crusaders. It seemed unlikely, but everything I did was a calculated risk. I shivered as I wondered if I had fallen into a similar pattern of thought as Sevfivtoo, weighing every option and calculating possibilities down to the last decimal point.
The farm suddenly seemed as alien as it had been when I had first arrived. I swallowed hard and set out. The path that had been worn into the ground from the Crusaders' hooves was now my lifeline. My ears swiveled as I tracked the sound of the Crusaders trotting along behind me.
Scootaloo suddenly gasped and cried out, "Look over there!"
Before I could turn around, she dashed off the path and into the trees. "Scootaloo! Get back here!"
The words had barely left my mouth when Apple Bloom galloped over to join her. They stopped beside a tree, and Scootaloo pointed a hoof towards the bark.
My heart leaped into my throat. On the bark was a spot of glistening green goo.
Apple Bloom's pupils shrank. "The changelin' is on the farm!"
Scootaloo turned her head and pointed to another tree. "There's more further on."
They rushed over to it before I could stop them. I galloped up as they stared at another dollop of the substance hanging from a small branch just above their heads.
"Where's the rest of the trail lead?" Apple Bloom said.
I bolted around them and blocked the way. "Girls, stop. We're not following any trail, period."
"But Sweetie Belle could be in trouble!" Apple Bloom cried.
Scootaloo frowned. "Why don't you want to look for her?"
"Yeah, Candy, it's mighty suspicious that ya don't wanna look fer yer own sister!"
Scootaloo gasped. "Maybe Candy is the changeling!"
"I am not a changeling!" I exclaimed.
Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes. "Jus' the thing I'd expect a changelin' ta say."
I face-hoofed. "Look, this is the same setup as the White Tail Woods. We're being led into some sort of trap. Best thing to do is--"
A plaintive, distant cry rose from further into the trees, and my heart lurched. "Candy? Are you out there? I kinda need some help. Please?"
"That's Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo cried.
"We're comin' fer ya, Sweetie!" Apple Bloom shouted.
I caught them in my fore-legs and stopped them.
"Candy, what in tarnation are ya doin'?!" Apple Bloom cried.
Scootaloo fluttered her wings, her feathers tickling my muzzle and almost making me sneeze. "I told you she's the changeling!"
Despite her youth, Apple Bloom already had good earth pony strength, my rear hooves dragging the ground trying to keep her contained. This dashed any hope I had of carrying them back to the house. Maybe my magic had improved to the point where I could pick her up, but with Twilight's spell still tingling inside me, that would likely fizzle.
"All right, listen to me!" I cried. "Fine. We'll go. But you're going to stay right behind me. And if she's okay, we're all going to head back to the house together."
Apple Bloom frowned. "Why should we listen to you?"
"Because this is just a ploy to get me alone with her."
"Candy?" came Sweetie's distant voice. "Can you help me, please? I think I'm stuck."
"She's only calling to me," I said. "We've been making enough of a ruckus that she knows you two are here. Why isn't she calling out to you as well?"
Scootaloo stopped struggling and looked uncertain. She glanced at me and then Apple Bloom. "Yeah, why isn't Sweetie Belle calling out to all of us? That is kinda weird."
"I don't care," Apple Bloom said, though her tone was less combative. "She's in trouble and we gotta help her."
Was I finally getting through to them? I carefully let go, and neither bolted. "Okay, let's go find her together."
Apple Bloom looked around as we entered a small clearing. "Hey, Candy, ain't this where ya first showed up?"
My heart fluttered as I trod the same ground where I had first opened my eyes to find several strange equine creatures staring at me. I glanced down at my hooves and remembered seeing them for the first time. The anxiety, fear, and eventually hope that had followed had come full circle.
"There she is!" Scootaloo cried, breaking me out of my reverie. Apple Bloom and I followed, and my throat tightened as I saw Sweetie Belle standing at the base of a tree.
"Are ya all right?" Apple Bloom said. "Ya had us all worried!"
"Sorry," Sweetie Belle said in a soft voice. She looked up at me, her eyes glistening. "I thought you'd come for me right away. Are you mad at me?"
"I'm not mad at you," I said. "I just ... well, never mind."
Apple Bloom trotted over to Sweetie. "Why ya standin' like that?"
Sweetie tugged a rear hoof, but it remained firmly on the ground between two roots. "I'm stuck. I took a little walk and got my hoof wedged in."
"I got this!" Apple Bloom said. She turned herself around, braced her fore-hooves in the ground, and pressed her rear-hooves against the far root. Her muscles tensed as she pushed, the root crackling faintly as it gave.
Sweetie plucked her hoof out and smiled. "Thanks."
"No problem."
"All right," I began. "Now that Sweetie is okay, we can all head--"
Before I could finish my sentence, Sweetie Belle had all but thrown herself at me, wrapping her fore-legs around me in a tight hug. My heart skipped a beat, and I held my breath, yet nothing happened. I slowly wrapped my fore-legs around her.
"Ya know, it's gettin' kinda late now," said Apple Bloom. "Mebbe ya should jus' head on home together."
"I'd like that," Sweetie Belle said softly.
"I should probably head home, too," said Scootaloo.
"Not before heading back to the house," I said firmly. Sweetie squirmed in our embrace, and I loosened my hold on her. "Sorry to harp on that, but--"
I cast my gaze downward just as Sweetie Belle touched a fore-hoof to my pendant.
Light flashed around me to the startled cries of the other Crusaders. Magical energy bounced and raced across the triggered shield like tiny pebbles bouncing off concrete, the energies scattering to the winds. A miniature nova blossomed between us. I stumbled and fell back on my haunches from the force, and Sweetie Belle tumbled back head-over-hooves.
"Sweetie! Candy! You two all right?!" Scootaloo cried.
"What in tarnation jus' happened?!" Apple Bloom said.
I stared.
I just stared.
Denial ceased to be an option. Hope ceased to be a possibility. It had all shattered in that one moment of betrayal.
"Candy, yer tremblin'," Apple Bloom said. "Are ya hurt?"
"Are you okay, Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo asked.
Their words just slid around me like a stream flowing around rocks. A numbness had settled over me, lifting only slowly, yet leaving me with an icy chill.
Sweetie Belle rose to her hooves. "Um ... I think so. I guess we should--"
"Apple Bloom, Scootaloo," I said in a stiff voice. "Head back to the house and get the others."
Sweetie's pupils shrank. "Maybe I should go with them."
My jaw tightened. "No, you're staying here. You might be hurt, too. And ... you wanted some time alone with me, didn't you?"
"Um, yes, but ..."
"Don't worry none, Sweetie!" Apple Bloom said. "Me an' Scootaloo will go fetch the others an' be right back. Come on!"
As the hoof-beats of the Crusaders faded, I slowly rose to my hooves and stepped forward. I narrowed my eyes as the last moments of Michelle's mortal life played out in my head. I saw myself again on the wrong end of a bullet meant to end my life. My brain sailed off into an abyss of boiling darkness as it envisioned a lifeless little white pony I had come to call "sister," and my own broken body lying before the horrified stares of two little kids.
All for a stupid piece of gold.
"You are mad at me, aren't you?" it said.
My horn blazed. I picked up "Sweetie Belle" and threw it as hard as I could against the nearest tree.
It cried out in alarm. I threw it again.
It called my name and begged me to stop. I threw it again.
It uttered a shrill scream. I threw it again.
A thunder of hoof-beats rose behind me. "Candy, what in Celestia's name are you doing to Sweetie Belle?!" screeched Rarity's horrified voice behind me.
I pinned the monster to the tree only a moment before Rarity wrapped her fore-legs around me and tried to pull me away. I stayed on my hooves and screamed, "THAT'S NOT SWEETIE BELLE! It's the monster that replaced her! She just tried to do something to me and triggered Twilight's shield spell!"
Rarity flinched in shock, and her grip loosened slightly. Similar looks radiated from the faces of the others.
"Rarity, please, make her stop! She's hurting me!" the monster cried in a voice so convincingly heart-wrenching that even I shuddered briefly.
"Put her down, Candy," Applejack said in a firm voice. "Right now."
"C-Candy, please," Fluttershy pleaded. "Before you do something you'll regret."
"My only regret is my magic's not strong enough to throw her clear through the tree," I growled.
The monster started crying her eyes out. Stop it, dammit, stop it!
Rarity pulled at me again. "Candy, do what Applejack said!"
"Didn't you hear me?! This. Is. Not. Sweetie Belle! She's the changeling!"
Rarity swallowed hard. "I-I know, you're probably right, but what if--?!"
Light flashed, and suddenly Twilight was there.
I turned my head, and my eyes widened. Her mane was in disarray. Her feathers were ruffled. My breath caught when I saw one foreleg curled around a filly covered in enough green goo that, for one heart-stopping moment, she remained unrecognizable.
Twilight gently placed her down, and I saw a horn and a lock of pink-purple mane. My legs went weak from the intensity of my relief. She launched herself at Rarity and I, and this time, I accepted without hesitation. Tears streamed down my face as we both drew the real Sweetie Belle into a fierce hug.
We both had green goo on our fur, mane, and hooves, but we didn't care. I heard Rarity sob softly. In my distraction, my magic faded, and the changeling fell to the ground.
"Tarnation, Twilight, what happened?!" Applejack said in a stunned voice.
"I'll tell you later," said Twilight in a curt voice. She marched over to the fake Sweetie Belle. "Drop the disguise, Wuntusix. Now!"
I lifted my head in time to see the creature give Twilight a pleading look before her form shimmered, and I flinched as an insect-pony took its place.
The thing was no bigger than Kevin had been. I didn't care how big or small it was. My rage had not even begun to be expended. Even knowing Sweetie Belle was safe did nothing to quell it. I broke off the embrace and started towards it, my teeth bared.
I heard a gasp and a rush of wing, and suddenly Fluttershy was hovering in front of me, her fore-hooves on my shoulders. "Candy, please, don't!"
"Why not?!" I yelled. "That thing's been leeching off me for the past few days! It tried to kill me, right in front of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo!"
"I-I didn't try to drain you," the changeling said in a weak voice. "I wasn't t-trying to kill you."
I shivered at the alien sound of its voice. "Shut up," I growled through clenched teeth.
I tried to go around Fluttershy, but she pushed me back. "There's no point in doing this. I know you can't stop hating it, but you don't have to act on it."
"But ... but that thing ...!"
"Candy, you once told me ... you pleaded with me that you're not a monster."
My mouth fell open, and I trembled.
"I believed that then, and I believe it now," said Fluttershy. "But you have to as well."
My throat tightened. I wanted to protest that this was hardly the same thing, but no words would come. I glanced past Fluttershy and shuddered when my gaze fell on that disgusting thing. Like with Kevin, I tried to find something to justify my hate. And like Kevin, it just fucking sat there, its gaze downcast. It didn't look even the least bit injured. Should I be angry or relieved?
A purple ball of energy formed around the creature. "This will hold it until we can get the sheriff," said Twilight. "Sweetie Belle hasn't been drained, but she should be taken to the hospital so they can check her out. I wanted to bring her here first so you all knew she was okay."
Rarity hugged Twilight tightly. "Twilight, thank you. You can't imagine what this means to me to see Sweetie safe. I'll take her down there straight away."
"Do I really have to go to the stupid hospital?" Sweetie Belle said. "I'm all right. I just need a bath."
"Listen to Twilight and Rarity, please, Sweetie," I said in a shaky voice.
Sweetie turned to me. "You okay?" She glanced at the changeling, her eyes uncertain. "You don't have to be mad anymore, Candy, I'm fine. I don't like seeing you mad, even if it's at somepony else."
I glanced at Fluttershy. She smiled gently at me. I turned towards Sweetie Belle, the real one, the one I had come to love as if she had been my sister all along. She deserved better than to see me act like this. I gave her another hug. "Yeah, I'm okay now, Sweetie."
"Sorry I got gunk all over you."
I hugged her tighter. "I'm just glad you're safe now."
"Come on, everypony, let's get back ta the house," said Applejack. "Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are gonna wanna know everythin's okay."
I had thought Ponyville was rustic, but that paled in comparison to Applejack's house. All I cared about was that it had plenty of hot water. My mane and tail were left a little poofy, but I was sure I could be forgiven for lack of style.
Even if I had trouble forgiving myself for what I had almost done.
Apple Bloom intercepted me on my way back to the living room. "I'm sorry I didn't listen ta ya earlier, Candy. I never thought fer a moment Sweetie Belle coulda been the changelin'."
I smiled faintly. "It's okay. Even when I knew, I had hoped I was wrong."
"That dang changelin' musta done somethin' ta me and Scootaloo."
"Where is Scootaloo, anyway?"
"They sent her on home," said Apple Bloom. "Twilight an' the others are waitin' fer ya."
"Thanks," I said as I started past her.
"Oh, um, hey, Candy?" Apple Bloom said in a tentative voice.
I stopped and turned. "Yeah?"
She cast her gaze down for a moment before stepping up to me. "While ya were in the shower, Applejack reminded me how ya had lost yer Mom when ya were kinda young."
My stomach quivered. "Yeah, that's right. What about it?"
"If, um, ya ever need ta talk about it, lemme know, okay?"
My eyes misted. I didn't think I deserved such consideration, but I gave Apple Bloom a hug. "I will, I promise."
She smiled at me as I broke off the embrace. My gaze lingered on her as I headed into the living room. Twilight paced as Applejack stood nearby. Fluttershy trotted over to me. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Yeah." I averted my gaze. "Um, I'm sorry about before, I shouldn't have acted that way, I just ..."
Fluttershy touched a hoof to my shoulder. "Candy, it's okay."
I swallowed and said in a voice barely above a whisper, "It's not okay. I almost--"
"But you didn't."
"Only because you all arrived in time to stop me."
"I still don't think you would've done it."
I bit my lower lip. I had wanted to kill it. Wasn't that all that mattered?
"Please, Candy," said Fluttershy. "Don't beat yourself up over it. It won't do any good."
I could not let it go, but I had no more emotional strength left to handle it at that moment. I simply nodded and looked around. "Where's Rarity?"
"Rarity said she was going to take Sweetie Belle home after they left the hospital," said Twilight. "Can you fill her in later, please?"
"I can, sure."
"Thank you. And before we start ..." She trotted up to me and lowered her head. Her horn glowed, and she reapplied that sphere of energy around my pendant she had previously done at the castle. "I don't want anything we say being overheard."
"So out with it, Twi," said Applejack with a trace of annoyance in her voice. "What happened, and why didn't ya fetch the rest of us?"
Twilight sighed. "I didn't have time. My idea of using the wards worked perfectly, and I found Sevfivtoo, but she was headed directly for one of the wards. When I got there, she was in the process of subverting it for her own purposes. She flew off into the woods, but I found her camp and got there before she did. That's when I found Sweetie Belle." She frowned. "I fought Sevfivtoo, but when she realized she was outmatched, she forced me to make a decision between taking her down and rescuing Sweetie Belle."
Fluttershy shivered. "Oh, goodness ..."
"Ya made the right call there," said Applejack. "So is Sevfivtoo this Queenlin' thing Kevin mentioned?"
"Yes, she is," said Twilight. "But nowhere near as powerful as Chrysalis."
Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Yet."
"She knows she can't stand up to me in a one-on-one battle until she Ascends, and maybe not even then, since Chrysalis took time to reach the power she's at now."
"Twilight, the changeling disguised as Sweetie Belle tried to kill ..." I trailed off. "Well, I'm not sure what she did, but your shield stopped it."
"I know, I sensed it trigger, but I was in the middle of battling Sevfivtoo," Twilight said. "It was soon after that she realized her plan had failed, and she used the threat of harm to Sweetie Belle to force me to break off the attack."
"What in tarnation was her plan?" Applejack asked.
"I took a quick look at that ward she had altered. I didn't do a complete analysis, as I wanted to get Sweetie Belle to safety and get to Candy in case she needed help, but it had a resonance similar to mind-magicks."
My stomach turned, and my throat clicked when I swallowed.
Fluttershy gasped. "Sh-she was trying to mind-control Candy??"
"Whoa, wait a doggone minute here," said Applejack. "From that far away?"
Twilight nodded. "My guess is she was trying to use the pendant as a conduit for her magic, which is why I shielded it from our conversation."
I shivered, and my stomach twisted again. With Sweetie Belle safe, it left my mind open to consider yet another unthinkable idea, that Michelle was somehow colluding with the changelings, whether by accident or at the direction of the avatar of Starswirl.
"The pendant has already shown an ability to project magic a fair distance when Cherry manifested to Candy," Twilight explained. "Sevfivtoo was trying to do something similar in reverse, but it required a spell cast on the pendant."
"So that answers the 'what'," said Applejack. "What about the 'why'?"
"The only thing I can think of is Discord's clue about Candy bringing the pendant to her. Sevfivtoo may have attempted to force Candy to do just that. Sevfivtoo has experience with such strong mind-magicks, but since she was blocked from entering Ponyville, she had to resort to this. Perhaps she had expected that the shield spell would still be tied to the pendant, and thus she could circumvent it somehow."
I swallowed hard and stepped up to Twilight. "Y-you don't think that Cherry had anything to do with this, do you?"
Twilight's gaze met mine. "I have to be honest with you, Candy, at this point I just don't know. I'm going to talk to Zecora and see if she can change her potion to allow two ponies to visit the realm in the pendant. I'm tired of flying blind. I want answers."
I wanted answers as well, and I was just as determined to get them.
Even if it meant destroying a friendship that had defined my life for so many years.