Chapter 13: Allies
Canterlot, the Council Room
Fluttershy sat still, trying to comprehend the Changeling Queen's words. How could she be so oblivious? Rarity was acting weird for the last week, and now she knew exactly why. It was not Rarity, it was a Changeling disguised as her. Along with the Changeling that had copied Twilight, the two of them had easily torn their friendship to pieces.
Argus bound around Fluttershy, trying to get some response from her. His efforts were fruitless, as she was lost deep in her own thoughts.
"Sister, the Bat Ponies are Ponyville's best chance. They can sneak in and expose the Changelings with little risk," Luna suggested to her sister.
"Indeed, but without a half-decent strategy, they won't last long. I'm sending Siros with them."
"Are you certain that is wise? The racial issues between them may be... distracting to say the least."
"I know, but it's the only option. Echo was the only one who brought an army with him. While I did not appreciate it at first, it has turned into a fortuitous turn of events."
"Very well, I will notify Echo immediately."
"And I will inform Siros. Make haste Luna." Celestia turned from her sister, and began to trot to Emperor Siros across the room, where he bandaged the Griffon whom had just minutes ago stumbled into the Council room.
Luna galloped out the door, and began to retrace her steps through the secret passage.
"How is he holding up?" Celestia asked Siros, genuine concern in her voice.
"He fared better than expected for what occurred. A unit of Changelings ambushed him and the Bat Pony guard on their way to Ponyville. As they fled, the Projection Crystal replaced the scroll they carried. He may very well have saved the Bat Pony's life."
"He's a friend. I couldn't just let him die."
Celestia and Siros were both surprised to hear him speak, and even more surprised at the exact words. It was unheard of for a Griffon, friends with a Bat Pony.
"Oh, it's so good to hear that the Hippogriffs and Flying Rats are finally getting along. One thousand years really does bring change. I'm sure Moonbutt would agree." Discord's voice echoed through the silence. His racial slurs went largely ignored.
"Siros, I'm sending you with a division of Bat Ponies, led by Lord Echo. I know what you're going to say…"
"I'll do it."
"-but you mus-WHAT?!" Celestia allowed her surprise to show. After centuries of practice of hiding behind an unchanging mask of calmness, this had managed to puncture all of that.
"I said I’d do it, Celestia. Ponyville, and possibly all of Equestria, relies on this. I will not let our petty racial arguments be the driving force that dooms it."
Luna reached the hospital wing incredibly fast. It had been a millennium since she had last been there, however, her memory lead her straight and true. Despite her incredible speed, Lord Echo had managed the journey even faster.
Each race of Equestria's allies had their own secret passage to the Council room. Celestia escorted Luminance and Spitfire through the same passage Luna and Fluttershy took.
The Bat Pony entrance had a different magical lock. The key was a sonic Screech, producible only by the Bat Ponies; however, the exact screech was only taught to a selected few. It was a quiet, very high pitched and brief tone, which spiked higher at the end.
"How fares your messenger?" Luna spoke to Echo on the balcony of the hospital wing that overlooked all of Canterlot. Her horn began to glow blue, then shifted to red as she spoke. Her focus never left the horizon as her magic built up.
"He will survive." All of Canterlot was slowly bathed in a dim red light as an immense red object rose on the horizon. Echo looked out to the city, stunned. Not he, nor any mortal alive at this time, has ever witnessed this event occurring. It was truly a once in a lifetime sight to behold.
"Yet you look troubled."
"That Griffon saved his life." He turned away to look at the hospital bed inside, his ally now asleep. "For as long as I can remember, our kinds have fought. Now, we are suddenly allies. This was likely the first act of many, but it's still... strange." The comment forced a smile to creep on Luna's face.
"You forget, We once nearly killed Our own sister. Yet, she welcomed Us back with open arms..."
"What I meant was, it's strange how natural enemies can be driven together when a greater threat presents itself. It makes we wonder what will happen when this is all over? What will become of all of us? That is, if we win. Otherwise, I doubt our concerns will be on each other." He finally turned his red eyes back to Luna as her magic went from red to green.
"Be confident Echo. You cannot afford to be otherwise at a time like this." Her face contorted in concentration, and her eyes briefly turned green and red as she called on the dark magic required to fully raise the Red Moon.
"Hmph. How can one be confident when his race will soon be at war with the greatest threat to appear in millennia?"
Luna did not respond. The Red Moon was finally above the horizon and rising higher in the sky. The red light on the land faded away. The moon, however, remained red. The red glow only emanated from the moon on its rising.
"There. Now it will be fully known that war has come. And you're about to enter its first battle."
"Ha ha! I was hoping you would say that!" The Bat Pony triumphantly raised a hoof into the air.
"Siros is coming with you." His hoof fell instantly, taking his expression with it.
Twenty minutes earlier, Ponyville, the Golden Oaks Library
Clink.
The soft sound of something solid hitting glass and bouncing off stirred Scootaloo from her slumber. She gave an annoyed groan before turning over and pulling the covers over her head.
Clink.
The young mare slowly opened her eyes, at the sound of a familiar voice calling her name softly from outside.
"Hay! Scootaloo!"
Clink.
She shifted in the bed just in time to see a small pebble hit the window. The voice came again, but Spike’s snoring drowned the noise out this time.
Her sleepy trance faded, and she was finally able to focus. Looking out the window again, she saw... the sunset?
No way. I was not asleep that long. I did not sleep for a full day!
The orange filly actually doubted her own thoughts at first. Both she and Rainbow Dash have a habit of sleeping very late, but never this late.
Scootaloo unsteadily got to her hooves and approached the window. Opening the latch and lifting it, she peered out to a filly and mare that she did not expect to see.
"Pinkie Pie? Apple Bloom? What are you doing here?"
Spike stirred in his basket, the noise woke him up, however, he was not fully with reality yet. "Mmph... Scootaloo? Who are you talking to?" The young dragon began to sit up.
"Shhh, just go back to sleep Spike. I'll be back." With that, Scootaloo jumped out the high window, buzzing her undersized wings to slow her descent.
"I really need to stop waking up to ponies jumping out windows." Spike sighed, and flopped back into his basket, sleep instantly taking him again.
"Now, what do you two want?"
"It's Sweetie Belle an' Rarity!" Apple Bloom was clearly nervous. Scootaloo has known her long enough to be able to easily read her emotions.
"My Pinkie Sense tells me not to trust them! I think they're Ch-ch-ch-a-a-a-a-a-n-n-g-g-e-l-i-i-i-i-i-n-g-s!" She began inexplicably shaking as she said the last word.
"How can you be so su-" She was interrupted by a yellow hoof to her mouth. Apple Bloom was truly becoming her older sister.
"Don't you go on questioning the Pinkie Sense! 'Member what Twilight told you about the day she did?"
"Yeah, I remember," she said, although garbled by the hoof in her mouth. She casually removed it, it's owner wiping her drool off on the ground.
"I didn't think Hydras existed until that day. Wait, why are you telling me this and not Twilight? That's a pretty extreme claim."
"Pinkie Sense told me not to! Eye twitch, hoof itch, tail flutter, and *belch* means not to tell certain someponies something my Pinkie Sense just told me!" As Pinkie said each sign, it happened, in order.
"But... you just did exactly that. Never mind, do you know what's going on here with the sun? There's no way I slept a whole day away."
"It started settin' early for some reason. Everypony in town is jus' as confused." Apple Bloom looked to the sunset as she spoke.
"Well, anyway, Changelings you say? Well, that would explain why Rarity was being so rude, and Sweetie Belle was so... empty. Are you sure-... never mind, again." She cut herself off as she saw Apple Bloom raise her hoof again. "But what about my mom? Shouldn't she know that..."
Scootaloo's voice trailed off as her ears twitched at the sound of a faint buzzing noise. The twitch stopped as a slight thump was heard. Looking to the source, the three ponies gasped. There, standing quite a distance away was Rarity and Sweetie Belle.
Changeling Wings were protruding from their backs.
"No use to hide it any longer, I suppose." The Rarity Changeling hissed. Its voice was still Rarity's, but now held the echoing property of all the Changeling voices. She began clapping her hooves on the ground in mock praise. "I'm surprised you finally figured it out. Honestly, it was far too easy to turn you against the purple one."
"At least that Rarity mare was smart enough to question the fake Twilight. Oh, I forgot to mention that, didn't I? Oops. Yes, we disguised as her and turned you against her. Anyway, after we took Rarity, her little sister found out after that little... fight, well none of it matters now, as you're already doomed. The hoard beckons."
The two both had a wicked grin on their faces, as they turned and ran. They quickly split up and went opposite directions, leaving no time for Pinkie to gloat about being right. Again.
"I'll go after the Rarity one! You two go after the Sweetie Belle imposter!"
The two fillies nodded as Pinkie took off and jumped into a nearby bush. She somehow reappeared in a completely different bush, and jumped out in the Rarity Changeling's path. She easily dodged a blast of green magic and tackled it.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were both fueled by anger. These creatures had disrupted Harmony, and hurt so many they cared for. Scootaloo looked at Twilight like a second mother, especially because of her and Rainbow's obvious relationship. To hurt her...
Her face contorted as she put on an extra boost of speed. She knew, however, that she would never catch the Changeling. On hoof, anyway. She stumbled as she hit one of the many ponies on the streets of Ponyville. Profanities were screamed at her, but most were too distracted and horrified by the Changeling that Scootaloo and Apple Bloom was chasing.
Scootaloo turned down a familiar alleyway as Apple Bloom continued the chase. This ally was where she kept her scooter; it was a secret palace where nopony could find it. As it was cleverly hidden behind a few 'conveniently placed' crates, in a small alcove that ran under one of the houses that made up the walls of the alley.
She hastily moved the crates, which were easily twice her size. One fell over, but she had no time to fix it. Scrambling into the alcove, she blindly reached inside and waved her hooves around inside until she felt what she was looking for; the metal handlebars.
Scootaloo quickly jerked it out, along with the helmet hanging from the handlebars.
The Sweetie Belle Changeling had fifteen seconds before Scootaloo would plow into it after grabbing Apple Bloom and letting her ride on the back of her scooter, her forelegs wrapped around Scootaloo's waist for support.
It was flung at a nearby brick wall in a dead-end alley. Its back collided with the wall as it dropped to the ground with a thud, hitting headfirst. The Changeling then tried, vainly, to get to its hooves, only to be tackled by a furious Apple Bloom.
The two rolled down the dead-end alley, Apple Bloom screaming and assaulting the Changeling viciously with her hooves as they tumbled over each other. When they stopped rolling and reached the end of the alley, Apple Bloom was on top, still letting loose all her rage. The Changeling easily kicked her off with a strong hind-leg buck, and she ended up on the other side of the alley lying on her back.
Scootaloo threw her helmet off as she stepped off the scooter, rushing to her friend's side.
"You two are a lot dumber than you look." The white fur began to fade to black, as the Changeling began to reveal its true form. It took several steps forward as the two fillies began to back away in fear.
"I mean, come on, if I was really trying to get away, don't you think I would have used these wings?"
They turned to run, but the Changeling was suddenly behind them. It did not teleport; it simply flew over their heads with exceptional speed. The Changeling was now back to full size, and had resumed its Changeling form. They quickly bolted down to the end of the alley, realizing too late that they had nowhere left to run. The Changeling's horn flared up in green magic.
"You fell directly into my trap. Alas, this little game must end now. Prepare to die!"
As the magic quickly grew to a blinding level, it just as quickly died out as the Changeling began shaking violently, stuttering, as blue arcs of electricity flowed all around and through it.
After five seconds, the electricity stopped. The Changeling was badly burnt all over its body; its eyes were completely still. The creature suddenly fell to the side, as if someone pushed it forcefully over.
The Changeling falling over revealed another Changeling behind it, one with a black hoof raised forward, arcs of electricity still flowing around it.
As the electric magic in his hoof died out, he lowered it to the ground. The expression on his face was completely calm, as if he did not expect the fillies to become even more scared when they saw him…
"He didn't hurt you, did he?"
After a few moments, Scootaloo hesitantly shook her head.
"Good. Now, may I ask you where I can find Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Shift asked.
"H-how do we now we can trust you?" Scootaloo asked fearfully.
"Well, I did just kill one of my own kind."
"I think we can trust him, Scootaloo. I've learned a thing or two about honesty from Applejack. Maybe we should take him to her? She would be able to tell if he's tellin' the truth."
"Applejack, the Element of Honesty? You're smarter than you look," he said, ironically contradicting the now-dead Changelings words. "Very well, if this is what I must do to make you trust me, I'll do it. Climb on and tell me the direction," Shift said, lowering a wing and bowing. The two fillies shared an uncertain look, before nodding and climbing on Shift's back.
"I just hope I am not too late to warn her..."
As he took off, and as if on queue, the land slowly became a dim red.
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Ohh...
He's a good guy after all! (maybe)
I'm loving this.
The first half was nothing but talking to OCs, all on a first name basis. Ugh.
Yes, find out the truth Scootaloo. Then you can go and become Sweetie Belle's savior! ...oh and Rarity too.
Why does this story have to be so good? *mock despair*
Nice chapter can't wait for next one
4217255
Scootabell for the win!
Murder YAAAAAY! xD
4217259 Indeed he his. Twi and Dashie? You'll see.
Also, come on, it's not as good as you, Surry, or TDF's.
4217255
4217579
Maaaaaaaaaaybe.
4216709 What a
!
4217949 yessy yes
4217949 Y u troll?
4217949 I'd rank it with mine at the very least.
Be Mine wasn't all that great. Lol. It was a rush job, and it was a holiday feature. 
4218093 my-favorite-coloring.net/Images/Large/Famous-characters-Troll-face-Y-U-NO-guy-261644.png
4218154 That's gonna give me nightmares.
4218164 You get nightmares easily.
4218178 I am easily disturbed, yes. I blame my kind heart.
4218179
4218192 Whenever I get the chance, I write random, MLP/fan-based related references on white boards and school calculators at my school. One of my favorites is "The Surrendered Endeavor". Another is "PFUDOR".
4218203 Lol. You wrote Surry's name at your school? Prepare to listen to awesome music and be disturbed at the same time!
4218214 Not Surry's name! The name of the band we jokingly made up and I took seriously.
4218223 Oh! Lol. I see. I was only halfway joking about that.
4218245 I was wondering if you guys had forgotten about that. I have a history of single-handedly keeping jokes alive. I haven't eaten cake for nearly two years because of this.
4218261 What was the cake joke?
4218278
I'm a Roosterteeth fan. At some point, either in this vid or part two, Ray says, "Fuck it! I'm going cakeless!" or something of the sort. A rolling gag from then on out is that cake is Ray's nemesis and that only the bravest go in cakeless. They even have a shirt in their store based on it.
cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0228/9021/products/product_1357691234d_large.jpeg?v=1376343378
4218278 I tend to take things seriously that I really shouldn't.
4218316 I can't watch that yet. Lol. I've only seen the first one...and these.
4218368 I can't watch those either, but I did notice one BIG thing. Vid two, tower of pimps!
4218374 I don't think they give away too much. Lol. I do wonder why they eventually begin calling Gavin "Free."
4218383 That's his last name!
Gavino Free. I must warn you, Ryan, when he joins the videos, I a freaking psycho!
4218390 Lol. K. I love Gavin's fortress of protection he inadvertently built.
4218203 Why do you put my name in calculators?
4218688
Bassie made the same assumption.
4218692 It's still my name. It is my name on many other websites.
I still am and always will be The Surrendered Endevour.
This is getting good. MOAR NOW
4220241 Oh good after all this 4218154 4218164 4218178 4218179 4218192 4218203 4218214 4218223 4218245 4218261 4218278 4218316 4218340 4218368 4218374 4218383 4218390 4218461 4218688 4218692 4218697 I was worried it was getting just a bit off topic.
4223771 In my defense, I only replied twice.
4223771 Sorry.
4223771 Sorry. I'll try not to let it happen again.
4224270
4223941
4223808
Don't be. I'm used to comment overloads/Sparklebooms at this point.
4225445 I wonder why it only happens on your stuff.
We all follow each other.
Shift is Emperor Palpatine.
Ponyville Times special Red Moon edition! Get it now!
"Furious Fillies Fry Fey Fakerbug!"