Not Who I Knew

by playnwin

Chapter 3 - Mask of Normality

Chapter 3 - Mask of Normality

In the warm afternoon air of Ponyville, ponies wandered about the town, window shopping, chatting amicably on the streets, or stopping to eat in one of the town’s many cafes and diners. The townsponies appeared without care, seemingly oblivious to the recent events that led to the legion of guards to be wandering the streets. Nopony said anything, but the same question was on everypony’s minds: Were the guards around for the ponies not infected, or for the ones that were?

In the Ponyville Cafe, Applejack and Rarity sat, having just placed their orders. Applejack sipped her drink, then let out a sigh. Our food won’t be here for another hour. If we had just gone to that diner down the street, we could have been eating by now. But that gave them time to talk, something that had been very rare as of late. It had been nearly a month since the first incident. Every second she had had since then had been poured into the search and rescue effort. This was probably the first true meal she had made time for since the second incident. Her body reflexively tensed at the thought of that day, how she had failed, failed to—

“You’re doing it again, darling.”

Applejack’s train of thought was derailed with Rarity’s sudden interruption. “What do you mean?”

“Blaming yourself. You really shouldn’t do that, dear, it’s bad for your complexion. Besides, what could you have done?”

“Surely there was some sorta signs that I must’ve missed. I should have seen it, should have known—”

“There was no sign, darling. Twilight gave no indication; even Spike, who had known her his entire life, didn’t have any clue. What makes you think Rainbow Dash would have been any different?”

“Well, even after she flipped, I should have stopped her. I failed.”

“You really think you could have stopped Rainbow Dash?”

Applejack angry retort was cut short as she noticed the humorous gleam in Rarity’s eyes as she hid a grin behind a sip of tea. “Hilarious. But in all seriousness, I wonder what she was thinking. She was having a casual conversation with me, right as rain, until she locked up. Next thing I knew, she was spouting nonsense and got the drop on me. I still don’t really understand how she believes we’re all fakes. It just don’t make sense.”

“It is worrying, dear. But I think Princess Celestia is even more worried than even we are. In addition to the huge search and rescue effort, she’s posted guardsponies in every town, and even started a psychologist think-tank in Canterlot; headed by Dr. Capgras, I think his name was. Hopefully, they’ll quickly figure out what’s wrong, then we’ll have our Twilight and Rainbow back.”

The interruption of their food arriving was a pleasant one. The meal passed quickly, with Applejack even admitting that the fancy food was good. After their meal was paid, the pair walked down to an open-air market that had been set up for the day.

Perusing the market, the pair stuck together, wandering up and down the aisles. The Apple family had a booth hidden somewhere within the market, but Applejack had agreed to let Apple Bloom take care of the planning. The fact that the entire market hadn’t burned down yet was encouraging. Applejack decided she should probably check in on her, just to be safe. Ah think she wanted a booth near the main entrance. We should start there.

Returning to the main entrance, Applejack and Rarity searched for the Apples’ stand. It was Rarity’s sense of smell, honed by her own sister’s misadventures with fires, that found it. The pair weaved their way through the crowd, pushing and squirming, until they finally reached the booth. Once their, Applejack sucked in a quick breath, then muttered to Rarity, “Is that—”

“Uh-huh.”

“And is everyone else—”

“Yes.”

“And are you?” Applejack craned her head to look at Rarity. They locked eyes, and Applejack was immediately reassured. But there’s still the problem of everypony else.

“Hey, Applejack! Ah told ya, you don’t need to check in on me; I’m not a baby!”

Applejack turned back to the forgotten stand. Not-Apple Bloom stood glaring at Applejack, looking exactly like the real Apple Bloom would have. Unfortunately for it, Applejack and Rarity knew the truth. “Oh, hey, uh, kid! How’s it, uh, goin’?”

“Ah told ya ah wasn’t lettin’ Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo get anywhere near this stand or its planning. Now skedaddle!”

“Sure, uh, Apple Bloom. Ah’ll just be leaving.” Applejack and Rarity slowly walked away, aware of each imposter’s eyes on them. It was going smoothly until they reached the edge of the crowd. Beyond the edge stood three not-guardsponies, who gestured towards the pair once they left the crowd.

Ponyfeathers! “They’re onto us.” Applejack turned, away from the guards and towards the rear entrance. Pacing nervously, she didn’t notice the hulking not-guardspony standing at the rear entrance until she had run into him.

Her reflexes took over, spinning her around and executing a kick practiced millions of times against apple trees massing much more than a mere, if large, imposter guardspony. Rarity whirled to face the trio of imposters following them. A touch of magic and a pair of opposing stands collapsed, completely blocking that lane. Dashing back to the front entrance, the pair melted into the crowd and disappeared.

~~~

Princess Celestia was not happy. A month past, her coveted student had disappeared. A week later, the Wonderbolts’ primary candidate had followed. Today another pair had fallen and all her efforts to stop it had been thwarted. The Bearers’ experience had made them heroes, but had trained them to be excellent guerillas.

“Raise my sister, I must speak with her. And put bodyguards on the remaining Bearers of the Elements and escort them here. Whatever has afflicted the others will likely afflict them as well. Remind the guards that they could fall at any time. Encourage Dr. Capgras to expedite his research; we can’t afford delay.”

If the remaining two Bearers were lost, Equestria would be in dire straits. Celestia couldn’t afford to let that happen. She sat upon her throne, and brooded on current events.

~~~

“Ma’am, we’ll need you to come with us, for your own protection.”

Fluttershy looked meekly at the ground, The guardsponies had always intimidated her. She stepped beside the guards, who flanked her on either side. A few paces from the train station, Fluttershy cried out and came to a stop.

“Ow, I think I got something in my eye. Do you see anything?”

Both guards leaned in for a closer look. There didn’t appear to b—

~~~

“I am so glad that you’re here, girls. Only one of us is left missing, but I have the feeling that she’ll appear where we least suspect. I’ve got something important to tell you all, but it’ll keep until Pinkie gets here.”

Author's Note:

Phase 1 is nearing completion. After this part, I'll have to think of something else to do with this story. I only have so many ponies to convert, you know.

Comments

[Changeling-Drone]

*snickers* pinkie is probably throwing a giant for for the "new ponies"

[playnwin]

4610500

I wouldn't put it past her.

[ramseymac]

You walk into your home only to find that someone has replaced everything inside with exact duplicates.
What do you do?

[pendrake72]

@playnwin...

excerpted...

“Ma’am, we’ll need you to come with us, for your own protection.”

Fluttershy looked meekly at the ground, The guardsponies had always intimidated her. She stepped beside the guards, who flanked her on either side. A few paces from the train station, Fluttershy cried out and came to a stop.

“Ow, I think I got something in my eye. Do you see anything?”

Both guards leaned in for a closer look. There didn’t appear to be
~~~
“I am so glad that you’re here, girls. Only one of us is left missing, but I have the feeling that she’ll appear where we least suspect. I’ve got something important to tell you all, but it’ll keep until Pinkie gets here.”

I am guessing that the underlined part of this chapter (3) I excerpted means a portion got cut off or deleted accidentally, since the last line sounds like Fluttershy managed to escape her escorts and join her fellow Elements Bearers.

[playnwin]

4610886

Actually, that was intentional. It was a narrative technique to show the sudden loss of conscious thought that the guardsponies experienced. I apologize if this was unclear.

[pendrake72]

4611797 ...

Then, if I might offer a corrective revision suggestion and lesson...

original version...

“Ma’am, we’ll need you to come with us, for your own protection.”

Fluttershy looked meekly at the ground, The guardsponies had always intimidated her. She stepped beside the guards, who flanked her on either side. A few paces from the train station, Fluttershy cried out and came to a stop.

“Ow, I think I got something in my eye. Do you see anything?”

Both guards leaned in for a closer look. There didn’t appear to be
~~~
“I am so glad that you’re here, girls. Only one of us is left missing, but I have the feeling that she’ll appear where we least suspect. I’ve got something important to tell you all, but it’ll keep until Pinkie gets here.”

revised...

“Ma’am, we’ll need you to come with us, for your own protection.”

Fluttershy looked meekly at the ground, The guardsponies had always intimidated her. She stepped beside the guards, who flanked her on either side. A few paces from the train station, Fluttershy cried out and came to a stop.

“Ow, I think I got something in my eye. Do you see anything?”

Both guards leaned in for a closer look. "No, ma'am. There doesn't appear to be-"
~~~
“I am so glad that you’re here, girls. Only one of us is left missing, but I have the feeling that she’ll appear where we least suspect. I’ve got something important to tell you all, but it’ll keep until Pinkie gets here.”

So the writing-lesson point is... The writing technique to showing interruption is to use a hyphen attached to a word mid-sentence or phrase (as shown above); or more often, cutting off a word mid-spelling ("No ma'am. There doesn't appear to b-").

Hope this helps clarify.

[playnwin]

4611950

Maybe better now.

There didn't appear to b—
~~~

[Traveler7]

Tis better now, at least in my own opinion... Let's see how this goes over folks. And can we get a bookie in here for bets on crazy versus stuff happening versus both?

[iamthewriter]

Once their, Applejack sucked in a quick breath, then muttered to Rarity, “Is that—”

Just a tiny mistake.

Also, CAPGRAS SYNDROME CONFIRMED!

[verypeeved]

4610608 a question: how do i know i'm not the duplicate