Chapter Nineteen: Gringrinder and Pinkie
Jerome tapped Margot as they traveled through the forest. “We need to talk in private.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
Margot focused and cast a sound blocking spell around her and Jerome. She hoped no one would hack the spell. “It’s up now.”
“Do you know how we’re going to find Pinkie?” Jerome said.
“I don’t know. I know she is in a pool or a pond. In my vision, I was right next to the pond. I have no idea how to get there. I didn’t see any landmarks, just trees.”
“Ya know, I can sense these geysers of sadness. It would be great if we can go straight to the right pool and not wander. These geysers make the stuff you felt earlier seem like a melancholy walk in the park.”
“What we felt earlier was no walk in the park.”
“Exactly. We need a way to find the right pond.”
“Well, I could cast a spell that would lock onto an earth pony’s life signs. Apple Bloom is a good example.”
“Apple who? OK, no problem. What about false positives?”
“Really? I know what I am doing. I don’t have any of Pinkie’s DNA or whatever passes for DNA here. So I will have to use Apple Bloom as a scan template and work from there. Maybe you should be scanning for emotions from a real pony instead of a spell?”
“Yeah, if both spells find the same target we can be pretty sure. Alright, I will do it!”
“Is this the only reason you wanted the privacy spell? This stuff isn’t worth hiding,” Margot said.
“I need to discuss that Nga changeling. What do you know about him?”
“Well, we ran into him in a place called the Shatterleg Wastelands. He helped us.”
“Do you know he is a spy? The Nga clan is a clan of spies. It’s like if James Bond was a 4th gen British spy. Ya know like those cop and military families.”
“How do you know this?”
There was some sort of thumping in the distance. It almost sounded like the hoofbeats of a very large pony. The group stopped moving.
“Great, a giant pony. Anyway, you know that changelings exploded some sort of devices in malls all around the world. Well, some of them got caught. Once they realized that they weren’t going home soon or at all, some of the changelings decided to make themselves more comfortable. Seriously, the bug ponies were starting to take over the confinement areas. One FBI agent almost ended up in a very compromising position.”
“How could a changeling get an agent compromised? No, I don’t want to know,” Margot said with disgust.
“I showed up just in time and stopped things before they could get interesting. Some of the changelings were quite chatty as they tried to get better digs and food. Seriously, we could have James Bond in our group and not know it.”
“Um, and what are we? I’ve done undercover missions and you’ve probably done some too. James Bond isn’t going to work against us if we are trying to save his world.”
Jerome sighed. “Yes, Mr. Bond will work with you but when he feels that you aren’t doing things right or he gets orders, he could turn against us. I’m not saying we zap him or anything. We just keep an eye on him.”
“Fine. Are you going to work on that spell now?” Margot said. She dissolved the privacy spell.
“Yeah. Gimme a sec while I signal our team leader so we don’t head further into the forest,” Jerome said while trying to get Far’s attention by waving his left forehoof.
Far walked back to Jerome’s position. “What’s up?”
“Margot and I are going to cast spells to locate Pinkie. We should stop here for a bit,” Jerome said.
Skybreeze and Nga'Devro walked up, followed by Princess Chr'Aya. Sweetie Belle trotted behind the princess.
“I stepped on a bird skeleton. That explains why this place is so quiet. Are we going to do some magic now?” Sweetie said. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo followed her.
Jerome looked around. “Ya know, I could use some help. I need to make a spell powerful enough to blunt the effects of the sadness geysers.”
Skybreeze wrinkled her nose. “Sadness what?”
“Nga'Devro is tired of the constant tasting of sadness, but he worries what other feelings will be shoved down his throat,” Nga'Devro said. Princess Chr'Aya nodded in agreement.
Jerome waved his left forehoof while explaining. “Sadness geysers kick out a lot of sadness, more than any of us can handle without magic. I know a spell that should keep us somewhat safe from them, but I need power from all of the unicorns and changelings.”
“What about us?” Apple Bloom said.
“Save your blessings for later. Maybe for the giant thumping creature we heard,” Jerome said.
Sweetie Belle jumped up. “Come on! Let’s do this!”
Margot gave Jerome a look then she started working on the scanning spell while Jerome collected power from the other magic using ponies. Far and the SHC kept watch as Jerome and Margot worked. Margot got her results first. There was a live earth pony in the middle of a set of geysers. A few seconds later, Jerome’s spell verified her results.
Jerome wasn’t happy. “Great, it seems like Pinkie is in the middle of a bunch of sadness geysers. Even with your help the trip there will be rough. Guys, girls, foals, we need to be thinking a lot about our comfy places.”
Scootaloo shot Jerome a nasty look. “Foals, seriously?”
Jerome continued. “Be angry or happy, you have to work harder to push the sadness back or you won’t make it. Far, let’s wait a few moments until everypony is ready.” Then they headed toward Pinkie’s position.
The quiet woodlands changed to silent marshlands. Margot ignored the occasional crunch of bones underfoot. Bird, frog or whatever, she didn’t care. Instead of sadness feeling like a heavy weight, it was now a muttering voice in her head. Margot was glad she didn’t hear what the voice was saying, but it was just a matter of time until she did understand.
Skybreeze tried to pull her hooves out of the sticky mud again and it was bothering her. “This foul stinking mud just clings to my hooves. Disgusting.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “It don’t smell that good either.”
Skybreeze looked back. “Apple Bloom, did you miss a day of school? It’s ‘doesn’t’, not ‘don’t’.” While Skybreeze and Apple Bloom squabbled, Margot tried to ignore the voice in her head. Then she was in an office.
It looked like the one she visited before being sent to the mall. The table was covered with pens. A pink pony with bright blue eyes peered at Margot. Margot watched as the pony put a file on the desk. “I see that you left a Martin Harmon to die alone.”
Margot had to dig back in her memories for a bit. “We were pinned down by enemy fire. By the time we cleared the area it was too late.”
“Really, You could’ve used your magic and stunned the attackers. Then you could have gotten to Mr. Harmon before it was too late. It’s shameful how you treated a close friend.”
Tears burned in Margot’s eyes, but she managed not to cry. She tried to remember that this wasn’t real. The office faded back into the silent stinking marsh. The smell of rotting things filled Margot’s lungs.
Jerome pushed Margot. “Keep moving. Ignore the voices in your head.” Margot saw Far trudging along. Behind Jerome, Skybreeze and the SHC were still moving. The changelings looked like they were going to drop any second. Their eyes were half open and their legs wobbled.
“Jerome, you need to do something for the changelings. They aren’t going to make it,” Margot said.
Jerome shook his head. “Not now. When we get to Pinkie’s pool I can.” Margot shook her head as it seemed like she was back in the office hearing a pink pony with straight red hair berate her about the failures in her life. Some of the memories were very painful, and she didn’t like having to deal with them now. Margot focused, and cast a pain spell on her left foreleg. The office faded in and out of view, until she added more pain. Her foreleg felt like someone was tearing the skin off of it, but that was better than dealing with her memories.
Finally, they were at the sadness geysers. The geysers were just pools of tears with a pink pony floating at the bottom. Margot and Jerome stopped next to Pinkie’s pool. A cry of despair grabbed their attention.
Jerome looked at Margot. “Stay here while I find out what’s going on.” Margot nodded. A few steps away, both changelings lay on the ground. Some sort of green substance dripped out of their mouths. Margot walked up to the changelings.
Skybreeze pointed to the changelings. ”What’s wrong with them?”
Jerome scanned the changelings’ minds. “They can’t take the sadness geysers. I think they are overloaded from all of the emotions. I think I can tweak the shielding spell so they get less emotions.” He focused and adjusted the spell. It didn’t take long before the changelings noticed the effects. Princess Chr'Aya barfed up some stinking green stuff. Skybreeze danced back so none of it would touch her hooves. Nga'Devro also threw up. Jerome waited while the dazed looks faded from the changeling’s eyes.
Sweetie Belle jumped up and down. “Come on! We have to get Pinkie!” Margot watched as the rest of the group joined her at Pinkie’s pool. At the bottom, Pinkie cried without seeing her saviors.
Far leaned in close to the pool’s surface. “How does she breathe down there? More important, how are we going to get her back?”
Nga'Devro looked at the pool. “Nga'Devro suggests, um, give him a second.”
Sweetie Belle touched the pool with her right fore hoof. The ripples only went a short distance before fading away. “Maybe somepony has to jump in and get Pinkie?”
Far looked into the pool. “Does anypony know how to swim?” Margot knew how to swim, but as a pony, she wasn’t sure. Far looked around and sighed. The idea of jumping into a magical pool of tears wasn’t something he wanted to do. Margot saw Far look around and finally dive into the pool. She leaned toward the pool to watch Far’s progress.
Jerome looked into the pool too. “Ya know, getting Pinkie might be the easiest part. Maybe getting away from the thumpy thing will be our greatest challenge.” Skybreeze just shrugged. The SHC looked around for more threats. The changelings just stood around looking dazed.
Margot stomped her forehooves in appreciation as Far grabbed Pinkie and was swimming back up to the surface. “Far has Pinkie and they’re coming up!”
Far’s and Pinkie’s heads broke the surface of the pool, splashing warm tears on the other ponies.
“Warm and salty, this is quite gross,” Skybreeze said while stepped back. The changelings just stood there while the tears rolled off them.
Far swam with Pinkie to the edge of the pool and dragged onto dry land. She began to wheeze and choke. “Somepony do something!” Pinkie collapsed onto the ground still gasping. Margot scanned Pinkie. Pinkie’s lungs were still used to breathing water not air. Margot had to think of a spell that would change Pinkie’s lungs to an air breather’s or make a water breather mask and tanks.
She decided on making a water breather kit because she didn’t have enough power to change Pinkie’s lungs. Before Margot could cast the spell, Pinkie stopped wheezing and closed her eyes.
Skybreeze walked up to Pinkie. “Oh, this is not good. Pinkie has stopped breathing.”
Sweetie Belle stomped her forehooves. “Somepony do something! Anything!”
Pinkie took a deep breath then she took another one. Her eyes opened. “Where am I?” Then she stood up.
Apple Bloom looked at Scootaloo. “Ah you sure this is Pinkie Pie? I don’t remember her having straight red hair.”
Scootaloo shrugged. “Maybe this pony knows the way to the real Pinkie Pie.”
Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. “Really? Don’t you remember what Rainbow Dash said? Pinkie’s hair goes flat and straight when she’s sad. All we have to do is to make her happy.”
Apple Bloom looked at Pinkie then back to Sweetie Belle. “Ah, you sure?”
Sweetie Belle nodded. “Come on! Let’s do it!” In the distance, something was thumping toward their position. Pinkie shivered until Margot cast a warming spell on her. The SHC ran up to Pinkie. Pinkie stepped back.
Far cursed. “Ms. Pie, these are your friends.” Sweetie Belle wanted to hug Pinkie, but now she wasn’t sure.
Pinkie looked around. “When I was in the pool, sad and lonely, nopony came to help me. Well, except for her.” Pinkie pointed at Margot.
Margot bowed. “I’m sorry it took so long to find you. I didn’t know where you were. You are among friends now.”
Skybreeze walked up to Pinkie. “I remember the party you arranged for one of my colleagues in Hoofvard. It was quite spectacular.” The thumping was getting closer.
Pinkie looked at Skybreeze and the other ponies. She still looked confused then Sweetie Belle ran up and hugged her. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo followed suit. Pinkie just stood there for a few seconds. A smile exploded onto her face then with a POOF, her hair expanded into a red mass of curls. “Come here, all of you!” Margot found herself in the middle of a group hug.
It was like being in the middle of a furnace, though not a horrible mean burning one. No, one that spread warmth to all of the parts of Margot’s heart that were cold and lonely. All of the pain caused by the sadness geysers were just washed away by a wave of warmth from the hug. A perfect moment of happiness then it ended.
Pinkie pointed at the changelings. “Why are they here?”
Far looked into the marsh. The hoofbeats were getting closer. Then he faced Pinkie. “Princess Chr'Aya and Nga'Devro have been helping us fight the Gleaners.”
“Gleaners?” Pinkie asked.
“A lot has changed since you were captured. Changelings are allies now,” Far said.
Pinkie walked up to the changelings and gave them a hug. She was surprised when they sunk to their knees and threw up. “I’ve heard of a tough crowd but this is ridiculous!” Margot hoofed through her saddlebags for a napkin. Skybreeze did the same.
Unlike the last time Princess Chr'Aya and Nga'Devro threw up, Margot could see that they were alert. She handed the princess a napkin.
Princess Chr'Aya grabbed the napkin and wiped her mouth. Skybreeze gave Nga'Devro a napkin too. Jerome walked up to them. “Guys, gals, we need to prepare for the thumpy thing that is coming. I’ll need more of your power to protect us from its emotional magic. Once we have some sort of protection, we can fight back.” Princess Chr'Aya’s and Nga'Devro’s horns glowed as they focused. Skybreeze and Margot also focused their power. Far unfurled his wings.
The group could see trees being pushed aside as the thumping unknown thing approached them. Then the face of a pink pony with bright blue eyes and red straight hair loomed above them. “I am Gringrinder, surrender now and I might consider being merciful.”
Pinkie craned her neck upward, “Nopesie.”
Gringrinder peered down. “Good, this will be interesting.” A crushing wave of sadness flew from Gringrinder. Margot thought what she had felt earlier was pretty sad, but this new attack threatened to make her sink to her knees. Jerome’s spell was fading quickly. Margot heard Apple Bloom scream something and a blue glow flashed past Margot. Jerome’s spell was enhanced and the weight disappeared.
Far unfurled his wings, he was prepared to attack. Jerome held him back with a hoof. “Once ya leave the protection of the shield spell, it won’t be good for you.”
Pinkie looked up at the giant pony enemy. “It’s bad for him, but I can handle it.”
Margot looked at Pinkie. “We need to get you back to Lower Canterlot!”
Pinkie looked back at Margot. “Yeah, I know but this big saddie me won’t let me go. Also I’ve been here for months. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Pinkie left the protection of the shield and galloped toward Gringrinder. Margot saw Pinkie hesitate for a bit then she continued.
Gringrinder frowned and sent out another sadness wave. Margot could feel it press on the shield like a hundred ton weight. Pinkie still managed to run around Gringrinder’s legs. Then Pinkie giggled. The sound flashed silver and the weight on the shield felt more like a ten ton weight. Gringrinder snarled then she tried to stomp Pinkie. Margot wished that she could help, but most of her power was going into supporting the shield.
Somehow, Pinkie managed to barely miss the Gringrinder’s stomping hooves. Gringrinder ignored the other ponies and focused her fury on Pinkie. That didn’t work, she kept missing Pinkie. Then Pinkie started to giggle and laugh like it was some sort of game. The sound was infectious.
Far looked at Gringrinder’s face. “Look! She’s almost smiling!”
Sweetie Belle jumped up and down screaming, “Giggle at the giantess!”
The weight of sadness on the shield faded away while Pinkie giggled among Gringrinder’s stomping hooves. Margot gasped as Pinkie rolled underneath one of Gringrinder’s fore hooves. One giant pink hoof touched Pinkie. A loud “BOOOP!” echoed through the marsh. Then Gringrinder’s straight hair poofed out along with a wave of mirth and happiness that engulfed the ponies. Everypony laughed in that warm golden moment.
A roar of rage sounded in the distance. Gringrinder looked up with fear in her blue eyes. “Its Foulshaper! He knows what’s going on. You must leave now!”
Pinkie wrapped her hooves around Gringrinder’s left fore leg. “No GG, we will help you fight Meanie shaper.”
Margot walked up to Pinkie. “We don’t have enough power to fight Foulshaper, and we don’t know anything about him.”
Pinkie faced Margot. “What if this was your sister? Would you abandon her or would you help her?”
“I understand, but we promised your friends Applejack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash that we would bring you back.”
Pinkie unwrapped her legs from Gringrinder’s leg then she looked upward. “Maybe you can come with us?” The roars of rage were getting closer.
Gringrinder looked down at Pinkie. “My essence is bound to this area. I can’t leave it. I will delay Foulshaper so you have time to escape.” Gringrinder looked up. “Remember me fondly.”
Jerome remembered to dispel the emotion shield. Pinkie sniffled and held out her right forehoof. Gringrinder bumped it lightly. Far saluted Gringrinder then he turned around. “Alright, let’s gallop as fast as we can!” Without the sadness geysers, the marsh was just a marsh as the ponies galloped through it. They were are the edge of the forest when they heard a defiant cry then it stopped.
Pinkie stopped galloping. “GG?”
Nga'Devro tapped Pinkie with a fore hoof. “Nga'Devro suggests that you keep moving. This Foulshaper is beyond our power now to defeat.”
Pinkie faced Nga'Devro. “I Pinkie Promise that Foulshaper will go down!”
Apple Bloom walked up to Pinkie and stuck out a fore hoof. “Ah will help you!” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle did the same.
Far looked at the group. “Foulshaper goes down. I got your back Pinkie. How about the rest of you?” Nga'Devro and Princess Chr'Aya nodded.
Margot walked up to Far then she faced the group. “All of the gleaners should be destroyed. Foulshaper’s time is limited! I will help!” Skybreeze nodded. Then all eyes were on Jerome.
“Well, duh! Ya got my help.” The group started galloping north. While they were galloping, Margot wondered how much more they would have to sacrifice to save Equestria.
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Cured by a boop-tism. I can dig it.
7228875
Good one!
YAY! I love ur stories!
6163286 As for why you've got only a small number of votes, some good points have been made about the importance of adding to suitable groups. The only thing I can chip in is that you've narrowed your field pretty heavily just by the subject matter.
Earth/Equestria crossover, sad, grimdark, humans, graphic violence, death, and no mention in the intro of a single familiar pony - it doesn't feel very much like the world of the show we know. That's not a criticism, but I think you'll find the further afield from the show's basic premise, the less readers it'll attract.
If you want to attract more readers, try changing the description to emphasise how the ponies we're familiar with interact with the situation you're setting up, give us a touchstone of familiarity to work from. Else, you might try filling off the serial numbers and posting it elsewhere as purely original fiction.
7301707
I'm okay with the numbers.
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I accept that there will be readers that won't like graphic violence and death.
The story is about an Equestria that's under siege by enemies. So it's not the Show Equestria.
That's why I have the Alternate universe tag.
---
I wonder about the tags here.
Does Human mean - I have humans in my story or it's a HIE story?
I have a similar question for sad.
Does sad mean there are sad bits or that the whole story is sad?
I might be using these tags wrong.
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The story is about an OC. Canon and background chars are in the story and they do more than just cameo but they are not the main chars. I don't want to do a description that summarizes the story. I've seen people do that.
Descriptions are like the stuff on book jackets, they tell enough to get readers interested in the story but they don't tell them everything. Showing how ponies interact with the situation, should be left to the story. Unless there is a way to put that in a description that isn't too long.
I can't post this story as an original story. Too many canon and background characters.
How about this:
Emotion starved changelings unwittingly set in motion events that will cause an ancient evil to ravage Earth and Equestria. An FBI agent, investigating an attack against a mall on Earth, finds herself thrust into the middle of the conflict. She gets help from the CMC, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and other ponies as she tries to help out and find a way home.
7628022
I don't understand why this is a problem.
Some of these issues do get explored in depth later.
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When I wrote about the room, it was just a waiting room.
Since it seems important, I will add some more stuff.
I will say that I do have problems with detailing stuff that isn't important.
Thanks.