Goodlands and Applejack

by Goodlands

Seeing the Light, at Last

"I came here from the island that the Jackal resided on until he sank it into the ocean." Goodlands said.
"But how? I thought you couldn't fly." said Applejack hopping down off Pinkie Pies back.
"I came by way of hot air balloon. The one that you all evidently took there, and left behind. After i was thrown from that monster, i had to swim back to the place he was. Only to find what was left of him. I rushed all around as the cavern was falling apart, and headed away from there. I headed out toward the island proper, to see if there was vessel of some kind. No luck, then i found a deflated hot air balloon and basket. It took some time, but i managed to get it back in the air and immediately headed here. Upon arriving i noticed you all standing around, staring at one another and rather nasty dark fog permeating the room, the only ones not seeming to be staring off into space was that guard" he pointed over to the guard standing in the front of the room, "and Luna there. She was on the other hand shaking like mad. I tried to wake you, but to no avail, so i tried to see what was the cause, and well you seen how that went." he said pointing around.
"I wonder why the magic that caught us, didn't effect you." said Twilight, walking over to him.
"Because it only works on ponies." said a dark, low gravelly voice from behind them. They all turned to see a nasty piece work walking towards them. He stopped a few feet away and they could see him well now that he was standing in the light. He was a unicorn, slender and under fed, with a off grey colored body, and an ugly blackened mane with almost white strips going through it, his eyes were a soft red color and he looked as though he'd spent the better part of his years in a cave, with little sunlight. His left eye was twitching as he looked over to Celestia. His cutie mark was strange as well, a circle with criss-crossing circles inside of it all coming to a smaller circle in the middle.
"Hello, you old nag. Long time no see." he said shooting her a look of disgust.
"Dreamcatcher." she whispered a shocked look on her face.
"You know him?" asked Twilight in amazement. To which she slowly nodded.
"Of course she does. She's the one who sent me away." he said with a snarl.
"But where have you been all this time?" Celestia asked bewilderment playing on her face.
"In the same dank cavern that that imbecile resided. I waited for ages, only ever leaving it for short periods. I had just returned from sending off that little dragon, with several necklaces, when what should i find, but his body left behind his cave crumbling and this small sphere glowing with magic. Upon collecting it i was able to absorb the magic still inside of it, which naturally shattered it of course. Then having gained much of my lost power, i vowed to head back here and seek my revenge." he said showing them the pieces of the sphere, and glaring at Celestia.
"Revenge for what?" asked Twilight, looking between the two of them.
"I banished him from Equestria when i discovered what he was doing to the other ponies i was teaching at the time. He was draining their magic through his nightmares. I never thought you'd return, i didn't even think you were still around." Celestia said anger now taking over.
"Yes, if she deems someone unfit for her precious pony society, she simply exiles them." he growled.
"You left me no choice. I tried to stop you from using your magic that way, but you wouldn't listen."
"Why should i listen to an old nag like you. I'd have become more powerful then you, had you not stopped me. And that's what you fear. Someone taking your place on that self made pedestal." he growled.
"Wait a moment, you said your magic only worked on ponies? Then why didn't it work on Goodlands?" asked Applejack, looking over at Goodlands.
"Two in this room are not as they appear, Goldilocks. Why not show yourself, add in to the festivities." he said looking over at the only guard in the room. A small frown appeared on his face.
"Why throw me into this? Cant handle the nag by yourself?" asked the guard who glared at him.
"I think it is you that is scared. Hiding behind your mask." he said with an evil grin. "either way i will destroy princess sun butt here." he said glaring at Celestia once more.
"No one calls me that." she said as her eyes narrowed. Twilight glared at Spike who let out an audible snort at the name. He immediately became stone face, and Twilight turned back to glare at Dreamcatcher.
"Enough of this!" he exclaimed and charged up his horn. He aimed it directly at Celestia who also charged up her horn in response. CRACK! A loud explosion filled the room, making everyone's ears ring. They all jumped and looked at Celestia, who, other then looking angry was no worse for wear. They turned to look at Dreamcatcher whose horn had shattered. His legs shook as horror took him. He slowly looked up.
"No.." he whispered "what have you done to me?" he asked in horror.
"Nothing. I mentally blocked you is all. All the power you were trying to throw at me rebounded upon yourself. I think its about time you left." she said a stern motherly look on her face.
"This isn't over." he said as went to charge his horn again. With a strangled sputter his magic fizzled and he looked dazed. He shook his head, glared at Celestia, then rushed out of the room.
"Sadly, i think it is." she said, now turning towards the guard in the room.
"So many ponies having nightmares." said Luna slowly standing up "that was horrifying." she said as she looked over to Celestia. "what has been going on?"
"An old student came back for one last nightmare." she said looking at Luna "His own." she turned towards the guard once again, "and now for you.."
"Very well, Princess sun butt." he said with a wide smile. Slowly the magic fading from his body he went from being a regular guard to Queen Chrysalis. Tall and dark as night she stood there, proud and with her chin up. "It has been too long, Celestia... or should i stick with the sun butt?" she asked and evil grin playing across her face. Everyone gasped, except Celestia.
"Gasp." said Spike in a flattened tone. No one paid him any attention, as they were all focused on Chrysalis.
"But that Dreamcatcher feller said two in this room weren't as they seemed." said Applejack looking at Goodlands who was glaring at Chrysalis.
"Good girl." said Chrysalis "why don't you show them." she said looking menacingly at Goodlands.
"You're not.. It cant be." said Applejack in horror. He too slowly revealed his true identity. A solid black stallion with crumbling horn, yellow eyes, and destroyed wings. Shame covered his face as he looked at her. They all gasped again.. Even Spike this time.
"I'm sorry." he whispered.
"Oh don't be... You have done well for yourself. Infiltrating this kingdom and getting ever so close to sun butt here." she said pointing to Celestia and giving a wicked cackle. "We have quite the reunion here don't we." she said as several other guards stepped in and started changing into changelings. Turning away from Applejack he glared with pure disgust at Chrysalis.
"Why must you ruin everything?" he growled towards her.
"Ruin? Cant you see? I will soon take over this land and rule Equestria. With my army at my side we will dominate this land, entirely." she slowly walked towards him.
"Then i will stop you. I have come to love this land. I have come to have friends. I have made my own home, and you have come to destroy it. You know nothing of love, kindness, or loyalty. You only know hatred and betrayal." he said his teeth bared.
"Even if you do, she.." she stopped and pointed at Celestia "will surely banish you. And then where will you go? You will have no where.. Help me claim this land and you will rule with me, my son."
"SON!" the whole room exclaimed at once. The look of surprise was on everyone's face.
"If i am to be banished, then my last parting gift will be to send you ahead of me, mother." he spat the last word starting for her. For the first time fear filled her face as she took a step back.
"There will be only one banishing from this kingdom." said Celestia stepping in front of Goodlands as he looked up at her. "I fully intend on protecting my subjects." she said spreading her wings out and glaring at Chrysalis.
"How could you side with these, these ponies?!" demanded Chrysalis.
"It was the easiest thing in the world, mother. After you exiled me, i found this place. And much to my surprise, i found i like it here." he said glaring at her.
"YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE!" she was knocked aside by the small blast sent her way from Luna, who looked very taxed by this.
"Discord now!" shouted Celestia. Behind Chrysalis appeared Discord who touched her with something causing her to become encased in a strange yellow crystal, which toppled to the floor with a heavy thud.
"I'm surprised that worked." he said looking at Celestia "Princess Sun Butt." he said with a mischievous smile, to which she glared at him. At this the other changelings looked on in horror as their queen was now a giant Yellow crystal lying on the ground at Celestia's feet.
"What is that?" asked Twilight walking over to it, and peering at it intently.
"A Zircon prison." Celestia said holding Twilight back "i got the idea when we first met." she said looking at Goodlands.
"But, i didn't even know that was real. I'd only read the notes." he said looking from the crystal to Celestia. "That means.."
"After you told your story, i had Discord go and search for this Zircon you spoke of. He did of course fill me in on you being a changeling." she said smiling at him.
"So you've known all along?" Goodlands asked dumbfounded.
"Yes. I also knew that your mother was here. But i wanted to wait for her to show herself, and for Discord to return with the Zircon."
"But why did you let me stay in Ponyville?" he asked looking over at Discord, then back to Celestia.
"Because i wanted to see 'why' you were in Ponyville. You had just help save it, what was the reason for you being here. Thus until you had given me a reason to, i seen no reason to remove you. You then went in my stead to save the girls." she said pointing over to the others "i knew you cared about them. I even heard you built yourself a small cottage on Sweet Apple Acres. If you were going to do something devious, why go to so much trouble to fit in? It seemed to me, you were just trying to find a place to call home. And here today, you came to the rescue again, aiding in returning all of us from our own worst nightmares. I'd say that makes you more then welcome here." she gave another one of her motherly smiles.
"You mean, i can stay?" he hesitated to ask.
"Yes i do. Or did you wish to go and be with them?" she asked pointing to the now horror struck changelings.
"Of course i want to stay. I love it here." he said taking on the guise of Goodlands again.
"Then its settled." she said heading back towards her throne.
"I think I'll just dispose of this." said Discord touching the Zircon prison and disappearing with another small Pop.
Goodlands turned to Applejack who was still stunned.
"May i still stay in my cottage, madam?" he asked her.
"I.. I don't know what to say." she said looking back at him.
"Thank you would be a good start." whispered Celestia as she passed her, Applejack looked up at her, and received a small wink.
"On three conditions." Applejack said looking back at Goodlands "you'll need plenty of rest for the start of the week. We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and I'm not going to let you off easy, just cause you're a changeling an all." she said with a small smile.
"Yes ma'am. Bright and early." he smiled back. "and the other conditions?"
"Don't you be going and changing into different ponies, just to mess with me." she smiled.
"Alright. And the third?" he asked.
"Just call me Applejack." she said as everyone around started laughing.
"Sister, what should we do with them?" Asked Luna pointing towards the changelings all grouped together.
"Your Highness." said Goodlands looking from the changelings to Celestia "if i may ask a small request. These are my kin, and many of them think the same as i do. They just want to find a place to call home. Could they possibly live here in Equestria too?"
"Hmm..." she said looking over to Luna "I believe we can do that. What say you?" she asked towards the group of changelings. They looked around at one another, then one timid one stepped forward to speak.
"We have no where else to go. We'd love to have a place to call home, and not get run off because the way our mother wanted us to be." he said in a shaky voice.
"Well so long as they are productive ponies to society, then yes i believe we can fit them in as well." she said lifting her right hoof. At this there was much cheering from everyone in the room.

Upon the train back to Ponyville the girls sat in a compartment all to themselves each talking to one another. Applejack and Goodlands off by themselves talking separate as Spike entered.
"Celestia says she's already got a small place set up for them and ready to go. Tonight they're going to be putting on a show at the local theater for the ponies of Canterlot." he said sitting down next to Twilight.
"Well that's just fabulous. I do hope they enjoy it here." said Rarity, smiling.
"Some are coming to Ponyville as well." said Pinkie Pie. They continued on their conversation as Applejack looked at Goodlands.
"So are you really a prince?" she asked raising one eyebrow.
"An 'exiled' prince, yes. My mother banished me from her kingdom when i refused to help her with her evil schemes. All that about the Palomino Plains stuff I'd actually found in a journal in one of the caves I'd stayed in. It was about an exiled unicorn who was slowly becoming a crystal. The rest i made up on the spot." he stopped and looked at her "sorry for lying to you, but i thought you all would immediately run me out of town if you knew i was a changeling. Can you ever forgive me?"
"Of course i can. Shoot you've helped us numerous times, that cavern of that Jackal feller, and those nightmare's we were all in. Speaking of, whats this i hear about a wedding." she looked at him solemnly. To which his eyes grew very big.