Cherry advanced bravely across the stone bridge that went over the jutting chasm below. "For being abandoned, this thing looks like somepony put a lot of time into." She tapped down at the bridge before continuing on. She was fairly sure it was artificial, as it didn't even remotely fit the look of the rock around it and none of the 'trees' looked like it either.
Spike nodded from atop Starlight. "Getting this bridge set up was quite a chore, but I'm glad we did. It's way better than the old swaying rickety thing that used to be here."
Starlight frowned a little. "It had a rope bridge? Color me glad we're not dealing with that, and I bet it was over a thousand years old too." She rolled her eyes as she trotted towards the massive doors of the refurbished castle. "Huh, maybe there isn't anything to worry about. The door's still closed and looks solid. How were the windows?"
Spike cast his gaze upwards. "All the broken ones were replaced, I think."
Cherry reached out a hoof and pushed on the door, but it wouldn't give. "How do you open it?"
Spike hopped to his feet atop Starlight, bounced across to Cherry's back and up onto the handle on the door. With a great pull, one foot on the opposing door, they began to open with a slow creaking, revealing the dim interior to the two sets of curious pony eyes that peeked within.
Starlight raised a hoof. "Wait here a moment." She proceeded past Spike and Cherry and advanced into the old castle. The air was still and musty from being sealed. She felt increasingly safe from random beasts and monsters wandering past. "Spike?" She turned, horn glowing, to face the front door. "Was everyone safe, inside? I mean, there weren't any monsters inside the castle last you checked, right?"
Spike and Cherry entered quickly with the clip, pitter-patter, and mechanical taps of their varied feet. Spike shook his head quickly. "The worst thing I remember are some creepy spiders, and they looked a lot scarier than they were in the end."
Starlight smiled. "Great, then we should be fine for now." She grabbed the door with her magic and pulled it shut firmly. "We'll stay here until things blow over. I don't suppose you stocked the place with any food by chance?"
Rainbow peered stealthily from a cloud, just her bright eyes visible from her fortress of fluff. Fluttershy was beside her, also peeking at the activity below, with Angel on top of her. The pegasi of the town all seemed to stay close to the ground, which let them sneak around undetected in their fortress of the sky.
"Why aren't they doing their weather duties?" Rainbow scowled disapprovingly. "It's gonna be a real mess to fix it up after this."
"Don't be mad at them," Fluttershy insisted in her timid voice. "I'm certain they would if they weren't being mind-controlled."
Angel suddenly thumped Fluttershy's back and pointed down below. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash both looked to see a growing collection of ponies just outside of town hall, but that wasn't the mayor standing at the podium. They weren't even standing...
The creature that had everypony's attention looked like a pony, mostly, from the snout to their chest, where it transitioned to what looked like a great big fish tail that hovered over the ground. Embedded in the center of that chest was a lustrous brown gem that matched the rest of her. She spoke with a loud and clear voice. "Good day, loyal citizens. I'd love to tell you that all is well, but the interloper, the dangerous siren known as Cherry, is still at-large. We must find her to secure the safety of the town."
Bon Bon raised a hoof in the middle of the crowd. "How can we find her? We've looked everywhere."
The strange pony nodded her head. "It seems unlikely she's still within the town proper. She must be lurking nearby. Your safety is my number one priority, so--" Her statement seemed to make the ponies down on the ground smile, but made Rainbow's snout wrinkle with distaste. "--we'll send out groups in rotating waves to begin exploring the area around until we catch our siren. Does anypony have suggestions as to good hiding places?"
Rainbow clopped her forehooves together. "I can't take it! Wait, I have an idea. You stay here." Before Fluttershy could voice her objection, Rainbow was gone, streaking down to the ground away from the crowd and coming up trotting on the group, "I haven't found the siren yet." she announced to the group as she approached.
Several eyes turned towards her, including that of their new 'leader'. She nodded softly. "You're late for the meeting. As I was saying, we'll go in groups, for safety."
Rainbow thrust a hoof upwards. "Ma'am? I think I know where she is."
That caught everypony's attention in short order. The leader rolled a hoof. "And where would that be?" Her teeth became exposed, sharp and deadly as she smiled. "We can finally catch her and return to our peaceful way of life."
"Yeah, we should totally do that." Rainbow gave her own insincere grin in return. "But she has friends. Can you help me capture her?"
The leader brought her hooves down on her podium. "She's being protected?! She must have brainwashed some innocent ponies, the poor things..." She drifted out over the crowd towards Rainbow Dash. "You'll bring me there, won't you?"
"Of course, let's go, uh, ma'am." Rainbow turned and began leading the way. Of course, she had no idea where Cherry was, or if she even was a siren or something else, but that was far from her goal. A glance upwards showed Fluttershy was still in the cloud, drifting after them sedately.
Nothing could go wrong with this plan!
"How long do ya figure they'll be gone fer?" Applejack leaned off to the right, trying to peek through the thick doors of Twilight's castle. "This may be the best time to get while the gettin's good."
Twilight folded her wings tight against herself and squirmed, causing the ropes to fall to her hooves with a little wriggling. She quickly trotted over to Applejack and started pulling her ropes free one by one.
"Whatcha doing?" Muffins came soaring in from outside.
Twilight tensed. "Applejack needed to go to the little filly's room and I was giving her a hoof." She gave her best, exceedingly false, smile at Muffins.
"Oh, okay." Muffins bobbed her head, seeing nothing wrong with that.
Tensely, but without opposition, Twilight freed Applejack before glancing at Muffins. "Oh, hey, Muffins."
"Yeah?" She tilted her head, eyes rotating in that curious way of hers.
Applejack approached with a smile. "You've done such a good job watchin' us. I'm plum impressed."
"Aw." She waved off the compliment, blushing. "I'm just doing my job!" She frowned a little suddenly. "I thought it used to be delivering letters, but hanging out with you two is fun too."
Twilight bobbed her head. "But are you ready for the next step in your duty?"
Muffins brightened, a radiant smile on her face. "Oh! There's a part two?! Tell me, tell me!"
Twilight pointed to Applejack and herself. "Now it's time to find that siren, and you're going to do it, with us. Imagine how proud everypony will be when they hear you managed it."
Muffins clopped her forehooves with escalating joy at the idea. "Yay! That sounds way more fun, uh, no offense. Let's find a siren!" She hopped up into the air, then suddenly flopped back down. "But I don't know where the siren is..."
Applejack thrust a hoof at Twilight. "Ah reckon she does. That's why you were watchin' her, right? Now she'll lead us right to the critter."
Muffins frowned with sudden apprehension. "Wait... you were being controlled by the siren."
"Was." Twilight bobbed her head. "But you did it. You watched me for so long, I'm not controlled anymore. Let's go find a siren."
"Okay!" She hopped back to her hooves. "Let's go!" She began trotting along, singing about how she'd become a hero as she went and practically radiating joy with her every motion.
Applejack and Twilight followed along. AJ leaned in towards Twilight. "You sure she's workin' with a full basket?"
Twilight nudged Applejack. "Don't be mean. She's our ticket out of here, and we do need to find Spike, Starlight, and Cherry."
"Cherry?"
"The hippocampus."
"Hippowhat now?"
"Seapony."
"Oh." Applejack raised a brow. "Shoulda just said so."
Outside, Twilight directed Muffins away from the town and any other ponies that would stop them.
"But she'll get mad." Muffins pouted a little.
Applejack glanced at the town. "Who?"
"The one I can't say." Muffins shrugged softly. "She said not to leave town without permission."
Twilight rolled a hoof. "How are we going to find that nasty siren?"
Muffins frowned with obvious thought. "I... guess that's true... Alright, but if she asks, I'm saying you told me to."
Applejack smiled at that. "We accept that responsibility. Let's go, partner. We got a siren to lasso." Though she hoped to wrangle the one putting the whammy over the town, not the other thing Muffins seemed to be hunting.
AGAIN SHE'S DERPY. fix this error.
7189426
Not really an error. Muffins is her canon name after all. It's the
choice of the author which name to use for her.
Great chapter. ~hug
7189433 Hee, glad I continue to entertain.:)
For thelove everything that is good she is not a siren Ya dumb ponies
7189426
Actually I believe her official name is Muffins, at least on the merchandise at least.
So how will Rainbow Dash's plan fail, that is the real question. I get the feeling that Twilight's plan will be the one that works.
7189444 because of Politcal Correctness. She was named Depry. They said in the show. THAT'S HER NAME.
Soccer moms can go screw themselves.
7189432 No her canon name is Derpy.
Wikia to the rescue!
http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Derpy
time into - time into it
clip - clop
Muffing - Muffins
*****
Things really seem to be rolling now, no spiders in this chapter despite the title, for which I'm grateful.
I imagine some will complain that AJ was less than honest with Muffins, but being honest does not mean lawful stupid.
RD is doing her usual of betting everything she has to win everything she can get. We'll see how it goes.
I guess she is Cherry's Mother.
IF YOU DO NOT GIVE ME ALL YOUR KEYS, I WILL Ddos YOUR TOSTER!
7189474 see canon name Depry. anything else is a PC attempt.
No comma need here.
like a
extra space
I'm surprised that little stage can hold up a siren; they're huge.
7189515 2/3 typos addressed. The siren floats, and she isn't that massive.
7189519 In the comic, which is the only place the size was ever shown, it was several times taller than a pony, and proportionally wider and longer.
7189498
You'd butter not!
7189514
Wikia proves you are both right! :) Win/Win/win!
She WAS called Muffins by Hasbro, who later changed her name because of the fans! :)
Short but good :) please more! :D
7189531 The same comics showed the three original sirens as being perfectly pony sized.
The comics suck so much for canon, sigh. We work with what we have.
7189561 There's another siren comic?
7189564 There's the one with the pets and the fiendship is magic series with the original 3. Those are the two I know of?
7189566 I didn't know the human sirens got a comic too. I guess that explains my confusion.
Comics are so bad at being canon theyre more urinating dog than barking dog?
I think Discord prooved conclusivly, you dont have to mind control Rainbow Dash she is more than capable of doing more than your worse to her, herself.
What Twilight needs, is a reverse mind access control spell, so that Pinkie and the CMC can go on a Daring Do Forbidden Journey through the Sirens mind.
Anyone want buttered popcorn? I beleive Fluttershy just collected a new civet.
Nobody else has commented on it yet, but I realize now that the chapter title is a three level pun. Well played sir!
hold this please
A BOMB. what's that?
A really big party popper
A really really big party popper!
I'll go give it to the boss, I think she'd really like it.
Oh Shit.
7189535
I CAN AND I WILL!
THAT IS NOT A SIREN!?!?!? , I DON'T NO WHT THE HALL THAT THAG IS BUT IT NEEDS KILLED..... WITH FIRE..... FROM THE SUN!!!!, no i'm not jujin a book bi its curve, that thag makes me went to RUN the hall awe, and I hang out whit Changeling all the time, and everyone sas that tar scare but thar not, pre05.deviantart.net/018b/th/pre/i/2013/316/0/c/the_changeling_queen_wants_a_taste__by_umbra_neko-d6u1jth.png they'all just wants to lik your faces
Well then, something tells me that Cherry's the one who'll save the day in the end.
Commence read.
And they all rendezvous at the same place, somehow.
7189451 wasn't soccer moms, it was feminists and their shitfaced hypocrisy.
Unofficial name Derpy, show name Ditzy doo, merchandise name Muffins. Take your pick.
I Have a quick question to ask, and that's how is Cherry's name pronounced, is it pronounced like Cherry the food or more like fer full name, Cerulean something like Sherry, or something. I'm just wondering if I've been reading it correctly.
7190307 You made me think about it! You foooool!
Now Sherry just makes infinite sense to me...
7190320 oh good, that's what I've been using so far.
7189454 Actually, it's two separate ponies. Derpy and Muffins are twin sisters, so it's understandable that people sometimes mix them up.
For the record in my personal headcanon all the races that manipulate or feed on emotion are blood enemies. I'm not sure where Sirens sit with Windigo's but Windigo's and Changelings fight and kill each other pretty much on sight. Changelings can't feed if all anypony feels is hate. Sirens seem to be more restrained in their anger causing and might in theory be able to be preyed on by Changelings.
7191135
I suspect that the hearths warming tale of the six founders was a fantasized retelling of the first know firing of the Elements of Harmony (I know canon has killed this, but I don't care). And the Windegos were transformed into changelings.
If you think about it, a creature that feeds on hatred will sow hatred out of self preservation.
A creature that feeds on love with sow the seeds of love and harmony. Granted something went funky over time, but I can blame that on Chrysalis.
With the confirmation that the tree of harmony is at least semi-sentient, the act of forcing your enemy to become your ally for self preservation, is a master stroke.
It's likely that there could be some past taboo negotiation about ponies and seaponies communication that no one knew about, like a promise from Celestia to keep them all secret, so now that Twilight broke it, sirens or seaponies themselves are going punishment.
7189561 i.imgflip.com/13oq2c.jpg
7189561 On the other hoof, sea creatures are notorious for growing to wildly different sizes within the same species...
I wonder what Rarity and Pinkie are doing.
7191349 If you want to REALLY theorycraft and world build... Changelings have been winning the war since unification, however they were in desperate need of additional supplies and accidentally sent a combat hive to resupply instead of a more discreet one.
Whoops.
After all, Equestria was fairly safe from outside threats until Chrysalis was defeated.
7190992 Just like Minuette and Colgate and their 6 sisters (check the crowd at the hearthswarming play )
7189426 opinions, good sir opinions
7189514
I thought her name was 'vinyl collectable' the only time I saw her at Walmart she was in a black box at the front of the store with Chaotic merchandise, Magic the Gathering cards, and Sonic Boom KISS CD's ... I take it to mean that mens she's less than popular. Then again, looking it up on amazon, that model costs 73 odd dollars on amazon.
7192034 Well, if you really want to talk about things starting to go south, it aaalllll started with the return of that moon princess. We had a thousand years of peace, and then that mare shows up and in the course of a year and some change it has been one disaster after another!
7192710 well, factually, she was Derpy until they ret-con'ed her name to Ditsy Doo. Muffins was only ever used in some of the toys and one of the games they made.
7234012 She's called Muffins in the Slice of Life credits. That's where the name comes from. I think that's a lot better than 'Derpy' or 'Ditzy'.
Oh my word your just trying to raise a typo cult aren't you?
Commence read.
Last time I checked, there was no roof and there wasn't a sealant spell in the works, but I may be wrong.
Looks like the mane 6 are all slowly breaking down this little cult the siren has formed.
End read. Sentence: A cult that breaks itself down can never be rebuilt.