Stories of the Changeling War

by SparrowFae

Applejack 1

Applejack rocked back and forth to the gentle swaying of train. Outside her window, the desert landscape rolled by, far too slow for her liking. The barren and static scenery lent itself to a peaceful atmosphere. It made the armored plates welded to the train seem unnecessary. But the orange earth pony knew it was an illusion. If she was heading somewhere, there would be enemies to fight.

That was the root of her restlessness. Her train was bound for Appaloosa, home to a number of Apple family members, including her favorite cousin, Braeburn. Up until now, the remoteness of the small town had protected it from the changelings' attention. As such, the apple orchards there had become a major producer of food for Hoofington, the nearest major city. But the war was spreading and changeling scouts had been spotted near the Appaloosan boarder. To make things worse, disputes were breaking out within the nearby buffalo tribe over whether to aide their pony neighbors or not. There were even rumors that the native tribe might force the ponies to leave in hopes that their land would be spared. All in all, the situation was too unstable to ignore. Celestia had dispatched Princess Cadenza to treat with Chief Thunderhooves. Applejack approved of the decision. If anypony could win over the buffalo, it would be Cadance. Of course, there was always the possibility that negotiations would fail. That's where Applejack and her unit came in. With the changeling swarm moving in, it was impossible to evacuate the town, and if the buffalo became a threat instead of an ally, the Appaloosans wouldn't stand a chance.

Applejack checked her hoof blades and saddle rifle for the third time. With the war well into its second year, the weapons were practically an extension of herself. After the decimation of Ponyville, she and her brother, Big Macintosh, had immediately signed up to serve in Luna's volunteer army. The duo's discipline and resilience had quickly earned the notice of their superiors and they gained several promotions. Applejack would never be able to put her heart into bloodshed, but she had to admit, she was good at it. Even so, every battle threatened to steal her resolve. Every kill put a crack in her steely spirit. But she would never hesitate to do what needed doing. For her family. She would put herself through the hell that was this war to win peace for her family.

So they fought. Early on in the war, Big Mac found a place in a heavy weapons platoon and Applejack swiftly earned her own command as a squad leader in the same unit. The ponies under her command jokingly referring to her as "Buck Sergeant." It was against regulations, but Applejack had never been one for strict formalities. The captain often made it clear that he didn't approve of how close she was with the five ponies in her squad. It was all fine and dandy for him to "lead from the top" as he liked to say, but these were Applejack's troops. After enduring the horrors of war together, they were practically kin, and Applejack wouldn't treat them as inferiors. Each of them had survived countless battles under her leadership, but this one would be different. Once they arrived, they would be cut off and potentially facing hostile buffalo tribes as well as changelings. It nearly made her sick to think about just how bad their prospects were. But Appaloosa was just too vital an asset to give up. Their orders were to secure the town and hold it at any costs.

Applejack cringed at what those costs might be. Nearly five hundred ponies were packed into the armored train with her. While that might seem like more than enough troops to hold a town as small as Appaloosa, the changelings always attacked in huge numbers. Privately, Applejack had been thinking that the swarm must be growing at a terrifying rate in order to sustain the losses the ponies inflicted upon them and still throw thousands of drones into any given offensive. Next time she had leave in Canterlot, she'd ask Twilight how the war was really going. Not that she would let her squad in on it if her grim prediction was correct. Low morale was becoming an increasingly fatal issue. Despair crept through the ranks like a plague. In other units, ponies were losing the will to fight and the changelings were routing them with less and less effort. What they needed was a major victory. Something that let them believe they were winning.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Applejack glanced over at the speaker. It was Star Gazer, the youngest member of the squad. Only a few years older than Applebloom, she was practically still a filly. Despite her age, she was a valuable member of the team. She had an immaculate attention to detail and could be clever when she put her mind to it. And she cared deeply for her squad mates.The young mare somewhat reminded Applejack of Twilight, minus the magic and hint of instability.

"Calm down, sugar cube," the squad leader said, "We're still a few days ahead of the swarm. We'll get there with plenty of time to get ready."

"But we're sitting ducks until then," came Star Gazer's retort, "What if a scout spots us and decides to go meteorite on our flanks?"

Applejack suppressed a shudder, remembering the first time she'd encountered the changelings' frightening ability. It had been the last time she'd seen her home standing. She'd been holding the line at Ponyville alongside Twilight and a handful of Celestia's guards. The changeling swarm had battered relentlessly at Twilight's barrier, occasionally managing to make a crack and squeeze a few drones through before the unicorn could close up the breach. They were easy enough to deal with, and Applejack had thought they might save the town. That's when the light show started. A dozen changelings broke off from the swarm and streaked toward the barrier, a green cone of fire forming in front of each of them. At first, Applejack had thought she recognized it as the same technique they had used during the invasion of Canterlot, where they had rocketed to the earth in green fireballs, only to rise up unscathed. But as the changelings impacted against the magic shield, they detonated with a force so violent, Applejack had felt the shock wave from where she stood nearly one hundred feet below. Twilight had feinted under the strain and the force field had collapsed. A second barrage had devastated their defensive line. None of the land ponies would have survived if Rainbow Dash hadn't organized the pegasi and picked them up. After that, the changelings simply rained volley after volley of suicide attacks down on Ponyville, leaving it a burning wreck. Afterward, one of the soldiers at the battle had coined the term "meteorite bomb" to describe the new form of attack.

Applejack pulled away from the memory and glanced around at the other squad members. On one side of the compartment were three mares, Autumn Leaf, Glitter, and Star Gazer. Two stallions, Dusty Mane and Lancer sat next to Applejack. Anypony else wouldn't have been able to tell how nervous they were and Star Gazer's outburst wasn't helping. Applejack needed to reassure her.

"The armor welded to this tin can ain't just for show, private," she said, " So your flanks are safe for now. Just try and rest up while you can. There'll be plenty of work to go around once we reach Appaloosa."

Star Gazer didn't seem entirely convinced, but she settled back in her seat with a surly "Yes Sarge." The last few hours of the ride passed in uneasy silence. Finally, the train lumbered up to the tiny, Appaloosan station. Hot wind blew sand against Applejack's hide as she stepped out into the desert. She shifted her saddlebag higher on her shoulder to block some of the sandy spray and led her squad to the staging area. They would camp on the outskirts of the town's massive apple orchard. There, the unicorn squads would set up a defensive network of force fields. It was a good strategy. The orchard was an obvious target for it's value and flammability.

Setting up camp that evening was a particularly wrenching task for Applejack. The trees creaked in the light breeze and the smell of the fruit washed over her. She remembered walking in from her orchards after a day of honest, fulfilling labor and how the sound of wind stirring a thousand leaves would lull her to sleep on a summer's night. Thought's of home came crashing to the front of Applejack's mind: napping alone in the shade, Granny Smith's lemonade on a hot afternoon, the simple pleasure of doing chores with her sister or taking on apple-bucking season with Big Mac. The earth pony wondered if she would ever be free to raise and harvest orchards again.

"You okay Buck Sergeant?" Applejack noticed that she had been staring at a tent stake for over a minute. She kicked herself for letting her reverie get the best of her. She looked up calmly, attempting to recover her air of leadership and reliability.

"Ah'm fine, Dusty," she told the grey stallion. Sympathy glittered in his eyes. Dusty Mane had also been a farmer before the war. Applejack was sure that she hadn't fooled his sharp intuition, but he just gave her a too-understanding smile.

"Of course, Sarge. By the way, word is that somepony by the name of Braeburn wants to talk to you. Last I heard he was at the Salt Block. I think I can finish setting up the tent if you wanna go see him."

It took a moment for her to decide. She hated leaving jobs for her squad mates, and she wasn't all that sure that she wanted to talk to Braeburn under their dark circumstances. It seemed wrong to taint what should be a happy reunion with talk of war. Another puff of wind filled her with the orchard's scent and the hunger for a taste of her old life roared inside her. Suddenly, she couldn't resist the urge to sate that hunger. It may not have been the best reason to base her decision on, but at the moment she couldn't find the will to care. After a nod to Dusty, Applejack trotted off to find her cousin.

Appaloosa was a in a state of turmoil completely at odds with the crushing silence that hung over the town. Everywhere, ponies were skittering to and fro, carrying supplies or fortifying buildings. It was a frantic scene tinged with the sour fear of helplessness. The knowledge of imminent danger was bad enough, but the uncertainty of facing an intelligent foe multiplied the anxiety. You were never sure when or from where the attack would come, and there was always the nagging feeling that you were unprepared. Applejack's heart went out to the town's ponies. As a soldier, she occasionally got to take the initiative in an offensive battle, but when civilians faced the enemy, they always did so as defenders.

In her experience during the war, Applejack noticed that the bars and taverns never seemed to lose any business before a battle. The Salt Block was no exception. The saloon was packed with patrons, but the hush of the town persisted. After a moment, Applejack spotted Braeburn at the bar and went to pull up a stool next to the light-coated stallion.

"Howdy, cousin," she said, conjuring up her best attempt at a smile.

"Hiya Applejack," Braeburn said. Applejack wondered if her smile was as unconvincing as the one he gave her. "It's good to see you."

"What'd you wanna talk about," The orange mare asked.

Braeburn glanced away, shifting his drink nervously. "Well, Apple Fritter and Candy Apple left town a few weeks ago. I haven't heard from them since." The news froze Applejack's heart. The roads weren't safe anymore, when a couple of earth ponies went missing, there was little chance they'd be seen again. She hadn't been exceptionally close with either Fritter or Candy, but they were still part of the family. Applejack always knew the Apple's would probably lose members to the war, but part of her had always believed they could make it through unscathed. A cold terror spread through her chest. Fritter and Candy weren't even soldiers. Nopony was safe. Not her, not Braeburn, not Big Mac or Granny Smith or Applebloom. Applejack could see how the same realization had ravaged her cousin. His spirit, once so vibrant and strong, was now sunken. He was losing hope.

"I was just thinking," he said, "maybe we should take the chance to be together as a family before. . ." he trailed off, his eyes intent on the contents of his mug. The image damn near broke Applejack's heart in two. It reminded her of a day in their foalhood. She and Braeburn had been been playing on the edge of the Everfree Forest in complete defiance of Granny Smith's orders. They had wandered too far in and become lost. It was terrifying. It seemed like every bush hid a bloodthirsty monster and the movement of the branches were the unnatural trees reaching out to snatch her. She had been on the verge of panic, but Braeburn just kept telling her that it would be okay. That they would find a way out. Applejack knew that she might never have gotten home without him holding her together. But now, here was that brave stallion, staring brokenly into a half-empty mug.

A sudden flash of the mare's old spirit surged up in defiance of this turn of events. There may be nothing she could do for the dead, but she would not let this war claim the heart of such a great pony.

Applejack wasn't sure if she believed the words she spoke next, but she knew that Braeburn needed to hear them regardless. "Listen, cuz. I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow or in the days to come. But I do know one thing. We've been through hard times before. We take care of our own. So, no matter what this war throws at us the Apple family will make it through. We will."

"Eeyup." Applejack hadn't noticed her brother's arrival, but the familiar, quiet strength of his declaration helped fuel her conviction.

It seemed to be enough to pull Braeburn out of his depression and he gave the big, red Stallion a genuine grin. "Well, if ya'll are both so sure, what business do I have not believing. I still wish the circumstances were different, but I can't tell you how good it is that you're both here." Applejack pulled the gold-colored stallion into a tight embrace and Big Mac quickly added his rib-cracking hug. "Now, I still want tonight to be about family. No more talk about the war, deal?"

"Deal," Applejack and Big Mac said in unison.

Braeburn ordered a round of ciders for them, saying, "Now, I hear ya'll almost lost the farm to a pair of swindlers in a cider contest. I always knew Granny Smith's stubborn pride would lead to trouble one day." And just like that, the war was somewhere else, if only for a few hours. It didn't matter that Sweet Apple Acres was nothing more than a pile of rubble and ash. It no longer mattered because it was part of who they were as a family and nothing would ever change that. Some day Apple family members would have another orchard and that one would be just as special. There would be horrors to face before that could happen, but for now, the trio talked and laughed and swapped stories, letting those horrors be a thing of tomorrow.

. . .

"Sarge, wake up! We might have trouble."

Applejack started awake at Star Gazer's voice. She was reaching for her gear before she even replied. "What's goin' on?"

"The buffalo herd is headed this way. We're not sure what they want." This was bad. The preparations for the swarm weren't complete yet, and if the buffalo attacked, they wouldn't have enough time to finish the fortifications.

"Round up the rest of the squad and get over to the eastern barricade," Applejack ordered, "I'll be there in a few minutes. I've gotta go talk to a friend." Star Gazer gave a quick solute and went to wake the rest of the squad.

Applejack set off at a gallop. She wasn't sure exactly where she was going, but it wasn't hard to get directions. Small towns tended to keep close tabs on celebrities, especially princesses, whenever they came to visit. The first pony she asked directed her to town hall. It was a small, wooden building, not much different from the rest of Appaloosa. The only real indication of the building's office was the Equestrian flag flying over the entryway. Applejack didn't slow her pace as she entered.

"I need to talk to Princess Cadenza," Applejack declared, startling the receptionist. After a moment of hesitation, Applejack was directed to the mayor's office. A single, golden-armored guard stood by the door. He held out a wing, blocking the orange mare's entrance.

"Who goes there?" he boomed.

"I'm a friend of the Princess's," Applejack replied, "Just tell her I'm here and I need to talk to her."

"Princess Cadenza is not to be disturbed," the guard replied.

Applejack gritted her teeth. She didn't have time for this. With a quick, prancing motion, she shouldered the guard, knocking him off balance. She followed with a solid buck to his flank, sending him sprawling to the floor. With the door now unguarded, she immediately flung them open and stormed into the office.

Cadance stood across a table from Captain Swift. The two appeared to have been at odds before Applejack had burst in. Now they both stared at the intruder, Cadance with recognition and Swift with fury.

"Sergeant! What is the meaning of this?" the officer barked.

"I need to talk to the Princess, sir. The buffalo are coming and--"

"We are well aware of the situation," Swift interrupted, "Now get back to your squad before I have you court martialed!"

Cadance chose that moment to step in. "That will not be necessary, Captain," she said, "Applejack is a good friend of mine, and I would like to hear what she has to say." With Captain Swift momentarily at bay, the princess turned back to Applejack.

Relieved, the earth pony said, "I think we can get the buffalo on our side. If I could just talk to one of them--"

"No!" the captain interrupted again, "There is too much at stake for the risk of failed negotiations. With a preemptive strike of overwhelming force, we could break them before they can even fight back."

Cadance rounded on the officer. "As I've said, that option is out of the question. We will not attack a potential ally while there is still a chance for peace. And, if I'm not mistaken, Applejack and her family have a history with this tribe. She offers the best chance at averting hostilities."

"Your highness, I must strongly object!" said Swift puffing out his chest.

"Your objection is noted, Captain. If you wish, you may lodge a formal complaint with Princess Luna, however, for the time being I have the final say on our course of action." Swift deflated at the princess's words. Applejack tried not to smirk. "Now then," Cadance continued, "Applejack, please accompany me to the eastern barricade. We will offer a truce and hopefully meet with the tribe's representatives there."

With a smile, Applejack followed the princess out of the building and across the town to the barricade. Along with the military unit, most of the town's people had also gathered to see what the commotion was about. A massive cloud of dust that Applejack assumed to be an indication of a great number of buffalo was rising beyond the high, defensive wall.

"Captain, tell your soldiers to lower their weapons immediately," Cadance said calmly, motioning to the top of the wall where several ponies had armed their saddle rifles and had them leveled at the herd below. With a dissatisfied grunt, Captain Swift relayed the princess's order. Cadance watched until every soldier disarmed his or her weapon. "Now please remain here and keep your unit under control while we deal with this situation."

Applejack escorted the princess to the nearest gate. Before the unicorn sentry could raise it, Swift made one last attempt to derail them. "I will not allow a princess to approach a potentially hostile herd without an armed escort."

Cadance halted for a moment and shot an inquiring glance at Applejack. "That'd only make things worse, Princess," she said, "The buffalo are an honorable people. They won't attack anyone who isn't threatening them."

"Very well. We shall go as we are," Cadance stated. She managed to put enough finality into her words that Swift was stalled long enough for them exit through the gate. Applejack remembered being on the business end of a herd of buffalo, but the second time was no less intimidating. She gulped as the gate closed behind them with a clang.

"I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza," Cadance declared, "I wish to meet with your chieftain to discuss a possible alliance." The buffalo shifted restlessly. For a while, nothing happened. A drop of sweat tickled as it slid down Applejack's ear. She was suddenly acutely aware at just how much time was in a second. Finally, several buffalo shuffled aside, and the massive Chief Thunderhooves emerged.

"Ask him if Little Strongheart will speak with us as well," Applejack murmured to Cadance.

Without missing a beat, the princess raised her voice, "I believe you know my friend here. She asks that one named Little Strongheart also be present for these talks."

The chief took a moment to consider Applejack. Recognition, and perhaps a hint of relief, spread across his face. He turned to the side and nodded. A moment later, a small, female buffalo also emerged from the herd. Together, they approached the ponies.

Thunderhooves spoke first, in a deep, resonating voice. "You say you come to make peace, but you bring a terrible scourge with you. Many of my people believe we would be safe from the changelings' wrath if we only cut ties with your kind."
An inauspicious start.

Applejack's heart hammered in her chest. She glanced at Strongheart, but the young buffalo deflected her gaze. Cadance's voice rang out, rivaling the buffalo chief for volume, if not impressiveness. "And what do you think, Chief?" Applejack had to keep herself from wincing. That was a very aggressive question. It forced Thunderhooves to declare his intentions far earlier than might be reasonable.

The chief was indeed taken aback for a moment. He shared a short glance with Little Strongheart, his expression sad. Then he lowered his head, saying, "I think that war would be bad for my people. And it is the chief's responsibility to do what is right for his people." He did not quite speak loud enough for anyone but the four emissaries to hear.

Cadance stepped forward, also lowering her head so she could look into the buffalo's face. "War is always bad," she said, "But the right path for your people is not always the safest. Stand with us now, and I swear to you, the ponies will be at your side in your time of need. But mark these words." The princess stood up tall and let her voice carry "I do not offer the trade of one favor for another. I ask only that you help your neighbors, because it is right. And I give you my word that we shall do what is right by you. For no other reason than that it is right." Here, Cadance turned her head to look back at the ponies who watched. Applejack was fairly certain her words were meant for a certain Captain.

Thunderhooves let out a heavy sigh. "I know you are right, Princess. But many of my people will still contend that we must look out for our tribe and our land first. I do not believe I can sway them."

"Well you're the chief ain't you?" Applejack said, "You're the one who makes the decision."

Little Stongheart shook her head. "That is not our way. The Chief may have a great deal of influence, but he cannot order the members of our tribe. He simply acts as our voice."

Applejack's ears drooped. "And you're sayin' that your tribe ain't gonna help us."

Thunderhooves closed his eyes, resigned. "I am sorry."

After a moment of tense silence, Cadance relented. "Very well," she said stiffly and turned back to the barricade.

Applejack was numb. She had been sure that they could come to an agreement. It was a stinging blow. She was just turning to follow Cadance when Strongheart called, "Wait!"

Cadance and Applejack paused, looking back. The young buffalo had turned to her chief. "You are the voice of our people, but that does not mean you have to do as they say. And neither do I." Strongheart, true to her name, stood up straight in front of her entire tribe and shouted "I stand with our neighbors!" Then she came to stand next to Applejack. "Because it is right."

For a moment, everything was completely still. Ponies and Buffalo alike held their breath, waiting for the Chief's reaction. Slowly, he raised his head to regard Strongheart. Another drop of sweat tickled the inside of Applejack's ear, but she dared not move to wipe it away. As she watched, Thunderhooves, with a few lumbering steps, reversed and turned his back on Appaloosa.

"He's still not convinced?" Applejack muttered, "Of all the--"

"Shh," Cadance silenced her gently, holding up her wing for emphasis. Applejack focused back on the buffalo chief. He hadn't moved any further away, but was just standing there, facing his tribe.

Then he spoke. "Brothers and Sisters!" he boomed, "Your lives are not mine to risk. Any of you who wish to leave may go in peace. . . But Little Strongheart is correct and I cannot simply leave our Pony neighbors to fend for themselves. So I will stand in defense of Appaloosa. My tribe, I ask you now to lend us your strength. Stand with me! And together we will show the changelings the might of the Buffalo and teach them that our land will not fall to their blight!"

The bovine crowd erupted in a chorus of deep whoops and cheers, accompanied by the thunderous roar of stomping hooves. Their enthusiasm seized Applejack and she leaped, twisting in the air and adding her own voice to the cheers that were now rising from the Pony barricade. She noticed that a significant number of buffalo were breaking off, from the cheering crowd, heading back toward their camp. In the back of her mind, Applejack knew that most of those who stayed had probably already supported the chief and hadn't needed convincing, but it felt like no less of a victory. Furthermore, Chief Thunderhooves's speech and the rallying of the buffalo had raised the ponies' spirits. For now, they were full of hope, and Applejack had seen battles won with less.

The chief turned with a ferocious smile and strode up to a grinning Cadance, saying, "Come, princess. We have a battle to plan."

. . .

Comments

[SparrowFae]

Dear sweet Celestia. I have no idea what happened with this chapter, but it just kept going and going. As such, I've decided to release it in two parts. The second part has a lot more action and I'm almost done with it, so it'll be out very soon. Thanks for reading!