Brony Recon: To Live and Love in Equestria

by Freescript the Bard

The Days to Come

THREE DAYS LATER

Shift's POV

Help…

I shot up at the voice. It seemed to come from nowhere, like it was in my head. I slid out of Twilight's bed, leaving the lavender mare slumbering peacefully. Looking back at my fillyfriend, I gave her sleeping form a smile before trotting downstairs. The sun was just peeking over the horizon in the window as I searched the library. I saw nopony.

Must be in my head, I thought.

Somepony… help…

Okay, I definitely heard that, but where the hay was it coming from? Suddenly, a burst of emotions went through me. Pain, agony, hopelessness… all coming from a specific direction. I grabbed a pair of socks Rarity had made me for helping around her boutique. Just as I was about to leave, hoofsteps behind me bid me stop.

"Shift?" a sleepy Twilight asked, "where are you going?" I felt love radiating from her, feeding me and giving me strength. It was delicious, I could--

Please…

Another set of emotions rammed into me. "Did you hear that?" I asked Twilight.

"Hear what?"

Okay, it was definitely in my head. But that didn't mean it wasn't real. I opened the door and trotted toward the source of the miserable emotions with Twilight in tow. "There was a… a voice. In my head," I explained, "whatever it is, it's using emotions to make itself found."

"But how is that possible?" she said, "I thought only you had that talent."

Oh sweet Celestia. I had an idea of what was drawing me in, and I did not like it. Contrary to what Twilight said, there were others who had my ability. Only, those 'others' weren't even ponies. My suspicions were horribly confirmed when we created one of the hills surrounding Ponyville.

Help…

In the copse below, a black creature lay on the ground, shivering. It had blue-tinted insect wings, a black carapace, and a fanged mouth. The blue eyes were half-closed in pain. The Changeling looked up at the two of us and gave another shiver. On it's side was a scar that looked infected, similar to the one I sustained when I breathed in the time-vortex.

Please, brother… it begged, help… me.

Of course! Changelings have a hive-mind, and that's how this one was talking to me! I walked over to the black thing while Twilight hung back in fear. I inspected the Changeling, knowing that the infected scar couldn't be the source of it's pain. Then the Changeling showed another emotion; hunger. It was hungry, and needed positive emotions.

"Shift, get away from that thing!" Twilight yelled, "it's a--!"

"Changeling, I know," I interrupted, looking down at the pitiful form, "we have to help it, Twi."

"WHAT?! Are you crazy?" she shouted angrily, "do you know what those things did to my brother?"

"Twi, just look at her," the unicorn stared at the creature. I saw her eyes change from hatred to pity, matching the feelings she was giving off. "She needs help, Twi."

Who… are you? the Changeling, who for some reason I could tell was female, called out to me.

"My name is Shift, and this is Twilight," I answered, "you're hungry, aren't you?"

Yes… I need… emotion, she said, please… help me, brother…

"Don't call me that."

Twilight looked with confusion at us. "Is it… talking to you?"

I turned to her. "She needs emotions, Twilight," I said, "or she will die of hunger."

"She…?"

"Twilight, I don't know how…" yes I do, I'm a Changeling too, "but I think my talent allows me to talk to them."

You are… the Changeling said, confused, …not one of the… She passed out.

"Twilight, we need to do something!" I panicked.

"I…" she hesitated, "I don't know…"

And so, all we could do was watch helplessly as the female Changeling starved. It began to wither, it's exoskeleton becoming shriveled. It took an agonizing half hour before the Changeling's stream of sad feelings stopped. Twilight held me as I mourned the loss of my kin, my tears dripping down on to the wrinkled carapace.

Skyblaze's POV

"Ugh… not even seven in the morning and I'm already tired of paperwork."

"At least you're here to help; it goes nearly twice as fast. We already have only ten more to go," Luna said cheerily.

"Make that nine," I said, putting another paper into the mail bag and picking up the next one, "I still don't understand why irrigation in Fillydelphia is a royal matter."

"I was wondering the same when I… Skyblaze, are you okay?"

I was staring at the notice in my hand, unable to believe what my eyes were reading. "Hey Luna, you know that cult in Manehatten?"

"Yes, the Alyiess, I believe we sent an emissary…"

"There's been an incident," I said, "a group of cultists was discovered in a warehouse performing some odd ritual. It involved the sacrifice of a Disciple of the Sun."

"Oh my…" Luna said, too shocked for anything else, "who… who sent the notice?"

"The mayor, and he sent a logo of sorts," I answered, turning the paper towards Luna to reveal a symbol depicting sunrise over a pentagram. Mood-killing thought: why does every demonic cult have a pentagram somewhere? "Apparently, the whole cult brainwashes their members, making them believe that something other than Celestia moves the sun…"

"We have to send somepony to investigate… negotiations are now off…" the moon goddess said, "it would have to be somepony fast enough to get in, look into things and get out."

We thought for a moment, and in the next instant, we came to the same conclusion. "Rainbow Dash!" D'aww, we think alike.

Rainchaser's POV

"Woo-Hoo!" I screamed, pulling out of a dive, Rainbow Dash at my side.

"Aw yeah, you got it down!" Dash complimented me while we pulled into an upward spiral to the cloud layer. We landed on a particularly fluffy cloud and lay down, panting. High-speed, high-g-force maneuvers take a lot out of a pegasus.

"Whew, I feel great!" Dash exclaimed, sidling in next to me.

I scooted closer and put a foreleg around her shoulders. "So do I," I agreed, "that was quite a workout."

"Oh just you wait," she said, "doing this at high-altitude is even tougher!"

I took my bandana, now soaked in perspiration, and tossed it on the cloud. Strangely, it didn't fall through. "Man, I feel warm…" I breathed.

"Well, you'll cool off quicker without that…" Dash began to pull the band out of my ponytail, letting the candy-pink locks down. "Whoa, you look good with straight hair…"

"Oh aren't you the flatterer Miss Dash," I said seductively. We took the moment to stare into each other's magenta eyes. It felt odd having the same eye-color as my favorite pony, but I guess that means we're more connected than most couples. Yeah, I said couple, deal with it.

"Hey, isn't that your friend, Aegis?" Dash said, pointing toward Sweet Apple Acres. I followed her hoof until I saw a familiar red form. "I kinda noticed him watching us yesterday, too."

"Aegis… is watching us?" I whispered to myself. Aegis is one of those stranger-shy ponies, only feeling comfortable around the bronies and the mane six. But lately, he has been less talkative, especially to me. As I watched with pegasus-enhanced eyes, the large brony sagged slightly and trotted back to the orchard.

"Yeah, come to think of it, he's been doing it ever since we got together," she stated, nuzzling me and breaking my thoughts. I nuzzled back, returning the affection.

"Ahem," said a familiar voice behind us. We both spun to see Skyblaze, saddlebags on his back. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Um, hey Sky," I greeted awkwardly, "I thought you were in Canterlot."

"Royal business, actually," he explained. I expected him to be chuckling at Dash and I, but instead he looked at us with a regretful face that made me wonder. "Besides, it's only a fifteen minute flight from there to Ponyville," the brony said, digging in his saddlebags and removing a roll of scrolls, "Miss Dash, you are being dispatched, under the order of Princess Luna, to investigate cultist activity in Manehatten."

"Wait what?" Dash exclaimed, "why me?"

The writer smiled slightly. "Luna and I wanted the fastest we could find, and your name came up immediately," he said, hoofing Dash the roll of papyrus, "everything you need to know is in there. Luna requests that you leave as soon as possible."

I sagged at the prospect of Dash leaving. "Can… I go too?" I asked giving my best sad-puppy-eyes.

Skyblaze's expression returned to regret. "Sorry, Rain, but Dash is the experienced flier we need, and I don't want my hypothetical sister getting hurt." He yawned loudly. "I gotta get going; it's past my bedtime."

"But it's nine-thirty in the morning!" I argued.

"Oh, I'm trying to adjust to Luna's sleep habits so she doesn't have to stay up for me."

Rainbow and I looked at each other in surprise. "Why would Princess Luna stay up for you?" she asked.

"We're dating," he said nonchalantly and flew off, heading for Canterlot, leaving us with our mouths open and our eyes wide.

"Um, that was almost as random as Pinkie Pie," said Dash.

"Uh huh," I agreed sadly, "too bad I can't go with you, Dashie."

Rainbow looked at me with crossed forelegs. "Hey, he said they needed fast, experienced fliers," she said, "you're almost as fast as me, Rain! And you learned how to do more advanced moves faster than anypony with your practice time."

I smiled slyly. "What are you getting at, Dash?"

"What Princess Luna don't know won't hurt her," she said mischievously. We took off, flying for Rainbow's house to gather whatever we would need for the trip.

Comments

[bruin4126]

Nice chapter dude also thanks for taking my idea.

[PerigeeTheBat]

"What Princess Luna don't know won't hurt her."

[Chrome Masquerade]

We thought for a moment, and in the next instant, we came to the same conclusion. "Rainbow Dash!" D'aww, we think alike.

I was under the impression that great minds think for themselves.

[Chrome Masquerade]

"Oh aren't you the flatterer Miss Dash," I said seductively. We took the moment to stare into each other's magenta eyes. It felt odd having the same eye-color as my favorite pony, but I guess that means we're more connected than most couples. Yeah, I said couple, deal with it.

As an aside, there was a time when she was my favourite pony too.