The Reception's Back On

by sister_mike

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Rainbow Dash

"So, the Shadowbolt can't talk unless Luna is around to power its voice?" Rainbow Dash asked. She couldn't stop staring at the Shadowbolt as they walked to the library. Twilight had asked them to walk with her to the library, as oppose to fly; it wasn't until they had started their journey that Twilight had voiced aloud her realization that the rest of her team were all pegasi.

"Yes," Twilight said, "They have their own thoughts and personalities, but since they are an entity of her magic, unless she gives them the extra boost to speak, they can't. She didn't have time to before we were separated."

"Weren't there originally three Shadowbolts?" Rainbow Dash asked, still staring at the Shadowbolt as they walked. He gave her an annoyed look, but she didn't care.

She knew they weren't essentially real; but they were so awesome! They were like the Wonderbolts, just as awesome. She wasn't sure who would win in a "who's cooler" competition. Probably the Wonderbolts, but it would be a close call.

"Yes, but two of them were killed when we were attacked in the train—Rainbow Dash, stop staring at him," Twilight said, annoyance in her voice. The Shadowbolt looked at Twilight with appreciation.

"I'm sorry, I'm just curious," Rainbow Dash said. "So what kind of message are we sending to Gilda? Why do you need me to help?"

"We'll just send her a paper message, a letter. I need somepony who relatively knows where she lives or what her land or house looks like in order to use my magic to do it," Twilight explained. "I need to be able to concentrate on her address or an image of her place in order for it to work."

"Is that how Spike's sending abilities work too?" Rainbow Dash asked. Twilight shook her head.

"No, Spike's 'magic', so to speak, is different. He merely has to think of the person he's sending to and then whoosh, off it goes," Twilight said.

They slowed as they approached the library.

"CloudsArmor, can you go inside first and make sure the coast is clear?" Twilight asked. CloudsArmor nodded and cautiously stepped inside. "Shadowbolt, can you look and see if there are any changelings on the roof or hiding amongst the branches?"

When both came back with the OK, they all went inside.

The library wasn't any different than when Rainbow Dash had been there last, when she had met up with Applejack.

"Ugh, this is so terrible to see!" Twilight said. Rainbow Dash could tell by her expression that Twilight was torn by the sight of all of the damaged books.

"CloudsArmor and Shadowbolt, you two guard the door; we won't be long here," Twilight said. "Rainbow Dash, see if you can find a blank piece of paper and a pen, and I'll dictate what the letter should say. I'm going to search among this mess for any clues on how to fix Trixie and Flim."

Rainbow Dash nodded and began the tedious task. Ripped pages and books lay everywhere. She flew to the ceiling and skimmed the floor with an aerial view. Deciding that the first floor was too messy, she went upstairs.

It was still disastrous, but less so up here. She found a pen underneath an overturned table, and a half ripped notebook with blank paper tossed in a corner.

As she began to make her way back downstairs, she saw a shadow fly by the window. She froze on the spot and waited. It didn't reappear. She quickly went back downstairs.

"Uh, Twilight," Rainbow Dash said, "I saw a shadow fly by one of the windows. I think we should head back to Zecora's soon."

"Uh-huh," Twilight said, a half a dozen books floating in front of her, "sure."

"Twilight, did you hear me? It might be a changeling," Rainbow Dash said.

"What?" Twilight said.

"Pay attention! I know you want to find a cure for Trixie and Flim because you're worried the same thing could happen to you or Rarity, but the only way we might be able to fix them is by defeating the changelings. Isn't it possible that whatever magic they've done will dissolve once they're defeated?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Twilight sighed.

"I'm not sure, and that's why I'm so worried. What if we do defeat Chrysalis and they're still scrambled? What if they're permanently like this?" Twilight said.

Rainbow Dash could see the fear in her eyes. Magic was everything to Twilight. It'd be like if Rainbow Dash suddenly became an earth pony.

"We'll figure it out ok? Bring however many books you want to Zecora's; you can look into it there. We can't do it here because the changelings can get to us here, and I saw something move outside. It's been oddly quiet for the past hour or so; I don't trust it, so I think we should send this letter to Gilda and then get the hell out of here," Rainbow Dash said. Twilight nodded.

"You're right, I'm sorry," she said. She shook her head and began to magically pick up more books while dictate to Rainbow Dash. "The letter needs to be brief and to the point. I'm sure they've already heard what's happened to Equestria, especially if it's been like this for two and a half months. Say something like I'm sure you've heard that Equestria has been invaded and taken over. The same hostile forces are trying to make their way into Griffordia. Please prepare any necessary courses of action, for the changelings are growing stronger as they take the life forces out of ponies."

Rainbow Dash wrote as neatly and quickly as she could.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"You can sign your name and tell her you're safe for now, and that you're hoping we can fix this with the Elements of Harmony," Twilight said.

"Ok done," Rainbow Dash said.

"Excellent," Twilight said, "Do you know Gilda's address?"

"I can't remember the exact address," Rainbow Dash said, "but I remember it's on Feather Lane. It's a yellow house."

"Ok, that should be enough to get it to her," Twilight said. She made a neat pile of books and walked over to Rainbow Dash. "There should be some spare bags hopefully lying around somewhere; see if you can find them and start packing those books. Tell CloudsArmor and the Shadowbolt to do the same. It might take me a few minutes to get this spell just right."

Rainbow Dash remembered seeing some bags upstairs. She left the letter with Twilight and flew up the stairs. The door was closed.

That's weird... it was open the last time I was up here. I didn't close it.

Rainbow Dash slowly opened the door. She landed on the floor and stepped inside. The room was empty, save for the mess.

"Hello?" Rainbow Dash called. Nothing.

Ignoring the chill running up her spine, she quickly walked to where she had seen the bags, grabbed them, and headed back for the door. Something rustled across the room. A shadow moved. Rainbow Dash swiftly round-kicked and knocked somepony over.

"Oof!"

"Titan Wings?" Rainbow Dash said. Titan Wings slowly stood, rubbing the side of his head where Rainbow Dash had kicked him. He nodded his head.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be with Pinkie Pie and Rarity getting the cannon?" Rainbow Dash said. He coughed and shook his head.

"We finished early, so I came looking for you and Twilight; I was sent here to work specifically with her," he explained.

"Why were you skulking around? Why not just use the front door? CloudsArmor and the Shadowbolt are down there guarding it," Rainbow Dash said.

"I know, but I saw something shifty moving around the back, so I decided to follow it. I didn't see what it was though," he said.

"Do you think it was a changeling?" Rainbow Dash asked. Titan Wings shook his head.

"No, the changelings were all called away to deal with a problem at Canterlot," he said.

"Oh. What kind of problem?" Rainbow Dash asked. She headed towards the door again.

"A princessss problem," he said.

Rainbow Dash stopped. She turned her head.

"What did you just say?" she asked.

"I said a princess problem. Twilight helped a princess escape and the Queen called the changelings back to take care of her," he said, clearing his throat.

Rainbow Dash looked at him. He looked back. She slowly turned back around and headed downstairs. Twilight and CloudsArmor were waiting for her in the main part of the library, the books divided evenly and ready to be put into bags.

"What took you so long?" Twilight asked.

"Where's the Shadowbolt?" Rainbow Dash asked. Twilight took a bag from her and passed it to CloudsArmor.

"He saw something strange outside and decided to investigate it, and CloudsArmor decided to come inside in case there was an attack; he should be back any minute," Twilight said, taking a bag for herself. She began to stuff books inside. "I sent the letter. Hopefully Gilda will get it and act accordingly."

"Twilight," Rainbow Dash said. Twilight stopped packing and looked up at her at the sound of her worried tone.

"Titan Wings is upstairs," she said.

"What? Isn't he supposed to be with Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked. Rainbow Dash nodded.

"He said they finished early and he came looking for you," Rainbow Dash said. Just as she finished, Titan Wings poked his head out from the doorway on top of the stairs.

"Titan Wings, why aren't you with Pinkie and Rarity?" Twilight asked.

"As I was explaining to your friend, we finished our part early and I decided to come looking for you," he said. His eyes went from Twilight, to Rainbow Dash, to CloudsArmor and back. He slowly stepped out from the room and came downstairs.

"What's the matter?" Twilight asked.

"Well, I didn't want to make a fussss—problem, erm, a problem earlier, but the Shadowbolt and I don't get along very well. We consider them fake guards and their presence is unwelcome," he said.

Rainbow Dash's ear twitch. Something was off. She glanced at Twilight, but Twilight didn't notice.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't realize," she said. "Well he thought he saw something strange around the back and went to investigate. He'll be back soon."

"I think we should leave now, go back to base," Titan Wings said. "He can meet us there, can't he?"

"No, I want us to stick together as a group. That's the whole reason I made sure there was one of each kind of pony in each group, so they'd all have the same advantages in case of an attack," Twilight said.

"The changelings are gone for now, there's no need to worr—"

Titan Wings stopped and looked at the door. Rainbow Dash and Twilight did the same. The Shadowbolt had reappeared. It glared at Titan Wings and began to hiss at it.

"I told you, we don't get along," Titan Wings said.

"He didn't react like this towards you before," Rainbow Dash said suspiciously.

"I know, but now the tension has built up between us," Titan Wings said. Twilight finished packing her bag and began to pack the last few books in Rainbow Dash's.

"If you knew there was tension between you two, you should have stayed behind with Pinkie and the others at Zecora's," Twilight said, "You knew the Shadowbolt was our team."

Without warning, the Shadowbolt lunged at Titan Wings and tackled him to the ground.

"Hey! I will not stand by as one of my fellow soldiers is attacked!" CloudsArmor said. He made a move to charge at the Shadowbolt when Twilight stopped him.

"Wait! That's not Titan Wings; it's a changeling!"

Comments

[sister_mike]

[mbpony 512]

Yeah, I saw that coming when he pronunced his SSSSS!!!

Nice update and it would be interesting to see what happens next now that Rainbow and Twilight realize the danger they're in.