Chapter 6: The Best Laid Plans
Chapter 6: The Best Laid Plans
Night in Ponyville was rarely an excitable time. Only those few ponies wishing to take a moonlit walk beneath the wondrous stars and constellations overhead moved through the shadowed streets, enjoying the company of their closest companions and deepest thoughts.
But for the most part, everypony sequestered themselves within their houses, away from the biting chill, and bundled up in warm, soft blankets, grabbing a hot drink or two before retiring for the day.
At Golden Oaks Library, this routine was no different.
Twilight Sparkle sat in front of a wonderfully crackling fire, comfortably snuggled into a nest of blankets and cushions, a hot steaming mug of cocoa to one side and – predictably – a massive tome sitting dead center in front of her.
Why nopony ever checked out the Completely Comprehensive Compendium of Magical Complexities was totally beyond her, but they were definitely missing out.
She was just reaching chapter ninety-two, and fully intended to make it all the way to the last one-hundred-and-tenth that night, and she couldn’t be happier to do so.
After all, nights in Ponyville were quiet, subdued and very unexcitable affairs.
Usually.
She was just starting on that ninety-second chapter when something arose to disturb her; something unwelcome. Somepony was shouting.
Normally, being in a city like Ponyville, shouts were not unusual. If she jumped up every time somepony raised their voice outside her library, she’d have some pretty cramped legs.
But that voice was getting closer, and… it was starting to sound just a little familiar.
It got louder and louder, soon growing loud enough for it to break Twilight’s usually impenetrable focus for good.
Of course, by that point, the intruder was throwing open the library door with such force that it rattled the nearby windows.
“HELP!”
Twilight turned her head, shocked, and only grew more alarmed by who she saw panting inside the front door, face pale and eyes wide with panic.
“Apple Bloom? What’s going on?”
The little filly was frightened; Twilight could see that very easily as she quickly got to her hooves and rushed over. “What are you doing here this late at night?”
Apple Bloom rushed to meet her, unable to sit still at all. Her words poured from her mouth in a rush, and only countless encounters with a certain hyperactive party pony let Twilight make sense of any of it at all.
“Ah-Ah don’t—There was this loud noise, and Big Mac was shoutin’ and Rainbow Dash was there a-and Ah heard somepony say somethin’ ‘bout changelin’s on the farm a-a-and—and…”
She trailed off, her mouth flying but her voice failing to synchronize for a second. “A-and… Ah think Applejack got hurt…”
Twilight’s eyes got huge, key bits of information hitting her like open-handed slaps.
changelings… Applejack’s hurt…
“Where are they?” She asked sharply, all of her considerable faculties switching to red-alert mode.
“At the farm,” Apple Bloom replied. “You gotta hurry Twilight! My whole family could be in danger!”
“Alright, you stay here,” Twilight ordered. “As soon as the princesses and my brother hear about this, they’ll bring in the whole Equestrian army to deal with the problem!”
She turned around quickly, heading for the nearest writing desk in the corner. “All I gotta do is –”
In a flash, a panicking Apple Bloom skidded to a halt in front of her. “We ain't got time to send a letter! Applejack’s in trouble right now!”
Twilight took a step back in surprise. “Well, that’s true. But…”
“There ain't no time fer buts!” Apple Bloom cried, pushing Twilight’s chest insistently. “There’s no tellin’ what those changelin’s have in store fer my sister!”
Twilight wheeled her legs, astonished by the little earth pony’s strength. She knew she wasn’t perhaps the best example of pony physique, but finding herself being shoved across the floor by a little filly was actually starting to get just a little embarrassing.
“W-wait a second, Apple Bloom! Just give me a second to –”
“Just get to the farm already!” the little filly snapped in irritation, and with one last mighty shove, she all-but threw the purple unicorn from her own house, slamming the door hard behind her.
With that, she collapsed with her back to the door and heaved a long-suffering sigh.
“Unbelievable,” she grumbled to herself. “That pony is such a hoof-full. Maker, this is going to be one long night…”
“Uh…”
The filly flinched, muscles tensing in alarm.
She’d failed to notice the other resident standing near the entrance to the kitchen, a broom in his claws, his eyes wide in surprise.
“I-Ah mean… ain't she?”
Spike blinked, nonplussed.
“Since when did you stop speaking like Applejack?”
“J-just practicin’,” Apple Bloom said quickly. “Ya know, Cutie Mark Crusaders Linguistics Experts!”
“Ling-what?”
“Oh wow, it’s sure late out,” Apple Bloom said, thoroughly ignoring the baby dragon to instead turn a startled eye out the nearby darkened window. “Ah-Ah’ll just be… you know… upstairs.”
And with that, she darted up the flight of steps and away from the utterly confused baby dragon still lingering in front of the kitchen.
“…What the heck was that all about?”
Spike scratched his head. Now he was curious, and quite frankly, rather suspicious. Apple Bloom being off the farm in the middle of the night, speaking without that Apple family twang, and pretty much throwing Twilight out the front door…
Maybe he was imagining things, but that didn’t seem like normal behavior, and considering the dozens of lectures on ponies and normal versus abnormal behavior he’d been getting from Twilight ever since the wedding…
Spike eased towards the staircase, eyeing up the flight to the landing above.
Nothing. Well, he couldn’t really see much from where he was; only a thin sliver of the room above, the curvature of the staircase getting in the way.
“Uh… Apple Bloom?” he called hopefully.
No response.
Spike fidgeted a bit, unsure if he really did need to go up there… To which he smacked himself in the face.
Come on, it’s just Apple Bloom. What’s the worst she can do?
So, he clambered up the stairs, eyes and ears trained on the opening above.
It only took him a few seconds to get all the way to the top and cast an eye around the open space – Twilight’s personal study, with both of their beds on an alcove to the other side of the room from him.
A lamp was on up by Twilight’s bed, but the light was at too odd of an angle to light up the landing below, leaving much of the shared bedroom and study barely lit.
“Apple Bloom, where—”
Zap!
The baby dragon never saw the spell coming. Before he could even react, a bolt of emerald light struck him right between the eyes, dropping him like a sack of potatoes.
A moment later, the study was filled with the sounds of soft snoring, snoring that very nearly drowned out a faint but beleaguered sigh.
What a mess… I’m getting too old for this…
While the baby dragon slept, one thumb in his mouth, he was lifted gingerly off the ground in a sheen of green magic, floated through the air, and carefully placed in his little bed.
I’m sorry, but I can’t afford to have my cover blown… not yet.
‘Apple Bloom’ looked out the nearest window, towards the gleaming crescent moon, worry weighing heavily on her heart.
I pray Twilight Sparkle hurries… there isn’t much time left…
~~***~~
Applejack twitched in her sleep, kicking slightly.
Unfortunately, the limb she fidgeted happened to be her unbandaged foreleg, and the sensation of raw chitin scraping over any surface wasn’t an entirely pleasant one.
Disturbed by the splinter of pain that ran up to her shoulder, Applejack groaned and cracked an eye open, not quite here or there yet.
“Ma…?”
A darkened bedroom met her bleary eyes, lit only by the soft moonlight streaming in through the window over her head. Much of her surroundings were nothing but black masses of shadows, and yet the general layout of them struck her as familiar.
Slowly, her head came back on right as she woke up.
Right… The cottage…
But something was niggling at her, a little incessant spark of insecurity. Something wasn’t quite…
A hearty snore nearly made her jump clean out of bed.
Only then did the farmer notice the other mare slumped against her bed, looking like she’d passed out halfway through the act of jumping on top of her.
Even in sleep, though, Rainbow still looked a mess. The burns in her mane and coat conflicted too much with the prismatic and cyan colors of each. Just the sight of the charred patches made Applejack wince.
To distract herself, she looked over her damaged forelimb, raising it just enough to avoid rubbing it on the rough blanket on top of her.
What surprised her was how well it looked.
The green shimmering light across her chitin was relegated to only a few small splotches here and there; tiny little dots compared to the mass of burns it’d been before she’d fallen asleep.
Applejack blinked, surprised at her progress. Granted she’d never been hurt this badly before, but… her recovery was going a lot faster than she’d thought to expect. She was still nowhere near tip-top shape, but she was getting there.
For a brief moment, her thoughts drifted back to when she’d accidentally sent Rainbow flying, and as she thought on it, she started to frown in suspicion…
The sound of the front door rasping over the floorboards in the den immediately snapped Applejack back to full awareness of her surroundings.
She quickly darted her eyes over to the entryway – clearly visible from her bed, what with the bedroom door being swung wide – and immediately found the intruder.
Big Macintosh was kind of conspicuous in any room.
He quietly trudged inside, doing his level best to avoid making too much noise, gingerly placing his hooves with every step and grunting slightly in annoyance whenever a floorboard complained.
He only froze when he noticed out of the corner of his eye an amber-maned shape rising from a cot.
Applejack carefully extracted herself from underneath Rainbow’s pinning hooves, a task that likely would’ve been impossible if it were with anypony but the practically comatose pegasus.
In just a few moments and after a lot of wiggling and wriggling, however, she managed to get her hooves free, allowing her to sit on the edge of the bed properly.
Her whole body was covered in bandages, a lot more than she’d thought. Each leg was wrapped in gauze, and her entire barrel was practically mummified in creamy white wrappings.
She managed to restrain a sigh as she reached to the bedpost beside her for her Stetson…
And swung her hoof through open air.
Blinking in confusion, she turned an eye towards the unadorned bedpost. It took her nearly five seconds to comprehend that her hat was gone, and a whole five more seconds to realize why it wasn’t there.
After all, very little survived changeling fire. She’d already literally burned through five or six other hats just because she forgot to take it off when she changed.
But those had happened on an average day, and were easily fixed with a quick trip in town.
Applejack didn’t have that luxury now, and already her head was feeling uncomfortably exposed.
Well, no point cryin’ over spilt milk…
She distracted herself with a stretch, an unabashed yawn, and promptly slid off the mattress and onto her hooves , no matter how much her legs complained otherwise. Sure, she was still weak, but she was also awake; just lying in bed would get her thinking again.
Of course, she could practically feel Mac’s disapproving look being leveled at her head, but she ignored it until she’d managed to move out of the bedroom. Only then did she greet her brother with a smile.
“Evenin’ Macintosh,” she whispered. Rainbow might sleep like the dead, but that didn’t give AJ an excuse to be inconsiderate. “You been outside this whole time?”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac responded. He then cast a critical eye over Applejack, who was moving towards the kitchenette. “How ya feelin’?”
Applejack knew what his real question was almost right away. She gave him a reassuring smile without turning around. “Ah’ll live,” she stated, rolling her neck.
For just a moment, the expression on the big draft horse’ face cracked, wincing slightly.
“… Ya scared me.”
Applejack’s smile fell away, replaced instead with a repentant look. “Ah’m sorry, BM. Ah just –”
“Ah know,” Mac sighed. He glanced over her shoulder, towards the snoring form of Rainbow. “Ah probably would’ve done the same.”
Applejack looked away, frowning at the open window and towards the crescent moon just visible through the old apple trees swaying outside.
“Ya know, Ah probably should’ve stood my ground and bucked some changelin’ heads in, but…”
Applejack felt a chill run down her spin as she recalled the memory. “Their leader – Vigil… when he said ta dispose of Rainbow, fightin’ became the least of my worries.”
She shivered again. “It just weren’t no risk Ah felt like takin’.”
The changeling could still feel Big Mac’s eyes on the back of her head, but she didn’t feel like turning around.
“Ah guess my first mistake was tryin’ ta imitate Twi’,” she chuckled quietly. “Should’ve known better, honestly. My magic never did feel like cooperatin’ none. But it’s like ya told me way back when; as long as Dash, or any one of my friends for that matter, is in dire straits, it don’t matter what method Ah used ta get ‘em safe, so long as they are.”
She heaved a sigh and sat down on the floor, her shoulders slumping a bit. “Ah just wish Ah didn’t need ta count on bein’ a changeling ta do it.”
She looked at her extended foreleg for a few seconds, lost in thought. Judging by the look on her face, though, Big Mac doubted she was pondering nostalgic thoughts.
Without a word, Applejack suddenly and quite spontaneously started unraveling the thick wrapping of bandages around her legs.
Big Mac watched in curiosity, not entirely sure whether he should stop her or not.
But halfway through her work, Applejack paused, something seemingly occurring to her.
“Macintosh… did ya come in earlier? While Ah was asleep?”
The stallion paused, confused.
“Nope. Why?”
Applejack’s expression became hard to read, and considering Big Mac’s usual knack for seeing through his sister, that was saying something.
“Ah guess it was nothing. Ah could’ve sworn, though…”
“…Sworn what?”
“… Nothin’. Just my nerves playin’ tricks on me.”
Both siblings sat in silence after that as Applejack worked. But as the last bandage fell away from her barrel, Big Mac felt his breath catch in his throat.
Whereas the burns on her forelegs had been obscured by the black coloration of her chitin, the amber bands on her sides left nothing to the imagination.
He could clearly see the diagonal scorch marks running from shoulder to hip, looking like the slashes inflicted by some vicious animal.
And of course, the wounds glowed in a shimmering green light like smoldering coals, outlining them further for anyone to see.
Disturbingly – to Big Mac, at least – the wounds had actually greatly improved. By now, they looked like barely more than superficial chitin damage, whereas before…
Applejack didn’t see her brother openly shiver this time. She was too busy unraveling the rest of her bandages.
“What’re ya doin’?” Big Mac couldn’t help but ask at last.
She turned to give him a sheepish look. “Ah’m sorry, Macintosh, but Ah’m gonna go crazy if Ah gotta spend another minute lookin’ like this.”
At last, she peeled away the final bandage on her haunches and stepped away from the pile of shed gauze.
Big Mac winced against the sudden flare of emerald light, momentarily robbing him of his night vision.
In the bedroom, Rainbow grumbled, shying away from the flash, but stayed where she was.
It’d only taken a heartbeat to pass, but once the sensation like a hot summer’s wind had finished blowing over her, Applejack opened her eyes again, once more wearing her favorite orange coat of fur and beloved cutie mark.
But to Big Mac, that only made things worse. Now he could see all of the damage inflicted by the magical backlash.
Each burn stood out in clear contrast, black on orange. He was mildly – and quite morbidly – impressed that her transformation added the inclusion of charred fur outlining each point of injury, but it was only a mark of how much the burns disturbed him that he even saw the blackened hair at all.
But there was an immediate consequence to Applejack’s change, one that Big Mac saw and the mare in question felt.
Nopony would’ve missed the lack of emerald light smoldering on her skin, especially considering how dark the room was. But now it was gone. Her internal magic was once more being channeled the earth pony way.
And for once, Big Mac didn’t like it.
“Applejack, maybe you should –”
But his sister cut him off. “It’s fine, Macintosh. It looks a whole heck of a lot worse than it actually is.”
Still without looking towards her brother, she started on the task of wrapping herself up again.
Halfway through the first loop around her chest, however, she ran into difficulties.
“Consarnit… Just a little… ugh…”
She turned an embarrassed eye towards her brother, grinning sheepishly. “Um… could ya, perhaps, give me a hoof?”
Big Mac sighed, both internally and externally. A brother’s work was never done…
~~***~~
It didn’t take long to get Applejack properly bound in bandages once more, much to Big Mac’s relief. Having to wrap up his own sister in gauze was not an experience he’d treasure.
“Ah still think ya should let yerself heal more,” he repeated doggedly, to which Applejack sighed loudly. “Ah already told ya once, BM, and Ah’ll tell ya again – Ah can heal up just fine without my changeling magic.”
“And if we come across more changelin’s?” Big Mac said pointedly.
Applejack hesitated for a second, but she was unmoved. “Ah can handle myself, Macintosh. ‘Sides, Ah got you and Rainbow watchin’ my back.”
The moment the last bandage was in place, Applejack stood up and took a step back towards the nearby window, away from her brother.
The stallion in question didn’t rise so fast, however, and instead watched his sister carefully – specifically, the bullheaded edge to her eyes.
“So, what’re ya plannin’ on doin’?” he asked, carefuly scrutinizing his sister’s expression for the faintest reaction.
Even though she was partially turned away, he still saw the heaviness cross her eyes.
And then it hit him. He could see it in the forlorn edge to her features.
“Applejack, no,” he said in a harder tone.
“What do ya want me ta do then,” she snapped quietly, scowling at the window.
Macintosh rose off the ground, a scowl of his own on his face. “And how is runnin’ away gonna solve anythin’?”
Applejack was silent for a moment. Only the sounds of Rainbow’s snoring broke the total stillness in the cottage.
“Ah’ve given this a lot of thought, BM.”
“Bull.”
Applejack snapped her head around, astonishment written all over her face. “Ah beg yer pardon?”
“Ya heard me,” Macintosh stated icily. “Bull. Ya ain't thought this through at all.”
Applejack spun around in a flash, furious. “Ah have, too,” she snapped back. “The longer Ah’m on this farm, the more chances Ah get ta put you, Granny Smith and Apple Bloom in danger! Think about it fer a sec, Macintosh; If Rainbow and Ah hadn’t stepped away from the farmhouse, they would’ve attacked it instead!”
A pained glint flashed through Applejack’s eyes, marring her anger. “Ah ain't gonna do that to ya, our family or my friends.”
But instead of faltering like she’d hoped, Macintosh suddenly advanced a step, coming real close to butting heads with her. “Did ya think about maybe standin’ yer ground like ya said?” he shot.
“What would that get done,” Applejack snapped back. “They’ll just keep comin’ BM. There’ll never stop bein’ another Vigil, no matter how many we pound into the dirt.”
Applejack’s shoulders started to slump, the fury in her eyes getting steadily more brittle. “They know about me now, and as long as Ah live, they’ll never give up on comin’ after me. So the first chance Ah get, Ah’m makin’ myself scarce.”
“Applejack –”
“Ah’ve made up my mind, Macintosh,” she snapped. “This’s what’s gotta be done for everypony’s sakes.”
“Bull.”
For the third time that night, that word crossed Applejack’s ears. Only this time, it didn’t come from the stallion standing practically forehead to forehead with her.
That was the moment AJ realized that the snoring at stopped.
She turned, and immediately found herself eye to eye with another pony – this one with far fewer qualms about personal space invasion.
Rainbow Dash stared her friend down with real anger, looking like she hadn’t been asleep at all.
“Since when did Applejack run from a fight, huh?”
“This ain't a fight worth fightin’, RD,” Applejack snapped back.
“Not worth fighting?!”
Applejack actually staggered back a step, startled.
“Since when has fighting for your farm not been worth fighting for to you,” Rainbow snarled at her.
“Since there’ll be no end to the fightin’ if Ah did!” Applejack shot back.
“Then don’t stop fighting!”
“Ah can’t!”
“Why not?!”
“AH AIN'T LOSIN’ ANYPONY!” Applejack roared.
Now it was Rainbow’s turn to falter back a step.
“Ah ain't gonna lose you, or Big Macintosh, or Granny Smith, or Apple Bloom, or ANYPONY over a fight Ah can’t win, ya hear me?!”
Rainbow’s eyes got wide in shock, but Applejack ignored it. She ignored the shaking in her limbs and the hotness around her eyes and continued letting words rip from her throat.
“Do ya know what it was like hearin’ Vigil tell them changelin’s to kill ya, RD? Do ya know what it’ll do ta me if he does?! Ah ain't gonna let that be on my conscience if Ah have anythin’ to say about it, and if Ah can keep that from happenin’ by gettin’ as far away from here as Ah can, then that’s EXACTLY what Ah’m gonna do!”
“Applejack…”
Hearing Mac’s soft voice snapped her out of it. Like a fever breaking, the anger inside of Applejack started to dissipate, silencing her voice and leaving her panting.
For the first time, she felt just how much she was shaking. She quickly wiped at her eyes, eliminating any chance of that stinging in each corner becoming something worse.
“Th-this ain't open fer discussion, sugarcube,” she said in a shaky voice. “The changelin’s don’t want you, or the farm. All they’re after is me, and once they catch wind that Ah skipped town, they’ll come runnin’ and leave Ponyville be. It’s the only way ta be sure nopony gets hurt because of me… Ah ain't gotta like it, but it’s what’s gotta be done.”
Rainbow was quiet for a while, her eyes wide with shock, but after a moment, her ears started to pick back up again.
“Alright, Applejack, I get it… but I’m coming with you.”
“No ya—”
“Yes I am, and that ain't open for discussion either, got it? Like hay I’m gonna let one of my friends handle a whole army on their own. Are you nuts?”
She took a step forward, a determined glint in her eye. “You’ve always had everypony’s back when they needed it the most. It’s about time somepony had yours.”
She suddenly cocked a rather wicked and unsettling smirk at her friend, one that Applejack didn’t care for too much. “Besides, I really doubt you’re gonna get rid of me. You’re not even half as awesome as it’d take to pull that off.”
Applejack sighed, struggling to find some way – any way – to dissuade her friend. She really only had one ‘big gun’ left in that regard.
“Rainbow, if ya come with me, ya ain't ever gonna get the chance at bein’ a Wonderbolt. Ya know that, right?”
As she’d hoped, Rainbow faltered, hesitating in a way that clearly said that she’d never paused to consider that.
“See, sugarcube, ya got plenty ta lose if ya –”
“Yeah, like my best friend.”
This time, Applejack missed a step out of surprise.
There was that determined edge to Rainbow’s eyes again, that bullheaded glint that Applejack was growing to hate with a passion.
“So, I guess that just means we’re gonna have to find a way to solve this, even if it means beating down every last changeling from here to the Badlands to do it,” she stated, a confident note edging into her voice. “And luckily for you, you happen to have the most awesome pony in Equestria helping you. We got this in the bag so much I almost feel bad for Vigil.”
Applejack didn’t want to give in, she really didn’t. She knew saying anything other than ‘no’ would be a huge mistake. If Rainbow came with her, it would be on Applejack’s head for ruining her life.
The best thing to do was tell her no…
“…Alright, sugarcube. You win.”
And she was going to hate her for it.
~~***~~
Nighttime on Sweet Apple Acres was rarely an excitable time.
Only the breeze moved through the autumn trees, causing them to sigh and rustle across the property – end to end – in a great rippling wave, again and again.
The crickets had long since gone to bed. The owls watched warily from their perches, silent and observant, just waiting for the first sign of lunch to come their way.
Only the pale moonlight cast itself over the orchards, shafts occasionally making it past the canopies to dapple the ground in almost unnoticeable pools of light.
The stars twinkled down from on high, painting an eternal tapestry overhead beyond compare.
The night air was clear and crisp – so clear that if anypony were to cast their eyes towards it, the lights of Canterlot could just be seen gleaming in the distance like a gilded tiara.
Yes, nights on Sweet Apple Acres were usually quiet, subdued and very unexcitable affairs.
Usually.
Three ponies moved through the shadows of the apple trees like ghosts, inching along only to zip from one island of darkened cover to the next, once they were certain that their course was clear.
More than a few eyes were turned skyward, but none were stargazing.
“Scout!”
All three ground to a halt, diving for cover, and waited motionlessly.
“...Wait… sorry, that was an owl.”
“Consarnit, Rainbow…”
Applejack peered out from around the trunk of a tree, once more scanning the sky for any flitting shapes.
But the longer she looked, the longer she went without seeing any.
And it was starting to make her edgy.
“Where in tarnation are they,” she muttered under her breath. “Ah’d have bet bits on runnin’ into at least one search party by now.”
“Maybe they called it a night?” Rainbow offered.
“Nope.”
Applejack ignored the exchange, and instead focused on her thoughts. She knew that Vigil had plenty of changelings with him, more than enough to swarm all over Sweet Apple Acres in a matter of hours.
Actually, the fact that they’d managed to linger in the cottage for so long was even more ominous. Vigil had known about that place, and yet they’d gone hours without so much as spotting a single changeling.
Applejack’s gut was telling her that they were walking into a trap, and her gut hadn’t steered her wrong before. Well, mostly.
“Ah think we need ta go a different way,” she muttered.
Beside her, Rainbow groaned. “We’ve changed course, like, ten times already. I say we make a run for it and cross our hooves.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “You would suggest something that featherbrained.”
“Well, sooner or later we are gonna run into somepony and miss our chance to make a clean break.”
Applejack frowned, still watching the motionless orchards for any sign of foreign movement. “No… somethin’ ain't right. As gung-ho as Vigil was to catch us, why is he holdin’ out now?”
“Should we really be wondering instead of, you know, moving?”
“Fine. Just keep both eyes out fer anythin’, alright?”
“So do what I’ve been doing. Got it.”
Applejack rolled her eyes again, but started moving anyway, this time clinging to the shadows of trees even harder.
Not one of them so much as noticed the tangle of holey, twitching limbs heaped in a ditch not far away.
~~***~~
“Are you sure this is that important, dear?”
“Yes, I’m positive, Rarity. You know I wouldn’t wake you at this hour if it wasn’t.”
The white unicorn glowered at her friend. It was obvious that she’d just rolled out of bed, given that her mane was a nest of violet, cylindrical curlers, a sleep mask still perched just beyond her horn in a meaningful gesture.
“I certainly hope so, Twilight. For both our sakes.”
The librarian chuckled nervously. The fashionista didn’t.
They were both doing the one thing Rarity would never, under normal circumstances, find herself doing; walking, in the absolute middle of the night, down a dirt road towards Sweet Apple Acres.
And were it not for the rather restless unicorn beside her, she wouldn’t ever dream of partaking in such an activity in the first place.
Of course, a panicking Twilight can be very demanding, and she’d already been reminded twice in recent months that even if it seemed otherwise, Twilight didn’t panic without a good cause.
That didn’t mean she had to pretend to like it.
“Twilight, darling, are you certain you heard correctly?” she asked again, carefully scrutinizing her friend’s demeanor.
The indignation was easy to see, as was the slight flare of annoyance and large dose of certainty. But nowhere did she spot any signs of doubt, or even the possibility that Twilight might just be punishing her for some unfathomable reason, or even flat out lying.
“Yes I did, Rarity. Apple Bloom was adamant that Applejack was in trouble, and that changelings were involved.”
Rarity sighed. “I wish they’d choose a better time for this, then. I won’t turn up my nose at saving Equestria every now and then, but messing with my beauty sleep is where I draw the line.”
She suddenly adopted a scathing glower, leveling it down the dirt road ahead of them. “And if I find out Applejack is just having some fun out our expense, I am going to do the worst, most terrible thing that pony could ever dream of.”
Twilight bit her lip, suddenly very nervous. “Um… and that is…?”
“Two words, Twilight. Spa. Day.”
Twilight couldn’t help but be pulled up short, blinking in surprise. “Uh… huh?”
“And she will loathe it,” Rarity cackled, eye twitching. “And it shall be glorious…”
“Um… Rarity?”
The fashion pony blinked, coming back to her senses. She coughed lightly into the back of one hoof, recomposing herself in a flash. “Yes, well… Forgive me, Twilight. A lack of proper sleep makes me… testy.”
Twilight turned a concerned eye towards her friend, pausing for a moment. “I’m sorry, Rarity. I know you don’t like being pulled out of bed in the middle of the night, but –”
“No, no, I understand, darling,” she dismissed carelessly. “Think nothing of it.”
The fact that she’d been up for almost forty-eight hours straight working on a rush-order for Hoity Toity was not something she felt like mentioning. Minor details like that mattered little in the face of the possibility of there being a friend in need.
“Now, I hope I’m not the only pony you came to with this.”
“Oh no,” Twilight said, shaking her head. “I had Pinkie go get Fluttershy and they’ll meet us… there?”
Rarity turned, confused at her friend’s stutter.
“Is something wrong, dear?”
But Twilight wasn’t looking at her. She’d frozen mid-step in surprise; her brows knitted and eyes focused on something not far down the road.
“Uh… What are you doing out here so late?”
“My question precisely,” said Vigil.
~~***~~
Applejack had a very bad feeling.
“Hold up, sugarcube…”
Once more, Rainbow groaned, rubbing at her face in frustration. “Ugh, now what?”
“Ah’m tellin’ ya,” she muttered looking around, “somethin’ ain't right…”
They’ve made it over halfway through the orchards by then, and still they’d come across nothing. Not so much as a single buzz from a changeling wing-beat had reached her ears. It was as if the farm was completely abandoned.
Applejack had a very bad feeling in her gut indeed…
“It’s only a little ways to the front gate,” Rainbow pointed out. “Face it, AJ, if we were going to run into anypony, it would’ve happened by now.”
“That’s what Ah’m tellin’ ya,” Applejack muttered, still casting her eyes about.
In the distance and through the trees, she could just make out the hulking shape of the family barn’s silhouette. It was indistinct – mostly just a patch of sky hugging the horizon where there were no stars – but the sight of it made her feel jittery. They were almost there…
“Applejack.”
She whipped her head around probably a bit quicker than was called for, considering the pony who’d spoken was crouching right next to her.
“Somethin’ on yer mind, Macintosh?”
He was quiet for a moment, his lips pursing just a little before he parted them to speak.
“Ya don’t have ta do this.”
Applejack sighed, turning away from her brother. “Yes Ah do, BM, we’ve been over this.”
“And Ah suppose ya don’t want me comin’ with.”
Applejack winced. Her brother hadn’t said that like a question. “No, Ah don’t. Somepony’s gotta look after Granny and Apple Bloom ‘till she’s old enough ta start applebuckin’.”
“Ya know she’s gonna ask questions.”
Applejack sagged a bit. “Ah know, and Ah won’t hold it against ya if ya tell her the truth. Ah don’t expect ya ta lie on my part.”
Big Mac frowned. “Ya need ta be the one ta tell her, Applejack.”
“Great,” Rainbow interjected impatiently from Applejack’s other side, “we’ll swing by the inn on our way out of town, maybe stop by Sugarcube Corner and grab some cupcakes. Let’s just go already!”
“Alright, alright,” Applejack sighed, shaking her head. She was already very much regretting caving to the pegasus’ demands. “Let’s just take this nice and…”
She hesitated, her ears twitching as something… anomalous reached her ears, something that the night air shouldn’t contain. It wasn’t the buzz of changelings, that was for certain, but that only made it even stranger… and unsettling.
“Do… y’all hear that?”
~~***~~
Two earth ponies and a pegasus crept carefully towards the source of that ominous noise – clinking and banging… and voices. Lots of voices.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh crawled practically on their bellies towards their destination, bodies tense and ready to run or fight, whichever cropped up first.
Not even Rainbow found it in her to complain about the snail’s pace they moved at now. She just stayed quiet, muscles keyed and senses primed for the slightest glimpse of trouble.
The silence left Applejack’s mind free to race. They were almost to the front of the property now; just a hill separated them from the dirt road into Ponyville.
But the closer they got, the louder those noises seemed to become.
She was starting to dread what she’d find just as they reached the top of the hill. All three exchanged apprehensive looks, and then pushed forward, teeth gritted and shoulders squared.
What they found still stopped them cold.
Guards. Lots and lots of guards.
The entire front of Sweet Apple Acres swarmed with gold armor-wearing stallions, more than Applejack had ever seen before – even at Canterlot.
It seemed like every fence post had a guard stationed at it, their backs set to the Apple family orchards, spears aimed towards the night sky like sharpened flag poles.
When Applejack saw the extensive barricade being constructed just on the other side of the front gate, she understood what was happening.
Vigil was penning them in.
He’d guessed what she’d do all along. And now all she could do was stare in dawning horror as his final preparations were set in place. More guards were marching up the dirt road, far too many to be normal…
It was impossible to think that they were all changelings, though. There were just too many.
From her spot beside her, Rainbow summed up all of Applejacks thoughts in just a single line.
“That’s… bad, huh?”
“Yes, sugarcube… That’s very bad.”
“’Kay, just checking.”
~~***~~
“Please, Vigil, you have to let us onto the property! Our friends could be in danger!”
“I’m sorry, Miss Sparkle, but I have already told you I can’t,” responded Vigil blandly without turning around or pausing his stride. “I cannot risk sending Captain Shining’s sister into a danger zone. I apologize, but you must understand that the risk is too great.”
Twilight hurried to follow the royal investigator, undaunted. “I know how to handle myself,” she responded.
“I’m sure, but you are not a trained professional,” Vigil stated coolly. “It is in everypony’s best interest if you and your friends remain here, where it is safe, and don’t attempt any brazen heroics that might hamper our efforts.”
But Twilight was not so easily dissuaded. “Then let me be of some assistance! I learned quite a bit about changelings and how to fight them in Canterlot. See, look!”
Without warning, she suddenly whipped around towards one of the guards standing at attention to one side, and without waiting another moment, she threw a bolt of violet magic straight at him.
To his credit, the guard only jumped a little bit. His cry of surprise could even be construed as masculine alarm.
But after a brief pulse of magic surged from one end of his form to the other, it became clear that nothing had actually happened.
Yet, that seemed to only bolster Twilight even more. “See? It’s safe to say that this guard isn’t a changeling at all.”
No pony spoke for a second. They just stared.
Or, in Rarity’s case – who’d been following behind her friend – she hid her face behind one hoof, stifling a groan.
Vigil was still for a moment, his eyes on the guard until the spell had passed. Some might think his look was thoughtful. Others who knew him wouldn’t be so naïve.
“So… it would seem,” Vigil said after a moment of internal recomposing. “However, I assure you that we have a team of ponies dedicated to that very task, Miss Sparkle.”
He started walking again, much to Twilight’s building annoyance. “Wait! There has to be something I can do!”
Rarity only sighed and cantered after her friend, feeling even more tired than before.
The moment they were out of earshot, the guard that’d been on the receiving end of Twilight’s scanning spell let out a huff.
“Crazy unicorn…,” he muttered, then glanced to the guard stationed right next to him. “Right?”
“Right,” the other guard responded, his helmet hiding how much he’d started sweating on such a chilly night.
~~***~~
Applejack sat just behind cover, her eyes fixed on the scene at the bottom of her hill. She darted her gaze here and there, looking for even the slightest opening, the smallest chink in Vigil’s armor.
She found none.
Every second, more guards were piling in, a vermillion stallion giving directions amid the arranged staging ground. Every second, more platoons were moving off to shore up the perimeter even more. By the time she reached any corner of the property, there’d be a guard waiting for her.
Applejack was starting to panic even worse, her nerves fraying quicker and quicker. There was just no way they could –
And then she saw her, her eyes zeroing in on the purple coat at the exact same moment Rainbow did.
“Oh my gosh… it’s Twilight.”
Applejack could only stare in horror, her heart thudding in her chest. Yet there her friend was, clearly irritated and speaking in a raised voice at the back of none other than Vigil himself.
Worse, all three spotted Rarity at almost the exact same moment, looking rather bored and very tired, though she hid her worried glances well.
Neither pony had any idea what they’d just walked into.
There was no telling how many changelings surrounded them. All Applejack understood was that they were standing dead center in the thick of the activity, Twilight apparently trying to have words with Vigil, who was doing his level best to ignore her.
“What’re we going to do,” Rainbow breathed, panic starting to set in. “We can’t just leave them there.”
“Ah know, sugarcube,” Applejack hissed. “Just let me think fer a sec…”
But as she watched, Vigil turned. He was heading towards the vermillion stallion and an absolute throng of possible threats to her oblivious friends.
She was running out of time.
~~***~~
“Please wait for just a moment, Vigil,” Twilight cried, her impatience getting the better of her. “Please, there has to be something I can do! I can’t just leave my friends in there, alone and quite possibly injured!”
Vigil didn’t slow down. “I’m getting the feeling that you are not going to go home, Miss Sparkle,” he stated.
“Not without Applejack and Rainbow Dash!” she stated resolutely.
Vigil paused, but didn’t turn around. “I see. One moment, if you will.”
He turned his eyes towards the vermillion stallion still relaying orders to awaiting guards. He hesitated, however, when he caught Vigil’s eye.
“Is something wrong, sir?” he asked.
The mustard stallion bit back his first response, and instead chose to ignore it. “Has Lieutenant Hyacinth and her squad returned yet?”
The vermillion stallion shook his head slowly. “I’m afraid not. We haven’t heard a word from them yet.”
Vigil remained expressionless. “Very well. Then let’s move on to the next phase.”
The vermillion stallion blinked in surprise, then threw a smart salute. “Yes sir.”
“Uh… What next phase?” asked Twilight, her eyes flashing between Vigil and his lieutenant. “And… shouldn’t it be a big deal, losing an entire squad?”
“There’s no need to worry,” Vigil said without turning around. “Everything is going how I expected it would. Now then…”
This time, he turned around, leveling a very disconcerting look towards the purple unicorn.
“Perhaps there is something you can do for us after all.”
“Uh… alright,” Twilight responded, suddenly less full of fire as before.
“Then, after you,” Vigil said, waving a hoof towards an awaiting tent. A tent without guards.
Twilight hesitated, feeling quite unsure. “Well… if it means getting my friends out of there sooner…”
“NO!”
~~***~~
Everypony in front of the farm froze at the sound of two unified voices shouting out from behind the barricade. As one, every single pair of eyes turned towards the source. Well over a hundred gazes fell upon two mares – a cyan pegasus and an orange earth pony – standing atop a nearby hill.
There was an eternal moment of silence as everypony stared in shock.
All except for one stallion.
Applejack saw Vigil turn to look her way, but he did not wear the expression of somepony caught off guard.
To her horror, she saw only a look of calm, calculated affirmation, as if…
As if he’d been counting on just such an outburst all along.
In that moment, Applejack realized that she’d just done the absolute worst thing she possibly could have. She’d given herself away.
Vigil’s trap was sprung.
“Oh… Horseapples.”
The moment Rainbow spoke, the spell broke, and everything started happening in rapid succession, one on top of the other.
“Seize them!” bellowed the vermillion stallion.
“Run!” shouted Big Mac.
And all at once, everyone was moving. A surge of royal guards vaulted clean over the bordering fence, brandishing spears as they thundered up the hill in a singular wave of bodies.
At the exact same moment, Applejack, Rainbow and Macintosh turned and bolted back the way they’d come as fast as equinely possible.
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Freaking heros not understanding how having their loved ones used against them works. "Let's run away and leave my friends unsuspecting and unguarded! That'll solve my problems."
Bwahahahahahaha! I knew you had it in you! double update!
Oh, thank you for not leaving us on that cliffhanger! Very gentlemanly thing for you to do old chap!
"They are only after me"
Implying that vigil fights fair
Lets NOT do the unexpected and let twilight know that you are a changeling and letting BM and rainbow vouch for you
Lets NOT ask twilight to use the changeling spell on vigil with the argument that he has nothing to fear from it
Lets do what he wants us to do and run which will make all of us look suspicious to the point where all our words will be deemed as lies by default
He he he, very good now to read the next part
Did you mean a draft horse's by chance?
Shredded?
Can't comment much, need next chapter.
Hello ^_^ Sooooo I have a few critiques - just somethings that've been bugging me since I started reading. You have a tendency to give every dialogue it's own paragraph. It makes it hard to tell who's speaking, at times. Also, you tend to make one, two, or three sentence paragraphs - which is okay, except that it kinda gives the idea that
every
sentence
is
important
and must be emphasized by having it's own paragraph. And that can be a little draining (at least for me, I'm not sure if for everyone) to try and keep the flow going. So much white space and confusion as to who's talking can distract me too easily. I don't wanna sound all preachy and get into details, but if you have questions, you can message me ^_^ Also, while I know how impossible it can be to get all the mistakes taken out of a piece, maybe read over once or twice, if you aren't already. Sometimes reading something out loud before posting can help in finding mistakes you wouldn't otherwise find. Tedious at times, yes, but can be useful! Bah, but even with the best read through, there will often be things missed ^_^;
Anyways, love your story, going to the next chapter, and~~~ yeah! =)
*Sighs* I love you AJ I truly do but sometimes you are such a silly pony.
Any critiques I have falter in the face of how bowel knottingly terrified I am for AJ and Co. More please more.
I somewhat question why Twilight doesn't just accept what the guard's say, go back the way she came, and then... teleport past them. Seems simple enough.
What?
It's in the script?
Okay then.
I get this odd feeling that I'm watching a master chess match... But I don't know which pieces are black, and which are white. I would say more, but there's another chapter. Onward!
Love it!
,,, read two more capters.... its getting good. Im going to have to read the next one tomorrow though... to tired to think clearly. II leave you with this.
3.bp.blogspot.com/-khTBdBynqrY/T2ZOkDCpk_I/AAAAAAAAA4w/oWHnl82c3U0/s400/ConfoundThesePoniesTheyDriveMeToInsomnia.jpg
“Every well. Then let’s move on to the next phase.”
Just a little spelling error I caught. Really enjoying the story so far.
Gaaah I was just planning on reading this one chapter before going to bed. Now, I'm not going to start on the next chapter, but I really don't think I'm going to be able to go to sleep.
“I’m sorry, Miss Sparkle, but I have already told you I can’t,” responded Vigil blandly without turning around or pausing his stride. “I cannot risk sending Captain Shining’s sister into a danger zone. I apologize, but you must understand that the risk is too great.”
Heh, this again, I saw this in countless stories, when a guard or princess or some background character prove to be very useful and helpful for mane 6, then it must be false, it just must, every time when princesses or guards help mane 6, then it end up to be trick or something like that.
Heh, I would not even need to read this story, I would just read this one text and right away assume that it was probably a changeling spy, because in Equestria:
1) Guards and princesses are useless or they never help mane 6.
2) Mane 6 are never rewarded or recognized for saving the world or even as important ponies.
Break one of those 2 rules and I already know it is changeling spy or there is a catch, and it sadden me to no end.
“Crazy unicorn…,” he muttered, then glanced to the guard stationed right next to him. “Right?”
“Right,” the other guard responded, his helmet hiding how much he’d started sweating on such a chilly night.
Yea, this is what I tell, they are not changeling since they are useless or they have no respect for mane 6, simple as that.
The moment Rainbow spoke, the spell broke, and everything started happening in rapid succession, one on top of the other.
“Seize them!” bellowed the vermillion stallion.
Twilight should have seen it was Applejack, and why would Royal Guards follow orders to capture group of ponies, it had to give Twilight some suspicion and make guards who are not changeling's confused.
2053404 That song...
2076273 What is this foreign thing called sleep you speak of?
I just found this fic, pretty good thus far. However...
Let me get this straight. 13 weeks at least this chapter has been out and NOBODY noticed the title is " Chapter 6: Th Best Laid Plans " ??!!
Holy shit I haven't checked out your account yet but you seem a bit.. Appledashie
I've figured out who the mysterious figure is. BON BON protecting her queen!
3811077 it just occurred to me the someone needs to make a Metal Gear Dashie fic
and yes I did just reply to my own comment it's my birth day I can do that
What I don't understand is why they bothered to go to the main gate in the first place. It makes no buckin' sense. The farm is surrounded just by a low fence. They could've left the farm literally through every direction. Hell, the cottage is bordering the Everfree! They could've easily just jumped over and dissapeared without a fuss.
Also, with all the paranoia hanging around, no one in the guard is questioning why Vigil no longer has his ID badge?
Guessing, "Applebloom" was the mysterious vister, and for reasons unknown is both a changeling and is helping AJ.
To add to below why have the guards decided to just plain size the victims?
5342738
*AJ accent*
Ya might be right, ya hear?
>>Fatch Even though nobody said it besides you and me. I think everyone saw the RWRvB refrence
>>Fatch Even though nobody said it besides you and me. I think everyone saw the RvB refrence.
I just got to the part with Spike near the beginning of this chapter, and I can't keep reading. Everyone in this story is just too damned stupid. I usually like it when stories make me feel things, but not when that feeling is exasperation.
Applejack, Bic Mac, Twilight and Spike have all demonstrated themselves to be so stupid that I can't bring myself to keep caring what happens to them.
Sorry, this had a lot of promise but I'm gonna have to bail...
I don't think pessimism will help outplay this vigilant chess master. Hm.
Okay, now I'm confused
, first Applejack being a changeling queen, now AB is also a changeling? What the buck?! Other than that, really good story so far!
All I could think while reading a good chunk of this chapter:
THE.
EVER.
FREE.
FOREST!!
For the love of Celestia, the cottage was right next to it. They should've hopped the fence immediately upon leaving it. They knew the orchards were supposed to have search parties, they should've flown the coop immediately and at the very least made there way around the perimeter, not scuttled around hot territory for *hours* waiting to get caught. And the exit/entrance to Sweet Apple Acres is the single narrowest opening and most obvious point for Vigil to block off and lay a trap.
I am no military person by any stretch, but I found the time they spent in the orchards tactically and strategically atrocious.
I also feel like RD should not have had AJ confess in the middle of the frickin' orchard when she knew Vigil had spies, but I suppose I can figure her for not realizing they would be there day and night. She should've told AJ about the spies she did notice though.
I also feel like Vigil should've checked the cottage (assuming he didn't try to) and AJ should've considered that Vigil knew about the cottage, if I remember correctly that she learned Vigil knew she was a changeling from seeing her changeling form.
The way I see it, it's just dumb luck and circumstance (including the interference by a mysterious figure they didn't know about) that they didn't get caught before they actually were.
6677681 No, that's a fake. She was part of Virgil's trap.
5925351 even a master has his/her weakness. they just learn to hide it, or work it into a way to draw in the foe thinking an easy kill.
for me, its close quarters combat with balistics. i make up for this will stelth. i can get in somewhere and out with little to no trace. but long range with a bolt action sniper is my native ground.
I'll just leave here this:
Idiot Ball
and this:
Idiot Plot
And then I leave. Because characters in this story almost too dumb to live.
"This is Inspector Vigil. Deploy every guard in the area to this remote location outside of town and rendezvous with the large and inexplicable group of guards already there. Do not in any way verify my orders or identity. Because I said so."
Yeah, think this is where I'm going to stop. I can't stand stories where plot progression is achieved by characters repeatedly making suboptimal decisions.
8921778
and that is every horror movie in a nutshell yet that never stops anybody from watching them
I'm gonna guess that the supposed changeling that entered the cabin, as well as the Apple Bloom doppelganger (I assume they're the same), is actually a friendly. And just as extra credit, I'm gonna guess that it's Hyacinth. Either that or Zecora's a changeling. I don't deny that faux Apple Bloom could've been part of the trap. But they seemed apologetic about putting Spike to sleep. They also rushed Twilight out of the library in a hurry, saying that there's not much time. But they would've had to know that she would've stopped to get her friends. And not only that, but know that she'd delegate one of her friends to get the other.
8921778
Ever seen a horror movie?
The sheer amount of stuff going to sh*t is incredible. The amount of levels on which pople are screwed are immense. Why are changeling always so difficult to deal with!?