Changing Currents Part Two
Chapter Two: Changing Currents, Part Two
The next morning was a little darker than normal, due to the clouds the pegasi were moving in for the spring rains. Apple Bloom was awake, but was reluctant to leave the warmth of her bed. It was going to be one of those days, she could feel it in her bones. With a yawn she rose, lifting her hooves and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Immediately, she was startled by an unexpected weight on her right leg.
Checking her wrist, Apple Bloom was surprised to find the hooflet had changed color, from its rather simple brown to a cheery, bright bronze. The symbols carved into it were a little clearer but they were still beyond her comprehension. She wouldn’t get the chance to inspect it any longer. An alarm clock blared, scattering her thoughts.
“Well, at least I won’t be late,” she grumbled, rolling out of bed.
Breakfast was cheerful compared to the gloomy atmosphere last night. Granny was humming a tune while Big Mac and Applejack finished eating. The smell of apple-cinnamon oatmeal and biscuits was strong and brought a smile to Apple Bloom’s face. Whatever had been dragging her family down the previous night seemed like a distant memory at this point.
“Morning, Apple Bloom! How did you sleep?” asked Applejack.
“I slept alright, got up before the alarm,” said Apple Bloom.
“Better than waking up late. Now, I need you to come straight home after school. We have a lot to do before the rain comes down tonight, so we need all the extra hooves we can get.” said Applejack as she cleared her spot.
“But me and the crusaders were going to do our lost satchel-returners today!”
“You’ll have to start it tomorrow then. Straight home, Apple Bloom. Am I clear?”
Apple Bloom grumbled under her breath, but nodded. “Alright, Alright.”
Letting out an exaggerated sigh, the filly took her book-bag and left home. Her mood took a nose dive over the thought of missing a day of crusading. She didn’t pay attention to where she was going and ran smack into a tree. Rubbing her nose she looked up, craning her neck.
“Huh? Isn’t this where we planted those new trees?”
She sighed wearily. She must have wandered off the path, she thought. At this rate she would be late and Apple Bloom wasn’t keen on facing Cheerilee’s wrath this morning. The teacher had been rather surly lately and she wasn’t keen on sitting through another lecture after school. As she doubled back, she found she couldn’t move. Turning around, she looked up.
“What in the hay?”
The tree she had bumped into had all of a sudden shot up to twice its original height, towering over almost every other tree in the orchard. Not only that, but the grass had grown wild, and her hooves had become tangled in the mess.
“What in the world is going on here?” It took some effort, but Apple Bloom managed to disentangle herself from the plants’ grasp and flopped out of their reach, but only to meet something even more fantastic. All the trees around her were showing the same random growth spurt and the grass was growing even higher.
“Aw horse-apples . . . ”
Twenty minutes later, Apple Bloom was trotting to school, mane full of leaves and twigs, and coat covered in mud. She hoped she could minimize the damage being late would cause her as much as she could. As she made the approach to the school yard she saw that rain had broken over the school house.
“Aww, I just have all the luck...” Apple Bloom groaned.
“You’re late!” Scootaloo shouted. “What happened to you?”
“Scootaloo! You wouldn’t believe me—Why aren’t you two in class yet? Didn’t the bell ring?”
“We haven’t heard it go off yet,” said Sweetie Belle as she scuffed a hoof against the ground.
After walking up to the school yard, Apple Bloom had a chance to catch her breath. When she was done, she noticed that her friends had some strange accessories. Sweetie Belle had a rain slicker on and was dripping wet. Scootaloo had tied some heavy looking rocks to her legs.
“I think I should be asking what happened to you two.”
“I don’t know, the second I walked outside it just started pouring rain! It was clear when I looked out my window, though,” said Sweetie Belle.
“Uh huh.” Apple Bloom turned to Scootaloo. “What’s your excuse?”
Scootaloo puffed out her chest. “It’s weight training. When Rainbow Dash sees how serious I am about training then she’ll have to make me her personal student at Career Day.”
Apple Bloom scratched her head and dislodged a branch that was stuck in her hair. “Wouldn’t it be easier just to tell her?”
“No! She has to see how serious I am! Weren’t you listening to what I was saying?”
“Okay okay, calm down.”
“Come on before the bell rings and we’re late,” said Sweetie Belle.
As the trio went into class, Cheerilee greeted them without turning away from the blackboard. “Glad you were able to join us girls. I’ll be expecting each of you to stay 15 minutes after the morning lesson to catch up on what you missed.”
“What? But the bell didn’t ring yet!” said Apple Bloom.
“Yes it did, almost twenty minutes ago.”
Groaning over the loss of their recess the girls slunk to their desks, close to the back of the room, and snickering from the class followed them.
“Sweetie Belle, can you please take off your rain coat? You are dripping rainwater all over the floor,” said Cheerilee.
“Uh, I can’t do that Miss Cheerilee.”
Cheerilee frowned. “Why not?”
“I uh . . . well . . . I’m balding!” Sweetie Belle said.
“You’re balding?” repeated Cheerilee
“Yeah! I sort of accidentally poured hair removal all over myself,” explained Sweetie Belle.
Cheerilee rolled her eyes and she turned back to the board. She ignored Scootaloo’s rocks and Apple Bloom’s messy state altogether.
Either because of the rain or the lecture, or a combination of both, the morning just dragged on. Scootaloo passed out, drooling over her desk. Sweetie Belle tried to pay attention to the lesson but her notebook, her spare notebook, and even her emergency notebook had all been soaked with water. Apple Bloom, normally the picture-perfect example of paying attention, was staring out the window. She felt there was something going on with her friends—that they haven’t told her what was wrong. Not to mention the weird plant growth on her way to school.
“Applebloom!”
Startled, the filly jumped and nearly fell out of her seat. Cheerilee was glaring at her, tapping her hoof on the floor.
“Young lady, what is the date the treaty between the Griffon Prides and the Reindeer Kingdom was signed?”
Applebloom mentally berated herself. History was normally her best subject but now she was drawing a complete blank. She looked to her friends for support, but Sweetie Belle shrugged and Scootaloo was too busy doodling on the worksheet.
“Oh no, what do I do?” she thought to herself, looking around for something—anything to give her a clue. For some reason that was beyond her, Apple Bloom’s gaze settled on a plant that the class took care of.
“Remember, in 929 CE the Reindeer Kingdom accepted the treaty after quelling the Iron Bear Rebellions. They did not have the funds or the resources to resist the raids from the griffons.”
Apple Bloom perked up. Was Cheerilee throwing her a bone?
“Eyes up front, Apple Bloom. The class plant doesn’t have the answer.”
“But didn’t you . . . ” Apple Bloom started, but she shut her mouth. She could have sworn that she heard Cheerilee but the way she was looking at her made her guess that no answer had been given. She glanced over at the class plant again then shrugged. What did she have to lose other than making herself look like an idiot?
“Uh, in 929, after the Iron Bear Rebellions?”
Cheerilee’s face softened and she nodded in satisfaction. “That is correct. After warring with the Iron Bear tribes to the west the Reindeer were unable to repel the Griffons that were encroaching on their land to the south. Without proper time to recover from their previous war, they gave the Prides a chunk of the land in exchange for no further hostilities. It is rumored that the treaty was revised thirty times before either party accepted . . . ”
The lecture continued but Apple Bloom wasn’t concerned with that. She could have sworn she had heard Cheerilee’s voice giving the answer but where had it come from? Looking down at the hooflet on her wrist, she was starting to believe that keeping these things wasn’t as bright of an idea as she first thought.
After enduring the part of the lesson they missed, the Crusaders called an emergency meeting at the jungle gym.
“I thought Cheerilee had you! You really showed her though,” Scootaloo snickered.
“She would have if I didn’t get the answer out of nowhere,” Applebloom sighed.
“What do you mean, ‘out of nowhere?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“You guys wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” said Applebloom.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle leaned forward. “Try us!”
“Alright back up! I need my space.”
The other two fillies settled back into their places while Applebloom took a deep breath.
“While we’re on the topic, a lot of weird stuff happened to me today. This morning mah hooflet changed color.” She held out her hooflet to show it.
“Hey mine changed to!” said Scootaloo.
“So did mine,” said Sweetie Belle.
They both held out their legs. Scootaloo’s hooflet had gone from dark green to a much lighter shade while Sweetie’s had turned a deep aquamarine.
“If it wasn’t obvious before, there is something weird about these hooflets,” said Applebloom.
“You don’t think they are cursed do you?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Don’t be ridiculous. There aren’t any such things as curses!” said Scootaloo.
“If we’re not cursed then what is going on Scootaloo?” said Apple Bloom.
“We’re not cursed! J-j—We just don’t know what’s going on!” Scootaloo didn’t sound convinced, herself.
“Maybe we should go to the library after class. Twilight will know something,” said Sweetie Belle.
“No, even if she did then she’ll take them away! We can’t be Cutie Mark Lost and Finders if we don’t have anything lost to find,” said Scootaloo.
“It’s better than having everything around me grow out of control,” said Applebloom.
“And I want water to stop spraying me!” said Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo sagged knowing that the argument wasn’t in her favor. “Okay, okay I get it. We’ll go see Twilight after school.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded, though Scootaloo scowled at them both. They tried to enjoy what was left of their recess, but the conversation weighed heavily on them. When the bell rang they returned to class for the annual Career Day. It was the usual parade of local heroes, police, doctors, the mayor, etc. They were informative and in some cases entertaining, but it was nothing new for the class. Unless it was something that interested a particular filly or colt, it was like listening to one long drone. As the day neared its end, Cheerilee addressed the class one more time.
“I’ll be expecting reports on the careers you learned about today!” called Cheerilee.
“Weaaak,” groaned Scootaloo as she slipped on her backpack.
“What’s the matter? Aren’t you doing your report on Rainbow Dash?” said Sweetie Belle.
“I am, but doing something like that for school takes all the fun out of it,” mumbled Scootaloo. “Hurry up Apple Bloom, we have to get to town to start looking for the hooflet owner.”
“Aren’t we supposed to be going to the library?” said Sweetie Belle.
“That doesn’t mean that we can’t at least take a look around town before we go,” replied Scootaloo.
“”I can’t either way guys, Applejack wants me straight home to help on the farm,” said Apple Bloom.
“Today just isn’t your day huh?” said Scootaloo.
“Can’t say it is. I’ll catch up with you guys tomorrow,” said Apple Bloom.
“Alright, we’ll tell you about anything that we find out at the library,” said Sweetie Belle.
After exchanging their good byes, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle left for town leaving Apple Bloom alone to take care of the chores she had to do after class. It was quiet, tedious work and it allowed her to start trying to sort through the information that she had. She tried to make sense of what she had so far as she watered the plants. First there was the weird growth of the plants on her way to school, then the stories her friends had told her and the most important incident...
“If Ms Cheerilee didn’t give me the answer, then who did?”
Apple Bloom sighed as she finished her chores and gathered her backpack. As she started to walk out the door she noticed that something seemed amiss. She looked around outside and found that not a soul was about. True, school was out, but kids tended to hang around the playground for an hour or two before heading home, yet today there wasn’t even a wind blowing.
“Spooky...”
“It’s not so bad when you get used to it.”
Apple Bloom nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the voice. Whirling on the pony that spoke she breathed a sigh of relief when it turned out it was just Cheerilee.
“Don’t do that, Ms. Cheerilee!”
Cheerilee chuckled a little bit. “I’m sorry Apple Bloom, I forgot that you did the afternoon chores today. I was just about to pack up my stuff today. Is everything going alright for you?”
“Y-yes Ms. Cheerilee, I just finished and was about to head home myself.”
The mare nodded, her eyes glanced down at the hooflet around Apple Bloom’s leg. “Actually Apple Bloom, I’m glad that I managed to catch you. Where did you find that hooflet?”
"Scootaloo found it... somepony dropped a box with it inside. I can't get it off. The other two were off to see if Twilight had a book on them to see if there was a way to get them to let us take them off. We'd ask Twilight but she'd never stop experimenting or let us go till she found a way and we'd rather just get them off ourselves if we can then go through that." explained Apple Bloom.
Cheerilee walked a little closer. “Oh I see… Do you mind if I take a closer look at it then?”
“I don’t see why not, ma’am.”
Apple Bloom extended her hoof to allow Cheerilee a closer look. When the mare reached out to touch it, angry gold sparks jumped off the hooflet, causing Cheerilee to hiss in response.
“What in the hay?” Apple Bloom looked at the hooflet in confusion before looking up at her teacher to ask if she was alright but the sentiment died in her throat. It was only for a split second, but the filly saw her teacher’s eye color change from the usual comforting mauve to a dark red. All Apple Bloom could manage was a weak squeak.
“Hmm, don’t worry Apple Bloom, I’m okay. Now… I think you should give that hooflet to me. It wouldn’t do if you girls broke them,” Cheerilee said.
Everything about the situation was wrong; the smile that always was reassuring seemed mocking, her eyes appeared hungry, a predator before the meal and her normal patient voice had a creeping menace to it.
“I… I... really ought to go ma’am, ah… oh right, I promised Applejack I would come right home!”
Apple Bloom started backing up as Cheerilee kept stepping forward. "Is there something you want to talk about Apple Bloom? I'm all ears."
"N-no, I really have to get going, m-ma’am. Applejack wants me to get home like… right now!" Apple Bloom turned tail to run but only got a few feet before smacking into a wall. “Huh..?”
She got up and pressed her hooves against the invisible force. Light made spider-like cracks where she touched but it wouldn’t give. “Now what is going on!?”
“You’re in my domain now, Apple Bloom,” came a growling voice. Apple Bloom slowly turned, squeaking when she saw her teacher. Her coat had darkened to the point it was nearly black, eyes having a red tint to them as dark motes of light lifted off her body. “The hooflet already bonded to you? That's a shame. Those things are dangerous, Apple Bloom. Fillies like you shouldn't be handling something like that."
Apple Bloom pressed herself back against the wall. “S-stay away from me, I-I don’t want no trouble!”
Cheerilee smiled, exposing rows of sharp teeth. "Don’t worry Apple Bloom, it will be all over before you realize it’s happened. So be a nice filly and DIE!”
The mare started growing larger before the dark light enveloped her form. Apple Bloom could not only see her increase in size but change into some horrible shape. When it subsided she saw a large wolfish creature, mane and coat hanging down in shaggy locks but her eyes were still visible, red, angry and glaring right at the filly in front of it. She stood on her hind legs and howled so loud it seemed that the world trembled.
"Ch-Cheerilee, stop, you're scaring me!” Apple Bloom wanted to say more but between the roar and her own terrified state the words died in her throat.
Cheerilee lunged, fangs gleaming as lightning flashed. Apple Bloom shielded herself bracing for the inevitable. The impact never came, in fact Apple Bloom heard a yelp and something heavy being thrown back. She dared to look and was shocked to see columns of jagged crystal from the ground.
“N-now what?” Time had slowed to a crawl and pain lanced through Apple Bloom’s head. She gasped, holding it in agony, and the hooflet blazed like a star. Above the din of the storm, Apple Bloom heard a voice that reminded her of crumbling rocks.
“Well, didn’t take as long as I thought it would. Hmm she must have contact with some other magical artifact…”
“What the hay? Who are you? How can I hear you in my head?!” screamed Apple Bloom.
“Hmm? Oh I’m sorry, introductions will have to wait. I think you have a very angry Guilt Beast trying to kill you,” came the voice again. “I’ll help and direct you this once but after this you’re on your own.”
The light extended from the trinket to her leg and eventually her whole body. The filly felt like she was stiff, hard as stone. When her eyes began to clear she found her form had changed. It seemed she was wearing some kind of armored dress, golden in color, a navy blue skirt and a similarly colored scarf around her neck.
“What in Equestria is going on here?!” said Apple Bloom. Despite her rather dire situation, she found herself calm and steady. Like nothing could possibly shake her.
“Prepare yourself. It doesn’t seem like she is very far along but she is still dangerous,” said the voice.
“What are you!?” demanded Apple Bloom.
“As I said introductions will have to wait. The beast comes!”
Cheerilee had recovered from the being knocked on her back. Growling she quickly closed the gap and swung a heavy paw at Apple Bloom. Screaming in alarm she ducked under the paw, turned and bucked as hard as she could. She felt something give and Cherrilee went sailing across the playground, slamming into the strange barrier. Naturally Apple Bloom was astonished by the monstrous strength she seemed to posses.
“How…?”
“As an Earth pony, my power is at its max bonded with you. Quite fortunate for the both of us.”
“I really wish you would start making sense…” grumbled Apple Bloom.
“Our first priority is removing the Guilt Flower that has taken root in that pony,” said the voice.
“Guilt Flower?”
“Look closely at the beast in front of you. Tell me what you see.”
Apple Bloom looked hard at her teacher, who was struggling to get back to her feet after the last blow. Suddenly it was like she saw past Cheerilee and inside her. Inside she saw possibly the ugliest looking plant in all of Equestria. It was black, veiny and pulsing with some kind of eerie light. The bulb of the flower was tightly closed, taking root in Cheerilee’s heart.
“Is that it? Is that Guilt Flower thing what turned Miss Cheerilee into that...thing?!” said Apple Bloom.
“It is a creature that feeds on a being’s negative emotions. If that bulb blooms then they become a slave to the Lucavi for life. After that the only salvation is a quick death,” said the voice.
“We have to save her then! We have to do something!” cried Apple Bloom.
“That is easily remedied. We have our chance now. Focus on the flower; do not let it out of your sight!”
Apple Bloom did as she was told. her hooves started to glow with power. She rose up and slammed on the ground and a circle of crystal rose up around Cheerilee, pinning her feet to the ground.
“From the deepest roots of the lands, rise roar of the earth! Rend the infinite darkness and cast it out!” cried Apple Bloom.
The crystals pulsed with energy and a pillow of light erupted from where Cheerilee was. There was an eerie howl as she screamed in agony but at the same time Apple Bloom saw the Guilt Flower crumble and disappear. There was the sound of shattering glass as the barrier came down. Apple Bloom looked up and saw the clouds had gone from dull grey to an angry black. The few raindrops splashed on her head and after a few seconds she was drenched.
“Of course…” she grumbled.
Cheerilee was slumped on the ground, thankfully back to normal. Feeling a little responsible, Apple Bloom took the time to drag Cheerilee back into the school house. On the way she saw herself in a pool of water and found that she was back to normal.
“Hey are you still there? Can you explain what in tarnation is happening too me?!”
It didn’t answer right away, but the voice did come, sounding grim.
“My name is Grudiev, the wyvern of the earth. Little one, I hate to be the one to tell you this news, but you and anyone in this country is in the gravest of danger. As of right now you may be the only one that can stop it.”
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I can't wait to see where this goes
So, Sweetie Belle can control the weather? Awesome!
We'll assume the best about the Crusaders since they are so damage hit, however they should create an impression in Dunedin to keep up top charging. They copped a belting, physically, on account of the Hurricanes, but did not splinter. assignment writers | AssignmentEmpire