Changeling Times

by Shadymissionary

Hospitalization

Voices swam in the blackness.

“She’s regaining consciousness.”

“Has the King been informed?”

“Of course he has. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”

Applejack opened her eyes slowly. There was whiteness, with shadows flitting about, and an omnipresent beeping noise. She couldn’t focus on anything, everything was too blurry. “Where am ah? What happened?” she murmured.

A stupid question. She knew what happened. And she had a good idea of where she was.

One of the shadows gradually transformed into Dr. Tenderhooves. Applejack remembered him. He hadn’t changed. “You’re in Canterlot Hospital. One of the patrols found you in an old warehouse,” he said soothingly.

Applejack strained to look at herself. Blinking the weariness out of her eyes, she saw that she was in a hospital bed. Her chest was strapped down, and her hind legs were covered in bandages. There was an IV inserted into her front leg, pumping red liquid. There were bandages and stitches all over her body. Some of the cuts were still bleeding, despite the bandages and stitches.

Another voice piped up, unmistakably a changeling. At this point Applejack didn’t care. “You had been severely beaten, and it was difficult to treat your injuries. Your assailant’s weapon was enchanted to prevent your wounds from healing naturally…”

“Twilight,” Applejack groaned.

Tenderhooves blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“Twilight. Twilight did this. She attacked me.” Applejack winced as anger burned in her wounded chest. Did Twilight honestly expect Applejack to lie? After what she’d done? “She…she…unghhh…”

Tenderhooves and the changeling doctor stopped her from getting up. “Don’t…get up. We stopped the internal bleeding, but you’ve lost a lot of blood.”

Applejack reluctantly lay back down. “So…what happens now?” she sighed with resignation.

The changeling looked her in the eye. “The Ruler is on his way. He’ll decide what’s to be done with you.” His expression became harsh, “Did you know of the attack on the nursery?”

Applejack shook her head. “Nuh-no. Not ‘til…a few days ago, maybe? How long have ah been out?”

Tenderhooves answered. “It’s been a day since you were admitted to the hospital. I don’t know how long ago you were attacked.”

She left me to die like a dog. Applejack swallowed. “Ah found out ‘bout the attack on Fluttershy and…confronted Twi. Ah asked her if we were jus’ terrorists now, and she…she…” Applejack couldn’t continue, not wanting to relive the experience.

The changeling doctor seemed satisfied. “If what you say is true, the King will show mercy. He always respected you, even as you opposed him.”

“Applejack is no liar, Stitch.”

So it’s name’s Stitch? Applejack mused.

“All the same,” Stitch replied. “She was with the insurgents. As I recall, she was Twilight’s lieutenant, and one of the most vocal of the protestors.” The changeling looked harshly at Applejack. “She was the one who gave us the moniker ‘Liars’.”

Applejack didn’t bother to deny that allegation. She had called them liars. As far as she was concerned, creatures who shape-shifted at will were liars. She could never feel safe with them around…what if one of them disguised themselves as a friend of hers? What if they got ideas…

That was why she had joined with Twilight and Rainbow Dash in the beginning. It was simple stuff at first, nipping any potential problems in the bud. They did good work, making sure ponies were aware of how changelings could abuse their power. The King had to address their concerns, and Applejack could honestly say that things were much better than they could’ve been because of what they’d done.

But Twilight didn’t see that. It was never enough for her. Applejack had wanted to believe that Twilight was just being her nervous self, but she just got worse and worse. She’d seen traitors and changelings everywhere, driving off a lot of their fellow protestors. Her healthy concerns became stranger and stranger, her ramblings warping history to fit some paranoid fantasy.

The truth was, Twilight just plain hated her brother for what had happened. Hated him for letting Celestia and Cadence die. That hate was warping everything she knew, all logic and understanding was thrown out the window by the time she…

Applejack still couldn’t believe Twilight would do something like that. Attacking Fluttershy’s nursery…hurting Fluttershy! That wasn’t a protest! That wasn’t a rational response to a potential threat! That was an attack, a coward’s last effort to hurt somepony, terrorism. That was…

A small voice from the other side of the door interrupted her thoughts. Her hearing was coming back, and she could clearly make out the voice. She recognized it immediately, “What! She’s awake! Ah have ta see her! Ah have ta see her now!” Applejack’s heart broke.

“Let…let ‘er in, please.” Applejack begged, not even trying to hold back tears anymore.

Stitch blinked, not responding for a second. Then, looking at Dr. Tenderhooves, he nodded. “Okay, but only for a minute.”

Applejack smiled, wiping away her tears as Tenderhooves and Stitch opened the door. A little yellow filly burst in before either of them could stop her. Apple Bloom jumped right into her sister’s hooves, heedless of the bandages and bruises. “Sis! Oh Celestia, I was so worried, and scared, an…”

Applejack winced. “Easy, littlun. I’m still kinda…tender...”

Apple Bloom hopped back onto the floor, looking up at her wounded sister with shame and sorrow. “I’m sorry sis…” A larger, red stallion came in through the door, looking at Applejack with tears in his eyes. Tenderhooves and Stitch stepped outside, giving the family their space.

Apple Bloom started chattering again. “I heard it was gonna be okay, so if it’s okay, then maybe you can come back to the farm…”

“Apple Bloom.” Applejack sighed.

“An, an maybe we can keep harvesting apples, Pinkie said she can make great pies for us, but we still need to buck ‘em…”

“Apple Bloom.”

“An…an…we can rebuild the barn, and I can show ya…”

“Apple Bloom. Ah can take it. Just show me,” Applejack gently demanded.

The young filly blinked, not moving for a second. Letting out a sigh, a flash of green fire revealed a tiny changeling with a yellow carapace and orange, sad eyes. She looked up at her sister, expecting her to start yelling again.

Instead, Applejack just sniffed. “Why? Ya…ya never got to tell me.”

“Well…” Apple Bloom started, “Ah guess ah wanted some wings…”

“And?” Applejack said flatly.

“Well, ah heard that ya could still get yer cutie mark after, since you still had a pony form, and figured that mah cutie mark may be in changeling…ing…”

“And?”

Apple Bloom hung her head down and sighed. “An you were so fixated on changelings, ah figured it’d get yer attention again.”

Silence reigned in the hospital for a brief eternity as those words sunk in. Applejack had to avert her eyes as she thought back to the night she’d found out…all the yelling and screaming… running out the door to get a drink with Twilight and Rainbow…

The small changeling burst into tears. “Ah’m sorry, sis! Ah wasn’t thinking! It was a stupid idea, and ah just didn’t want to be ignored no more! Ah just…”

“Stop. Just stop,” Applejack demanded. Apple Bloom clammed up, terrified of what would come next.

Applejack hesitated for a minute before continuing. “Ah’m the one who should be sorry. I messed up real bad. I shoulda been a sister. I shoulda talked to ya, shoulda listened…instead, ah just blamed you for everthin’ and ran away like a coward…”

Wiping the tears out of her eyes, Applejack struggled to get her breath back. “What…wh-what ah’m tryin’ to say is…it…it don’t matter. What you done, why you done it, what ya are…You’re mah sister…an’ it don’t matter. Ah love you…”

Apple Bloom sniffled, a smile on her face, “Ah know, sis. Ah love you too.” She hiccupped before leaping into Applejack’s arms. Big Macintosh, who had been so quiet Applejack nearly forgot he was there, joined in, and the three siblings hugged each other. They embraced as a family that hadn’t seen each other in too long.

Sadly, it had to end. Apple Bloom’s ears twitched as word came in from the Hivemind. “He’s here.”

“Ponyfeathers,” Applejack muttered. “Can’t he wait?”

“I just asked him,” Apple Bloom replied. “He says he’s only got a few questions, and he has to ask’ em now.”

The wounded mare reluctantly released her siblings. “Ok. Ah’ll…ah’ll see you soon, alright?”

Apple Bloom and Big Mac both nodded. “Eeyup,” Macintosh finally found his words too late.

The door to the hospital room opened, and an incredibly regal changeling stepped in. His carapace was completely white, with a few blue markings around the hooves. His wings, tail, and fragmented mane were bright blue with a few white stripes. He was wearing what looked like solid steel armor with elements of purple, a symbol on the front resembling an knight’s shield. When Apple Bloom saw him, she instinctively bowed down.

The Changeling King chuckled with amusement. “Thank you, Apple Bloom. I’m sorry about this, but could you excuse us, please? This is very important.”

The two Apple siblings nodded before politely leaving the room. Applejack looked the king straight in the eyes.

“Yer Majesty.” She laughed dryly, “Excuse me if ah don’t bow.”

The King’s smile faded slightly. “Listen. Stitch told me what you said, and I believe you. I know you’d never have anything to do with something like that. But you’re still associated with…” He searched for a better word, but eventually gave up with a sigh, “Terrorists. So, in order for me to allow clemency, I need your full cooperation…”

“Stop with the big words and fancy laws. Just ask yer questions.”

The King nodded, hiding a small smile. “Charming as ever. But yes. Now, the insurgents have set up bases around Canterlot, is that correct?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah. They were basically just meetin’ rooms before Twilight…went nuts. That warehouse was one of ‘em…I’d been sleepin’ there since Apple Bloom converted.”

“Do you know about any others?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah…Twilight told me about them. She’s got some spell cast on them, so changelings won’t think to look there. There's at least one base that's got all her books...”

“Where is she? Where is my sister?”

Author's Note:

Surprise!

Comments

[Changeling-Drone]

“Where is she? Where is my sister?”

huh?

[Zephyrus Scary]

Woah. When I read that description of the Ruler, I thought I must surely be reading too much into it, then... BOOM! An honest to Celestia good, neigh, great twist in a Changeling story?! The tag is right there, but still-! I never suspected until that moment.

[Stormwatch]

2423028
Unless it's an OC, it's quite obvious...

[Seether00]

What a twist. Honestly didn't see it coming till you mention Twilight being mad at her brother.

[Dragaen]

only one thing could summarize what i just read here... tears. I cried with some joy and some sadness, and a little bit of worry. And now they're wiped off from what I think the king just said I think... and his description fitted the bill of none other than Shining Armor. I can't wait to find out how this all plays out and how it's played out. Although this story is dark, I do hope for something good to come out of all this with some kind of happy ending, I really do. damn it now I'm crying again.

[PhycoKrusk]

Well.

I don't any of us were expecting that.

[Trigger Happy]

2423028 I think the king is Shining Armor turned to Changeling!

No wonder Twilight hated him so much!

[Changeling-Drone]

2424560 oh now it makes sense!

[The Sergeant]

Sequel. Nao.

[Johnyapple]

Surprise!

Surprise INDEED shady missionary, Every chapter seems to be a surprise in word form.

[Twisted Code]

Well that explains Twilight's insanity quite well. Her bbbff is also the leader of what she's against. She couldn't even accept being late to turn in a letter to Celestia. No way in tartarus she can accept *that*!

[SilverDiamond]

Oh-kay... Was not expecting that... Shiny-shine is the Changeling king...