Order-naries: Redux

by CTVulpin

Chapter 7: Trouble Arrives

The Everfree Forest was always a dark, foreboding place that seemed to constantly be waiting to reach out and consume any ponies that dared cross its borders, but that atmosphere felt a trifle subdued to the group of seven ponies who had entered in search of a Chaotic Gem. This was likely due to the fact that only one of them, Fluttershy, was displaying any signs of fear, and even that was subdued. Rainbow Dash was as brashly confident as ever. Heart, Soul, and Gale were familiar with the dangers of the woods, and found them no more remarkable than anything else they had experienced. Johnten Drago and Carrie Chen seemed completely unfazed by the memory of their previous, disastrous experience with the forest. The fact that Carrie had a small cannon strapped to her back probably had an effect on the general feeling of security as well.

Gale led the way through the forest, following the signal PC had detected the best that she could, given the terrain. They’d come upon an unusually wide trail that went in the right general direction, but it twisted about a bit and there were the occasional wind-felled trees and short cliffs to navigate around. Early attempts at conversation had failed quickly due to the forest’s inherent oppressiveness as well as Johnten and Carrie’s disinterest in learning much about the wildlife, and so the group walked in silence, eyes casting about for danger or hints of the Gem’s hiding spot.

Eventually, Soul grew tired of the quiet and directed a question at Rainbow Dash. “How’s Zecora doing lately? She’s still around, I assume.”

“Yeah, she’s still here,” Rainbow said. “Still brewing potions and being all mystic and zebra-y.”

“Zebra-y?” Johnten asked.

“Yep,” Soul answered. “Zecora’s a zebra who lives here in the forest, using the exotic plant life to concoct potions and herbal remedies. She’s got a bit of a stereotypical witch doctor vibe going, and you shouldn’t touch that.” He sent out a tendril of spirit energy to pull Johnten’s curious hoof away from a patch bright blue flowers. “That’d be poison joak,” he explained. “Technically harmless, but with a pretty nasty sense of humor if it gets on you.”

“How can a plant have a sense of humor?” Carrie asked, looking askance at the blooms.

“It changes something about you,” Fluttershy said. “It’s… usually embarrassing, and different for every pony.” The rustling of leaves caught everyone’s attention at that point, and Fluttershy jumped while everyone else froze until a grey and black striped equine with a striped Mohawk and gold jewelry emerged onto the path. “Oh, Zecora,” Fluttershy said in relief, “we were just talking about you.”

“I know,” Zecora said with a twinkle in her eye, “I heard your voices and came to see what your business is in this part of Everfree.” She looked more closely at the group and commented, “And it seems the rumors I heard in town were true: the Order-naries appear to have been multiplied by two.”

“Aw, we’re still only at the rumor phase?” Soul Mage sounded disappointed. “I was hoping to have the fan-fillies swarming me by Thursday. I’ll have to step up my game.” He grinned his trademark goofy grin as Gold Heart gave him a light smack upside the head with her wing. Gale tried to hide her own smirk by lowering and shaking her head, while Johnten and Carrie just looked perplexed.

Johnten cleared his throat. “Uh, Ms. Zecora, ma’am?” he asked. “You haven’t by chance noticed anything strange around here lately, have you? Weird lights, fires, animals behaving strangely?”

“To pony eyes, this whole forest is strange,” Zecora answered in mock-dismissal, and then finished more seriously, “I have seen nothing of note in my normal range.”

“No worries,” Heart said, “we know the direction to travel; we’ll just have to be surprised at what we find. Have a good day Zecora.” Taking that as their cue, the group started to move off again, but Zecora fell into step with them instead of returning to her own business.

“I have nothing more pressing to do,” she said, “than to do what I can to assist you.”

“Glad to hear it,” Rainbow said. Fluttershy relaxed a trifle, although the trees grew thicker and closer together as they pressed along the path.

The trail dipped downward, and up ahead they could see a break in the trees as the ground rose up suddenly and sharply into a hill that was more rock than dirt. “We should tread with greater care,” Zecora said with a wariness that put everyone on edge, “I believe this is where a dragon makes its lair.”

“D-dragon?!” Fluttershy squeaked, freezing in place, terrified. Rainbow Dash sighed and doubled back to tend to her friend.

“What’s her deal?” Johnten asked. “Isn’t Twilight’s assistant a dragon?”

“A baby dragon raised in a pony society,” Soul answered. “Flutters has problems with the full-grown, solitary, and technically ‘wild’ variety. I’ve never met one of those up close, but they can get pretty big, so I don’t blame her for being scared.”

With some goading from Rainbow, Fluttershy managed to shake off enough fear to squeak out, “T-the Gem isn’t i-i-in the… dragon’s lair, is it?”

“Hopefully not,” Gale said, looking around slowly so PC could reorient on the signal, “but it does seem to be in the general direction of the hill. We’ll move slowly.” They did so, following the trail around the rocky hill and past the partially hidden mouth of a cave in its side. They began to move away from the hill, but then Gale stopped, turned around slowly, and grimaced. “We passed it,” she said. “It’s probably in the cave. Which is most likely the dragon’s lair, right Zecora?” The zebra nodded grimly, and Fluttershy bolted, hiding behind the nearest tree.

“Well, she’s useless now,” Rainbow said, somewhat irritated. “Somepony should probably just take her home, or at least keep an eye on her. Any volunteers?”

“Not it,” Johnten and Carrie said at once, and walked right into the cave.

“Gutsy or stupid, this lot,” Soul grumbled as he went after them, Heart following after giving the others an apologetic shrug.

“I will stay with Fluttershy,” Zecora offered, “and calm her nerves in case we need to fly.”

“You’re the best Zecora,” Rainbow Dash said, glad for not needing to come up with some way to spare her image as both loyal friend and fearless dragon-face-kicker. She and Gale trotted into the cave side by side, hustling a little to catch up with the others. Gale pulled slightly ahead of the group as Soul ignited his horn to chase away the shadows that deepened just a few feet past the mouth of the cave. Johnten copied him, mostly to practice doing it, and the ethereal blue auras cast everything in a somewhat chilling light.

“Next time we do this, we bring a proper unicorn or a flashlight,” Soul Mage announced flatly.

“I knew I forgot to pack something before we left Taryn,” Gale muttered in response.

“Y’know, there is a dragon in here, guys,” Rainbow hissed.

“Indeed there is,” a deep voice rumbled from the depths of the cave. Everypony froze as the green head of the cave’s occupant, a single one of its eyes alone as large as a pony, entered the blue sphere of light around the group. “It has good ears,” the dragon said, “and does not take kindly to intruders.”

---

Ashen Blaze and Traev butted heads, growling at each other with their matching green eyes nearly ablaze. Twilight stood nearby, greatly distressed by the anger pouring off the two grey stallions, but hesitant to try and intervene. She was fairly certain she could subdue Ash if he went ballistic, but she wasn’t sure what the collateral damage would be. As the stand-off between the matching mages continued, Twilight started preparing a force-field to separate and contain them, just in case.

“You’re getting on my last nerve,” Traev warned his double, “and you don’t want to see me truly angry.”

“I might,” Ash retorted, narrowing his eyes, “if losing your temper is what it’ll take to get your magic working.”

“The problem isn’t my magic,” the other ash-grey stallion said, “it’s got to be the world, or this hands-free form I’m trapped in.”

Ash pulled his head away and rubbed it in an effort to calm himself. “Nicht goh chiu[1],” he said, “if the skvetchte Meis Thamule-”

“Maestron Brogalio,” Traev corrected.

“Same thing,” Ash said crossly. “If you seriously can’t do any magic without a focus item like your cards, I can’t help but question your right to the title.”

Something changed in Traev at that moment. All his agitation vanished in a second, but his eyes grew even harder and his mane and tail stiffened noticeably, the red and orange hairs now resembling spikes more than flames. Ash noted the change with seeming indifference, although he did back up a step or two.

“Guys,” Twilight ventured, “maybe we should take a break?”

Ash glanced over at her, with a calm smile on his face. “I think you’re right Twilight,” he said. “I think Pinkie Pie has some things she wants to discuss with Traev here anyway.”

“Wow!” Pinkie sprang into view from behind Twilight, landing lightly next to Ash and giving him a pleasantly amazed smile. “How’d you know?” she asked. “I mean, I wasn’t trying to be sneaky, but it looked like I was going to make a ‘pop out of nowhere and surprise everypony’ entrance.”

“You weren’t being sneaky,” Ash said by way of answer, and then turned to walk over to Twilight.

“Ashen Blaze,” Traev said in a growl.

“Cool off,” Ash told him dismissively, “I wasn’t issuing a challenge. I have nothing to gain from that sort of contest.”

Traev let out a long, heavy breath through his nose, every part of him except his eyes relaxing, and then turned those eyes on Pinkie and asked, “Did you want something from me?”

“Yep,” Pinkie said brightly. She pulled a small notebook and pencil out of her mane and asked, “What’s your favorite type of cake? Oh, and your friends’ favorites as well, if you know them. Or maybe you prefer pies, or something else? I want to be sure you’ll find something to enjoy at your welcome party.”

“Ugh, spare me the nonsense,” Traev said, turning away, “we don’t have any time for frivolity.”

“Aw, come on,” Pinkie said, bouncing in front of the grumpy grey pony, “you can’t be serious all the time. What’s the point of seeing new places, meeting new ponies, and finding magic gems if you don’t-” She stopped suddenly as her tail started quivering. “Twitchy tail!” she announced, stepping quickly to the side and pointing her eyes at the sky. Ash and Twilight both looked up as well, scanning the skies fervently.

“There!” Ash called out, pointing. A dark equine figure was approaching quickly from above, and by the limp way its head hung and the apparent lack of flapping wings, it seemed unlikely to make a safe landing without assistance. Twilight reacted quickly, flying up and conjuring up a large cloud to catch the falling pony, and then brought the cloud and pony down to the ground.

“Good work Pinkie, Ash,” she said. “Now, who is this?” She finally took a good look at what she had rescued and backed away with a gasp, dismissing the magically created cloud and letting the black, chitin-covered creature drop onto the hard ground. “A Changeling!” Pinkie gasped, and Ash lit up his horn, one hoof held poised to sketch a spell, waiting for the Changeling to act.

“What is a changeling?” Traev asked.

“Shape shifter,” Ash answered shortly.

“They kidnap and impersonate ponies to feed off of love,” Twilight elaborated. Traev gave her a strange look, but decided to just roll with it.

The Changeling moaned quietly and stood up, blinking open bright, golden, normal-looking eyes, and then leaped back with a yelp from the set of unicorn horns pointed threateningly at it. “Mercy! Mercy please!” it pleaded, dropping to its front knees in a bow. “I don’t mean any harm!” It glanced up, recognized Twilight, and then returned its gaze firmly back to the dirt as it continued, “T-Twilight Sparkle, please believe me: Trixie and the others are in trouble and we need your help, quickly!”

“Who are you, and how do you know Trixie?” Twilight asked.

The Changeling looked at her perforated legs, sighed, and in a flash of green fire transformed into a sea-green earth pony with a blue mane and tail and the same golden eyes, which she fixed pleadingly on Twilight. “I’m Cabbage Patch,” she said, “part of the troupe. Please, you have to help. We were being chased by this… this huge rock monster, and Trixie sent me to get help. Trixie was running out of rockets, and it might already be too late!” If she weren’t already bowed, her knees might have given way, and tears welled up in her eyes.

“Rock monster?” Traev asked, intrigued. “What kind of rock monster?”

Cabbage’s eyes gleamed with faint hope, and she described the giant stone monstrosity as best she could. “And it had eyes that glowed with an eerie green light. Not green like my shape shifting though; darker, like leaves.”

“Does that sound familiar?” Traev asked Twilight.

“There’s nothing like that in Equestria,” the lavender alicorn replied skeptically.

“I’d say that bears investigation then,” Traev said. “It could be a Gem.”

“Hold,” Ash said. He grabbed his double lightly by the neck in his magic and pulled him off to the side slightly. “Did you not get the part where this thing is a shape shifter?” he asked. “By their very nature they’re duplicitous and untrustworthy.”

“Take care when you generalize,” Traev said, “A couple of close friends of mine happen to be shape shifters. Besides, this one came to us openly, and that monster she described sounds like something Vanatos might whip up with a Gem in hand.”

“But why attack Trixie, of all ponies?” Ash asked, turning back to Cabbage. “You,” he said to her, “did Trixie acquire any strange magical items lately?”

“Yes,” Cabbage answered, perking up a bit more. “We’d taken the alicorn amulet from Tremolo and were bringing it here, just like you told Trixie to, Princess Twilight. The monster attacked us on the road.”

“Well, it’s true enough that I asked Trixie to bring me that amulet once she’d got it,” Twilight said, “but you could have easily gotten that information out of her before turning on her. For all I know, you made up the monster just to lure me out into a trap, with the Changeling Queen herself using that amulet to overpower me.”

“But I’m not…” Cabbage started to protest, but then sighed and flopped to the ground sadly, returning to her Changeling form and letting the hopeless tears flow. “I knew this wouldn’t work. Trixie was just trying to save me. I should’ve stayed with them. Now… now I’ll never see Trixie, or Maggie, or Barnacle Salt ever again!” She bawled loudly and with such genuine emotion that Twilight, Pinkie, and Ash felt touched despite themselves.

“Maybe,” Pinkie ventured hesitantly, “maybe she’s telling the truth? I’ve never seen a Changeling cry like this.”

“Tears can be faked,” Ash noted distantly. “They can be a deceiver’s strongest tool for earning pity.” Cabbage sniffed, bringing her sobs under control, and looked up at the group with her big, watery, pleading eyes.

Twilight pondered for a moment. “Let’s… go talk to Applejack,” she said at last. “Hopefully she can tell if this Changeling’s telling the truth.”

“Fair enough plan,” Ash said in agreement. He wrapped Cabbage in his magic and lifted her off the ground. “Lead on,” he said to Twilight.

It was a solemn march through the town, with Twilight in the lead, Ash right behind her levitating the despondent Cabbage Patch, and Traev and Pinkie Pie bringing up the rear. Ponies took one look at them and steered well out of their way, respectfully and without drawing attention to themselves. Twilight intended to go to Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack and her clan were prepping for Applebuck Season, but as the group crossed the town square a triumphal laugh distracted them. Looking toward the source, they saw a large enclosed wagon that looked rather abused, hauled by an exhausted pair of ponies – a mustard-yellow earth pony with a tri-colored mane and an older-looking cream pegasus. Riding atop the wagon like it was an elegant throne and she was queen of the world was an azure unicorn with a pale, silvery mane and wearing a black and red amulet sporting a large red jewel in its center. Twilight instantly detoured to intercept the wagon, and the others followed without question. Inside Ash’s magic bubble, the golden-eyed Changeling cheered up instantly and spun herself upright, dragonfly wings buzzing happily.

“They’re ok!” she cried happily.

The wagon came to a stop as Twilight approached it, and then she took flight up to Trixie’s level. “Trixie,” she asked sternly, “what’s going on here?”

“Fear not, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie said magnanimously, “the Great and Powerful Trixie and her beloved companions have all survived. Trixie is also proud to report that she has vanquished the foul stony spawn of Tartarus that aimed to make a meal of us.” She glanced down to see Cabbage looking up with a mixture of relief and concern from within the orange glow of Ash’s magic, and said with a wave toward her, “And Trixie sees Cabbage Patch made it here safely as well. You may release her; Trixie vouches for her.”

“Take that off,” Twilight said, pointing to the alicorn amulet. “Then we’ll talk.”

Trixie’s eye flashed red, and her face screwed up in a scowl for a brief second, but then she shook it off and undid the catch. The amulet slid off her neck, and Twilight plucked it away with her magic, teleporting it to the library with a spell. Trixie swayed slightly and put a hoof to her temple. “I was feeling almost like my old self there for a moment,” she said, giving Twilight a weak smile. Twilight’s face remained grave as she lifted the showmare off the roof and brought her down to the ground. “All right,” Trixie said, sitting down and avoiding the alicorn’s eyes, “I know this probably looks bad, but let me explain.”

“I’m waiting,” Twilight said.

“First,” the showmare said, “I will honestly vouch for Cabbage Patch. We all will, especially Barnacle Salt. She is a Changeling, and she hid it from us for a while, but she’s never done us or anypony else any harm.”

“I told you she was sincere,” Traev said smugly.

“You must not have had a Meis of Deception where you came from,” Ash grumbled at him.

“As a matter of fact, I did,” Traev retorted. “That’s how I know the tells.”

“Ash,” Twilight cut in, “let her go.” Ash glowered, but set Cabbage down and released her. She immediately changed into her earth pony form and ran to embrace Barnacle, who had just unhitched himself and Harlequin from the wagon. Maggie Pie emerged from within the wagon, and upon seeing Pinkie braced herself for the expected pouncing hug with a smile. Twilight watched the reunions for a second, and then noticed Trixie was staring dumbfounded at the matching set of ash-grey unicorns giving each other the evil eye. “Don’t worry about them Trixie,” she said. “It’s a long story. Now, what’s this about a rock monster chasing you?”

“Ah,” Trixie said, shifting gears. “Twilight, the alicorn amulet may give you delusions of grandeur, but doesn’t make you a liar. With the amulet enhancing my power, I did vanquish it. It’s laying all across the road between here and Hoofington, in pieces. I don’t know what it wanted, but it won’t be bothering Trixie’s Thespians anymore.”

Trixie had no sooner spoken the words when the ground began to split open beneath her. Everypony ran as a great rift formed and a giant, multi-horned stone bull’s head emerged, its glowing green eyes searching.

“I hate this town,” Trixie groaned, face-hoofing.

Author's Note:

[1] Roughly translates to "I can't believe it" or "Inconceivable."

Comments

[MetBoy]

I /like/ this version of Trixie, she kind of reminds me of the one in Earth and Sky.
I was kind of expecting a simile of Cabbage Patch latching like a barnacle onto the sailor pony.
Oh lord, I just got a HORRIBLE idea of using the Alicorn Amulet to boost Cabbage's confidence and fight her stage fright.
I'm not sure on the effectiveness of the footnotes... hmm. Maybe put them in the text, with the spoiler tags to hide them... Sorry, footnotes in documents read on computers is one of those things I think about a lot. ^-^;

[Leo Archon]

Trixie, you should know better than to say things like that in the proximity of Ponyville.

Also, I can't help but wonder how the Everfree group plans to take the Gem from this particular dragon? Ah, well, I'll find out next time.

[djthomp]

Ehh, maybe it'll be a friendly dragon.

Oooooo, so no issues with taking the Amulet off. Nice job, Trixie.