Chapter 1: The Nightmare Begins
It was a crisp, cool autumn afternoon, but the slight chill didn't stop five certain ponies from setting up for their picnic. It was late October, and the ponies had planned to meet for lunch and make plans for Nightmare Night, which was less than a week away. That was why they were all meeting by the meadow near Fluttershy's house.
"Didja remember the plates this time, Rarity?" Applejack asked with a smirk.
"Ha ha," Rarity said sarcastically. "As a matter of fact I did."
"Great!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Now all we need is the sandwiches!"
"Wasn't Twilight bringing those? Where is she anyway?" Rainbow asked impatiently.
"I'm here! I'm here!" called a familiar voice, slightly out of breath. Moments later, the purple alicorn appeared, carrying a picnic basket in her magic, her dragon assistant Spike close behind. "Sorry we're late girls! I got a bit, err... distracted with this book I was reading," she said with an embarrassed smile.
Rainbow rolled her eyes, but the rest of her friends smiled knowingly. They all knew it was hard to pull the bookworm away from her reading once she got started.
"No worries sugarcube, we ain't been waitin' that long." The orange earth pony patted a spot on the blanket next to her. "Why don't ya'll come and take a seat, and we'll get this started?"
"Finally!" Rainbow exclaimed. "I'm starving!"
Everypony took their spots on the checkered blanket as Twilight set down the basket and began passing out the sandwiches. The ponies and dragon began to eat their lunch, sharing stories and jokes. Amidst the laughter, however, they failed to notice the mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of the trees at the edge of the forest, watching them carefully.
"Laugh while you can, little Twilight. It won't last much longer...."
The next morning....
"Twilight! Breakfast!" Spike called from the kitchen, where he was making pancakes. He was surprised she wasn't up yet; she always liked to keep to a strict schedule, and was often up before him.
He heard a loud moan, and looked up from the table he had been setting. "Woah," he said, seeing the purple pony leaning in the doorway. "You don't look so good."
It was true; her mane and tail were tangled, and there were bags under her eyes. She moaned again. "Gee, thanks."
"You know what I mean," Spike said. "Didn't you sleep? Or were you up all night reading again?"
"No, I actually went to bed early," Twilight said. "I just couldn't get comfortable; and my wings have just been so... ugh, itchy!" With a grunt of frustration, she stretched them out, trying to get some relief. She sighed, and walked towards the table. She was about to sit when she noticed Spike staring at her, jaw dropped. "What?" she asked. "Is there something on my face?"
Spike could only point behind her. Confused, she turned, but didn't see anything. That is, until she got a glimpse of her still outstretched wings. "What the- GAHHH!" she screamed. She stared in horror at her wings; for while they had once been regular, feathery Pegasus wings, they now had the appearance of... a batpony's?
She slowly reached a hoof out to touch one. Indeed, it definitely felt like a bat wing. She screamed and jumped back, then ran to the other side of the room, as if trying to run away from them,
"What the HAY happened to my WINGS?!"
If Spike wasn't so freaked out, he probably would have laughed at the scene, watching her dart from one end of the room to the other. "How should I know?" he called.
Twilight finally stopped running and took a deep breath. "This doesn't make any sense," she muttered. "I haven't seen anything like this since, well... the poison joke incident!"
"Well we were near the Everfree Forest yesterday, but I don't remember seeing any blue flowers," Spike said thoughtfully. "Not to mention you guys've been extra careful around there since then." He held back a giggle at the memory of Twilight's spotted, floppy horn.
"I've got to figure out a way to fix this!" Twilight dashed towards the stairs leading down to the main floor of the library, her breakfast forgotten. Spike sighed, reluctantly following her, clutching two breakfast trays in either claw. He knew if he wasn't there to remind her to eat, Twilight would get lost in her books and forget the rest of the world.
Down on the main floor, Spike found Twilight already frantically scanning the shelves, pulling off any book that looked slightly useful, and making a stack on the floor next to her. Just as he set the trays down on the small table in the middle of the room, there was a loud, panicked knock at the door.
"Oh no!" Twilight cried. "I can't let anypony see me like this!"
"Relax, I'll get rid of 'em," Spike told her. That didn't stop Twilight from hurriedly levitating all the books she'd pulled and scampering into the next room out of sight.
The knocking came again, louder this time. Spike ran to the door and opened it; however, once he did, he found no one there.
"Huh? Weird, I guess they must've left," he muttered to himself. He moved to close the door when he heard a "Pssssst!"
His head shot up and he looked around, still not seeing anyone. "Psssssssssssst!" came the sound again. It seemed to be coming from the right, but all that was there was a bush. Just a regular, perfectly normal bush with.... something pink and poofy sticking out of the top?
"Pinkie Pie? Is that you?"
A pair of blue eyes appeared. "Sssshhhh! You'll blow my cover!"
"Your what? Pinkie, why are you-"
"Sshh!" she cut him off again.
"Ugh, just come in then," he grunted. He opened the door wider as the 'bush' scooted past him into the room. Once he closed the door, Pinkie poked her head out.
"Phew! Thanks, it was getting kinda cramped in there," she said, standing, though only her head and neck were visible now.
"Pinkie! Get out of the bush! You're getting leaves all over the floor; you know who's gonna have to clean that? Me, that's who." Spike frowned.
"Sorry Spike, but I need to speak to Twilight right away!" Pinkie said, remaining in the bush.
"Oh, err..." Spike glanced at the doorway of the other room where Twilight was hiding. "She's kinda, um, busy."
"Please? It's super-duper important!"
"Fine, I'll ask. Just wait here and try not to make a mess."
He walked to the other room, with one last glance at Pinkie to make sure she was staying put.
"Twilight?"
"Who was it? What did they want? Are they gone?" Twilight demanded, her face inches from his.
"Whoa, slow down," he said, gently pushing her muzzle away. "It's Pinkie, she wants to speak to you, and she's waiting out there," he answered.
"Did you tell her-"
"Yes, I told her you were busy, but she insisted. Just... hide your wings or something," he suggested. "I'm sure it'll be quick."
"Fine," she reluctantly agreed, folding her wings tightly to her sides. Unless you got really close, you could barely tell her wings were different now that they were closed.
Walking into the other room, the first thing Twilight said was, "Hey Pink- why are you in a bush?"
"I had to find a way over here without anypony seeing me," she replied, as if it were obvious.
"But you're getting leaves all over the floor! Spike, can you clean that up?"
"I knew you'd say that," he muttered as he went to get the broom. "It's not like one of us has magic that would make it much easier to take care of!"
"So, Pinkie," Twilight said, turning back to her friend, "why exactly is nopony supposed to see you?"
"Well...." Pinkie's eyes darted around the room, as if making sure no one was listening in. "When I woke up this morning, something strange happened."
"S-strange?" Twilight asked. "What kind of... strange?"
"This kind of strange!" Pinkie finally stepped out of the bush. Twilight's jaw fell open, and Spike, who had been sweeping, dropped his broom in shock.
Pinkie had holes in her legs.
Pinkie had holes in her legs!
"W-what the... how the... Huh?!" Twilight stuttered.
"Pinkie Pie, you.... you look like a changeling!" Spike exclaimed. "A really pink changeling!"
'Changeling.' Twilight narrowed her eyes, lighting her horn, ready to fire at a moments notice.
"I know, but it's really me!"
Twilight knew it was unlikely that this really was a changeling; it didn't make sense for it to reveal itself like this. But after what happened in Canterlot, she wasn't taking any chances. "Prove it. Do something... Pinkie-ish."
The pink pony shrugged, turning to the bush and pulling out her party cannon. She hit a button and it fired, shooting out confetti.
"Oh, COME ON!" Spike yelled. "I just finished sweeping!"
Pinkie turned to Twilight. "Good enough?"
Twilight nodded. Only Pinkie Pie could lug around a party cannon in a bush barely big enough to hide a pony. "Yes, I believe you. But that brings us to the question: why do you look like a changeling?"
The earth pony shrugged again. "I dunno. At first, I thought I was just having the dream where I turn into a pony made of Swiss Cheese and then get chased by an angry platter of crackers again. But when I tried to get a head start on running and tripped on the stairs, I realized I was definitely awake."
Both Twilight and Spike looked at her for a moment, neither knowing how to react. Finally, Spike snapped out of it and said, "Twilight, isn't this sounding familiar to you? Waking up to something strange?"
The alicorn gasped. "Oh my gosh, you're right!"
"Oh oh oh! Did you fall down the stairs too?" Pinkie asked.
"Err... no. Look Pinkie, you have to promise me you won't tell this to anypony, okay?"
"Of course! Pinkie Promise!"
"When I woke up, I found this." She unfolded her wings to show her.
Pinkie gasped loudly. "Wowza! Are those.... bat wings?"
"So it would seem." Twilight nodded. "I don't know how this happened; but now to find you also woke up to an... unusual surprise? This doesn't seem like a coincidence." She gasped. "We need to check on the others, now! If it happened to us, chances are something happened to them too!"
"Alright," Pinkie said, "but we're gonna need a bigger bush."
"Uh, I think we'll just walk."
"Eh, suit yourselves." She dove back down into her leafy hiding place and scooted once more towards the door, which Twilight quickly opened with her magic before the silly pony ran into it.
The three friends headed off to Carousel boutique, since it was closest, and since it was more than likely if Rarity had woken up in a state in any way similar to theirs, the unicorn would've had one of her famous fainting spells.
Once they reached the door to the shop, they saw the 'Closed' sign was still there. Twilight knocked on the door, uncertain if they'd get a reply if the pony had indeed passed out.
"Rarity, are you there? It's Twilight, Spike and Pinkie!"
However, to their surprise, a familiar voice called, "Come in, darlings!"
Twilight turned to Pinkie. "You'd better come out of the bush. I don't think Rarity'd appreciate you bringing "nature" into her shop."
"Okey-dokey-lokey!" a cheery voice replied, before a pink blur raced into the boutique.
Once inside, they looked around to find the main room of the shop empty, besides for racks of clothes and ponyquins.
"Rarity? Spike called worriedly.
"Sorry to keep you, darlings," said the unicorn, trotting out of her kitchen. "So, what brings you to my shop this morn-ahh!" Rarity jumped back. "Pinkie, dear, whatever has happened to your legs?" She frowned. "Is this another one of your little jokes?"
"Unfortunately, no," Twilight said, showing her wings. "We both woke up to discover this. That's why we're here; to see if anything happened to you..... though, it doesn't look like it has." Twilight carefully looked her over, but she looked the same as ever: same white coat, perfectly curled purple mane, and sapphire eyes. Nothing appeared unusual at all.
"Well, certainly nothing like yours, no; however, I did wake up to a little surprise." Rarity turned to show them that she, too, now had wings! Hers were not pony-like either; instead of matching her coat, their color was light pink, and instead of feathery, they appeared transculent, thin and delicate, almost like that of a butterfly.
"Aren't they fabulous?" Rarity said, admiring them in one of the boutique's mirrors.
"They're... very nice, yes, but.... it didn't bother you at all that you woke up having them?!" Twilight asked unbelievingly.
"Well, I suppose it was a little odd..." she began.
"A little?" Twilight said flatly.
"But just look at them! What could possibly be bad about something so lovely?" She sighed dreamily and turned back to them. "And you know what they say: Never look a gift pony in the mouth!"
Twilight sighed and rubbed her head with a hoof. "Rarity, this isn't natural. Something's going on here and we need to stop it! Besides," she continued, "do you remember what happened the last time you had wings?"
Rarity bit her lip and avoided their gazes. "Well, yes, but.... That doesn't mean this will be... I mean.... Who's to say..... that is.... Oh, fine!" she sighed in defeat. "So, how exactly are we supposed to stop this, when we don't know what 'this' is?"
"I don't know, but-"
Twilight was cut off by the boutique door opening and slamming shut. They looked to find Rainbow in a panicked state, covering her ears with her hooves.
"Rarity," she pleaded, "ya gotta help me, fast!" The pegasus looked around the room, noticing the others there for the first time. "Oh, uh, hi... you guys," she said nervously.
"Rainbow Dash, how many times must I tell you not to slam my door?"
"I know, I know, but this is an emergency!" She uncovered her ears, and everyone gasped upon seeing they were now made of wood! There were even leafy tufts at the tips.
"Sweet Celestia, you look just like-"
It was Rarity's turn to get cut off by somepony running into the shop door. "Ouch! Consarnit Rainbow, ya were supposed to wait fer me!"
Twilight opened the door for the earth pony farmer and they all stepped aside to make room for her. Applejack slowly stepped into the room, feeling around carefully with each hoof before taking a step.
"Uh, AJ?" Spike spoke up for the first time in a while. "Why're your eyes closed?"
She sighed. "Cuz of this." She opened her eyes to reveal her now reptilian pupils. With their green color, they looked identical to Spike's.
"This is getting weirder by the second," the baby dragon said.
"I bumped into Rainbow on the way to Twi's," Applejack explained.
"Literally," the pegasus grumbled.
"I said I was sorry!"
"But wait," Rarity said. "If you were going to Twilight's," she pointed to AJ, "then why are you here?"
"Well, I went there hopin' she could tell me what in the hay was goin' on," she explained. "But she wasn't there. That's when Dash here found a trail of leaves leadin' away from the library, so we followed 'em here."
"And I was hoping you had some kinda hat or something I could use to cover these up," Rainbow said, pointing to her head.
"Of course darling." The fashionista trotted to a back room to find something to suit the pegasus' non frou-frou tastes. When she came back, she found Twilight finishing explaining their situations to the two.
"So let me get this straight," Applejack said. "You," she pointed to Twilight, "got the wings of a batpony, Pinkie's got the legs of a changeling, Rainbow, the ears of a timberwolf, Rarity, the wings of.... somethin', and I got dragon eyes and fangs?"
"That about sums it u- wait, you have fangs too?!" the alicorn gasped.
"Oh... did I forget ta mention that?" The farmer blushed in embarrassment.
Sure enough, when Twilight looked closer, she could see Applejack did indeed have small fangs at the corners of her mouth.
"Wow," was all she could manage to say.
"This is starting to really freak me out," Spike said nervously.
"Pfft," Rainbow scoffed. "I'm not scared."
"No..." Twilight said, her eyes widening. "But you know who would be?"
"Fluttershy!" they all gasped.
"The poor thing's probly scared outta her mind!" Applejack exclaimed.
"We need to get over there now," Rarity agreed.
"Okay," Pinkie said. "Just give me a moment to get enough bushes."
"Are you still on that?" Spike asked, facepalming.
"It'll just be quicker to teleport there," Twilight said. "Gather round, you guys!"
The five friends huddled close to the purple pony as she lit her horn, and they were gone in a flash.
Seconds later, they appeared right outside the shy pegasus' cottage. Not bothering to knock, Twilight burst through the front door, which was unlocked, her friends close behind her.
"Fluttershy?" she called out. "Are you here?"
"We've come to make sure you're alright, darling," Rarity added.
"If something's happened, ya'll don't have to be afraid to tell us, sugarcube," Applejack said.
"We won't think you're strange!" Pinkie yelled.
"Pinkie!" the others scolded her.
"Um... hi girls," came a soft voice. They all turned to the source: the yellow pony peeking around the corner.
"You alright Fluttershy?" Spike asked.
"Yes.... I mean, kind of.... well, not really...."
"What happened?" Twilight asked gently.
Fluttershy sighed and fully entered the room. For several moments, nopony said anything.
Finally Rainbow said, "I don't get it."
Pinkie inched closer to her and then exclaimed, "Whoa! You're like.... see-through-ish!"
The others gasped and looked closer as well.
"Goodness! If you were sparkly, I'd say you were a crystal pony!" Rarity exclaimed.
"Yeah, but instead you're more like.... a ghost!" Pinkie said.
"A g-g-g-ghost?!" Fluttershy shrieked. "B-b-but... I'm still alive! I-is that even possible?"
"I never thought so, but after everything that's happened this morning, I don't know what to think anymore." Twilight sighed, explaining what happened to the rest of them once more.
"Oh my..." Fluttershy muttered. "Is... is there a way to fix this?"
"Not without knowing what caused it first. But I've never heard of something like this," Twilight replied. "I've read every book in the library at least twice, but I don't remember coming across anything like this."
"Hmmm...." Spike thought for a moment. "I know! Twi, remember what you said earlier about never seeing anything like this since the poison joke?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Think about that. Who was it that helped you find the cure?"
"Zecora!" they all cried.
"Of course! Spike, you're a genius!" Twilight praised him.
"Well, you know; I try." He smirked.
"Well what're we waitin' for? Let's get to Zecora's!" Applejack exclaimed.
Everypony nodded, then galloped out towards the Everfree Forest.
"Oh dear," Fluttershy whispered, before following reluctantly.