Okay, here's a shorter chapter for everyone, full of danger-ness and useless-ness! Oh, and if you have been wondering where Discord has been for the past few chapters, this chapter will explain why I haven't been using him, so ya- last chapter with Discord for a while ;)
• Chapter Twenty-nine: It's The Law •
…
"You three are lucky that you are all foals, otherwise you'd be sentenced to jail for the rest of your lives." A sleek, black changeling stood before the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He was a guard, therefor, he wore a green helmet on his head, curving around his crooked horn.
The three foals peered at each other miserably, as Babs Seed stepped forward in a docile manner. "But sir, you do not understand. We know that the two are royalty, but isn't kidnapping still illegal, no matter what rank you are given in the hierarchy?"
The changeling guard shook his head. "Our law is confusing, yes, but those two fillies and Chrysalis authorise unbeatable ranks. It is our job to keep a close eye on those fillies, and at their command, anything will happen. If they believe it is okay to inhumanly take away your friend, then we will just have to obey and not question them."
"This law is stupid," Scootaloo muttered so quietly that only Rumble could hear.
"Shh... we don't know how good changelings can hear..." the pale-grey colt bit his lip.
"Phht. I bet changelings are as death as bats are blind!" Scootaloo watched as Babs Seed continued to converse with the changeling guard, trying to bend her way around the laws, but failing undeniably.
"Bats have better hearing than any animal living..." Rumble hissed, turning to Scootaloo in annoyance.
She cocked her head. "What do I look like? An animal expert?"
Rumble rolled his eyes. "You're so weird Scoots."
She playfully batted at him. "Well you're so know-it-all...ish."
Babs Seed cringed, as the changeling guard levitated a large book from a drawer in the office room they were in, and laid it on the table. "This is the law book. Everything you are curious about will be on page 487 section 959."
Babs Seed flicked to the page, and began to read the writing. The book covered nothing she didn't already know because of her discussion with the guard. Finally, she closed the book, puffs of dust whizzing from the unused pages.
"Well sorry for wasting your time," Babs Seed stepped back from the book, waiting for the guard's further words.
"Okay, you foals need to be back at home by the curfew. Name your parent slash guardian so we can track them down, and get some guard to take you home." The changeling guard powered up his horn, a brilliant green aura surrounding it as he prepared to do a tracking spell.
"Our... parent or... guardian... our home?" Babs Seed bit her lip, fear glistening in her eyes. "Can't we just go home ourselves?"
"No, no, of course not. We need to inform whoever looks after you of what you have all been up to today- and what has happened to your friend." The changeling guard cocked his head. "Just a name, please."
Scootaloo and Rumble glanced at Babs Seed in alarm, as they waited for her to answer. They couldn't let the changeling guard know that they were illegally living in a home with no supervision. They'd be sent to an orphanage, and probably never see each other again.
Thoughts were singing in Babs Seed's mind, as she continued to ponder on what to respond. It had to be a pony who knew them- a pony responsible- capable of keeping a secret. Then, she brightened up, an idea popping into her mind. "Granny Smith."
"Okay..." the changeling guard began to search through lists and lists with his magic, before an image popped up in the air- a projection of light. It was of the tea-green elderly mare, with a white mane curled into a messy bun. Her eyes were the same as Apple Bloom's, glowing with determination and sneakiness. "Is this pony your guardian?" The changeling guard questioned.
"Yes," Babs Seed nodded.
"Who is she?" Rumble whispered to Scootaloo, confusion in his voice.
Scootaloo smiled, approving of Babs Seed's decision. "That is Granny Smith, Apple Bloom's grandmother. We have visited her a few times- her house is too small to fit more than one pony though... that's why we don't live there."
Rumble nodded, before turning to the changeling guard, and waiting for him to list further instructions.
"Okay. Her address is located in that old tree in the Everfree Forest, around the zap apple trees?" The changeling guard questioned, as he ticked off the information Babs Seed answered to.
"Affirmative," the brown filly nodded. A few more questions were asked and answered, before the guard lead them out of the room, and took them to two other guards, giving them instructions.
"Okay, we are going to be taking you to your home... pick a method of transport: walking, flying or magic?" One of the changeling guards turned to them.
"Um... I can hardly see how flying will help me... I'm uh... not a pegasi," Babs Seed raised her eyebrow, showing her wingless back to the guard ponies.
"Oh no, you misunderstand. If you pick the flying method, we will carry all three of you in a trailer- same with walking, and with magic, we'll just teleport you there. It's just for the sake of the weaker ones," one of the guards flicked at Scootaloo's small wings with his hoof, hinting that he believed that she wouldn't be able to keep up for long if she went flying along.
Scootaloo snapped at the hoof, merely missing the holed shell of the insect-like creature.
"So what do you two want to pick?" Babs Seed turned to the two pegasi.
Scootaloo gave an excited expression. "Flying! Duh! I have always wanted to know what it feels like to feel the wind in my feathers... the ground far below and beautiful from a bird's eye view..." Scootaloo drifted off, dreamily glimpsing into space.
"Flying then," Babs Seed smiled at the guards, as they lead them to the trailer, and made sure that the three foals were securely seated. Before long, they took off, and Scootaloo was having the new best moment of her life, as she felt what it was like to truly be off the ground. Something was still bugging the little orange pegasi though- but while she was up in the sky, living the dream she had been dreaming since she had met Cinderainbow, she was going to embrace it, and discuss her issues later.
…
"I cannot deny... I miss her... but I can't go back. I just can't. She probably hates me now- despises me- all because I left her. Oh, but I cannot help but worry- what if she gets hurt- what if Chrysalis kills her..?" The creature of many different species shuddered, his mismatched eyes gleaming with terror.
The large green gloop of sludge wagged to the sides, imitating that of a shake of the head.
"You're right... I am fretting over nothing..." The draconequus got up, and began to walk away, before in a split second, he turned around, fury on his face. "But I am not! She's in danger which could endanger the species of creatures in danger and with the endangered name of Snow Flutter! Not to mention the dangerous changer who will most dangerously and likely hurt her is no stranger of danger-som acts and she's a dangerous changer!"
The slime tilted to the side- this time signifying that of a head tilt influenced by confusion.
"Sorry- I just had the opportunity to use the word danger, and I have never done anything like that before, and I couldn't blow it away... oh, you mean how Chrysalis will hurt her..." The creature gave a thinking motion, by twirling his beard with the tip of his eagle talon, before jumping up, and giving a spas of many different colours. Mainly blood red, meaning fury. "She'll do the most heartless, unpredictable and wretched thing, that changeling queen! She'll use the mock of trickery- make things not as they seem. You see, a changeling's anatomy... I mean a changeling's charisma is sly and sneaky- they take the form of another pony and pretend to be it, whilst they feed off of the love another pony gives to that pony in particular," the draconequus took a breathe, having said that sentence in one gulp of air. "It is only believable that the way they kill the pony will be well thought out and unforeseeable. Something intricate... unique... unrepeatable and not done before. Why, the way a changeling would hurt a pony, is to make the pony think that the thing is something, when really it is something else!"
The ooze was about to say something through body language, but the draconequus cut it off.
"Yes, Smooze. Pure evil, I know... but I just don't know what to do! Should I go save her?" The draconequus went right up to the Smooze's face. "Should I? Should I?"
The sludge slowly slipped away.
"Yes, I know I sound like a child. I just have no idea..." The draconequus sighed, arching his back.
The Smooze gave a cringing motion, about to try and point something out again, before Discord cut him off for the final time.
"Ooh, you're good! Wow, I had no idea you were such a great psychologist! That answers all of my problems! I should just do absolutely nothing about it and not confront Snow Flutter! Then I can avoid embarrassment, at the same time as having no idea what Chrysalis is doing to her which, if I find out would probably wreck me! Thanks Smoozie, thanks for the help!" Discord got up from a chair, opening the door for no reason whatsoever as he teleported away to his home of chaos.
The Smooze slipped to the doorway as fast as it's slimy form could go, before doing the motion of the shake of it's head in annoyance.
…
The cream-yellow filly with the tawny eyes sat stiffly before the wooden spinning wheel, as she desperately tried to get gold out of the straw- it was next to useless, as the hay just fell into debris on the floor, and splinters stuck out like thorns in her hooves.
"This is ridiculous, time consuming and pointless! Ah am wasting valuable, crusadin' time here!" Apple Bloom's honey-coloured eyes widened. "Talkin' to yerself is the first symptoms of insaniteh'! Please don't tell meh ah'm goin' insane! Please!" Apple Bloom peered up to the sky, only to see the barn's roof, and a small sparrow perched on the wooden planks twittering. How it managed to get in here; there was a small opening in the roof, only just big enough for a mouse to scuttle through. Apple Bloom now had the time to pay worthless detail to bootless things like this. The uselessness of those details were almost as hopeless as her futile attempts to spin gold. That was a lot of different words for pointless slotted into two sentences. She was even paying a stupid amount of detail to things like that. "What is wrong with meh?" Apple Bloom looked at the sky, and say a small piece of straw wafting through the air. She went cross eyed as it landed squarely on her muzzle, and dazzled like gold- the same colour as her coruscating, caramel eyes. Apple Blood felt her nose tickle, and she exhaled a quick sneeze, the straw skittering off of her snout. Then she smiled, as she peered at all the bags of hay littered around the room.
"Ah know what ah can do with this!"
…
"Okay, do you understand that these challenges are no joke? We aren't going to frolic around and sniff daisies! Am I right or am I right?"
"You're right..."
"Now what have we been through, slacker?"
"Loss of control..."
"Good."
"Slyness and awareness..."
"Yes, and most importantly?"
"Passion..!"
"Right! So now that you know the elements of a good gather, let's hear a cheer!"
Snow Flutter inhaled, before letting out the smallest, "yay..."
Soarin face-hooved. "... Ugh. You're gonna cheer like that? Louder."
"Yay..." it was as if she had made absolutely no progress from the last cheer.
"Louder!"
"Yay..."
"Louder!" The force in Soarin's voice practically made the earth rumble.
Snow Flutter nervously took the deepest breathe, lasting for about five seconds, before she determinedly 'cheered.' "Yay..."
Soarin looked miserable and hilarious at the same time, as he fell to the ground with a thud.
"Too loud..?" Snow Flutter tilted her head, anxiously peering at the pony standing next to Soarin.
"No- it was still quiet," Flash Sentry shook his head, flexing his wings before plucking a feather and tickling Soarin to wake him up. "But whilst gathering, cheering is not a valuable lesson, nor does it need to be learnt. Soarin, get up and let's teach this pegasi what she really needs to know."
"I'm tired though..." Soarin groaned, rolling away from the feather.
"You're always tired, now get up or I'll make you fly a lap around Equestria."
"You wouldn't..." Soarin slitted his eyes. "You don't even have authority over me..."
Flash Sentry tilted his head, a smirk implanted on his face. "Try me."
Grumbling, Soarin got up, shaking dust from his fur.
"Okay. Today, we are going to learn how to take flight defences in gathering. Believe it or not, you are a pegasi as well, which means you should have a chance on debating your skill. We saw how fast you could fly when we were testing you earlier, but as we know too well, flying with a risk of hazards always improves ability. We want you to channel out your fear and convert it into physical attributes which can increase your tallied dexterity. Do you think that you will be able to do that?" Flash Sentry questioned.
Snow Flutter slowly took in the information. "I think so..."
"Good," Soarin spoke. "Now that we have discussed what we want to happen, we will discuss what we are going to teach you. Firstly we will build up your speed, wing-power and stamina. We won't need to work on your agility- you are already very agile. With that, we will move on to strength- carrying weights whilst flying. That is a very important talent you need to obtain, because a flight defender's job in gathering is mainly to take away the gathered sources through air, and as quick as possible. Sometimes the objects we take away are heavy, which is why we need training."
Flash Sentry nodded approvingly. "Now let's get started. Give me fifty wing-ups, ASAP!"
Snow Flutter dropped to the ground, stretching her wings, before planting the feathers firmly on the floor, and heaving herself up and down with all the energy in her wings.
"Okay, whilst you do that we are going to out weights on your back. The more wing-strength you have the better." Flash Sentry retrieved a bag filled with rocks, and lay it on Snow Flutter's spine.
With that, Snow Flutter nearly completely dropped to the ground, but she built up all the power she had, to keep the furs on her belly from brushing the earth. She panted, and sweated as she neared the fiftieth wing-up. This is going to be a long day...
…
"Here ya' go Granneh'... ah'm sorreh' I couldn't bring more food... ah just got so hungreh' on the trip... and the bread looked so temptin'..." the orange mare with the yellow mane tied up with a messy red lackey lowered her head in shame.
"Aww, ya don't go sulkin' like a rotten apple, darls'. Ya go to the kitchen and use the remaining bread to make some sandwiches with zap apple jam." The tea green elderly mare insisted, shoving the young mare towards the kitchen.
"Alrighteh' then Granneh' Smith. Just sit back and relax, ah'll be right back!"
After the mare with the brown country hat perched on her head left, the tea green mare sighed, settling down on her rocking chair, about to doze off, when she head a knock on the door. "Well ah'll be..." She grumbled, getting up onto her frail hooves, and hobbling to the door, before glancing through the peep hole, to see a group of changeling guards standing there. "What're yous young'uns doin' ere'?" The green mare tilted her head, narrowing her sunset-coloured eyes.
"Is this Granny Smith?" One of the guards questioned from behind the door.
"Ah am. Why do ya need meh?" She suspiciously cocked her head.
"Well you are the guardian of four foals. We have them right here, and we'd like to have a word with you about them."
"Foals?" Granny Smith tilted her head, thinking of all the youth she had encountered over the years. The only four were Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed. "Oh, those four!"
Well atta be... what trouble have they gotten emselves' into this time? Ah better cover for em'. Granny Smith opened the door, allowing the the guards to pop in. She peered behind them to see three foals sitting, glancing at her nervously. "Three? Where's the fourth..? Where's mah Apple Bloom?" Granny Smith could have sworn that one of them she didn't recognise, but she just blamed her sight, as she tottered inside, and sat on her chair, the guards sitting across from her.
"Well you see, these foals have been accused for violation of the law. We found one of them, by the name of Scootaloo attacking royalty. With these actions, come great consequences. Fortunately for them, they are below the age limits... for these consequences, plus going to juvenile detention, because they are only ten- not yet adolescents. But this issue is not going to be tolerated with no punishment-"
"-harm royalteh'? That little Scootaloo is an angel, she would never do anythin' like that unless it was for a good cause!" Granny Smith leered, cutting into the sentence, just as the topic had reached her mind.
"She did have her reasons, but we will discuss them later. Back to what we were saying, for the penalty, we think that you should keep these foals inside- unable to leave the house for six months. That way, they can learn their lessons. How does this sound, ma'am?" the changeling guards waited for her response.
Granny Smith paused for a few seconds, taking all the information in, before she answered. "Sounds fair enough. Ya hear that foals- ya're no longer permitted to leave the house!" When the guards weren't watching, she winked at the fillies and colt, before turning to the guards, waiting for them to speak again.
"Okay. Now that we have went over the discipline, let's go over Scootaloo's... incentive on attacking Princess Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. You see... the two princesses fillynapped one of your foals... by the name of Apple Bloom." The guard cringed, at the horrific look in Granny Smith's eyes.
"What? They stole mah Apple Bloom? Well ah can't blame Scootaloo fer' harmin' those gals! Ah think ah would've done the same thing if ah was in any of their horseshoes!" Granny Smith glared at the guards. "Why did they steal mah little Apple Bloom? Why?"
The guards exchanged glances. "We are uncertain at quite this moment, but we will keep you up to date with any knowledge that we can uncover."
Granny Smith looked furious. She was about to say something else, before the sound of another voice entered the room.
"Ah got the zap apple jam sandwiches Granny Smith!"
Okay, by the way, when Snow Flutter is having a training session with Soarin and Flash Sentry, the first part is a reenactment of the episode Sonic Rainboom :P