SparkBrony

"Yeeha!"
Apple Jack ran through the west field of Sweet Apple Acres, the wind whipping through her mane, tossing seeds left and right, while Big Mac pulled the plow along behind her. The sun was shining, and the temperature was just right. The soft soil was kicked up by Apple Jack's back legs as she ran so freely through the field. She skidded to a perfect stop as the pair reached the outer edge of the field.
"Beautiful day, ain't it Big Mac?" Apple Jack asked as she stared happily at the morning sun shining off the sides of the bright red barn in the distance.
"Eeyup," answered Big Mac, brushing the dirt from the field off his hooves. He then proceeded to detach the plow from himself.
"Aaaaaapple Jaaaaaack!" Granny Smith called from the distance. "Time fer lunch!!!!!"
"C'mon Big Mac," Apple Jack said to her brother. "Time to head on inside and wash up."
"Eeyup," the large red mare said again. They ran across toward the farmhouse.

After cleaning themselves off from their work outside, the gathered around the table to eat. Granny Smith had whipped up yet another apple-related entre.
"So, how's things with the Cutie Mark Crusadin'?" Apple Fritter asked Apple Bloom.
"Ain't bad," replied Apple Bloom. "We tried soccer cutie marks today, but....nuthin'."
"Shucks," said Apple Fritter. "Well, I know y'all will get your cutie marks soon, don't worry."
"I know, I just wonder how long it'll take," sighed Apple Bloom. She turned to her food and began to chow down.
"Aw, look, the ol' MailPony's here!" cried Granny Smith.
"I'll get it!" said Apple Jack, jumping up from her seat. She an outside and intercepted the Mailpony.
"Thank ya kindly," she said as the Mailpony handed her several letters and packages.
"Oh, right," said the Mailpony. "This letter addressed to you is labeled 'URGENT'." He handed her a small envelope.
"Thanks," said Apple Jack, waving goodbye as he walked away. She took another look at the letter and noticed it was addressed to her and Apple Bloom, and it was from Babs!
"Apple Bloom!" She said as she walked back in. "Ya got a letter from your cuz, Babs!"
Apple Blooms eyes nearly popped out of her head. "My cousin Babs!" She cried happily. She snatched the letter out of Apple Jack's hooves and tore open the envelope. She began to read. As she got further and further down the page her eyes got wider and wider. By the time she finished there were tears brimmming in her eyes.
"Apple Jack!" she cried. "Babs is in big trouble!!!"

"What?" said Apple Jack in suprise. "What do ya mean, in trouble?" She grabbed the letter back and quickly skimmed through it. It read:

Dear Apple Bloom and Apple Jack,

This is very urgent. Somethin' wierd's goin' on here in Manehattan, and I need you guys to come as quickly as you can. Please, I really need help!

Your Cousin,

Babs Seed

Apple Jack looked up from the letter. Apple Fritter and Big Mac stared at her. Granny Smith was too busy knitting.
"What do we do?" cried Apple Bloom, tears running freely down her cheeks now.
"There's only one thing to do," Apple Jack replied, setting the letter on the table and putting on her hat. "Get to Manehattan as fast as we can".
"We're gonna see Babs?!" squealed Apple Bloom, quickly changing from her sad state.
"We sure are," said Apple Jack. "Get your stuff together, we're leavin' as soon as possible.

"For Manehattan? Just like that?" asked a bewildered Apple Fritter.

"Babs is lil' sis's favorite cousin," said Apple Jack as Apple Bloom zipped around the room, gathering what she'd need for a suprise trip to Manehattan. "If she needs help, we gotta be there to help her as soon as we can. Even if it means goin' a long way on short notice."

Apple Fritter smiled. "Well, have a great time there! we'll be waitin' here for ya when ya get back."

"Eeyup," agreed Big Mac.

(Granny Smith had noticed none of the conversation, she was too absorbed in her knitting.)

"Thanks y'all," said Apple Jack as she and Apple Bloom headed toward the door. "We'll be back before ya know it."

They waved goodbye and the two sisters headed for the train station to catch a ride to Manehattan.

Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle was having problems of her own.

"Where'd I leave that book?" she cried frantically as she rushed back and forth across her library.

"Calm down," Spike encouraged. "I'm sure it's around here somewhere."

"I cannot calm down!!!! I have to memorize that book in three days!!! How am I going to - Oh, there it is." Twilight picked it up off her desk where it had been all along.

Spike burst out laughing. "It was there ALL ALONG!!! How could you have missed it?" He rolled around on the floor, clutching his sides.

Twilight glared at him an turned back to her desk. Suddenly, Spike burped up a letter, nearly frying Owlicious in the process.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. "It's from Princess Celestia!"

Twilight picked the letter up off the ground and began to read it aloud:

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

I just wanted to write a quick letter to you about some recent events in Equestria you may not have heard about. Lately, there have been several disappearances of ponies in both Canterlot and Cloudsdale. They usually disappear during the night and we fear there may be ponynappers on our hooves. I don't mean to frighten you, I just wanted to warn you to take extra precautions in Ponyville both night and day. My royal guard will hopefully be able to sort this out.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

"Wierd," commented Spike. "Ponynappers? That's, like, the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"It's quite unsettling," said Twilight. "I should probably tell the others about this. Oh, hey, Pinkie's picnic is today! I can tell them then!"

"When is it?" asked Spike.

"It's at....." Twilight trailed off as she examined her clock. "Now! Aagh! Quick, Spike, we're gonna be late!" She and Spike hurried out the door, heading for the park.

"Hey! Look everypony! Twilight's here!" cried Pinkie Pie happily as Twilight Sparkle and Spike arrived at the picnic., exhausted from practically sprinting all the way there.

"Sorry I'm late, girls," Twilight huffed breathlessly, plopping down on the picnic blanket between Rarity and Fluttershy.

"No problem! Except Rainbow Dash ate all the muffins already," Pinkie said.

"I don't really mind," replied Twilight. "Anyway, I got an important letter from Princess Celestia today." She pulled it out of her bag.

"Uh, it's ok Twilight, this picnic is supposed to be fun, not a boring storytime," said Rainbow Dash as Twilight unfolded the letter.

"This one's really important, just listen," Twilight told her. Rainbow rolled her eyes. Just as Twilight was about to start reading, Rarity let out a scream that startled her so much she dropped the letter.

"What is it? Is everything ok?" Twilight asked.

"NO! It's NOT ok! Look!" Rarity held out part of the sundress she was wearing for them to examine.

"Um, what's wrong with your dress?" Fluttershy asked the question that was on all of their minds.

"What do you mean? Can't you see that horrible grass stain?!" Rarity cried.

"You mean that teensy meensy eensy weensy green spot?" Pinkie asked.

"TEENSY?" Rarity was outraged. "It's simply ENOURMOUS!" Of all the horrible things that could happen this is THE. WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!"

Rainbow facehoofed. "Quit being such a drama queen, Rarity!"

"Um, guys? Important letter from the Princess, remember?" Twilight reminded them as Rainbow and Rarity began to argue loudly.

"Hey, where's Apple Jack?" Spike changed the subject yet again from Twilight's letter.

"Oh, she had some last minute plans!" Pinkie yelled over the sound of Rainbow and Rarity's debate.

"GIRLS!" Twlight shouted. Immediately, everypony was silent.

"Finally," she breathed. She smacked the letter down on the picnic blanket and began to read. When she finished, she looked up at their concerned faces (Well, all except Pinkie, who was gobbling down a sugar cookie.)

Everypony was silent for another minute, taking it all in. Then -

"Ponynappings?! In Cloudsdale?!" Rainbow exploded. "This is insane!" she jumped to her hooves angrily.

"It is serious," agreed Twilight.

Pinkie suddenly stopped happily chewing her sugar cookie. "Serious?" she said, almost as if seriousness was an alien thing to her.

"What should we do?" asked Fluttershy. "I don't want the ponynappers to come to Ponyville and harm my critters!"

"I'll tell you what I'm gonna do!" declared Rainbow Dash before anypony could say anything. "I'm going to Cloudsdale to help out! No pony messes with us pegasi!"

Maybe Rainbow has a good point, thought Twilight. Maybe I should do the same. Her brother, her sister-in-law, and all the friends she had had growing up were there, after all.

"I think I should go to Canterlot too," she told the others. "You know - since Shining Armor's there, I want to make sure he's all right and everything.

"We'll stay here and PARTYYYYYY!!!" exclaimed Pinkie. "Um, I mean, protect Ponyville!"

"I'd rather not tussle with any so-called ponynappers," said Rarity, "But I simply must take care of Sweetie Belle."

"So it's settled," Rainbow declared. "Twilight will go to Canterlot, I'll go to Cloudsdale, and the rest of you will stay here. Sounds good to me!" She spread her wings, and with a flash of a spectrum of colors, took off into the bright blue midday sky.

"Well, she's anxious," Twilight observed as Rainbow became no more than a speck in the distance.

"She is the element of Loyalty, after all," Rarity said. "She'd obviously want to protect her hometown."

"True," said Twilight. "Anyhow, Spike - gather my things. We're catching the first train to Canterlot."

Rainbow Dash zipped through the sky. She shoved clouds out of her way as she flew past them. I have to get to Cloudsdale as soon as possible, she thought. They're in danger - they need me! What if her friends had been taken? Lightning Dust, Snowflake, Derpy? She desperately hoped not. They had to be safe, they just had to!

"Whoa!" Rainbow swerved around a large incoming cloud. Previously the cloud had been blocking her view of the sky ahead of her. Now she saw that a volley of dark, menacing storm clouds were between her and Cloudsdale.

Great, thought Rainbow Dash. Just great. Well, there's nothing else I can do. I'll just go through the storm. She began to pick up speed. I've done like a hundred times before anyway! She reassured herself.

By this time the black clouds were quite close and Rainbow could hear the thunder from them and see the sheets of rain that were pouring down. Wierd... she thought. I thought I controlled the weather in this region too, and I didn't plan for any rain!

But she had no time to reminisce on the subject, as right then she shot through the outer layer of the storm clouds.

Haha, this is the life! she thought as the rain poured over her and adrenaline coursed through her body. Whatcha gonna do, storm? I'm not afraid of you!

Then she got hit by lightning.

The shockwave from it threw her off course and sent her sailing through the black clouds. Hey, no fair! She tried to righten herself but felt a sharp pain in her wings as she did. Slowly it began to fade. But not before she got hit again. And again.

Ow! That really hurts! she grunted in pain. The lightning seemed to be tracking her, striking her again and again no matter what she did! And the thunder sounded vaguely like....laughter?

She dodged another stream of unrelenting voltage, but like a heat-seeking missile, it found her and struck her again! Right then, she knew she couldn't take any more. The pain was too great. Her wings stopped flapping abruptly and she dropped out of the sky. But she never hit the ground. The storm clouds swallowed her just as she began to lose conscienceness. Seconds before she went under, she heard it.

Laughter. There was no mistaking it.

Twilight Sparkle's train slowed to a smooth stop at the Canterlot station. She turned to Spike, who was loaded with her bags.

"Finally! We're here Spike! Ready to see the Princess?" She asked.

"No," Spike replied indignantly. "I was taking a nap, for crying out loud!"

Twilight chuckled. "Well, too bad. Seriously, you get enough sleep at home, while your napping on the job!"

The two stepped out of the train. Canterlot station was very elegant. Groups of sophisitcated-looking ponies walked by them as they walked toward Canterlot Castle, not far from their stop.

"Wow! Canterlot never fails to look beautiful on any occasion!" Twilight observed as she stared in awe at the looming castle.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Spike replied. Twilight shook her head, unphased by him. Then she noticed several figures at the castle gates.

"Oh my goodness!" She gushed. "It's Princess Luna and Princess Celestia!" She began to run down the path. "Wait up!" cried Spike. "I'm the one carrying all these suitcases!" He did his best to lug Twilight's gear after her.

"Twilight Sparkle!" Princess Celestia exclaimed in suprise as Twilight came into view. "What are you doing here?"

"Indeed, I could ask the same!" added Princess Luna. "Shouldn't you be at Ponyville?"

"Princess Celestia sent me a letter about the ponynappings in Canterlot and Cloudsdale, and I came as fast as I could!" Twilight explained as a breathless Spike caught up to her. "Is everypony ok?"

"We were just about to come to Ponyville," said Princess Celestia. "Something terrible has happened."

"Oh no!" Twilight's fears were confirmed. "What?"

Princess Luna put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "It's Shining Armor," she said. "They took him."

At about the same time that Twlight Sparkle was arriving in Canterlot, Apple Jack and Apple Bloom's train was just beginning to slow into the Manehattan station.

"I can't wait to see Babs!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. She peered out the window eagerly, looking through the bustling crowd outside for her cousin. She reminded Apple Jack slightly of a small, yellow Pinkie Pie.

"I just hope she's okay," Apple Jack added.

They exited the train along with a dense group of babbling city ponies. They spilled out into the busy train platform. The farm sisters gazed up at the unbelievably tall skyscrapers around the station.

"This place is amazin'!" Apple Bloom cried. "Those buildin's are so big!"

They were both looking up at them in awe when they heard a familiar heavily-accented city pony's voice. "Apple Bloom!"

Babs Seed barreled through the crowd of ponies and tackled Apple Bloom in an exited hug. The two fillies then scrambled to their hooves and bounced happily up and down.

"Alright, alright," said Apple Jack. "Babs, ya sounded like ya were in a pickle when we got your letter. What's wrong?"

Babs turned to the older sister. "I gotta show ya," she replied. "Here - come to my apartment and I'll tell you everything."

"Ok," agreed Apple Jack as a sophisticated-looking business pony pushed past her. "I wouldn't mind gettin' outta this crowd anyway.

They walked across the platform and exited the station. They emerged into a busy sidewalk clumped with ponies of all kinds.

"Seems like every place in Manehattan is bustlin' today!" noted Apple Jack. Babs nodded in agreement. She was only half-listening as she was also carrying on a conversation with Apple Bloom. The younger farm sister chattered about school and the latest activities of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Oddly, Babs looked bored with her tale. Apple Jack thought this was a bit strange; she expected both fillies to be babbling away. But she quickly dimissed this skepticism, as she knew Babs was probably a little worried about her problem - whatever it was.

"Well, here it is! My apartment building!" announced Babs when they arrived in front of one of those famous Manehattan skyscrapers.

"It's huuuuuuge!" Apple Bloom's eyes were wider than a healthy apple at harvest season.

"I know," said Babs. "But luckily I live on the first floor. I hate stairs."

Apple Bloom seemed a little crestfallen that they wouldn't be able to go to the top floor of the building, but nothing could phase her out of her happy, excited aura. They walked into the building and Babs walked them to the door of her apartment. She inserted a key, turned the knob, and entered the room.

Babs' apartment wasn't anything too special. There was a large living room, stairs at the back up to the bedrooms, and a kitchen off through a doorway to the left.

"Just look out that window and you'll understand my problem," said Babs, gesturing toward a window on the other side of the room. The view out of the window was obscured by curtains.

"Ok," said Apple Jack. She and her sister started across the room.

Halfway there, the floor caved in.

Apple Jack let out a yelp, suspended in midair, before she and Apple Bloom hit the concrete floor - hard. Both let out grunts of pain as the landing took it's toll. Apple Jack's head was spinning, but she managed to lift hereslf to her hooves and look around. They seemed to be in a basment of some kind, but it looked more like a dungeon. She gazed up and about six feet above her was a hole in the ceiling, where she could see Babs' apartment and Babs' face peering down at them.

"We're ok!" Apple Jack assured her. "What happened? How are you?" Apple Bloom began to stir beside her sister on the basement floor.

"Oh, I'm better than ever,' Babs replied, grinning down at them. Her eyes narrowed and she smiled sinisterly? Or was Apple Jack seeing things?

"Babs....?" Apple Jack repeated. "Are you...."

"Oh, you can stop calling me that now," Babs called down to them.

"What's going on?" said Apple Bloom, sitting upright now.

"Oh, Apple Bloom," Babs sighed. "Well, I said I'd tell you everything, didn't I? Hmm, I have a better idea. Let me SHOW YOU!"

At 'show you' Babs' voice turned into one Apple Jack recognized. Not a good one. And then things got wierd.

Green light shot from Babs' eyes and mouth. A sinister green mist surrounded her. They watched as she got bigger, her mane got longer, and holes appeared in her legs. Fangs erupted from her mouth and her eyes turned torquoise. A jagged horn emerged from her forehead. Her transformation was complete.

They had been tricked.

Queen Chrysalis laughed down at them. Apple Jack and Apple Bloom stared, horrified, up at what they thought had been their friend.

"Thanks for playing, but I'm afraid it's game over!" She said in her double voice. The apartment floor folded up like a trapdoor above them and left them in darkness.

Except they weren't alone.