>>382349The plow harness was floating in a green aura a foot or two in front of Twilight. Applejack stepped forward and extended a foreleg to take it.
"Hey Twilight," I cut in. "How come your magic's a different color?"
Twilight turned and glared at me. Spike did too. It was too late though, Applejack had stopped, and was now looking at the object suspended in the air in front of her, a curious frown on her face.
"Huh, that is mighty peculiar," she said. "Your magic's usually purple, right? How'd you make it turn green like that?"
"Oh, it's just this new spell I'm trying..." Twilight stammered.
"How's it work?" I pressed, stepping forward. I walked around the floating plow harness in a circle, pretending to be fascinated by it. "The other day in school, Miss Cheerilee told us a unicorn's magic color can't be changed."
"Hey, yeah," put in Sweetie Belle, taking my cue. She and the others approached and started gawking and poking at the harness. "We just learned that the other day. A unicorn can't change the color of her magic any more than she can change her cutie mark!"
"W-well, I
know that of course, it's just, an illusion spell I've been perfecting—"
Twilight was now hemming and hawing, and her voice sounded off. Her eyes had a slight green glow behind them. Applejack looked confused.
"Uh, that doesn't sound right," she said, scratching her chin with a fetlock. "I'm not a unicorn, and I don't mean to contradict your teacher or nothin', but I'm pretty sure that's just an old mare's tale..."
"Oh, wait, you're right!" I said, slamming my fist into my hand like I'd just had some sort of revelation. "Still, though, don't you think it's strange that a
real unicorn like Twilight Sparkle wouldn't know that...?"
Twilight Sparkle gave me a hateful look and made a low hissing noise in the back of her throat. Her eyes were glowing bright green now. Applejack took a step forward.
"Twilight, are you sure you're feelin' okay—"
All of a sudden there was a bright flash of lighting, accompanied by a deafening thunderclap. We all winced, shielding our eyes. The thunderclouds that had been slowly gathering over our heads exploded into a downpour.
"Are y'all okay?" I heard Applejack cry out. "I think that lightnin' mighta struck somethin' nearby..."
I wasn't paying attention. I looked all around, but could find no trace of either Twilight or Spike. Applejack had noticed too.
"Twilight!" she called out. "Spike—
oof!"
She grunted, as her legs were suddenly yanked out from under her and she collapsed face-first in the mud. She rolled onto her back, and discovered that the plow harness that had been floating in the air a moment ago had been tied around her hind legs.
"Sis!" shouted Apple Bloom from somewhere nearby.
There was a burst of sickly green light, and a hideous creature materialized over Applejack, looking like some kind of half-transformed mutation. Its coat and mane were still Twilight Sparkle's, but its body shape had contorted. Its front legs were bored through with strange holes, and the eyes were bulbous and faceted like an insect's. It buzzed in the air on a set of translucent dragonfly wings.
The long, curved purple horn jutting out of its forehead sparked up, and a green aura began to take shape around Applejack's body. However, Applejack reacted more quickly than the bug anticipated. She flipped deftly over onto her two front legs, cocked back her hips, and aimed a powerful buck. Her hind legs were still bound at the fetlocks by the harness, but both hooves hit the creature square on the horn. It broke with a sickening crack, and the monster shrieked in pain.
It fell to the ground, flailing back and forth in the mud, still shrieking. Meanwhile, Applejack scrambled to her hooves, shaking off the plow harness. It dislodged quickly, and fell with a plop next to the convulsing insect creature.
"Whatever that thing is, it sure don't know nothin' about tyin' knots," she muttered, as she scrambled towards where the fillies and I had taken shelter under the barn eaves.
"Are y'all okay?" she demanded. She approached her younger sister, lifting her chin with a hoof and examining her face.
"Sis, this is what we were tryin' to warn you about—" began Apple Bloom.
"Where's the other one?" cut in Sweetie Belle anxiously.
The sky had grown considerably darker with the onset of the sudden thunderstorm, and it was difficult to see anything. I could make out the bug with the injured horn, now fully transformed into its insect state, limping slowly away towards the orchard, nursing its injured horn. It didn't look like it was in a mood to cause any more trouble. However, there was no trace of the one that had been disguised as Spike.
Applejack took a hesitant step forward, squinting into the rain that was now coming down in thick sheets. Suddenly, a red blur came from out of nowhere and barreled into her, once again knocking the wind out of her and sending her flying to the ground.
"Big Mac?!?" she mumbled, staring up in confusion at the massive stallion that had pinned her down.
"Nope," the pony replied with a malicious grin. A glowing, curved horn sprouted out of his forehead, and his eyes lit up with toxic green light.