//------------------------------// // The Elements // Story: Flip Switch // by Lord Sergal //------------------------------// Applejack’s POV BOOM! The sound of one of Rainbow’s sonic rainbooms did little to draw mah attention. Ah was too busy interrogatin’ a blue changeling that Ah found out by Ponyville. “Now, Ah’m gonna ask ya one last time before Ah introduce ya to Big Mac, why are y-” BOOOOOOM!!! “What in tarnation?” Ah shouted, running out of the barn. Rainbow could only do one rainboom before she got exhausted. As soon as Ah got outside, a rainbow colored-blur flew by an’ snatched mah hat. “Rainbow!” “‘Sup,” replied a familiar voice, only that voice was now attached to a blue griffin! “Rainbow?” Ah asked, shocked. “Yup. cool, huh?” “What the Hay happened to ya?” “A changeling turned me into a griffin! Isn’t that awesome?” She said, almost as energetic as Pinkie. “I TOLD YOU I WAS POSTING BUSINESS FLYERS!” came a loud shout from inside the barn, drawing Rainbow’s attention. “Blue?” “Yeah, Ah found him out by Ponyville.” “Let him go and come see this place. It’s really cool!” Ah looked at her like she was crazy before askin’, “Did those Blues hypnotize ya or somethin’?” “He was orange and I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you if he did.” “Hmph. Fine, but we’re bringin’ the rest of the girls just to be sure.” _________________________________________________________________________________________ Twilight’s POV I was startled from my studies by somepony knocking on the door upstairs. How many times do I have to tell them that this is a public library and they can come in without knocking? “SPIIIIKE! COULD YOU GET THE DOOR, PLEASE?” “Seriously Twi, do you have to ye...Um, Twilight? You need to get up here now.” Curious as to what Spike had called me upstairs, I teleported into the library. “Now Spike, what was so important...that…Uh Rainbow Dash? Why are you a Griffin?” Applejack, who was standing inside with the cyan hybrid, was the first to speak. “Twi, she says that she paid an orange-maned changeling to do that an’ Ah found one of Chryssie’s changelings hangin’ around.” That last part gave me pause. From my studies of Changelings, I have learned that it is possible for members of one hive to replicate the appearance of another hive. The so-called orange changeling could very well be a blue changeling attempting to influence Rainbow Dash’s thoughts. Making sure to keep the aura of my magic suppressed, I ran a detection spell for any magic that influences thought processes. I found only one such spell, though, and it’s sole purpose was to provide instinctive knowledge of how to use claws as a griffin. “Applejack, I don’t know about the blue changeling you found, but the one that changed her didn’t do anything that Chrysalis would have.” “Yeah, he was totally cool about it.” “Um, yes. That. Anyways, it may be a good idea to bring the rest of the Elements to investigate, just to be safe.” “Ah’ll go get Flutters, y’all get Pinkie and Rares.” _________________________________________________________________________________________ The entirety of the building seemed to be formed from some form of hardened resin, though it was artfully shaped to mimic an upscale Manehatten Lobby. Standing behind the main desk was a pony-shaped dragon with red scales and yellow-orange tendrils forming a mane and beard. He was admiring himself in a mirror made from polished resin when we walked in, but when he saw us he was immediately engulfed in flames. The orange maned Changeling that appeared was blushing slightly. “Sorry, just testing out a new sh- oh, hey Rainbow! Are these your friends?” “Yep! These are the rest of the Elements.” His eyes widened at that. “Wait, you’re one of the Elements of Harmony? I am so sorry. I had planned on giving you all one free transformation of your choice. Oh well, I could always let your next one be free. By the way, have any of you seen a blue Changeling around? I need him to make some ponyquins for this custom costume side job I have planned.” Rainbow seemed slightly taken aback by how fast he was talking. “Woah. What happened to you? You’re talking almost as fast as Pinkie!” “Sorry, but somepony here is excited and excitement tastes and acts like coffee and they’re so excited that it’s bleeding out into the ambient atmosphere and it’s making me really hyper.” “Oh, that’d be me, I’m so excited that there is a business that would let me be a pegasus so I can throw parties for the ponies in Cloudsdale because then I could make so many more ponies happy because making other ponies happy makes me happy.” “Nevermind, Pinkie’s still got you beat.” Rainbow sighed. “Anyways,” I said, “we are here to investigate since we have seen a blue changeling and were worried that Chrysalis had returned. However, you appear to be safe and there is only one discrepancy. I noticed that your business was not licensed by Princess Celestia and all Changeling business are required to be licensed until further notice.” “Oh,” he sighed. “Well, this is the first I’ve heard of this. I’ll leave tomorrow. Just tell Blue to mind the store while I’m gone.” “Of course.”