//------------------------------// // Chapter 25 - Final Preperations // Story: Jack Spicer's Quest to Conquer Equestria // by CrazedLaughter //------------------------------// "Gooooootttt itttt!" Pinkie bounced back in, the comic book bouncing along her back. "That's it huh?....so there's a whole world in there?" Jack stood up and picked the comic up to inspect it. "Be careful with that!" Twilight hollered "Yes...It has a world inside....and no..don't open it. Whatever you do" Jack nodded "I'm not a moron....I just wanted to take a peek" Jack was interested by the cover "Mane-iac sounds like a pretty classy villain. "She's anything but...look. Just don't open it, alright? It'd take forever to get you back out of it..or us if it sucks us all in again." Twilight warned Jack, giving him utmost cautionary words. "Must have been a trip...heheh. Guess that means we can't trap Wuya in it as a backup plan. If you could get out of it, she could no problem." He puts the comic book on the table. "Or worse...she'd might find a way to get the villains of that book out of that world. We could be in real trouble then." Twilight thought, it'd definitely not be a good idea. "So how should I distract Wuya, Twilight? Should I dance? Sing? Both?" Pinkie started to make suggestions "It won't be needed Pinkie...actually. Jack, how exactly do you plan to convince Wuya into this "Xiaolin showdown"? Couldn't she just take the comic book from you?" "Nah, the showdowns have special rules.As long as she wants the comic book as her own. I could instigate a Xiaolin Showdown. Pretty simple stuff really. We just can't get caught on our way up there. Speaking of which, you don't mind if I leave your friends behind if we get spotted right? I mean, I wo-" Twilight narrowed her eyes at Jack ".....do you really want to ask me that question?" "eheh" Jack did not like the look in her eyes "Right, do my best to save them if they get into trouble got it..." Jack turned away, muttering under his breath "Geez, give me a break. I'm sorta new at being a super good guy here...stupid horse" Twilight didn't catch what he muttered, but she did respond to his first words "Jack, we are all in this together. I can assure you, if you were in any kind of trouble. My friends would come to your rescue too." a southern voice could be heard through the door as it slowly opened "Come to who's rescue? Is Rainbo-" It was Applejack, and her eyes locked right onto Jack "YOU!" Jack immediately turned to see Applejack across the room, coming through the door. And boy did she look furious. He took a few steps back. giving her a very nervous, fearful chuckle and waving very weakly "oh...hey..it's you....how's umm..your face?" "AH THIRD TIME?! YOU LOW DOWN, NO GOOD, SNAKE! I DUNNO HOW YA GOT PAST THAT BARRIER BUT IF YA THINK I'M GONNA LET YA HURT TWI, YA GOT ANOTHER THING COMING!" Applejack said in a very heightened rage as she immediately made a dash towards Jack One hand covering his face, the other his crotch. He jumped back into a corner and cowered "Don't! Don't hurt me! I can't take a second pounding! I'm unarmed!" He took a white flag out of his coat and waved it "Truce! Truce!" Pinkie and Twilight immediately jump to his defense and try holding back Applejack. "Applejack wait! He's on our side!" Pinkie yelled, doing her best to hold the berserked pony "Applejack, calm down! He's here to make amends and try to help us!" Twilight couldn't use her magic to hold Applejack back as she was focusing on the barrier, and she wasn't very physically strong...at least not as strong as Applejack. "YA EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT MALARKEY?! THAT TWO TIMING VARMINT IS NOTHING BUT A VILLAIN! HE EVEN TRIED TO USE MAH SISTER! I CAN'T FORGIVE THAT! IF ANYTHING HAD HAPPENED TO HER..I..I!" Steam was bursting through her nostrils. Tears coming down her cheek. "Applejack! Please! I know you're upset. I know what he did was wrong! Please ca-" Twilight calls to her. But Applejack cuts her off "DON'T SAY IT TWI, AH CAN'T. AH WON'T! YA REALLY THINK HE'S HERE TO MAKE SOME SORT OF AMENDS? AH DON'T BUY IT. HE TOOK SPIKE, TWI! DON'T YA REMEMBER THAT? WE COULDN'T EVEN FIND HAIR OR HOOF OF FLUTTERSHY. YA HEARD SCOOTALOO, HE WAS WORKING WITH WUYA. WHAT IF HE STILL IS?! WHAT IF HE PONYNAPPED FLUTTERSHY?!" Applejack was in berserked rage, Twilight and Pinkie losing their footing as she tried to continue her advance. "I-I know...but I don't think he ponynapped Fluttershy. Applejack, I know you're upset. I understand. I really do. But look at him." Twilight tried to get her attention to his cowering "He's really scared right now, he can't fight. Are you really going to beat up on somepony who can't defend themselves? That's not you Applejack. Please..I can prove he's on our side." Jack's ears perked up as he looked towards Twilight with annoyance "Hey, did you just imply that I was a chicke-" His eyes caught Applejack's tearful rage. Making him go back to his shuddering "O-ok, she's right! She's Right! please don't beat me up!" Applejack could see Jack cowering, scared, not even in a fighting position. Much different than her first encounter where he was cocky and underhanded. But she could definitely remember his hits doing nothing to her. She began to back down, until she stopped her advance "Twi...I....mnnn.." She sighed in a hefty sorrow "Yer right, ah can't just beat on somepony who's defenseless....even if it is him. It ain't in my nature..But..ahm gonna need that proof to be mighty conclusive if I'm even gonna believe a single word he spouts." "Thank you" Twilight sighed in relief "Pinkie, can you have Good Jack do what he did for me?" She looked towards Pinkie, as Applejack became confused "Good Jack? What's that all about?" Applejack asked "You'll see...sorta..well Pinkie?" Twilight again asked Pinkie nodded "Yep, but let me go get him! he went downstairs to see if any of the other ponies could see him so he could try to lift their spirits! He's such a nice guy!" Pinkie zoomed and bounced off to retrieve the other Jack a "hi Rarity!" could be heard past the door as she descended. Making Twilight jump to the ready "Here we go again..." Twilight sighed. After another moment, and calming down Rarity. Who was thankfully a lot more understanding. Pinkie brought Good Jack up to demonstrate his presence and nature. Letting both Applejack and Rarity have a go at making sure it was legit. Applejack using a word she whispered to Rarity, with Good Jack eavesdropping. And Rarity hiding a red colored gem. Pinkie was able to guess both right with Good Jack's help. Even getting the exact detailed color of Rarity's gem. Rarity was impressed. But Applejack was still a little on the fence. "so yer all gonna tell me there's another one of him" She points to Jack "Somewhere in this room that's not only invisible...but pure good...and that only him, and somehow Pinkie...can see..and talk with?" Applejack said, confused by the whole thing Twilight nodded "Remarkable....but darling, wouldn't that make the Jack WE can see pure evil? I think it would support Applejack's point that he can't be trusted....especially in that tacky outfit he refuses to change.I'm tempted to make him something new just for everypony else's benefit." Rarity said, still disgusted with his garish attire. "I guess it would be...but...uhm.. Pinkie. You can explain it better than I can." Twilight looked to Pinkie. Pinkie nodded "Well, ya see. Apparently there's a whoooole other world where both Wuya and Jack came from. And at some point. Jack used some Yo-yo thingy and ended up being separated from his good half....everypony with me so far?" They both nodded, still confused, but they had no reason to distrust Pinkie. "Welllllll....Jack here had a super nice good moment. Infact. As it would turn out. He actually genuinely cared about Applebloom,Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. He even took an extra shining to Scootaloo and became her friend....sorta....it was based on a lie...which is bad...But he really did care. I know Scootaloo was upset. But he didn't go down to rescue her for his own selfish reasons like Wuya had told her...He went to rescue her because he actually cared! Which somehow brought his good self from the "yin yang world"...which is another world...and now evil Jack isn't so evil anymore..sorta...we're still working on that." Pinkie took a breath. Good Jack gave an applause "good Job Pinkie Pie, that was very well said!" Pinkie turned to smile at Good Jack "Thanks other Jack! It was really confusing, but I think I got it right!" Good Jack gave her a thumbs up "you did perfect!" Rarity and Applejack couldn't see who she was talking to.Rarity was a little worried and spoke up "Pinkie, sweetie....are you're sure you're not just imagining things? I know what you did was very extraordinary and all. But I fear for your well being." Pinkie shook her head "I'm fine. The only thing I want to do right now is rescue Fluttershy, Spike, and beat that evil Wuya! Nopony tricks Pinkie Pie! NOPONY!" Pinkie's word becoming a little rageful. "Speaking of which...we should inform you of the plan..." Twilight began to tell Rarity and Applejack of the plan. But she had to ask something of Rarity... "What?! Why can't I come with? I certainly can't just leave you all by yourselves!" Rarity whined, shocked Twilight would make that suggestion. "We need somepony to organize the townsponies and evacuate them. Rarity, if what we learned is true. It's not going to be safe for them. Even if I was to stay and keep the barrier up. Wuya would eventually be able to shatter it. I need you to take them to Canterlot. If we can't stop Wuya, I want to at least know that'd they be safe. Please Rarity...you understand right?" Twilight didn't want any of her people to be hurt should the plan fail. Rarity nodded "Say no more Twilight. I understand, but you all better succeed. Or i'll be giving Wuya a piece of my mind....personally!" Twilight nodded, then turned to Applejack. "do you understand the plan Applejack" "Ah do, but I don't think it's a perfect one. Ah was actually in one of them Xia-whoosits. And Jack here had to play dirty to win. If Wuya is more powerful and just as evil. I dun think he stands a chance. Ah think I should be the one to do it." Applejack said, as she eyed Jack. Jack leaned over to her, not taking the comment to well "Oh yeah? I managed to kick your butt you know! dirty or not. I still won!" Applejack stepped over to him "Ya wanna fight right now then? I'm still itchin for a round two!" Pinkie got into middle of them and pushed them back "Come on! Don't fight. We gotta work together!" Jack pointed to her "She started it! She think I can't win!" "And what makes ya think you can? She's definitely stronger than you, and probably fights twice as dirty. you'd be done for, for sure!" Applejack said, stepping back. "a showdown can be more than just a fight. It can be a race, a specialized challenge. As long as we choose a challenge we can win at. It'll be fine....as long as Wuya doesn't make the challenge.." Applejack, after hearing those words, actually begins to concoct her own plan "Well then...What if ah challenged her to an applebucking challenge? I'd win fer sure." "What even is that?! Is that a real thing? It's gotta be a real thing for the challenge to start. And that doesn't sound real to me." Jack had never heard of it. "It is a real thing ya city slicker! and if ya don't know what it is, then I bet Wuya wouldn't either. I suppose it's a little dirty to say. But I could take advantage of that and win like no tomorrow. if Equestria hangs in the balance, then I'm willing to play a little dirty myself if it means saving it." "Wait, if you're willing to play dirty. Then why are you berating me for it!?" Jack didn't understand the concept. "cuz.....you we're doing it just because you're a bad guy. Selfish to a fault." Applejack nodded to her own words. "...e....a...hrm." Jack stopped to think, then looked at her "Ok, I guess you have a point...I guess." "Then I think I should be doing the showdown. one applebuckin contest later and she'll be back to her ghostly self. Easy as apple pie." Applejack felt confident, she was sure she could win. Twilight could agree with that. having learned of Jack's history with Wuya. Or what she had been told. Wuya would no doubt know Jack's tricks. "Jack...you don't have any objections with that right?" "Of course I have an objection with that! We can't leave something that important to a country bumpkin. What if she screws up?!" Jack felt he was the boy for the job. "What if you?! Stop being such a whiny punk and get it through yer thick skull that OUR world is at stake. We can't be leavin it to somepony like you. Especially one who probably don't even care what happens to us! Ahm gonna be the one doing the challenge, and that's final!" Applejack looked straight into his eyes, putting her front hooves on the table to tower over him "Ya got it? pardner?" Jack just looked at her intimidating stance "..yes ma'am..hehe.." She had no one between her and him. And he didn't want to suddenly be attacked. "Good..." Applejack lowered herself down. "Then it's settled....We have a plan. and for the love of Celestia. Please everypony. We have to stick to it. Jack...Applejack. Please try to get a long. And Pinkie, make sure to convey all the information Good Jack tells you when he scouts the perimeters of Wuya's castle. ok?" Pinkie saluted "Gotcha! You got that other Jack?" "Yup! I'll make sure to be super clear and concise...I would not want any of my new friends to be in any danger because of me. No sirree!" Good Jack wouldn't know what to do with himself if he made a mistake. "Don't worry other Jack! You'll do fine! I know you will" Pinkie gave him a confident smile. Twilight took that as Good Jack understanding. Then looked to Applejack and Rarity. "...ok...before we do this. There's one more matter. And please....please be understanding. If only because I believe even Jack deserves one chance...everypony does.." Twilight began to tell Applejack and Rarity about Jack's request before going on their way.