Episode 15: No Time Left
Not long after the previous episode.
“And these-” Applejack rolled up her sleeve to show Applebloom her Alter Scars, having explained everything else offscreen ‘coz you readers already know this, “-are from the first time I used Wing Bullet.” Applebloom traced the intricate and beautiful scarring, taken in by the strange design. “I thought scars were meant to be ugly. These are pretty.” “Just like the rest of her. Ain’t that right, sweetie?” Vinyl Scratch asked playfully from the door, her words causing Applejack to blush. Applebloom giggled, “Somepony likes you, AJ.” Before Applejack could reply, Vinyl drew her into a tight, but loving, hug. “More than like. This is love.” Applejack wrapped one arm around Vinyl. “You’re makin’ me blush,” she said dreamily, looking like she was about to kiss Vinyl Scratch. “Um, I’m still here, Sis. Do you have a room of your own for that?” Applebloom asked, clearly uncomfortable. “You’ve seen us kiss before, Applebloom. Why is this any different?” “‘Coz this is my room, or so I was told.” Applejack got up and ruffled her sister’s hair. “Come on out when you’re feelin’ better, okay?”
Twilight had gotten used to the isolation of the Lost Ground. After nearly a year or two of it, it seemed oddly natural to be so far away from any town or city. “I wonder what’s gonna happen when the city expands again. It won’t be easy for anyone.” Luna was as distant as usual. “Who knows? But it will be a long time before anyone does anything out here.” Luna turned to the window, only to be greeted by Rainbow Dash making faces at her from outside. Her expression barely changed, though her tone was one of annoyance. “Have you nothing better to do, Rainbow Dash?” The answer was, “Not really. Hey, where’s Pinkie?” Luna shrugged, “Probably made another offscreen journey to HOLD headquarters. You and Pinkie are the only two who can do that, you know.” Rainbow Dash grinned and was about to say something when Luna glared. “Don’t say a word.” Twilight laughed, “If I didn’t know you two better, I would say you like each other.” She soon regretted those words, as Rainbow Dash was quickly at her side, spouting what she probably thought was poetic words. “I would never leave thy side, Ms. Twinight.” “Really, Rainbow? Nearly two years and you STILL can’t get my name right?” Twilight said in the driest tone she could muster. Luna resumed her vigil, but what she was watching for, no one knew.
HOLY Headquarters
It had been one big disaster. Applejack and Rarity’s fight 8 months ago was meant to open the Door to the Other Side, but instead things had gone downhill. His forces scattered and those who remained at HOLY had turned against him, effectively making him an outlaw in his own base. Whoever Discord was, he did not play fair. “The time for waiting is over. Applejack and Rarity, I hope you are ready, because we cannot delay this anymore.”
Discord was a step ahead. He had already prepared a large weapon intended to destroy Applejack and Rarity, even though he knew their power would be more than enough to counter it. They opened the Door once before, so it should be simple to open it again. “They simply need some…motivation.” He smiled evilly and laughed. An insane, maniacal, evil laugh. He wanted the power that waited on the Other Side.
The Village that really should have a name by now, but I’m too lazy to think of one
Applejack had never in her life been so grateful for a working shower, even if it did need percussive maintenance every now and then. Under the hot water, Applejack felt like all her pain, her stress and her injuries were just washing away. “Just need Vinyl in here, and this would be perfect.” A soft voice whispered in Applejack’s ear. “Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.” Both ponies giggled. Vinyl kissed Applejack’s neck, an act that never failed to excite her. “I’m guessing my schedule’s just gone out the window.” Applejack joked. Vinyl nodded, closing the door to their shower, and obscuring them from view. “You guessed right, hot stuff. I want you all to myself…”
Fluttershy looked around at the village and the ponies who lived there. They all seemed happy enough, which threw her friends into sharp contrast. They seemed as happy and care-free as the others, but Fluttershy saw the pain they lived with. How did they cope with this? “Hey, Shy. Mind if I join you?” Scootaloo asked as she walked up. “I guess. How do you do it?” “Do what?” Fluttershy pointed over to Rarity, who was telling a group of fillies a story. “Endure everything you’ve been through and still keep truly living.” Scootaloo looked up at the sky, almost looking for something. “Applejack keeps us together, mostly. If she can find the strength to smile, even with what she went through, then so can we.” “What would happen if you didn’t have her?” Scootaloo thought back to the 8 months when Applejack was missing. “We had a taste of it after the Second Uprising. 8 months of torment and wondering if we’d ever see her again. It nearly killed me and Applebloom.” Fluttershy stood up. “And this happened here?” “Yes. Applebloom tried to follow Applejack’s example, and she took on other’s burdens, but she was close to breaking. Then Rarity showed up and…well, this.” Scootaloo gestured to the village. Fluttershy managed a weak smile as she tried not to cry. “It’s so beautiful. Do you ever think that…we never belonged on this world?” Scootaloo shook her head. “That’s a stupid question. If we don’t belong here, then where do we belong?”
“What do you think so hard about, Luna?” Twilight asked, finally asking Luna that question that no one ever asked her. She answered honestly. “My sister, Celestia. I lost her 9 years ago. Celestia was an Alter User like me, and she taught me how to use it. Then the earthquake that levelled the city back then. All I saw was a blinding light, then a crater where my sister used to be.” Tears streamed down Luna’s face. “I loved her. She was my only family…” Twilight sat next to Luna. “I felt the same when my mother died. Sometimes, I still think of her.” Luna leaned on Twilight’s shoulder, though I have no idea why. “I’ve thought about my sister for 9 years, wondering if she’d be proud of me, disgusted by me, or if I just want her to say goodbye.” Twilight stared out the window, her gaze fixated on the distant horizon. “I wish I knew what to say, Luna. But that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.” They both broke into tears, crying on each other’s shoulder.
Pinkie sat by the cliffs, looking over to the city. How different could things have been if they stayed? “We’ll never know. But I know this much: If Applejack and Rarity open the Door again, they’re going to die…”
HOLY Headquarters – 3 days later
“This is so boring. Nothing but angsting for three days. Time to make it a little more exciting around here. Oh, they’ll see the weapon, and those two nerds, Twilight and Luna, will figure it out easily. But they won’t see my little surprise coming at all. Hee hee, this is going to be fun.” Discord monologued, bursting into insane laughter as he pressed the big red button…and turned on his coffee maker. “Mental note, need to refill that before the day is out.”
The Village in the Mountains
Applejack lay sprawled out on the hay, snoring loudly. She finally got to rest after months of fighting and stress, and she made time for her sister and Vinyl. As she slept on the pile of hay, she dreamed of the day she first met Scootaloo…
Applejack’s dream
“You’re Applejack, right?” Scootaloo said, nervous but trying to appear confident. “Yeah, that’s me. You lookin’ for a fight or somethin’?” Applejack had dropped to a defensive stance. “Relax. I’m here about a job, if you’re interested.” Scootaloo smiled nervously. She heard of Applejack’s reputation as an Alter User who would do anything if the price was worth it. Applejack stood up straight, but didn’t take her eyes off Scootaloo. “What’s the job and how much?” “500, and it involves raiding some thieves who’ve been stealing from my client. But there’s a catch: If you don’t do the job, then my client will kill me.”
After the job was done, Applejack found Scootaloo’s location and opened the door to find a badly-beaten Scootaloo surrounded by thugs with clubs and bats. “You weren’t kidding…Who do you assholes think you are?” Applejack lashed out in a flurry of fists and hooves, bringing them all down. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but you need help.”
Scootaloo woke up with a pounding headache and pain radiating through her body. “Feelin’ better?” She saw Applejack sitting on the edge of the bed with a concerned look on her face. “I guess…Wait! What about…” “Easy. I took out the thugs and the boss, took just enough of the money for me and Applebloom to live and some for you, and I gave the rest away to ponies who needed it.” Scootaloo wasn’t sure whether to be angry or happy. On the one hand, she was now free, but on the other, she no longer had a job. “Who’s Applebloom?” Applejack pointed at the wall, indicating that there was another room. “She’s my sister, and she doesn’t know I’m an Alter user. And you will not tell her about it, or I’ll finish the job those thugs started.” “Ok. Friends?” Scootaloo held out her uninjured hand. Applejack shook it, unaware that they would end up best friends. “Great. Now for a favour.” “What?” “Wake up.”
Present day
Applejack awoke to see Scootaloo’s face inches away from her. “If you’re gonna kiss me, don’t let Vinyl see you.” Scootaloo laughed, “Very funny. Actually, I was about to splash you with water, but I tripped.” Applejack pushed her off and stretched. “Yeah, that must be why there’s no water on the ground. Remember the old days?” “When you were a grouchy irritable piece of work? Yeah. I think there’s still a few bruises from back then.” Applejack grinned, “I’ve really changed, haven’t I? And you still think you’re funny.” Scootaloo nodded, “I have known you far too long for my liking-” “Your condescension is appreciated.” Applejack deadpanned. Scootaloo faked a laugh. “Anyway, you have matured quite a bit. Meeting Rarity and spending time at HOLY helped you there. Not to mention when Applebloom found out about your Alter.” Applejack smiled as she glanced at Applebloom, who was currently teaching Twilight how to make apple pie. “She took it well. Guess it was that now she knows what I’ve been doing with myself.” Her expression turned serious as she looked down, “I don’t want Applebloom to lose everything she cares about.” “Applejack, listen. For 8 months, I watched her when you were gone. She wanted to see you again and the thought of you being dead nearly killed her. Try and tell me there’s anything she cares about more than you.”
HOLY HQ
“Mr Darkpony, is this evacuation necessary? After all, there haven’t been many Alter crimes since-” “Oh, shut up. I was put in charge, and this is how I intend to run things.” Discord snapped impatiently at the bureaucrat. They followed to many rules and no longer had a purpose. “You weren’t even born on the mainland, were you?” “Does it matter? Even if you could try to stop me, you wouldn’t survive. I will satisfy my hunger for Chaos. And you will obey my orders…DISCORD’S ORDERS!” Discord’s eyes practically glinted with insanity as the bureaucrats screamed, presumably dying in a horrific manner offscreen while Discord laughed maniacally.
Back at the Village
Applebloom laughed as Twilight accidentally splattered herself with mashed up apples. “You haven’t done this often, have you?” Twilight giggled, “No, but it’s fun. I wish my parents had allowed me to do it more often.” Both ponies laughed, not noticing a low humming noise…then black.
A hooded figure raced through the village, carrying Applebloom under its arm. Applejack gave chase as soon as she saw it. “WHO ARE YOU? LET APPLBLOOM GO!” She yelled as loud as she could and the figure turned. A wave of its hand and a torrent of water swept Applejack off her hooves. “Fluttershy? Why? Why are you doing this?” Applejack got back to her feet and leapt at Fluttershy, tearing off her hood. Fluttershy stared blankly back, as if she wasn’t fully in control of herself. And if Fluttershy wasn’t in control, who was? She kicked Applejack off, and raced to the exit. Rarity and Rainbow Dash had joined the chase by now, but Fluttershy seemed to be more powerful than they were. “What have you done to Ms Twilight?” Rainbow Dash growled through her teeth. Rarity groaned, “Her name is ‘Twilight’.” “That’s what I said.” They didn’t have a chance to continue the debate, as another torrent of water blasted them all back. When they got to their feet again, Fluttershy and Applebloom were gone. Applejack dropped to her knees, a combination of despair and rage filling her. She threw her head back and screamed.
“APPLEBLOOM!!!”