--Jacksonville General Hospital--
I came to in a warm place. It was delightfully warm and i felt comfortable. Then just as suddenly I was being pulled from it. Being pulled suddenly into the cold and all ain't no fun, I can tell ya that!
I heard voices, too. But I couldn't make them out at first.
“C-ngr-tu—tio--! i-'s a -ir-.”
“S-e's g-rg—us! H-r fa—er w—l be pr-u-!”
Suddenly my ears popped and I could hear clearly.
“Where is he, anyway?”
“Oh, ah'm sure he would be here, but he's got duties to perform. He has his, and now...”
The speaker, I presume my mother, lifted me up and hugged me.
“Ah have mine.”
“I understand.” the nurse replied.
My mother sniffed at me. “Hmm. Odd. You smell like apples. Hmm... if ya were a
boy ah would'a called ya Jack, but in a case like this, ah think ah'll call you... Applejack. Would ya like that? Hmm?”
“A'ja!” i exclaimed.
“Now let's getcha some breakfast.” She brought me to one of her nipples and i drank greedily. It tasyed like the finest apple juice, made from only the best apples, but richer. More creamy. As I drank, I could feel myself filling with a strange sort of power. Her milk was literally making me stronger!
At length I finished. “Good. Now go to sleep, my little Applejack.”
“Ah Pul Je-k...” I said, sleepily.
This startled both women. And rightly so! A few minutes ago I had barely been able to utter a few letters of my name, and now here i was, nearly speaking it properly and much of my baby fat replaced with lean, hard muscle.
The nurse noticed a little milk on my cheek and swabbed it, putting that in a container. “I'm sending this to the lab for analysis.”
“Why? It's just milk.”
“'Just milk' that increased your child's IQ and converted fat into muscle. If we can find the secret behind your milk, we could help all newborns. If I’m correct... your milk is a natural Enhancer!”
Anyway, one Eureka later, we were leaving the hospital, soon to be several thousand dollars richer. Turns out ma could be a shrewd negotiator. She didn't want the fame, though. Just the wealth. So she asked for 35% of the take as defrayal. This sounded more than fair to the nurse. BUT she in turn insisted that if she got an award or suchlike we would have to be there to share the glory.
We were later sharing a Nobel prize, much to mom's embarrassment.
At any rate, so began my childhood. I grew and developed quickly, spurred on by my mother's very nutritious milk. By two months I was up and walking!
Though I could talk (sorta) before I was an hour old, I couldn't read until i was 4.
Eventually, though, came school.
Every year I got As in gym, science, English and drama, music, art and so forth... but for some reason, try as I might, I could barely get the hang of math. I always studied hard, but I’d be damned if I could get more than a mediocre score. Not low enough to fail it, but often just barely not.
Where was I? Oh yeah.
Anyway, my parents (mother and grandmother) ran a farm. Mostly produce like apples, plums, pears, blueberries, currants, strawberries and more.
I have to give mom credit, she could really manage her time! She instinctively knew exactly which plants needed what fertilizer, she knew just when to go and pick the produce, the optimal time of day to water them, the-
I digress.
The point is that she was somehow able to run almost the whole darn place by herself! It wasn't just a small farm, either. It was 8 acres of land. My grandmother (Granny Smith, we called her) made jams and such with the produce we brought in, no easy task either!
I helped them out whenever I could. Turns out I had a green thumb, as they call it. More like a green hand! Anything I planted grew within days, not months!
Then things started to get... interesting.
I started to come into my powers at about 5 years of age. I had supernatural strength, speed, stamina and my “green hand” extended to an arm! Plants would grow just by me singing to them. (I started with watermelons.) If I sang to them once a day, by a week's time they were fully grown!
Later on, in an instant, if I liked!
Applejack Smith learns: Green Thumb, Accelerate Growth, Verdant Creation
Also I became capable of great feats of strength. I could bench press the farm's tractor! Keep in mind, I was 10 or so at this point.
Speaking of tractors, come the summer of my 13th year I didn't bother with that noisy contraption. I just hitched the over-sized rake to me and dug the land up myself!
Applejack Smith learns Mighty Heave, Uplifting Might
At school I became somethin' of a celebrity. A quote unquote “patron saint” (or, matron saint at least) of the harvest. They would tell me of their problems with their plants and often I would tell them what to do. Sometimes their plants were assailed by weeds. Situations like those I handled by myself. I would “tell” the plants that if the weeds wanted to take them over, then they'd do the same! The plants would effectively kill the weeds and absorb their nutrients.
Applejack Smith learns Inspirational Figure, Plant Communication
At my 18th year there was an.... incident. Some corporate jerks decided that they didn't like how successful we were. They wanted a take of our profits. Somewhere in the range of... 100%. Being the strong, independent type, my mother refused. And so they flat-out tried to kill my parents! And nearly succeeded! It was only with the aid of the conveniently arriving police that we were saved.
--Hospital, two hours later--
“Are they gonna be okay, doc?”
“Yes. They should be. We got the bullets out and patched up their wounds. Your grandmother, though, I'll be surprised if she ever walks again... ”
“Who were those guys anyway?”
“I'm surprised that it took them this long to find you. They're called the Green Club. They are a mob of ruthless thugs who pose as businessmen. They make successful farmers pay for protection and if they aren't paid, they kill the owners of the place or outright burn the land.”
“Wait, WHAT?!?”
I dashed out the door and ran back home, probably breaking a world record.
Sure enough, when I got there, everything was up in flames. The house, the fields, everything. I fell to my knees, sobbing. Minutes later the fire department arrived and the blaze was under control, but everything we had worked so hard for was destroyed.
One fireman said, “Sorry, girl. It's what happens to those who get the attention of the Green Club. It's happened before and I imagine it'll happen again.”
“The hell it will.” I said coldly enough that you could actually see frost forming around me. “Where do they set up shop?”
“4th street. Can't miss the place. Trust me. But-”
“I'll be back.” I said, cutting the man off.
Another tried to stop me. "Whoa! Whoa! Is this really worth-"
I glared at him
Reflex Roll: Intimidation - 6 successes
"Get. Out. Of. My. Way." I growled.
Begrdgingly, he aquiesced.
I began to walk to the mentioned place. As I did I heard a voice.
{“Applejack. With your current powers you can't beat them by yourself.”}
“So what am ah supposed t` do?!” I shot back at the voice.
{“Become who you were born to be. Become your father's daughter. Become... my scion. And exact vengeance upon those fools.”}
“Who are you, anyway?”
{“I am Xipe Totec earth god of the Aztlani. I am your father and, if you'll let me be, your ally. What do you say? Shall we make the bastards pay for what they did?”}
“With interest.”
{“Good. Excellent. While you are on your way there, i shall tell you of who you once were.”}
“All ears, father.”
{“Good. In a past life you lived in a land of peace and happiness – for the most part. A land largely populated by Ponies.”}
“Are you pulling m'leg, dad?”
{“Truly. You were one of six heroes among them. You were a farmer, running an apple orchard with the help of your family.”}
“I'm starting to remember! Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, Big Mac...”
{“Yes. You and your five friends made the ultimate sacrifice to destroy a demon more powerful than any you had ever faced. You offered everything that you were to the heavens. We decided that your souls had better uses than sustenance. Speaking of, here we are.”}
I looked up. Turns out that the fireman was right. There was an ostentatious building before me. It had a wrought iron gate and behind it a four story mansion.
“Overcompensating for something, maybe?” I commented dryly.
{“Indeed. Now, take this.”}
in my hand appeared a pendant. On it was a jade statue.
{“Throw this to the ground when you get attacked. It will summon a receptacle for sacrifices. Now follow me on this. The more enemies you sacrifice, (whole is better) the more aid I will be able to send you. Deal?”}
“Let's make some mayhem.”
{“Not so fast! First.....”}
A wave of power flowed through me. I could feel myself getting stronger.
Applejack gains
Skills
Birthrights:
Boons:
Knacks:
Benefit of the Doubt: People will automatically know that she's worthy of trusting, regardless of their relationship or status with her.
“And also, your companion. Every Scion should have one, in my opinion.”
With that a dog appeared before me. I could tell that she was special.
Name: Winona Type: Enhanced Dog
Str: 3 Dex: 3 Sta: 4 Cha: 3 Man: 2 App: 2 Perc: 3 Int: 2 Wits: 3
Virtues:Loyalty Valour, Honour Harmony
Abilities: Brawl 4, Melee 2, Presence 3, Perform 3, Athletics 4, Awareness 4,
Supernatural Powers: Crushing Bite, Leader of the Pack, Relentless Tracker, Essence Fangs, Piercing Glare
Willpower: 3 Legend: 2 Legend Points: 4 Soak: B 2 L 0 A 0
It was all a rush of power, unlike anything I had ever felt before! I felt like I could take on the world and win! I felt strong, confident.
Dangerous.
{“Do you feel it, my daughter?”} my ethereal father queried
i nodded.
Then my father said, darkly, {“Then give them hell.”}
Breaking contact with my father, I walked in the building. The receptionist asked, “Do you have an appointment?”
“In a manner of speakin'.”
She must have seen the menace in my eyes and reached under her desk for the silent alarm. Fortunately, I had made a thorn spear impale the mechanism before that.
“Let me make mahself clear. I ain't got no quarrel with innocent ones such as you. Do you want to work here. Or do you want to live? Because by the end of the night....” i threatened.
“I quit!” she said hastily.
“Good. Go.”
She went.
I advanced to the next floor. All along the hall were cubicles with people in them. Each had pretty much a self contained bedroom. There were beds and all. There were five guards I recognized as some of the attackers on my home.
I projected my voice. “Attention, white collar types. Ah have no quarrel with you. Go home to your families, for by midnight this place shall be leveled if Ah have anythin' t'say about it.”
One of the guards gave a bark of laughter. “Ha! And who are you to say who goes and stays?”
“I am your death. That is all you need to know.” So saying, I stomped on the floor. Several spikes of vegetation appeared before me, prepared to strike any who attacked me down.
“Make my day.” I said, making a “bring it on” sign.
They all fired and I dodged the bullets with a grace I didn't know I was capable of.
I ran up to the first two, punching them in the gut, sending them flying into a nearby wall.
The other three looked at me in surprise.
“Oh, believe you me.” I threatened frostily, “You ain't even seen a fraction of what Ah can do.”
So saying, I threw the charm I had received to the floor. Suddenly, what looked like a giant head appeared, opening its mouth wide, greenish flames visible. Not what I expected to see, from the shape of the statue, but whatever.
“So... who's first?” I said, grinning wickedly, cracking my knuckles.
They all fired again. I was struck by a few bullets, but shrugged them off.
I picked two of the remainders up, throwing them into the statue's maw. “Bon appetit!” I said.
I heard muffled screams and the crunching of bone as the statue bit down, tearing the appetizers apart,
“Your turn.” I said to the last man, who tried to run. Using my power, I speared him through the leg with a long, narrow thorn. He staggered and I tossed him in as well. The two unconscious ones were next.
I began to notice that tattoo-like marks were beginning to appear on me as i sacrificed more of my enemies.
“Father? What are these?” i projected.
{“My child, those are spells that you can cast, much like any mage. As you sacrifice more enemies and spread fear among them, you will find yourself gaining more of these, which signify a higher level of spell. At this moment you have Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Thorn Whip, and Monster Summoning spells.”}
“Oh. Awesome.”
Dismissing the statue and retrieving the charm I proceeded to the next level, only to find more slaving workers and more recognizable guards keeping them in line.
“As ah said for the last ones, ah ain't got no quarrel with you white collar types. Run while y' can.” i said.
“You don't have to tell me twice!” a man stood up and started to run, but was shot in the head, killing him instantly.
“No runners!” one of the guards said, “Or it will end VERY poorly for those who do.”
“And their families.” another said, causing the others to break out in laughter.
“And besides,” the last one continued, “there's eight of us... and only one of you.” All of the men raised their pistols, ready to fire.
I dodged to the left, vaulting one cubicle wall, just as the men fired. The wall was pelted with bullets, but the padding on the other side proved to be surprisingly effective shielding against the projectiles.
“Sorry 'bout that, sugar cube.” I apologized to the cringing man there with me.
I vaulted the wall again, slid under another rain of bullets, and brought my legs about, tripping three of the men, causing them to trip three more.
“Yeehaw!” I shouted, recovering my upright stance, “Looks like those break-dancing lessons are finally payin' off!” I wasn't taking dance lessons at all, but I wasn't going to tell them that.
Two of the men got back up, again preparing to fire. I did a no-hands cartwheel to the right, avoiding the volley of fire entirely. I punched the two nearest men in the chest, sending them flying into the far wall.
“RUN!” I shouted to the workers, “Ah'll distract 'em!” summoning the statue again, i slid once more to trip the last two standers and simultaneously threw them into the gaping maw of the statue. The last of the workers exited the room.
“Excellent. This means ah don't have t' hold back. No more miss nice mare.” I said, the frost beginning to return.
Uh... next scene!
I made it to the top floor, now capable of fourth tier magic. I found the door at the top to be locked, and reinforced. Which doesn't mean jack when your wall is standard drywall. Seriously.
Stepping through the hole I made, I said, “Heeeeeere's Jackie!”
“Charming. I remember you.” someone said.
“Ah take it that you're the head honcho around here? El cheese-o supremo?”
“Quite. Though, naturally I'm not anywhere on the level of our master.”
“And who would that be?” i queried
This got a laugh. “You're about to die anyway, so i'll tell you. Does the name Susano-o mean anything to you?”
“He's a rival to my father.”
“Your father? Ah, then you must be a Scion too. Who of? Athena? Odin? Quetzalcoatl?”
“Xipe Totec, actually. So what's his big plan?”
“HA! That would be telling.”
“Hm.” I deadpanned. “Then i suppose it's just down to the obligatory fight to the finish?”
“So glad you know the rules. It's been SO long....” he said, grinning. So saying, he drew his weapon. It was a blade of dark energy, sucking much of the light out of the room, also, killing all of the potted plants therein.
“That sword...” I snarled, somehow feeling a deep instinctive enmity with the dark blade.
“You like? This is a true blade of darkness, no knife store phony. You might recognize it better by the name... Witherbrand. The dark blade of death!”
The final battle was just beginning.
“{Ocealotl armor.}” I commanded, my higher level armor appearing upon me. Also, I called on my power to produce a blade that had been lost for many generations. It looked a bit different than you might expect, as it had changed with the times, but what it was was unmistakable.
When I unsheathed it, the blade glowed with a jade green light. The plants on my side came back to life.
“That. That's not possible! You can't possibly-”
“Oh, you recognize this here sword?” I said smugly. “Yeah, it might'a changed with the times, as must we all, Ah'm sure, But oh yes. This was once Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. The Grass Cutting Blade. Ah don't rightly know what to call it now, though. Either way, we have a sword of life... and a sword of death. Now which do you think will win?” I said, drawing it fully.
He smiled. “No matter what lives, it always will die in the end."
I countered, “And without life, there ain't no death either. No matter what dies, new life will come in the end, as long as the conditions are right.” i made a come-hither gesture at him, prompting the fight to begin.
He roared and struck out, his blade clashing against mine.
Nothing happened.
“Huh. They cancel each other out. Well that's kind of anti-climactic, ain't it.”
He grimaced in slight annoyance and slashed again. And again. And again. Still nothing happened to our blades other than a dull thunk of life pushing against death.
After a time of our fencing, not hitting each other once, he lowered his sword. “It seems we're at an impasse. Life wins not over death. Death wins not over life.”
He sheathed his. I sheathed mine, and dismissed my armor.
“How about we go the default?” I proposed, getting into a fighting stance.
“Ah, the most basic of all combat. I'm going to enjoy this.” he said, cracking his knuckles before getting into a fighting pose himself.
With that, we dashed at each other. I punched him first, dislocating his jaw. He hit my shoulder instead of my face. We backed away from each other, stretching, him also relocating his jaw.
”Heh. Quite an arm you got there. Impressive.” he smiled.
“Try gathering fruit by punchin' or kickin' a tree and see how far you get.”
He chuckled at that.
“You know,-” the man said, throwing another punch, a left hook (blocked). “If you think-” jab, uppercut. (dodged, dodged) “about it,” kick kick headbutt (2x hit) “we could have been friends of a sort.” trip (dodged) “if our parents” knee strike (blocked) “weren't enemies.”
“Befriend the one-” [i[jab, jab, roundhouse. (blocked, blocked, dodged) “who burned mah home-” right cross. (miss) “and our crops” left hook. (block) “and put mah parents” uppercut. (Got him there!) “in the hospital?” trip, elbow drop. “Ah think not.”
As my opponent stood back up, he dusted himself off.
“Especially since Ah don't even know who you are. Ah introduced mahself to y'all, made it mighty clear, Ah think, but you ain't done the same.”
“Ah, how rude of me.” he said, bowing. “I have many names, but around here they call me.... Arashi no Kage.”
“The Shadow of Storms?” I translated.
“Well, aren't you well learned?”
“Had to be. Now that we've introduced ourselves all nice and proper-like, shall we?”
From there, neither of us held back. We fought with all of our strength, only occasionally scoring a hit on each other. It was a battle of who had more stamina. Who was tougher; a battle of attrition.
We fought for hours. After years of intense physical labor, I had honed my body into making me more or less a living weapon. I was stronger than him, tougher than him and had more energy than he did. He knew that. But he was faster and more precise with his striking. He got off more hits, but I hit harder.
Soon enough, he was laid low. He was spent, broken and bleeding, and I wasn't too much better off.
He smiled and said “I am beaten. It has been so very long sinceIi found such an opponent. I admit defeat and find no shame in it.” he reached into a pocket and threw me a vial of some kind.
“Now what's this?”
“You might call it a healing potion. Drink it and your wounds will be healed.”
“But you-”
“It's too late for me. It was too late years ago.”
“Whaddaya me-”
I was cut off as part of him started to deteriorate, his left leg.
“Wait! Don't die! I'll get you help!”
“And even now you think to help me? You truly are honorable.” he said as his left arm became ash. “This company is yours now, to do with as you see fit.”
“But... but...”
“Applejack... tell me my name.”
i knelt to him, crying for my fallen enemy. “You are.... Storm's Shadow. The toughest opponent Ah've ever faced.”
As he expired, he croaked out “Thank you.”
I said, to more or less nothing, "Ah guess ya weren't such a bad guy. Just... Misguided."
The next day, the news would say that a young hero reunited families, saved many people, living and yet to live, by taking out the company. They would say that none of the witnesses knew what happened in there, or how, but they said that there were none of the guards left, and there was not a speck of blood on the floors. Except in the office of the CEO. There was much blood and sweat, and oddly a few tears.
Nobody would say that they knew what their savior looked like, but i think they all knew. Either way, they had a nickname for me. “Thank you, Townsaver!!” the crowd of them shouted.
“Townsaver, huh?” I said to myself as I watched the broadcast.
I had buried the remains of the big boss. I had not much to say, but I used my power to create what I could approximate as a headstone, but made of. on the stone slab I brought I wrote "Here lies Arashi no Kage, as he called himself. A loyal servant, a cunning boss. A great fighter, gracious in death."
Stepping away, surveying my work, O nodded. It would do.
Turning back toward the city, I said "From here out, Ah swear to use my talents, my powers to protect those who are in need. Protect them from the enemies of all that's good and right."
Shifting to my equine form, I shouted "YEEHAW!!!" and ran- er, galloped? towards the sunset.
What can I say? I had a flair for the dramatic. it was in my blood.