768026 Oh, I knew I had time, but when someone questions you about how you're part is coming along, you start to feel nervous about finishing on time =) And thank you! I was worried about how much to try and accomplish in my chapter!

18th! We'll probably already be in Tartarus by then. I just hope I can do the place justice in my writing. I'll also probably do my entry on that Sunday.

757186

Centered as well! I wonder what will happen as AJ and Dash delve into Tartarus...

768161
I didn't mean to come off that way.
I'll be sending people PMs that it's their turn regardless of how much they've done when the time comes around. Some people will probably forget, given the time span of this thing, so I just want to make sure everyone's aware that it's their turn. Didn't mean to question your progress at all!

771760 No, actually, it was someone else >_< Not you! Yours, I was expecting!

772091
I'M INNOCENT I SWEAR

772143 *shakes head* And I wasn't going to name names.

772527

Well, not nearly the best I've ever written, but...it's done! Let me know if there's something I need to change! 781 in my word doc

--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--

Applejack leaned against a barrel as she watched Rainbow Dash pour over the maps, trying to find the quickest possible route. Rainbow was oblivious as ever, not letting Applejack's silence throw her off. It wasn't until Applejack gave a loud sigh that the pegasus realized her marefriend’s discontent.

“What's up, AJ?”

Applejack sighed, pulling her stetson down to cover her eyes. “It's nothin', Rainbow.”

Rainbow took notice of Applejack's tone and slowly walked towards her. When Applejack looked down, she bent to put her face at the same level in an attempt to look into Applejack's closed eyes.

“C'mon, Applejack,” she pleaded. “Talk to me. I thought you said you weren't chickening out!”

“I ain't,” Applejack deadpanned as she opened her eyes. She tried her hardest to avoid Rainbow's gaze, but Rainbow wouldn't let that phase her.

“Applejack,” she growled. She used her hoof to force the orange pony to meet her eyes. When she saw the distraught look on the other mare's face, her glare softened. “AJ, I told you it's your call. I need to know what you want.”

At last, Applejack sighed and embraced Rainbow, laying her head on the cyan mare's shoulder. Rainbow laid next to her and wrapped her wing tenderly around her. They were both quiet for a few moments before Applejack finally spoke up.

“I guess...it's just...I'm scared! Look at this here mess! We have no idea what we're up against other than a hike and some three-headed dog...And we don't even know how to get past it...” she trailed off with a huff.

Rainbow sighed. “That's not all, is it?”

Applejack tightened their embrace. “I reckon it's not. I just read all about the judgment of souls in the encyclopedia, Rainbow. What if they got eternal punishment? Or they don't remember me? There's so much that can go wrong, and we don't even know the half of it!”

Rainbow felt her heart break as Applejack began shaking against her. “AJ, I can't make you any promises about your parents. I can't tell you that they're okay, or even that they'll recognize you, but I can promise you one thing.” Applejack looked up and raised an eyebrow. “They'll be proud to know they have a daughter with such an awesome marefriend!”

Applejack rolled her eyes and bopped Rainbow on the shoulder. “I'm serious, RD!”

Rainbow just grinned and pulled Applejack closer. “So am I. Besides, you're pretty awesome, too.” Applejack smiled. “And as for this mess...well, I'm sure we'll figure it out eventually.”

Applejack snorted. “Oh, c'mon, now! How the hay are we ever gonna figure this out without some kinda help?”

Rainbow sighed in defeat. “Will it make you feel better?” Applejack shrugged. “Fine, let's make a bet! If we can't find four super-useful books in the next hour, we'll go beg Twilight. If we do...you have to...ask Rarity to make you a Daring Do costume and wear it the whole time we're gone!”

Applejack spat on her hoof and held it out for Rainbow to bump. “It's a deal partner.”

--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--

“I can't believe I'm doing this,” Applejack grumbled.

Rainbow snickered. “You shouldn't have doubted me, Apple Smack!” Out of nowhere she started sprinting, and yelled, “Race you to Rarity's!”

Applejack wasn't in any hurry to get to the boutique, so instead, she put her head down and walked as slowly as possible. When she finally arrived, Rainbow was in front of the boutique with Rarity, pacing anxiously.

The moment Rainbow noticed Applejack walking up, she tackled her.

“Ngh! Dash! What in tarnation?”

Rainbow just glared and pinned her down. “What took you so long? I was waiting for, like, ever!”

Applejack sighed. “It was two minutes, RD. Now would ya get off o' me? Thank ya kindly.”

Rarity gave a pitiful cough. “Er, Applejack? What, may I ask, is this about? I'm extremely busy, you know!”

At that, Rainbow perked up, running into the boutique as fast as she could. Applejack turned to Rarity. “Well, me and RD had a little bet going...and I lost. I need ya to make me a Darin' Do costume. It's gotta be good for adventurin', though, ya hear?”

Rarity squealed. “Oh, of course, darling! Come in, come in!”

When they got inside, Applejack pushed Rainbow out. “If you want me to do this,” she said, “You have to go home. Y'all ain't seein' it 'til we leave tomorrow!”

Rainbow looked like she wanted to argue, but changed her mind. “Whatever, so worth it!” With that, she gave a salute and flew home, excited for the next day's adventure.

776813 Very cute! I laughed at the "They'll be proud you have a marefriend like me" part.

776813

Methinks someone was inspired by this :P

to everyone else: idle thought - should we think of a title for the fic as a whole?

778060 EEYUP.

778060 I say we totally need a title. "AppleDash Group Collab - 100th Prompt Special" doesn't sound nearly as epic as this may or may not turn out.
Should be a broad one though, since we don't really know how the storyline is gonna turn out.

780574>>778060
Cue the cheesy title suggestions like: "I'll Love You To Tartarus and Back"

780630

I figure the word "desire" should feature somewhere, since it's the prompt, but that isn't 100% necessary

778016 Thanks!

778060 ....just a smidge

780639

I spent way too long trying to work the word "desire" into something decent.

I came up with "A Final Desire". I'm not really sure how much I like this title, though.
So my secondary suggestion is simply "Sweet Apples".

778060

That picture is definitely going into my chapter. Expect it some time this evening. Just finished writing it during a slow day at work (shhhh, don't tell ) it just needs an editing pass when I get home. Probably going to break 1K by a little, it was already 700+ last night with one scene to go, but I don't have a word count function here.

782748
Looking forward to it!

782237
I had an idea for it, but it depends on how later chapters turn out. That isn't bad though, but it could imply stuff that would not happen too :X

Woof, 1286 according to Gdocs. I was originally going to take them at least part way into the badlands and I would have started out on my second scene here. But, the first one popped into my head and I had to write it.

A couple notes, one here that should probably go into the authors notes for this chapter, and one afterwards that's just an aside.

I based the geography on this map (assuming that "Dodge City" is actually a misprinted Dodge Junction.

Applejack panted, standing on an outcropping of rock above a pool of lava. Her mane was singed and half her tail was completely gone, just barely longer than her brother’s now. Her pith helmet was gone and her vest was in tatters. Worst of all, she was alone.

“Rainbow?” She called weakly, choked by the heat and fumes. The dim light cast by the molten rock below barely illuminated the walls of the small cave and the passage she had just come through was a great black void. “Dashie, where’d ya go?”

She must have taken a wrong turn when everything went dark. Applejack turned away from the dead end and started back toward the inky void she’d just come from. She stopped after only two paces when she heard a voice, not from the dark before her, but from the dim cave behind. “Applejack?” It called. It was a familiar voice, but one she hadn’t heard in years.

Applejack’s heart nearly stopped. “Mama?” She was barely aware of turning around, but when she did, there in front of her was the ghostly image of a proud mare she could see only in the family album now.

“Applejack, why are ya here?” Her voice and face were full of concern as she looked upon her daughter.

Tears started to run down Applejack’s cheek, she wiped them away with a hoof. “I had ta see ya again, an’ papa if I can find him.” She sniffed and finally managed a smile. “I wanted ya to meet my marefriend.” She shuffled her hooves. “She’s here somewhere, I need to go find her quick.”

Applejack backed toward the passage out, not wanting to take her eyes off her mother, and stopped short again at another familiar voice. “Tain’t necessary.” Before her eyes, two more ghostly figures appeared. The first was a strong stallion, her father, floating up next to his wife. The second really did make her heart stop for a moment out of shock.

“I’m sorry, AJ...” Dash’s transparent, floating figure was stricken and forlorn looking.

“Dashie, no...” Applejack barely whispered, tears flowing freely now.

“I think I stumbled on a rock and fell down some kind of pit. It was too small to spread my wings. I tried to grab the walls, but there was nothing but smooth rock and I just kept falling and falling.” Dash’s ghost covered her face with her hooves. “I found your dad, but I guess I’m kind of stuck here now...”

Applejack sobbed as Dash’s image floated toward her. Her hooves felt like they were plunged suddenly into ice water when the tips of the transparent cyan hooves passed right through her own orange ones. “But what about you an’ me, together forever?”

“That can be arranged!” A deep, echoing voice answered. It came from everywhere, shaking the walls of the small cave and knocking down rocks into lava that was rolling and bubbling now when it was calm mere moments ago. All three ghost figures were gone and the dim red light that previously lit the cave was brighter and if possible, angrier.

Panicking, Applejack turned tail and tried to bolt for the dark abyss that was the passage out. In her highly agitated state, she didn’t notice the telltale glint of a crescent moon and four silver hoofguards before she was consumed by the bubbling lava and all went pitch black.

Applejack’s scream broke the silence over Sweet Apple Acres, just barely beating out the rooster perched on top of the chicken coop. Her body trembled and her heart raced as she fought to calm herself. Her bedmate groaned and the cyan hoof laying across her chest twitched.

“Ugh.. AJ, can’t you make that stupid rooster shut up?” Dash pulled her marefriend closer, pressing her muzzle up against AJ’s neck. “It’s too early, train doesn’t leave ’til almost noon, we’ve got plenty of time.” The day’s delay had given them time to exercise some common sense. They decided that even though it would take a bit longer, they would take the train to Dodge Junction and set out for the Badlands from there rather than take the shortcut through Rambling Rock Ridge directly from Ponyville.

Twilight had almost certainly gone the shorter way, but she had just been going to take Cerberus back home. A short, secluded route and take it easy on the trip back. AJ and Dash were going to try and break into Tartarus and they weren’t quite sure where the gates were; they’d need their strength and their provisions to last. Dodge Junction was the closest organized civilization, it would be the place to start from.

Applejack spent a few moments to regroup and thank Celestia that Dash was a heavy sleeper, it wasn’t worth worrying her over some stupid nightmare. “Nah come on and get up, we got lots ta pack.” AJ carefully slipped out of Dash’s grip and rolled out of bed, landing with a clop of four hooves on the wooden floor. “I’ll get us some breakfast, if you’ll start packin’ the bags.” She grabbed a list from the nightstand where they had left it and spit it into Dash’s hoof sticking out from under the bedsheets.

The orange mare chuckled to herself as she left the room while Dash groaned and grumbled, managing to tangle herself in the sheets the same way she did every single morning she slept at the farm.

An hour before the train was leaving, Dash was going over the list again to make sure everything was packed. “Ball, dog treats, chew toys, books, maps, water canteens, snacks, firat aid kit...” She mumbled to herself as she traced a hoof down the list. “All set here, AJ. Got your outfit ready? I wanna see!”

AJ grumbled a bit from up the stairs. “Ya sure I can’t talk ya outta this?”

“Hay, a bet’s a bet. Come on out.” Dash grinned to herself.

Applejack trotted out in her costume, her best poker face on. “There, ya happy?”

“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” Dash squealed as she fluttered around AJ, taking in the costume from all angles. Everything was perfect, from the band on the pith helmet to the pocket on the vest. “I love it! All you need now is a pair of wings!” Dash gushed.

“Already got some.” Applejack grunted.

“What?” Dash’s jaw dropped.

“Rarity made stuffed clip on wings ta go with the outfit.” Applejack sighed. “And no, I ain’t wearin’ them. They’d just get in the way.”

Dash snickered, trying to hold back, but soon she was on her back laughing uncontrollably. “Stuffed clip on wings, oh my gosh, that’s too funny!”

“Laugh it up, fuzzball.” Applejack deadpanned. “Grab your bags so we can get goin’. And take this too.” She hoofed over her stetson.

“Your hat?” Rainbow asked as she struggled to get back to her hooves. “But you always make a big deal out of fit whenever I steal it.”

“Well, this time I’m lettin’ ya borrow it. I won’t need it with this silly costume, but you’ll need some kinda hat when we’re out in the desert. Trust me, take it.” Applejack blushed a little, still holding the hat out.

Dash took it gingerly and set it on her head, giving herself a quick look in the mirror before leaning in to nuzzle AJ. Beyond anything else, this gesture showed just how much the cowpony cared for her pegasus. Applejack’s face softened into a smile as she returned the gesture.

The sound of the train pulling into the station in the distance broke the sweet silence of the moment. Grabbing their saddlebags, they rushed out the door and galloped into town. They were off.

The other note is to mention before anyone calls me on it, yes I did use a Harrison Ford quote from the wrong franchise. Why? Because I thought it was funny and I have a twisted sense of humor.

784312
That nightmare... but... Someone's watching. Interesting!
We're headed to Dodge Junction now, eh?
Daring Jack, and Stetson Dash.

784312 I....kinda wanna draw that moment where Dash is freaking out over the outfit...kinda, but not really. ^_^; It doesn't help that I love Daring Do and AJ is my favorite.

Anyways, I like what you did there, but that dream would scare me out of an adventure anyday! Hell I've been scared out of my bed by dreaming that a huge spider fell into it. Then again, I'm not AJ. And nice how you put Luna in there. I usually don't like dream sequences, but that gave it a purpose.

Anyways, Who's turn now? =D

786249

Thanks, I figure that AJ is level headed enough not to stay freaked out by a nightmare, even if it's rather upsetting at the time.

I'll take kinda want to draw, that's still pretty high praise. I wish I had any kind of artistic talent beyond halfway decent writing skills, I could actually make use of all the little ideas that pop into my head here and there.

Also: according to the calendar, Jet Cannon is up.

786271 Heh, I say "kinda wanna draw" not because I'm not inspired to draw y the scene, but because I'm lazy as all get out and go and never finish my drawings. (That, and other people would be able to draw it ten times better than I could.) But yeah, I know what you mean. I wish I could really draw what I see in my head, but it NEVER TRANSLATES ;_; Ah, well.

Let's see what our next chapter brings us =)

786285
Good enough for me, thankyou

We're getting close to one of the sub-groups Bookplayer's blog mentioned, so I might as well re-post the blog post itself. Have a look!

Some preamble before the post.

- 794642 and bookplayer have the right of it in terms of pacing this thing out over twenty-six chapters, in my opinion. So that's the attempt: introduce a challenge.

- I haven't yet read any of the comics, so my knowledge of canon starts and ends with the 65 episodes on TV. If anything I wrote is contradicted in the comics, then I apologize. Not much I could do there.

- Do not believe Fimfiction's hype. MS Word and GDocs checked me at 1,491 words if we ignore my tilda time lapse. However, everything I've ever posted to this site seems to inflate that count. Point is, I'm pretty sure I didn't go over the 1,500 word hardline even though I'll bet it says I did.

- AppleDashLuv, I apologize. I tried to reference, no matter how small, every prior chapter in this collab for the sake of continuity. I managed to get everyone but yours (you ended up on the cutting floor so I could make my word count, sorry).

All right, enough rambling. My entry:

***

Two days. The map estimated it would take two days to travel from Dodge Junction to the part of the badlands marked “restricted.” The town hadn’t grown much since Applejack’s brief venture into the world of cherry farming, but it still had everything they’d need with minimum fuss for the journey ahead.

And so day one came and went without incident. The badlands was appropriately named, a harsh landscape of unyielding rock and coarse dirt where only the hardiest of scrub brush dared take root. Crooked spires occasionally rose from the ground in groups like rows of broken teeth. They provided the best landmarks.

Applejack still wasn’t up for much talking, so Dash filled the silence with endless chatter, something the farmer appreciated tremendously. Even when the topics grew insufferable in their boasting, she found it a pleasant distraction from her own thoughts aboard the train, from her dreams. Maybe Dash knew and tried to help in her own way. Or maybe she was just bored out of her skull. Either way, Applejack loved her for it.

That night, they pitched camp right at the halfway marker. Three massive, cracked and pitted boulders jutted from a slate base like the prongs of a fishing spear. The map even gave it a name: The Trident. Dash scoured the area in a wide circumference and eventually they had enough twigs for a small but comfortable fire while they ate.

Afterwards, Applejack nestled against Rainbow Dash who yawned despite her best efforts. “I still don’t know how Twilight managed this trip in less than a day,” she groused, “even with a shortcut.”

“Maybe she let Cerberus do all the runnin’ while she hitched a ride,” Applejack said. “Or she used her magic to help. She was on a time limit, Dash.”

“Yeah, yeah. Still, if you’d let me carry you, we’d have been there hours ago.”

Applejack chuckled. “Even you got limits of endurance, sugarcube. Yer just gonna fly me over to the gates a Tartarus and then face down that monster of a guardian dog without any rest?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged and rubbed a foreleg against her chest nonchalantly. “Sounds like a typical Monday to me.”

Applejack laughed again, and the two lapsed back into silence. After a few moments though, one of Rainbow’s ears twitched and she perked up. “I’ll admit though, this place is nicer than I thought it’d be.” Applejack tilted her head to stare incredulously at her marefriend. “Hey, I’m not saying we should build a summer home here. But, I mean, look at that sky, AJ. It’s so crisp and clear. The stars are certainly brighter here than in Ponyville.”

Applejack looked up into the web of diamonds overhead. Rainbow wasn’t wrong about it being a pretty expanse. “I don’t know, Dash. It’s only been a day and already I’m missin’ the color green. There just ain’t no life here. This whole place feels off-puttin’. Wrong.”

Dash sat up, shrugging off Applejack’s limbs. The cowpony blinked and started to ask what was wrong but stopped short. From the dancing light of the fire, Applejack could see half her face illuminated. Rainbow Dash was concentrating.

“Yeah, but it’s peaceful here too, AJ,” Dash said, keeping her voice steady. “It’s so quiet you can really hear the crackling of the fire. Or the exhale of our breathing. Or the sound of somepony trying to sneak up on us.”

No sooner had she finished the words then Dash flapped her wings and launched herself with a backwards somersault over one of the towering boulders. A second later there was a dull thud of something fleshy hitting the ground.

Followed by a pained cry from something that was not Rainbow Dash.

Applejack rounded the outcrop just in time to hear a familiar voice exclaim, “Rainbow Dash, get your lousy hooves off me!”

Both mares recoiled in unison. “Twilight?!”

Rainbow Dash hopped off the unicorn as Twilight rose on her hooves a bit unsteadily and tried in vain to brush some of the brown dust off her coat. She glared at Dash. “Of course it’s me. Who else would it be?”

“But… but you said back at the library you weren’t going to help,” Dash stammered and tried to help brush her friend clean.

Twilight waved away the offered hoof. “Well, clearly I changed my mind. I’m allowed to do that, right?”

“‘Course ya are, sugarcube,” Applejack said stepping in. “And we’re mighty grateful y’all decided to show up. Right, Rainbow?”

“O-Of course.”

“Well, good,” Twilight huffed curtly, then paused to stretch her back. “Now that we’re all grateful, let’s get moving.”

“Uh, beg yer pardon?”

“To Tartarus, of course. I know a faster route than the one you’re taking. And this is the best time to travel.” When both mares stared back blankly, Twilight stamped a hoof. “At night! You always travel at night in a desert and rest during the day. Didn’t you know that?”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash exchanged glances with each other. “Uhhhh… no?” Dash answered, turning it into a question.

“Figures,” Twilight said flatly. “Anyway, never mind that now. Let’s go.”

She started to move out and away from The Trident when Applejack called out. “Well, hold on there, Twi. We’re mighty tired ‘cause we did travel in daylight. How ‘bout a bit of rest first, and then we get movin’ a couple hours ‘fore dawn?”

Twilight looked like she was about to protest but then rolled her eyes. “Ugh, fine.”

As they made their way back, Dash spoke up again. “Listen, Twilight, I’m really sorry.”

“Forget it.”

“Yeah, but I should've checked first before… diving…” Dash trailed off when they reached the fire. From the shadows, Twilight was little more than an outline and a voice. Once she stepped into the light, more detail showed up.

Dash immediately pounced and pinned Twilight to the ground again, snaking her hooves over the unicorn’s and locking them against her head.

“What in tarnation? Dash!” Applejack exclaimed.

“Not again!”

“This isn’t Twilight, AJ! Get the rope!”

“Have ya gone crazy?! Let ‘er go this instant!”

“I’m Twilight! How many times do I have to say it?!”

“Oh yeah? If you’re Twilight then what happened to your wings, Princess?” Dash spat out the last word.

The struggling instantly stopped. Applejack, who had been a hair’s breadth away from chomping Rainbow’s tail, stepped back in shock. She gave Twilight a more detailed examination, and blinked when her gaze fell to the unicorn’s side. Sure enough, no wings.

Face down into the dirt, the imposter could barely move. It did, however, manage a bitter smile. “Seriously? I grew wings since last time?”

~~~

Applejack pressed a hoof into the creature’s now thoroughly roped torso and pushed it back against The Trident’s base. “So yer one a them changelings we fought back in Canterlot.” It still maintained the image of Twilight Sparkle. “Thought to do some spyin’ too.”

There was a shimmer and Applejack found herself staring into a malevolent reflection. “Sharper than a Spring pricker bush, ain’t ya sugarcube?” it purred.

Dash encroached threateningly. “You shut up! You’re not allowed to use that word!”

“How long have y’all been listenin’ in?”

“Long enough, darling,” Rarity responded. “And my offer still stands. I know how to send you to Tartarus quickly. Just untie me and I’ll show you.”

“I ain’t in any mood for games.”

“Ooh, but I love games,” Pinkie Pie smiled wickedly. “Let’s play one. They say it’s bad manners to play with your food, but this is too much fun. It’s a guessing game. Ready? Guess how long you think you’ll survive this night before we drain your love dry and kill you. Go on, guess.”

“Big talk from a bug that can’t get back to its colony and tell the others,” Dash growled.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Fluttershy shook her head. “You really don’t know how this works, do you?” The changeling shifted back to Twilight and closed its eyes. Its horn briefly flashed green.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash stepped back, tense. But the ropes didn’t magically untie, nor did the changeling teleport from its bondage. It remained as Twilight, bound from neck to flank, smiling a smile of pure malice. When the revelation of what just happened hit it washed over both mares like a bucket of ice water. They looked at each other, and then Applejack soon found herself scrambling up to the topmost point of The Trident’s prongs. At the same time Dash shot straight up into the air.

Out in the distance, a tiny beacon of green light shone, cutting through the dark and drawing the eye like a moth to a flame. Then a second light winked on. Then another. And another. Until there were dozens. Hundreds. Thousands. They surrounded The Trident like a sickly emerald sea.

Applejack gulped after Dash landed beside her. “Ya know, I’m suddenly not missin’ the color green so much anymore.”

***

748186... your turn now, buddy. I tried to get this posted last night when I wrote it, but spent too much time editing the thing down. Still, I hope the extra time helps.

796701
Oh daaaaaamn!

Dun dun dunnn!

796712
How exactly did you get the notification, read the entry, and post a response so fast? That was like six minutes between my post and your reply.
/is seriously impressed
//would end up hurting myself if I ever tried to move that quickly

796740
I read quickly :
Also, i pretty much have fimfic open up all the time at work. Since your post replied to one of mine, I got a notification

796701 This is a very sudden turn of events. Thank you for the extra time. I'm going to have to make a tough call now.

797138
Yeah, First_Down threw us quite a curveball there.

796701

Hold on! You changelings feed on love, don't you?
Yes, yes we do.
So, I've got a plan! Half of you, turn into mes. The rest of you, become AJs!
Rainbow, what in tarnation—
All right, everypony! Follow my lead!

Incomplete · Mature · Sex

797243 If only! Rainbow Dash: The Iron Pony will have to wait for another day.

782237
A thought I had for a name was "The Fallen's Desire", but that implies stuff about parents that hasn't been established :P

So I dunno. I just want a title XD

Funnily enough, bronyneumo's probably the most on target. It just feels a bit wrong to not include the prompt word somehow, but that's just me.

What about everyone else's thoughts?

797273
Burning Desire?

Because, you know, Tartarus and all.

I suck at titles.

797286
That's not bad, actually! Though it could be misunderstood quite easily

797294
That's the point?

796701
“Ready to reconsider?” The changeling presented them with an acidic grin filled to the brim with jagged teeth.

Applejack exchanged a look with Dash and nodded. “What do you want?”

“Simple, we just want to take turns feeding off your love for one another. Of course, that means we’d have to separate you. But, I promise you’ll both to get to Tartarus by the end of the night.”

Applejack nodded and smiled. “Well, that certainly is a temptin’ offer. Might I make a counter-offer?”

Two counter-offers later from Bucky McGillicuddy and Kicks McGee, Applejack smirked. “Speechless. Let us know your answer when you wake up.”

Dash snickered and prodded the unconscious changeling with her forehoof. “Now what Applejack?”

“We do things the hard way.”

“I like it hard.” Dash sauntered over to Applejack and nuzzled along her marefriend’s neck.

Applejack blushed. “Dash, as much fun as that sounds right now, we have a load of changelings bearing down on us. We need to get out of here. Fast.”

“Right!” Dash flared her wings and pawed at the ground with her hoof. “The Rainbow Dash Express is ready for takeoff!”

Chuckling to herself, Applejack climbed onto Dash. She rested her forehooves over Dash’s shoulder so her back legs were free to dangle near Dash’s flanks. “I’m ready to go partner.”

“Heh, this might be the only time I let you on top without a fight.” Dash leaned her head back and nuzzled Applejack under her neck. It was tricky with a Stetson atop her head, but she pulled it off. Flapping her wings a few times to get a good feel for their combined weight, Dash lifted into the air and surveyed the massive green glow around them. “So, how are we going to make our daring escape?”

Applejack groaned at the emphasized word. “Dash, why can’t you be serious at a time like this? We’re only minutes away from being turned into some bug-horde’s supper.”

Dash flew a lazy circle around their campsite as the mass of green slowly closed in. “Because, I know that isn’t going to happen. Look!” She stretched out her forehoof in front of her, “There doesn’t seem to be quite as many of them over there. Want to make a break for it?”

“We don’t have much choice do we?”

“Not unless you want to be a bug-horde’s supper. I’m okay dying with you Applejack.”

“What?!” Applejack stuttered and nearly lost her grip on Dash’s shoulders. She clamped down just before she slipped and held on tightly.

“N—nothing. Sorry. I don’t know why I said that, it just slipped out.”

“Shh... I’m scared too Dash. But, we have to get out of this. So, fly. You can do it.” Applejack leaned in and whispered into Dash’s ear. “Because you’re the best flyer out there and my one true desire.”

Dash shuddered as the words trembled through her mind. She was going to get them out of here. She wouldn’t let Applejack down. Gritting her teeth, she pumped her wings hard and rocketed toward the sparser mass of green in the distance.

It only took a few minutes, but as the green glowing orbs approached, Dash and Applejack shared a mutual gulp of apprehension. They slipped by the first few flying changelings without much difficulty, but it was only a matter of time.

Suddenly, out of the darkness a loud hissing sound came from the right. Applejack looked to the source and found a changeling hot on their tails. Surely it was calling for its hive-mates by now. “Dash! I need you to slow down for just a second!”

“What, are you crazy?! They’ll catch us!”

Applejack tightened the grip of her forehooves around Dash’s shoulders. “No they won’t. Trust me.”

Dash grunted wordlessly, but Applejack could feel the deceleration. The changeling quickened its pace and rounded up behind Dash—its fangs bared and ready to strike.

Just as the changeling reared its head back, Applejack struck out with both her hooves. She caught the changeling right in the face. She mentally notched another one up and tapped Dash on the shoulder. “Nice flyin’ Dash! Now let’s get outta here!”

If only things were that simple.

Dash did her best to navigate between the changelings posted all over the sky and on the ground. Even in the wide expanses of the sky, they kept getting spotted over and over again. Applejack clung on for dear life as Dash looped and weaved between changelings. Occasionally she’d slow down and Applejack would deliver a swift buck to the face of a lone pursuing changeling.

Panting heavily and dripping with sweat, Dash dipped in altitude. The good news was: there weren’t any more green glowing eyes in front of them. The bad news was: there was still a pair of changelings in hot pursuit.

Applejack steadied herself and readied her hind legs.

The two changelings dived toward the two ponies in the sky. Their fangs bared and ready.

Applejack waited for the crucial moment and bucked hard. The sickening crunch of hoof on carapace crumbled through the early dawn light. However, her other hoof missed.

Dash screamed.

The piercing cry cut through Applejack’s heart like a hot iron and instantly brought tears to her eyes. Cursing words she did not even know, she wound up another kick and delivered it so forcefully to the changeling’s face, it nearly knocked her off Dash’s back. Her hooves sunk in deep before the the limp body fell away to the ground below.

Her flight-partner quivered and her wings sagged. Applejack glanced back and noticed a thin stream of crimson dripping from Dash’s rear right hoof. She barely had time to tighten her grip before they plummeted downward from the sky.

Dash’s mind screamed at her. She had to flap, she needed to keep them afloat in the air. But, the pain seared her thoughts from her before she could respond. She opened her eyes and watched the rapidly approaching ground.

No! She fought back the pain and forced her muscles to respond. Her wings flapped numbly in the whistling downward pull. She strove harder, she couldn’t let Applejack down. She called every last reserve of strength in her body and pumped her wings with every ounce of her being.

They crashed to the ground in a rough tumble. Applejack sputtered and rolled several feet away from Dash. Overcoming her momentary daze, she pulled herself up and scrambled over to her bleeding marefriend. The wound did not look too bad, but she was certain the toxins in the changeling’s fangs were doing their horrid work.

She swallowed nervously and pressed her mouth against the wound and sucked. The morbid metallic taste filled her mouth but she continued. She pulled the tainted blood from the wound with each inhale until she could stand it no more. Pulling back, she spit the blood out on the dirt and wiped her mouth with her hoof.

The blood continued to ooze out slowly.

Applejack looked down at the sleeves of her Daring Do costume. She gritted her teeth and gripped the fabric and pulled. She mentally apologized to Rarity as the cloth came apart at the seams. She wrapped the makeshift bandage around Dash’s leg and tied it firmly in place. Sitting down on the ground, she cradled the Dash’s head in her hooves and waited.

The time felt like an eternity, but eventually, Dash opened her eyes and smiled up at Applejack. “H—hey AJ. Guess we lost them?”

Applejack smiled and brushed Dash’s messy mane to the side. “We sure did. Here, have a drink.” Applejack tipped a small flask of cider to Dash’s lips.

Dash sucked in a gasp of air from her nose and drank deeply from the flask. After a few moments she pulled her head away and grinned at Applejack. “I was almost tempted to fly us back to get the cider. Where did you hide it?”

“It was under my Daring Do hat the whole time, Dash.”

“Wow... I love you, Applejack.”

“I love you too, sugarcube.”

They shared a brief kiss. Applejack still tasted like Dash’s blood.

Drawing back from one another, Dash looked around and up at the glowing morning light. “Why didn’t they chase us all the way over here? There was certainly enough of them.” She winced and rubbed her back leg with her forehooves. “And my leg hurts.”

Applejack wrapped a forehoof around Dash’s neck and directed her marefriend’s gaze to a ominous stone arch in the distance. “I think we landed ourselves at the gates of Tartarus. I can see why even the changeling’s aren’t keen on coming over here.”

Dash swallowed and nodded. “So, let’s scope it out and sneak in tonight.”

“Dash, you know that’s not gonna work anymore.” Applejack pulled Dash in into her chest and hugged her. “You’re hurt and we both need to recover our strength.”

“Oh good... I don’t know what I’d do without you Applejack.” Dash’s eyes drifted shut.
---
I hope the action was passable.
GDocs Link: Linky

796701 Oh, my. The next chapter, "And then they died" Aww =( But I never had the head canon that Changelings can drain love dry. Hmm. Anyways, interesting development! Gotta wonder where the next person will take this ^_^

797618 Epic-Badass AppleDash Changeling Wrecking Team! Go!

797658 Hah, wow, that's what I get for leaving my comment hanging while I forget its there, then finally pressing enter later. The update gets posted before I know it ^_^; err, I should probably read it.

797608 She....liked how Applejack tasted even after she sucked out her poisoned blood?

797748 Yeah. I was thinking about that. I should probably change it. Kind if icky actually.

797754
Or at least mention that she rinses it out?

797789 I noted the kiss was kind of icky in the updated version of the prompt. I don't think there's any cider left to rinse out her mouth with. Dash sucks AJ's flask dry.

797273
I don't think it's possible to title it until we know where the story is going. . . I'd say we should wait until the middle of the fic.

But if you insist, I'd vote for From Tartarus with Love. I know it doesn't have the prompt in the title, but I think it's likely to fit the story.

796701>>797608
You guys, that was just badass. And now we've got changelings to play with! Not that they'd follow them into Tartarus. . .

797985 Applejack & Rainbow Dash are just asking for epic badass beatdowns on everything that stands in their way. Applejack's basically a high-speed, mobile, destruction machine with Rainbow.