Applejack: One of the Herd
Harvest time at Sweet Apple Acres was always the busiest time of year for Applejack and the rest of the Apple clan. That wasn't to say they ever had a day off, exactly; there was always something that needed doing on the farm, planting crops or tilling soil or making repairs or pulling weeds. Sales went on year-round as well, whether they be of fresh apples or apple-based baked goods. Still, there were natural rhythms in the pace of farm life, and harvest time was when they went all out.
Some ponies might not understand, therefore, why Applejack was planning on attending a sleepover at Twilight Sparkle's house that night. Those ponies hadn't been around for last year's near-disastrous applebuck season, when Applejack had very nearly scuppered not only her own harvest but all of Ponyville through a combination of fatigue and bull-headedness. Big Macintosh was healthy this year, but neither Applejack nor Twilight were taking chances on a repeat of the episode, so when Twilight had suggested Applejack join her for a night of stargazing, Applejack had readily accepted.
That didn't mean she was going to laze the day away, though. She'd set her stall up in Ponyville's bustling market square and was hawking the first of the year's crop to anypony who wanted some. Sweet Apple Acres produced some of the best apples in Equestria, and after several months of only canned apples and applesauce, ponies were practically chomping at the bit to get them fresh. That meant Applejack could charge a premium for these apples, lowering the price later in the season as supply caught up to demand, one of the many lessons Granny Smith had taught her about running the family farm.
Applejack finished ringing up a customer, then looked to the next pony in line, surprised to see it was a somewhat frazzled-looking Twilight Sparkle. "Land sakes, Twilight, what happened to you?" she wondered. It couldn't have been anything serious, though; the unicorn was still smiling.
"Oh, I was just up late last night watching the meteor shower," Twilight answered, confirming Applejack's suspicions. "It was incredible! You should have been there to see it!"
"Thought you said tonight was gonna be the best night for that, sugarcube?" Applejack replied. She wasn't sure how meteor showers worked, to be honest; nopony, not even the princesses, was responsible for scheduling them, but nonetheless they seemed to happen about the same time each year according to Twilight.
"Oh, I'm sure it will be," Twilight said, "but last night was just amazing! I've never seen so many Orionids in one night!"
"Oriowha?"
"There was even one that looked like it came right down on your farm!" Twilight continued, oblivious to Applejack's confusion. "We should go out there and see if there are any meteorites!"
"Whoa there, Twilight," Applejack said, reaching out to put a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "This ain't exactly the time to go sightseeing around the farm. Besides, I've got work to do, and I reckon you need a nap if we're gonna do this slumber party thing."
Twilight faltered slightly at that. "I suppose you're right," she said, then brightened again. "Besides, if we look tomorrow, there'll probably be even more to find!"
Applejack sighed. Well, they still had some fallow land even at this time of year; she supposed it wouldn't hurt to let Twilight poke around a bit to find some space rocks or what have you. "All right. You can come with me back to the farm tomorrow, and we'll see what turns up. Now, if you don't mind, you're holding up the paying customers."
Twilight looked behind her at ponies eager to stock up on apples, laughed with embarrassment, and put some bits on the counter. "Can you bring a bushel by tonight? Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are coming too, and I should stock up."
Applejack nodded, sweeping the bits into the register, already making a mental note of which apples to set aside—only the freshest and best for her friends. "One for the road," she added, setting an apple in front of Twilight, who bit into it right away.
"Even better than last year," Twilight pronounced, her eyes forming happy half-moons, then began working through the crowd back toward the library. Applejack, pleased with the compliment, turned her attention to the next pony in line.
"Hey, Applejack," a familiar voice said.
It was getting on toward afternoon, and Applejack's sales had only picked up as the day went on, but eventually she'd put up the 'back in 30' sign and settled down for a break, eating the lunch Granny Smith had packed for her and tucking her hat over her eyes for a brief nap. Naturally, Rainbow Dash had chosen that moment to drop by her stall.
"Something I can help you with, Rainbow..." she began, tipping her hat back... then stopped, irritation fading to confusion.
Applejack had always been a straight shooter, and it didn't take some fancy necklace to prove it. She'd never been able to get away with anything as a foal, her face and voice giving the game away no matter how hard she'd tried. At first, she'd assumed Granny Smith was just that good at spotting a lie, but when she noticed how easily Apple Bloom could pull one over on the Apple matriarch—and how quickly her fibs fell apart when confronted by her older sister—Applejack had realized she had a knack for the truth. She'd never been a fanciful pony, but sometimes, when somepony tried to lie to her, it felt like a physical presence, an aura of wrongness about them.
Rainbow Dash was giving off that aura now, and she hadn't even said anything.
"Just thought I'd stop by," Dash said, oblivious to Applejack's reaction. "Maybe pick up some apples, see how you're doing."
"What, Big Macintosh chase you out of our trees?" Applejack snapped. She couldn't help it; the sensation she was experiencing was extremely uncomfortable. It wasn't even like Rainbow Dash was lying about the reason she'd come over; it was more like the time that used cart salesman had tried to con Caramel into buying a wagon with a cracked axle, where she'd known something was up before he even opened his mouth.
It wasn't a sensation she was used to coming from a pony who, for all her faults, seldom bothered hiding anything.
Rainbow Dash looked hurt. "I'm hurt, AJ!" Case in point. "You think I'm the sort of pony to just mooch off you all year round? Besides, Big Macintosh is working that empty field."
Which was true, but raised an obvious question. "And how would you know that anyhow?"
"Flew over there this morning," Dash replied, smirking. "He found some big rock there, wanted me to take a look. Looked pretty cool."
"Do you know what he did with it?" Applejack wondered, despite the sensation still gnawing at her skin. Maybe Twilight would get her space rock after all.
"Nah," Dash replied. "I was just passing by anyway. Wanted to see Fluttershy before she went to her spa thing." The pegasus's disgust with primping and preening was obvious—usually. Applejack was rattled to discover it was significantly harder to pick up on with that alarm going off in her head.
"Rainbow Dash," Applejack said, "I really do need to get some rest if I'm gonna be ready for tonight's slumber party." She hoped Dash would take the hint and go away.
Thankfully, it seemed she did. "Oh yeah, the falling star thing. I need to get a nap in myself. Hey, see you then!" She gathered herself, then zoomed off in her usual prismatic fashion, taking the uneasy sensation with her.
Most of it, anyway. Applejack was left wondering what had set it off in the first place.
Maybe she was coming down with something.
Applejack had reopened her stand a bit later than she'd meant to, the odd encounter with Rainbow Dash having made it difficult for her to squeeze a nap in, but it hadn't hurt business any; customers from all over Ponyville were only too willing to wait however long it took to get fresh Sweet Apple Acres apples. For a few hours, she'd even been able to put the incident behind her in the hustle and bustle of sales and conversation.
Then Lily stopped by, and Applejack got that weird crawling sensation again. She couldn't figure out why; the pink pony had been polite and well-mannered, doing nothing more untoward than buying a peck of apples and complimenting Applejack on the quality of the year's crop, but something about her—the way she moved, the focus of her eyes, the timber of her voice—was causing warning bells to ring in Applejack's head. She helped Lily as quickly as she could, relieved but concerned when Lily took the strange feelings with her.
Since then, Applejack had come across three more ponies who gave her the same uncomfortable vibe. She was so used to her talent for truth-finding picking out lies that she'd carefully analyzed every scrap of conversation they had with her, trying to figure out what they could possibly be hiding from her. Were they planning a surprise party for her, and nervous about it? That didn't make sense; aside from living in Ponyville, none of them had anything in common. None of them aside from Rainbow Dash were particularly close to her, and none of them were party-planning ponies.
By the time she closed up shop for the evening, Applejack was feeling a bit jumpy. She'd never been prone to paranoia, not like some of her friends had gotten, but she couldn't help feeling there was something going on in Ponyville, something dangerous, and she needed to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible.
The only problem was, she hadn't the slightest idea how.
"Twilight... have you noticed anything weird about the ponies in town?"
Twilight chuckled at that for some reason. "I seem to recall saying 'all the ponies in this town are crazy' my first night in Ponyville."
Applejack stomped her hoof on the floor of the library, glaring at the unicorn. "I'm being serious here, Twilight!" Twilight smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, Applejack. I've been in the library most of the day as usual. I don't think I saw anything strange today, though. Why do you ask?"
Applejack sighed. "I don't know what it is, but... some of the ponies in town have just felt... wrong."
"Wrong?" Twilight echoed, tilting her head. At least she was taking Applejack seriously.
"I don't know how to explain it," Applejack said, pacing the floor. "I just get this feeling like... like they're lying to me. All the time, even when they're just standing there. First Rainbow Dash, then Lily... it's like... like they're some other pony pretending to be somepony I know." For a moment, she felt satisfaction at having identified the sensation, but it didn't last; the implications if that were true were even more disturbing.
Twilight Sparkle considered this. "Well, there are spells you can use to disguise yourself as another pony. Hiding the cutie mark is the hardest part... did you see their cutie marks?" Applejack nodded. "I know a spell that breaks illusions. And I can look and see if maybe there's something else that might make you feel uneasy around other ponies. I've never heard of a disease that makes ponies feel untrustworthy, but we've run into stranger things."
"Y'might wanna check me out while you're at it," Applejack said, smiling with relief. Twilight was a smart cookie; if there was anything to this, she'd figure it out. "I wouldn't want to be coming down with something at this time of year."
Twilight nodded. "I'll have a look at my books. In the meantime, why don't you go ahead and pick a spot for the sleepover? Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash aren't here yet, but—"
Thump thump thump. The two turned to look at the front door. Applejack swallowed, feeling that sensation of wrongness again, even though she couldn't see who was on the other side.
"Hey, Twilight, your telescope's blocking the balcony, lemme in!" Rainbow Dash called.
Applejack was seized with a sudden moment of terror. "Don't let her in," she hissed. Twilight looked at her strangely, then opened the door for the pegasus, who sauntered in as if nothing were the matter.
"Thanks," Rainbow Dash said, carrying a tray of baked goods into the library, hovering to free her legs. "Pinkie can't make it; some sort of party emergency. I didn't get a lot out of her. She sent these over with me, though."
"Well, that's very thoughtful of her," Twilight said, smiling and taking the tray with her magic. "Go ahead and grab a spot upstairs, and we'll be right up." Rainbow Dash nodded, then zoomed upstairs, leaving Twilight alone with Applejack.
"She doesn't seem abnormal," Twilight said, shrugging at her friend, who could only smile weakly back.
"Can you check into her anyway?" she asked, relieved when Twilight nodded.
"No problem. Let's get these upstairs."
The evening had been torture.
They'd had a late dinner (prepared by Spike), spent some time hanging out and talking about recent events in Ponyville, then, when the light permitted, moved to Twilight's balcony and watched the meteor shower. It had been every bit as spectacular as Twilight had said it would be, white lights slashing across the sky again and again, some seeming almost to touch the earth. Applejack hadn't seen a meteor shower since she was a little filly—too busy with farmwork, she supposed—and Twilight had said that, based on her preliminary observations, this was going to be the best one in a century.
But Applejack couldn't enjoy it. Rainbow Dash wasn't acting any differently than she usually did. She joked. She bragged. She laughed. She even suggested flying up and catching a meteorite, which Twilight had only been able to talk her out of after pointing out just how hot a falling meteor would be. In every single respect, she acted exactly like Applejack would have expected her to, not a single thing out of character.
So why did Applejack feel like Dash couldn't be trusted alone in a room with either of them?
She'd made up an increasingly flimsy series of excuses to join Twilight any time she left the room, and if Rainbow Dash noticed, she gave no sign of doing so. Twilight hadn't been able to help, unfortunately. She'd covertly cast a number of spells on both Rainbow Dash and Applejack throughout the evening and been able to find nothing wrong with either pony, no reason for the farmer's gnawing unease. It was maddening.
When it finally came time for them to settle down for the evening, Applejack was seriously considering begging off, going back to Sweet Apple Acres, anything to get away from Rainbow Dash. But that would mean leaving Twilight alone with her, which, even in the face of all evidence to the contrary, Applejack couldn't bring herself to do. She'd set her own sleeping bag up between Twilight and Rainbow Dash, more willing to risk herself than her friend, and tried her best to ignore the sensations screaming in her ear and get some sleep.
She'd failed.
"Hey, AJ. You asleep?"
Applejack flinched at the sound of the voice. "Tryin' to be," she snapped.
There was a pause, and then Rainbow Dash responded subduedly. "AJ, you've been acting weird all night. There something wrong?"
"N-nothing's wrong," Applejack lied. She flinched again, hearing how obvious the lie was.
"Back me up on this, Twilight," Dash said. There was no response. "Twilight?" Another pause. "Guess she's asleep already."
"We should get some sleep too," Applejack suggested, hoping to change the topic.
No such luck. "AJ, all night long you've been acting as jumpy and twitchy as Fluttershy trying out for the Wonderbolts. I'm getting worried. You sure you haven't been working too hard?"
"Maybe I have been," Applejack stammered, grasping at the excuse. "I should get some rest, huh?"
"Hey," Dash said, "I know something that'll help you relax. It's an old trick my mom taught me when I couldn't sleep. Just close your eyes and relax, okay?" In the darkness, Applejack could hear Rainbow Dash scooting out of her sleeping bag and moving slowly closer, every little sound driving a new note of tension into her thoughts. She had to fight the urge to scream, to thrash out, as her best friend moved ever closer, and she squeezed her eyes tight in silent terror, only to open them a moment later as the fear of not seeing it coming.
Rainbow Dash's head was right above hers, the pegasus's mouth open for a warm, wet kiss on the lips.
Applejack twisted her head desperately, bringing a hoof out of her sleeping bag and socking Dash in the cheek, sending her falling backward and sideways to land roughly on the floor. Twilight startled awake, mumbling "Wha?"
"You hit me!" Dash protested, cradling her cheek. The light flicked on a second later as Twilight lit the lamps with her magic.
"You tried to kiss me!" Applejack argued, wriggling out of her own sleeping bag, adrenaline jangling.
"Wha—I did not!" Rainbow Dash replied—and much to Applejack's relief, the weird crawling sensation briefly intensified.
"That's a lie!" she shouted, confidence in her own abilities surging and giving her strength to voice her fears. "I've thought there was something weird about you all day, and now I'm sure of it! What are you hiding?"
"I'm not hiding anything!" Dash responded, looking over to an increasingly concerned Twilight.
"Another lie!" Applejack said, advancing on the pegasus. "What are you trying to pull? And what about Lily and Ginger Gold and Twinkle? Are they in on it too?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened, a tell obvious enough for even Twilight to pick up on it. "You're crazy!" she shouted, but she wasn't convincing either of them now.
A sudden thought, and fear, struck Applejack. "Where's Pinkie Pie?" she demanded, moving face to face with the pegasus. "What'd you do with her?"
She wasn't prepared to be bucked in the face.
Rainbow Dash had a surprising strength in her legs, considering the pegasus almost never walked anywhere if she could help it, and Applejack was thrown into a tangled heap of legs. Twilight gasped, and in her distraction, she was unable to stop Dash from taking off, smashing one of the windows open and taking off into the night.
Applejack picked herself up, staring in astonishment at the space where her friend had been, while Twilight reached out with a spell to close and lock the window... then, after only a second's pause, lock each of the other windows and doors in the library. "It looks like you were right about her," Twilight said. "But that doesn't tell us what's going on!"
"We need to find Pinkie Pie," Applejack said, "She might be hurt." Twilight nodded, climbing out of bed. "And if she isn't, we need to warn her not to trust Rainbow Dash."
As Twilight woke Spike and gave him strict instructions not to let anypony into the library without her express permission, Applejack stared at the window Dash had flown out through, at the stars beyond. What had happened to her friend to make her do what she'd done?
And what had she been trying to do?
Sugarcube Corner wasn't far, though traveling there at night was eerie, especially with both ponies jumping at any shadow that might be shaped like Rainbow Dash. The streets were deserted at this time of night, and the moonlight cast weird shadows off every building. The uncertainty of what they'd find at their destination, anything from a badly injured Pinkie Pie to an ambush from Rainbow Dash, only served to further shatter their nerves.
The two hesitated at the doorstep, then moved by silent agreement, Applejack watching out for anyone approaching, Twilight moving to the door to thump on it vigorously. "Pinkie?" she yelled. "Mrs. Cake? Open up, it's an emergency!"
The door swung open only a second later, the lights in the store coming on, revealing a confused Pinkie Pie. "Ooo, is it a party emergency?" she wondered. Twilight sagged with relief.
"Thank goodness," she began. "We were afraid something'd happened to—" She felt a bump on her shoulder, turned to look at Applejack.
Who was staring past her at Pinkie Pie, eyes wide with horror.
Twilight, reacting a second too slow, swung her head back toward Pinkie... and caught a kiss full on the lips.
Applejack screamed, grabbing Twilight and trying to pull her away from the suddenly amorous Pinkie Pie, but the pink pony had a grip like a leech and refused to be dislodged. There was something horrible about the sight, no romance or affection in the gesture, just an obscene groping, cheeks distending as if she were blowing into Twilight's mouth.
After a struggle that seemed to take forever but only took a few seconds, Pinkie Pie suddenly let Twilight go, sending Applejack stumbling backward to land on her rear and Twilight falling to the ground where she stood. She began coughing violently.
"What did you do to her?" Applejack said, staring at Pinkie in increasing revulsion. "What did you do?"
"You silly filly," Pinkie replied, her singsong tone terrifyingly normal, her smile as innocent as ever. "You gave Rainbow Dash quite a spookers! But it's okay, I understand."
"You do?" Applejack replied despite herself, pushing herself to her hooves, unable to look away from the pink pony.
"We've been super busy planning our surprise party, and you've been feeling left out! I should have realized sooner; you're good at finding secrets." She smiled broadly. "But that's okay. We'll just have to start the party sooner! I think we have enough ponies now anyway." She paused briefly, glanced down. "Isn't that right, Twilight?"
Applejack's gaze fell. Her horror grew.
Twilight was standing up now, looking a bit wobbly, but essentially unhurt. If Applejack had happened past a second or two later, she wouldn't have even seen anything wrong. Indeed, having been right there, she realized all she'd seen were two ponies being rather more affectionate with each other than usual, then a brief coughing fit. The sort anypony might get, and it'd mean nothing.
The sort of thing nopony would think too much about until it happened to them.
Twilight Sparkle—the thing that had been Twilight Sparkle—looked at her. "It's okay, Applejack," she said. "She didn't hurt me. She just... I know what's going on now." She paused, offered her most reassuring smile. "It's all right."
Applejack ran.
She didn't know what she was going to do. She hadn't been able to think of anything but getting out of Ponyville.
How many ponies were already... infected? How long would it take to infect the rest? They'd been careful so far, not wanting to raise suspicions. Now that they knew she was onto them, were there enough of them to just drag ponies out of their beds, change them wholesale? How often could they infect other ponies? Did they have to build up some level of... poison, or could it happen as fast as they could go door to door?
And how long would it stay confined to Ponyville? They didn't get a lot of visitors, but even one would be enough. One infected pony making his way to Manehattan—
Applejack stumbled at another horrifying thought. Twilight. She could go home, ask Spike to open the door for her, or just force it open with her magic. Even if he was suspicious, she could just grab him with her magic, make him kiss her. Dear Princess Celestia: I've discovered something I'd like to discuss with you privately. Please come to Ponyville at your earliest convenience. Your faithful student—
She could see the buildings of Sweet Apple Acres up ahead. It was the middle of the night, and they'd all be deep asleep, but she'd get them up. They'd have to figure something out. Fortify the farmhouse, maybe, or find somewhere to hide. It wouldn't be easy, but she couldn't abandon her family.
There was a light on, she realized, on the porch. She could see Big Macintosh silhouetted in the light. He must have had trouble sleeping. Good. She'd feel better with her brother at her side—
He found some big rock there, wanted me to take a look. Looked pretty cool.
She skidded to a stop, blood going cold. No. It couldn't be.
"Applejack?"
She spun around, nearly shrieking at the fright. Twilight was standing there in the road behind her, obviously having teleported to follow. Pinkie Pie and Rarity weren't far behind, running to catch up with both of them, and beyond them Applejack could see the lights of Ponyville turning on one by one.
"Applejack, I know you're scared, but we just want to help you. Just stay there for a moment and listen to me," Twilight soothed.
Applejack turned and ran. She knew what she was running toward, but it didn't matter; all that mattered was staying away from the infected a moment, even a second longer.
She wasn't surprised to see Rainbow Dash appear up ahead, blocking the road past the farmhouse, but her heart sank a little more to see Fluttershy there with her, staring Applejack's way with eyes that had no right to look that kind.
"Applejack, please stop!" Fluttershy called, but Applejack didn't, turning instead toward the farmhouse, to the silhouette there, hoping against hope that she was wrong.
She wasn't. Big Macintosh looked at her with soft, puzzled eyes, gently wondering, "Something go wrong at the slumber party, sis?" He was every inch of him the sweet, kind brother who'd helped take care of her since she was a foal, and he was wrong, all wrong.
"Big Macintosh? Is Applejack back already?" a soft voice wondered.
No. No no no not that anything but that please Celestia not her not her!
Apple Bloom ventured out onto the porch, wiped sleep from her eyes. Scootaloo was there too, and Sweetie Belle. Of course they were. Apple Bloom had helped out on the farm in the morning, and then she'd probably gone straight to her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders. Told them about something cool she saw, had them close their eyes so she could show them too.
If Applejack hadn't had that slumber party to go to, she'd have been on the farm. Big Macintosh would have found her, taking a break from apple-bucking. Said he found something odd in the field, and would she mind taking a look? Or maybe he'd have just approached her on some pretext, and before she knew it he'd have pressed his lips to hers—
"AJ?"
It was Rainbow Dash again. She turned, heart hollow, to see the inevitable. They'd all caught up to her now, Rainbow Dash and Rarity and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle, all of them looking at her like she was the one who was sick, like she was the one who was wrong.
Maybe she was. For all she knew, she was the only one left.
"It doesn't hurt, AJ," Rainbow Dash said, gazing intently at her. "It feels kinda gross at first, and you wanna spit it out, but then you... well, you understand. They don't wanna hurt us. They just wanna live. And they need our help."
"I was scared too, at first," Fluttershy said. Was Angel infected? Were her other animals? Applejack didn't see them, didn't know. "But they don't want us to do anything bad. They just want homes."
"There's nowhere for you to go, sis," Big Macintosh said from behind her. "We can't just let you leave; other ponies might not understand. Let us help you."
There was a silent moment while the ponies watched her. Wild thoughts flew through Applejack's head. Fighting them all for as long as there was strength in her body. Running into the Everfree and hoping they hadn't reached Zecora. Finding something sharp in the barn and hurling herself on it, so she could at least die on her terms—
"Applejack?"
She turned, saw Apple Bloom staring up at her with large, innocent eyes, and all of a sudden her strength was gone. She sank to her knees, crying bitterly, knowing what was going to happen, unable to fight any longer. She could sooner tear off her own leg than hurt her precious little sister.
"Get... get it over with," she croaked, squeezing her eyes tight. She could hear Apple Bloom stepping closer, feel soft breaths on her face. Sense lips drawing close. She's never even kissed a colt, why her, why do they have to make her do this!?
Then the lips met hers.
There was a surge of dust, fine and sweet, like powdered sugar. She couldn't help herself; she breathed it in and begun to choke and cough as Apple Bloom moved away. She staggered to her feet, trying to catch her breath, stumbling toward the farmhouse as Big Macintosh moved out of the way, as the others watched, not trying to stop her. There was no reason to now.
It took surprisingly little time to clear the dust out of her lungs. She took one deep breath, then another, her senses returning to her. Looked up at the others and waited.
And waited.
And realized, with a growing shock and euphoria, that nothing had happened.
It hadn't worked. Why hadn't it worked? She hadn't tried to fight it. She hadn't had a reason to. Nopony else had been able to fight it, or they'd have held her or something until they were sure. She was the only one.
Just like she was the only one who'd noticed anything wrong in the first place.
She could see them realizing something had gone wrong, starting to move toward her, but before they could she charged Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, scrambling between them and into the farmhouse. The lights were out inside, but she'd lived there all her life, knew exactly when to turn, how many steps there were to climb. She could hear her brother close behind her, knew the others would be following as well, but they'd be slowed by turning on lights, trying to figure out which way she'd gone.
She knew exactly where she was going.
She slammed the door to her bedroom open, ran to her nightstand on the far wall, focused her will. An innocuous-looking jewelry box opened, revealing a golden necklace with a ruby apple set in the center. The necklace rose into the air, glowing with its own light, and slapped itself against her neck just as Big Macintosh entered the room behind her.
She turned, and the light of Honesty rose, filling the room with a crimson light. He screamed and recoiled from it as if it burned his skin, and she advanced, forcing him back, out of the room, halfway down the stairs before he turned and fled. Filled with a new hope, she followed him outside—
—and stopped, faced down by a knot of friends and relations, all staring at her, cringing at the light but standing their ground. It was hurting them, but that was all. It wasn't curing them.
"Applejack, don't do this," Twilight pleaded. "We can... we can figure out why it didn't work. Or lock you up until it's safe to let you out again. Or something."
"You have to sleep sometime, AJ," Rainbow Dash added. "Just take the necklace off, and nopony has to get hurt."
Applejack could see some of the other Apple clan now, called from the guest housing she put them up in when they came to help with the harvest. Big Macintosh nodded slightly to them, and they began to move to encircle her, cut her off from running.
If they were so confident she had nowhere to run, why were they trying to stop her?
She sprinted for the gap, and the others ran too, but she was faster, fueled by desperation. Caramel tried to block her, shied away from her pendant at the last second, only managed to bump up against her. She heard Big Macintosh yell to follow her, heard the pounding of many hooves.
Twilight appeared in front of her in a flash of light; she shied up, and the unicorn reached out with a spell, tugging at the Element of Honesty. She charged Twilight, breaking her concentration, and knocked her to the ground, continuing to run.
"I've got you now!" Rainbow Dash yelled—poor, predictable Rainbow Dash, couldn't help announcing her attacks even under alien control. Applejack ran straight for two steps, juked left, and a rainbow blur plowed into the field, skidded several feet before stopping.
Wait. She felt something. A wrongness even more intense than that in her friends and family. It was coming from the old barn, the one they were leaving empty until they could afford to fix it up. On a hunch, she ran toward it.
The night suddenly acquired a violet glow, and Applejack's feet lost purchase on the ground; she twisted her head, saw Rarity grunting with the strain of levitating her. She remembered the battle with Discord, focused her will, and fired a bolt of red at the unicorn; Rarity jerked and screamed, and her focus was lost. Applejack fell, hit the ground running.
Fluttershy flew up beside her, called, "Applejack, you stop this instant!" Applejack risked looking. Whatever power had taken hold of her friend, it couldn't command the Stare; she shifted sideways, bumped Fluttershy's wings, forced her back.
She was almost at the barn now, the wrongness, the evil, like a palpable thing now, pulsing and throbbing. She just had to get through the door and
Pinkie Pie popped out of it, standing on her hind legs, holding her forelegs out in a barring gesture. Applejack crashed into her, rolled across the ground, wound up wrapped up in party pony. She looked up from where she lay.
It was no rock. It was about the size of a pony's head, gray and rough like a rock, but it was pulsing like a heart, and veins of pale blue light came out of cracks on its surface, covering it like roots. They dug into the ground, spreading out for ten feet in every direction. Luminescent blue mushrooms had sprouted from the cracks and veins; she'd disturbed one in her tumble, and sweet-smelling dust wafted from its cap.
The others reached the door, hesitated, but she realized they wouldn't hold back much longer. Pinkie had managed to grab her; her Element's ability to protect her was almost gone.
So she struck.
"I reckon it's time you all saw the truth!" she shouted, and focused all of her considerable will into her necklace.
A red light blazed from her throat, filling the barn. The reaction was immediate. The rock—the egg—let out a horrible shrieking noise, thrashing around as if trying to get away, pinned by its own roots. The fungus veins begin to hiss and sizzle like eggs in a skillet, shriveling and blackening under the assault of the Element of Honesty.
So too did the ponies react, even the ones not actually in the barn, screaming and writhing and thrashing about as they fell, digging at the ground with their hooves. Pinkie produced a sound Applejack would have sworn couldn't come out of a living throat and hurled herself away, landing on her back and spasming like a dying spider.
Applejack didn't falter, didn't let up for a second. She poured every bit of herself into the amulet, her love of her friends, her duty to her family, her hatred of the thing that had twisted them, and most of all that simple country wholesomeness that made her the Element of Honesty. She poured that power out over everything, giving and giving and giving—
—until she had nothing left. Darkness took her.
She woke slowly, groggily, and looked around. For a moment, she didn't know where she was. Then she didn't know why she was there; hadn't she gone to Twilight's for a sleepover? Why was she back in her own bed?
Then memory came back, and she shot bolt upright, only to be pushed back down by Big Macintosh.
"Easy there, sis," he said. "I think you've earned another hour or two at least."
She turned to look at him, saw her friends standing by her bed, all of them blessedly normal, not a trace of taint in any of them.
"That was awesome!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed. "You were all 'fwoosh' and we were all 'auuugh' and then the spores all, like, burned up or something, and we were all okay again!"
"We are all okay again, right?" Twilight asked, smiling a little nervously. "I think I figured out how to detect the fungus from studying its remains, and I haven't found any active spores, but..."
Applejack nodded slowly, smiling at Twilight's look of relief.
"How are you feeling?" Fluttershy wondered. Applejack considered that.
"Like I spent all night in the Running of the Leaves," she replied. "But a lot better than I was expecting to feel, all things considered."
"I have to admit, I think you've taken this whole ordeal better than I have," Rarity said, looking grim. "Even thinking about kissing is making me ill."
"Everypony's kinda jumpy," Pinkie added, her own cheeriness present but subdued. "I was gonna throw a Hey We're Not Pod Ponies Anymore party, but nopony wanted to come."
Applejack gave Pinkie an odd look, wondering what pods had to do with anything, then said, "Well, I can't blame 'em, Pinkie. Trust takes a lot longer to heal than it does to bruise. I'm just glad I was able to stop it." She paused, then continued, "I know I've taken being able to catch ponies in a fib for granted, but I guess there's more to it than that. Never thought I'd have to use an Element of Harmony without the rest of you at my side."
"Ooo, I wonder if that means I can shoot laughter beams?" Pinkie wondered. "I can be all pyew zoop zoop zoop! I'm the balloon sniper! You'll be happy and you won't know why!"
"It might not hurt to try it out," Twilight said, putting a hoof on Pinkie to steady her exuberant prancing. "Under controlled conditions. I didn't even know the Elements of Harmony worked by themselves."
Applejack sighed softly, sinking back into her bed. "I think I'm gonna take the rest of the day off." She paused. "Well, the morning, at least. Don't suppose you made any breakfast?" She looked at Big Macintosh, but it was Pinkie who answered, producing a tureen without, somehow, spilling its contents.
"Sure did! Just the thing for the hero of the day: a big bowl of mushroom soup!"
There was a shocked silence.
"Just kidding! It's hot applesauce." Pinkie set the dish on the nightstand and started dishing some up.
"Pinkie," Rainbow Dash declared, "the one thing I don't get about this is how they got to you. I would have bet money you already had an alien brain."
Applejack laughed, squeezing her eyes shut at tears of relief. That was Rainbow Dash, all right.
The genuine article.
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20796
I object to the label 'Grimdark'. The stories are sometimes dark, yes, but I'm not flinging blood and organs around, and as you said, it had a happy ending.
20530
Well, I'm going to make the matter moot for two reasons. One is that I've decided not to do a 'mashup' story (though I do have a bonus chapter in mind). The other will become apparent when you read the new chapter, Applejack: One of the Herd.
Who would describe this as grimdark?
Grimdark is when there's no hope for victory, just delaying your death or defeat. When there's no hope at all. Seriously, I can't stand how liberally that term is thrown around, especially on EqD...
I legitimately LOVED this chapter, stuff like this makes reading incredibly worthwhile.
On a separate note, do you have anything planned for the next chapter?
One thing I like is how you do things less dark by the very easy method of having a happy ending; this story doesn't end with Applejack standing on some road raving, but it works very well as a paranoia-fueled alien invasion story during the story. Great job!
I was reminded of a movie about an invasion by Pod People or something like that, and then Pinkie mentioned it. Pretty interesting concept. Finally, Applejack gets her time to shine!
I
FUCKING
LOVED
IT
Dark, yes. These ARE horror stories.
But emphatically not grimdark.
There's both real conflict and real victory in these stories. Your writing style is clear; you write the characters well. And you bring about strong endings.
Thank you. Your stories are good fiction, period.
21037
Those babies wouldn't know grimdark if it bit them on the flank, destroyed their home and family, and then declared Exterminatus on their home world.
You want Grimdark? Read 40K. This is just regular dark. Or light horror.
Another excelent chapter! I can't wait to read more!
21072
In the Grimdark Grim Darkness of the Grimdarkth millenium, there is only Grimdark.
And weeaboo space communists.
At first I thought this was going to be a zombie one. I was pleasantly surprised. Yet again, you do good work.
21072
I've read some, mostly the space marine stuff, some time I ought to try Gaunt's Ghosts or one of the other sequences... if I get around to it.
Far as the chapter is concerned, interesting take on the bodysnatchers-esq idea, and that leaves Twi of the main cast left to inflict with a horror story. About the only thing I would say is that it would be interesting if the chapters were a complete fic rather than a sequence of AUs on a theme, having Fluttershy using the Blessing of the Moon in the fight with Drac or AJ having to deal with ghost Pinkie or vampire Rarity would be an interesting take on things....
Oh and by the way Fred, just wanted to know if by any chance your going to write an alternative ending in which apple jack is approching the alien in a much less "BUCK THAT FUCKER" and more "Why did you tried to control my friends and not ask us to help you?"
)
Thanks in advance if your actully going to use my idea ( or any other crazy super good idea you got in there
I don't know why, but I've really loved the last two chapters. Not that I disliked the first three... but there's something... more? I'm not quite sure if that's right, but there is something that those first three were missing, and that these last two have had. Either way, this was definitely an enjoyable read.
Another great chapter, though a lot less dark than your repeated warnings that it would be the darkest of them all had me expecting.
The bit about the aliens being spores and just wanting to live seems familiar, but I can't tell if from one of the many Body Snatchers adaptations, from a different sci-fi/horror tale, or merely from my mind playing tricks on me.
In any case, I love the ending, with the silly banter between Pinkie and Dash. That really pulls the mood back around after AJ almost sacrifices herself.
AWESOME i would never suspect a pod people (Invasion of the body Snatcher.) use. Good work!!!
Agreed with the others, this aint GRIMdark. Just dark, which is like..duh...cause they're supposed to be Halloween stories. Though with happy endings. Bravo, look forward to the next one!
Nice work. I really like how you use the Element of Honesty in this one, not to mention the intensely personal horror of Applejack's ordeal.
Great story as usual. The spores idea is actually the way they went in the most recent Body Snatchers adaption that Invasion with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig
I don't think I've ever read a pony fic that contains as much sheer terror as Chapter 5 does here. And with a happy ending, to boot.
Fantastic job, friend.
ONE OF US ONE OF US
You should have twilight encounter something lovecraftian,
Seriously that would totally fit her.
You should have twilight encounter something lovecraftian,
Seriously that would totally fit her.
I shat bricks that was so terrifying. Gore and blood and what not are all kind of scary, I guess, but having everypony replaced without them even noticing? Bucking terrifying.
I love 'em all! Espetialy Rainbow's story. Thought I realy want to know what happend to Pinky in hers. And Applejack's? That actualy scared me O O
Lets see, werewolves, vampires, kaiju monsters, ghosts, and alien spores. 5 down, 1 to go. Can't wait to see what you got in store for Twilight.
Hey. You know what I think? I think it'd be awesome if someone/you took the Ultradash concept and expanded on it or made it into a small series.
This latest chapter was awesome too. Looking forward to Chapter 6.
SCARY!!!! nice happy ending though!
21072 THANK YOU! People take 'Grimdark' way too lightly.
Do wonder why there wasn't a line about "If they just want homes, why aren't they willing for me to say no?" or "Why are you forcing the issue and not asking us for help?" Totally would've been better if such a thing happed.
SKILLS
>Myrad Truths
21072
You could also read Cupcakes... *shudders from memory of reading it*
21494
YOU HAVE GUESSED CORRECTLY.
+10 INTERNETS FOR YOU SIR
After reading Pinkie's chapter I had an empty feeling and did not wan't to continue reading this, but I made a good choice to continue reading
"I was gonna throw a Hey We're Not Pod Ponies Anymore party, but nopony wanted to come."
Totally my favorite line! Love yout fics and have loved the last two chapters!
I now refuse to kiss anybody now thanks man.
Oh Applejack, my hero! Love the honesty superpower you gave her, it is brilliant!
I honestly thought that AJ would get out of the bed, tell everypony how it really wasn't that bad, and proceed to kiss everyone in sight.
But then I was like nawww, this isn't Goosebumps.
A happy ending EARNED!
Congrats. THIS SCARED ME! I normally write stories SYMPATHIC to those out to make everyone one big happy family by force.
Despite Pinkie's comment about pod people (or ponies, as the case may be), I only had this in my mind when reading:
And here's a little something extra for the death of the fungi monster:
It's not usual that I find a story on the internet that has me gripping the edges of my seat, but you have accomplished it.
*shivers*
Awesome story, and a full six months before "A Canterlot Wedding" and the changeling shenanigans.
Hat's off to you.
A very interesting need between the pod people,the Tommy knockers (Stephen king) with a little bit of the thing thrown in.
i read this one just to see whether i should chance the others, definitely so
As soon as I read about the part where Apple described her feeling I was like, Yep, Invasion of the pony snatchers. XD
How does this count as AJ bein' th' monst'r?
What actually happened, I wonder?
Ponies became 'pod ponies'. That much I can glean from this. Beyond that, though, all I can tell is that pods go inside ponies, make them understand that they're alive (perhaps through some weird thingy akin to mind control, but not really since they're still themselves) and makes them go and do the same to other ponies.
Everypony is still themselves. They know something new now, and they want to share that newness, but beyond a new piece of knowledge and the existence of pods inside them, Rainbow Dash is still Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle is still Twilight Sparkle. There's no world conquest beyond the desire to spread. Nothing bad happens to the victims, besides the aforementioned 'revelation' thingy that makes them want to spread their cheer. Is it really that wrong?
This chapter reminds me of the Ash more than anything else.
Why would AJ just happen to be immune? Maybe the spores did get her, and the rest of the story is her mind-controlled imaginings. The title strongly implies that this may be the case.
Ok, stories like this or movies like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" are the only fictional things that can actually scare me. As soon as AJ said "Don't let her in" I had shivers down my spine for the rest of the story. You deserve every like and fave you get for this story, including mine!
This was good. I liked this chapter a lot.