This is what we do

by Foxgear


Worst than Cyclops

This is what we do Chapter 3
By Foxgear


Applebloom sat in her chair staring at the other occupants of the table. This was the first time she’s ever eaten at the family farm with a family. Mac and Adagio sat in what she assumes would be her parent's places discussing the farm finances and what not. She sat at the opposite side of them with Kira and Aria between them. There was a strange air in the room that said something wasn’t right, making her feel uncomfortable, like this wasn’t the best time for her to be here.

“Where’s Sonata?” She asks having not seen a single blue hair of the goofy blue siren since her arrival.

“In the hospital,” Aria said between bites and her coffee. “I’m gonna take a load of product to town and go check on her at noon. I’m planning on only working the morning today.”

From his spot Mac nods as he partook in his own coffee, “That’s fine. I’m taking Maddie and Kira up to the Cloudsdale area again. Maddie’s got a couple spots she wants to check out.”

“I guess that leaves you and me to hold down the fort,” Adagio said smiling at Applebloom, though it seemed a bit forced to the preteen. “I’m sure we’ll have lots of fun.”

“Don’t trouble yourself on my account, yawl seem to be busy today. I’ll just stay out of your way. Actually, if it will help. I could do the chores while Mac’s gone,” Applebloom said excitedly. Wanting to be of help. Mac and Adagio exchange looks seeming to be speaking only through facial gestures that end with Mac sighing and Adagio smiling.

“Fine,” said Mac as he got up from the table. “But Adagio will be supervising you. We’ll try to be back before tomorrow if we’re not at least try to get Applebloom to school on time. ”

Adagio rolls her eyes, “Yes, dear.”

They kiss making Applebloom’s cheeks burn as she looks away, wondering if this how her parents acted when they were alive. When she looks back everyone else was gone except for Adagio who wore a Cheshire grin on her lips.

“So… what do you want to do with Aunt Adagio today?”

“You’re not my Aunt, you’re my sister in law.”

“Right, right, what do you want to do with big sister Adagio? We have guns, video games, cars, and three hundred acres of freedom.”

“Since when does Mac play video games?”

Adagio chuckles, “Mac? No, no he doesn’t play. I play. It helps kill time since I CAN”T DO ANYTHING NOW THAT I’M PREGNANT!” She yells out the window at Mac, who only waves as he got into the truck. Noticing Applebloom’s freaked out expression Adagio fake coughs and resumes smiling, “Sorry, mood swings. Anyways Luna gave me the consul and we play from time to time online. Anyway, what do you want to do?”

Applebloom taps her chin in thought, unable to decide. This was the first time she would be spending more than hour with her new sister in law and she really wants to do something they could both enjoy so they could bond. At least that’s what the book “How do get along with your in-laws” said.

“What do you want to do?”

The Cheshire grin returns as Adagio leans down, circling Applebloom like a shark. “Hmm… I think being a bit fashion inclined today, I should get you a new outfit. Faded yellow tee shirts and jeans may be fine for chores, but you need something a little nicer to attract boys.”

“I’m only 13.”

“Two years from hormone town, enjoy that by the way, and some advice, stay away from boys inclined to tap dancing. They tend to get a little fruity as they age.”

Applebloom could only stare wide-eyed at Adagio, “I’m gonna be learning a bunch of stuff Granny and Applejack probably don’t want me to know yet aren’t I?”

Adagio laid her hand on Applebloom’s head and shrugs, “Probably, why? Too scared to take a turn down the darker side?”

“No, but can I invite my friends?”

“Why not, you call them, I’ll get the car keys. We’re going to the city!”

Applebloom excitedly shouts, “Alright!” and ran for the phone. Quickly she dials the numbers for Sweetie and Scootaloo. She got a hold of them and told them the plan and… they couldn’t make it.

“Ready to go squirt?” Adagio asks jingling her keys. When she didn’t get a reply she look down to see Applebloom chest fallen. She had a pretty good guess about what happened. “Friends couldn’t make huh?”

Applebloom nods, “Sweetie is stuck with her parents in Manehatten and Scootaloo is set to go for a skateboard competition.”

“I see, well we’ll just have to have triple the fun. Come on, I’ll let you pick the music.”

A smile crept back to Applebloom’s face as she follows Adagio out to the car. Settling down in the passenger’s seat of the Chevy she took note of how new it was.

“When did you get this car?”

“Last night,” Adagio answers turning the key. “Maddie went and bought it after she found out her car got blown up. Good thing I know where she keeps her keys.”

“Maddie’s car blew up? How?”

“Monster attack,” Adagio answers turning into the driveway. “Just another day in life.”

“I don’t think exploding cars are suppose to be a part of normal life,” Applebloom mutters tuning the radio. She wondered what kind of music Adagio likes as she browse the stations. Eventually, she stopped on a country station. Looking at the siren with anticipation and was surprised to hear her humming along with the song.

“What? Didn’t think I would like country?”

“Well… yeah… you kind of always had a pop song kind of feel.”

“It’s nice to hear some different music, but you can’t live a thousand years where the best music at times was a minstrel with a three string. Trust me I was happy to hear anything after that.”

“Huh, I never thought of it like that, did you meet anyone famous?”

“Oh Applebloom, I didn’t just meet them,” Adagio grins she went into full details of her past, the rich, juicy details.


“So where are we going, Maddie?” Mac asks as he took the exit for Cloudsdale. He was really starting to think they should have gotten a hotel. Three-hour drives back to back was not fun or healthy for that matter. On the other hand, he had a feeling the surviving deputies wouldn’t want to see him around town again too soon. They might assign blame to him and the others for what happen to their friends or they might think something was going to happen again and want to help. Frankly, he’s seen enough dead bodies this week.

He adjusts his baseball cap trying to hide his face as much as possible, even going so far as to dawn a pair of sunglasses. On the other side of the truck seat, Kira was dressed in more earth style clothes, a tee shirt, jeans and boots, her kimono packed away for safe keeping back at the farm. Kira’s swords were currently packed away in a baseball bat case, so the police wouldn’t see them. If there was one person they were bound to remember it was Kira, sword wielding women were not a common sight after all.

Between them sat Maddie, who was dressed as always and currently peering over a map and notes. Growling every time he turns the wheel and accidently bumps her with his elbow sending her pen off in a random direction.

“Mac, I know you like trucks. I know you have a valid reason for owning a truck as you need it for your work, but would it be so much to ask for you purchase a four-door or even extended cab pickup truck? You’re not a small man to begin with, and you seem to be picking up more and more passengers every week. What are you going to do when your child is born and you need to take more than two people and the baby?”

“If you got thirty thousand dollars I’m game for a new truck, get a catalog and Adagio and I will talk about it.” He sarcastically said turning into a gas station. “I gotta fill up; you two go get some drinks and snacks for the road and a map of the area. Also, where did you say we were going again?”

Maddie groan, “We’re going south of town towards Everfree state park, about fifty miles north of where your sister and her friends are camping, which is Camp Everfree by Lake Everfree.”

“Everfree uh, quite the coincidence,” chuckles Kira as she got out of the pick-up.”

“Why’s that,” asks Mac as he opens the gas tank. Maddie sighs and rubbing her temple, while Kira laugh.

“The portals from Equestria are opening in Everfree and we are now going to our world’s mirror of that forest. I’m sure the most wonderful of creatures will be roaming the forest. Creatures that I just want to nail the table and cut into…” Maddie notice the stares coming her way. “Right um… I’m gonna go get a snickers.”

The Everfree forest, how could he have forgotten that was the cause or at least one of the causes of all this monster business? To be fair to his intelligence he had only heard that once or twice a few months ago, not surprising he forgot.

Mac suddenly realize something very important, “Applejack is in a forest that most likely has something magical in it isn’t she.”

Kira could only shrug as she left to check out the inside of the gas station. Leaving him to lean against the truck and watch the price meter go up and up. He had hoped Applejack would get a little time away from all the magic business like she wanted. Somehow he doubts that was going to happen.

“At this rate she could have just stayed home.”

The recent months before last Friday have been pretty calm as far as monster attacks have gone. Sure there had been some activity, but nothing like those cyclops, just a few timber wolves or some stray beasts with names he didn’t bother to remember. Anything that’s solution wasn't to blow it apart with a shotgun wasn’t worth remembering really and he had gotten pretty comfortable with how his life had changed.

After Friday he began to wonder about that age old question that’s was always digging at the back of his mind. If that was what he had to deal with, then was it Applejack and her friends had to deal with? Or could they even deal with it? His dad had said it in his tapes; Applejack was probably destined to fight magical threats, such as the sirens and Sunset and even the stuff with the friendship games. Mac knew his lot was to deal with grunts of the magical threats. Now he wondered what the bosses were like.

What was worse is before she left for her trip Applejack told him she’s been thinking about helping him and the sirens with the monsters. Something he was struggling to process. As her big brother he wants her nowhere near any magical stuff, but that wasn’t happening, of course. So he wants to limit what she did deal with, but was that really helping her?

There was something to be said about practice makes perfect. Applejack helping hunt monsters would defiantly polish her skills and make her more powerful and more capable of dealing with threats. Yet on the flip side of that argument was the more she hunts the higher the chance was she would get hurt or killed. Hell, Sonata was in the hospital right now and she hunts all the time!

“You just gonna stare at the pump Mac or what?”

The tank was full and probably has been from Maddie’s hands on hips posture. He quickly replaces the handle and took his receipt. Once inside he ignores Maddie’s questioning gaze, if she wasn’t gonna ask, he wasn’t gonna tell.

“What road do we need?”

“Highway 20,” she replied breaking out the map. The rest of way was ridden in silence save for Kira’s munching on her candy bar and Maddie’s directions till they arrived at their destination, Camp Crystal Lake, and he suddenly had a real bad feeling about the place.

“Of every fucking lake in the state, we had to end up here,” he cursed as they got out of the truck.

Maddie was grinning ear to ear as she jumped down beside him, “Watched Friday the 13th too many times? Don’t worry Mac nobody has been murdered with a machete or anything else since the early 1900s here. So no masked killer I’m afraid.”

“First movie didn’t have a mask killer,” Mac said, remembering the first movie. Although Maddie did have a point, this place defiantly wasn’t some deserted campground that some killer would be stalking. There were plenty of people around here. “Alright, Maddie what do we do?”

“According to my computers there have been a number of portals appearing, but nothing’s been crossing the boundaries between worlds.”

“Meaning?”

She looked right at him, her eyes deadly serious, “Meaning either something was so weak it was too afraid to cross or something was too big to fit in the portal.”

“What strange technology you have in this world,” Commented Kira looking over Maddie’s shoulder as the former mad scientist produce her laptop from her bag. “By what means to you discover these details?”

“It going to be like explaining to cavewoman, but I’ll give it a try,” Maddie said, Mac really hoping Kira didn’t take offense. “Using man-made satellites I can find portal signals since portals are nothing but massive of energy they register as spikes of electricity and when something crosses through they spike and then close. The portals in this park are strange, though. Nothing has come through yet and the number of portals is decreasing, but they’re also getting bigger and more powerful.”

Mac looks out across the vast forest and to the families camping, completely oblivious to the coming danger. He wants to keep it that way.

“What are the chances something big is coming through?”

Maddie types some keys, biting her lip as she worked, “I can’t say for sure. Those cyclopes came through multiple small portals all at once. So to clarify no, I can’t tell what’s coming through. Believe it or not, those cyclopes only had as much magic as two timber wolves each. I’ll work on making power chart for monsters later, but right now I can say with sixty percent certainty that something is going to come through that portal when it hit its peak.”

Mac frowns, “How long till that happens?”

“A few hours, I’d say by eight tonight.”

“It’s three now,” Mac grumbled looking at his watch. He hadn’t been prepared for the cyclops last time. This time he was going to be ready. “You two stay here and try and find the quickest route to the portal and then come back here. I’ll be back.”

Maddie looks up from her screen as Mac walked towards the pickup, “Where are you going?”

“The gun store.”


Applebloom set her tray down on a vacant table, her mouth watering at the sight of the giant slice of pizza and jumbo sized garlic bread sticks. Who knew shopping could make you so hungry? Beside her legs was at least half a dozen bags, all from different stores. Some were for her, the rest were for Adagio. She wondered who they were actually shopping for if not for the fact the siren dolled her up with just about every outfit that caught her eye. She appreciate the siren’s clearly vast knowledge on clothes, but like Rarity’s advice to Applejack, it was probably for not in the end.

“Then again, Sis has been bringing home more clothes lately. I wonder if Rarity is finally getting to her.”

“Probably,” Adagio said seeking up on Applebloom, smiling as the young Apple tried to get her heart to settle down. “You sister is getting to that age is all. She may not know it or even like it, but she’ll want to start appearing… more feminine. Not that she probably couldn’t get anyone she desired, take this to heart Applebloom, men have very low standards when it comes to beauty. Lower than you might believe.”

“What about the fashion magazines that Rarity and Sweetie are always reading?”

Adagio laughed, “And who reads fashion magazines? Guys? Let me just say if a guy was reading it’s not for the words on the page. Fashion magazines are for women, made by women.”

“Is any of this relevant?”

“Probably not, I just assumed you’d be looking for girly advice, since Applejack is so ill adept at it and Granny Smith is old fashioned and old in general. Though I guess I’m technically older.”

Applebloom took a bite of her pizza instead of replying. She was learning a lot from Adagio. She didn’t know if was good, but she was learning. She knew what the color of her underwear meant now and how to apply makeup better and color coordination when picking clothes.

“So… what do we do now? I think I’m pretty well covered in new clothes and no offense so are you. Does Mac know you do this? This morning sounded like things were pretty tight around the farm.”

“Oh don’t worry about us,” Adagio reassured her, “this money is set aside just for me, I’m the one who earned after all.”

“You have a job? I mean besides helping with the farm sales and monster hunting?”

“Yeah, I’ll have to take a break from it as my belly grows a bit more, but from time to time I model for Rarity and her other fashion friends, like Explicit. I change my hair style and everything. Hell, I hardly recognize myself when I look at the pictures.”

“That sounds cool! Do you think I could do that too?”

(Not legally)

In her own best interest Adagio decided she was not going to be the one to send Applebloom down the dark path of modeling. Especially if Explicit was on the list of designers. That woman was so grabby.

“When your eighteen sure, now how about one more stop before we head home.”

“Ok, where to?”

Adagio peers around searching the stores, coming to a stop on a particular store, “How about something a little more your element, like Rough Riders.”

Before Applebloom could voice her opinion Adagio was already dragging her and their cargo to the country store. A smile gracing her lips as the siren took in all the cowgirl attire. She may have to take an outfit for herself before their done. A couple of things here would defiantly trip Mac’s trigger.

“Hmm, let’s start with something basic, put on this leather skirt and vest and take couple different button shirts with you. Also take some boots too, something with a little red, probably try for something Applejack like, but you at the same time and then we’ll move towards something your own style.” Adagio moved through the store like hurricane throwing a mountain of clothes into Applebloom’s tired arms. They literary walked across the store and already had enough clothes for two families of five with Applebloom finding herself stuffed in the changing room with it all. “Pick something out and I’ll judge.”

Applebloom gulped looking over a random article of clothing, uncertain what to try on first and what went with what. There were too many rules of fashion for her to remember. Tenderly she picks up a brown skirt and vest with a blue shirt. This seemed like a good start.

“So umm… how does it look?” Applebloom asked nervously stepping out of the booth. She could feel Adagio’s eyes wonder over her like a hawk’s. She wasn’t kidding when she said she would be judging. Applebloom hadn’t felt so judged since the first time she met Diamond Tiara.

Tapping her chin Adagio circles around her little sister in law like a shark, “Well, It’s not bad, but not outstanding either, defiantly a school day outfit. Normally you wear green shirts, so switching to blue would be a noticeable change at the very least. I might have you try on more jeans instead. The skirt would defiantly work nice on a date, but day to day, it’s not you. Try one of these darker green shirts, after that, we’ll try some yellow.”

“Can I get a belt buckle too?”

Adagio froze, surprised by the request as it was the first time Applebloom expressed interest for a particular item.

“Sure, why though?” Applebloom withers under Adagio’s questioning gaze, a light blush adorning her cheeks that really made her look cute in the siren’s mind.

“Well, in all of mom’s pictures she’s wearing a belt buckle and so is Applejack and you wear one now most of the time. I just… I just wanted to be more like you gals.”

Absent-mindedly Adagio touched her gold belt buckle with music note engraved on it. The buckle had been a gift from Mac and Applejack’s had been her mothers. Buckles were sort of an important gift in the Apple family. Usually only gifted for important events, the well-designed ones at least.

“Alright, yeah, I can get you a buckle in honor of our first bonding experience as sisters in laws,” Adagio said as she walked over to the glass case containing the buckles. “Which one do you want?”

Applebloom stares with her nose practically against the glass of the case in excitement, her eyes scanning the entire section before falling on a silver buckle with a shield design in the center.

“I want that one!” She excitedly pointed, “And do you think we can get an apple engraved on the shield?”

The clerk nods and removing the buckle from the case while silently passing out a number of apple designs for Applebloom to choose from. After choosing what kind of apple she wanted the clerk took the buckle away and told them it would be an hour or so for the engraving to be done.

“Well, looks like we got plenty of time to try on the rest of your clothes and maybe some of mine,” Adagio said as she planned how many outfits they could try on in an hour. It was getting late in the day and she’d wanted to be back at the farm before it got too late.

“Why don’t we both try on clothes at the same time, it would probably save us some time,” Applebloom suggested, to which Adagio agreed.

“I suppose that would be the best way to do it, I hadn’t planned to stay this late. Aria must be close to getting home by now. You go ahead and get started, I better call her quick.”

“Ok,” Applebloom said, though she stayed in place rocking back in forth on her toes, making Adagio stop dialing Aria’s number halfway.

“Now what?”

“Can I touch your belly?”

(She must have been holding that in all day.) Thought Adagio as she put her hand on her belly. Honestly, she was surprised no one else had tried to touch it today. Course she only had a slight bump, so it was probably hard to tell she was pregnant. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t noticed any feeling of hostility towards strangers she’s had when Mac wasn’t around. She looked curiously at Applebloom wondering if she was perhaps the cause of her not going she-demon and maybe why she was so comfortable with coming here in the first place. Did Applebloom have the same calming effect as Mac did? If so why doesn’t Applejack? Either way, this wasn’t the place to test theories.

“Maybe some other time,” She replied carefully, mindful of Applebloom’s feelings. “When the baby is more developed and starts kicking. I’m sure that would be much more exciting.”

“I suppose…” Applebloom said disappointedly.

(Don’t give in! Ignore others feelings! You can do it… stupid hormones and budding motherly feelings!)

“Fine, but only for a second.”

“Yay!”

(Yeah yay, I’m sure that’s how I’m gonna start the story off-)

“Done! Thanks, Adagio,” Applebloom cheered happily as she enters the changing room. Leaving Adagio a bit stunned.

(I… didn’t freak out…?)

“Oh right, better call Aria.”

Dialing Aria’s cell Adagio waits and waits for her to pick up, but she never did, instead she got her voice mail. Taking a deep breath Adagio calmly calls the house, no answer either. Anxiety was flaring up as she wondered what could have happened to Aria, but once again she reign herself in, biting hard on her lip to keep herself calm. There was one more place Aria could be. She dialed the number for the hospital, going to Nyx’s extension number.

The changeling nurse picked up right away, “Hello?”

“Is Aria there?”

“Yes, are you coming to pick her up? She’s sleeping on my office couch, with a rifle in her hands by the way. You guys are going to get me fired one day you know.”

“Sorry and no, she can stay there. She probably wouldn’t able to sleep at home without worrying about Sonata anyway.”

Nyx sighed on the other end of the line, “Fine, I’ll get a blanket. Sonata should be able to go home the day after tomorrow or even sooner. She’ll have to stay in bed, so no monster hunting for at least half a month or so.”

“Roger that and thanks, Nyx, we’ll try harder not go get you fired.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

She hung up.

“Well… she kind of has a point,” Adagio mutters as she put away her phone. The fickle relationship with their main medical associate aside, what should she try on first? Her gaze fell on a particular top, it had the feeling of 'yes' this is it.

Humming happy Adagio took the article of clothing into the changing room, already imagining the look on Mac’s face once he saw her in it. It was going to be picture worry.


In the parking lot of the mall, Adagio finish strategically placing the last bag of clothes in the trunk of the car. Plastic bags filled every square inch of the cargo space and she stood back with a satisfied grin.

“So… where is my stuff going to go?” Applebloom asked standing next to the smiling siren with an arm full of bags.

Adagio cursed, “Shit, I forgot… how much room is in the back seat?”

“Not much.”

“Which is plenty,” Adagio laughed off as she began to reorganize her bags in the back seat. She wasn’t used to shopping with other people still. Aira and Sonata usually didn’t get much or she didn’t let them get anything back when they were evil.

Now she felt bad. Maybe she should, no, she would get them all the birthday and Christmas presents they deserved! She was going to give them so many presents they wouldn’t want any more presents for the rest of their lives!

“Um, Adagio…”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Your smile is looking… kind of evil is all, just thought I would point that out.”

Adagio turns the rear view mirror for a better look, Applebloom was correct in saying it did look like her old mischievous smirk. She missed it.

“Don’t worry, I’m not planning anything bad,” she winks at the young Apple as she put the car in drive. “Now let’s get home.”

The drive home was filled with idle chatter with long stretches of silence. Neither girl really up to keeping up a conversation with how tired they were both feeling. So when they started spotting familiar landmarks, both were filled with the excitement of finally being home after a long day.

“Finally home,” Adagio sighed, the day finally catching up to her.

Together she and Applebloom unload the car, separating the bags by owners but deciding to leave the merchandise inside the bags for now.

Adagio looks at the clock as Applebloom let out a long tired yawn, “Ten o’clock, time for bed squirt.”

Tiredly Applebloom nodded, unwilling to fight sleep any longer. With a helping hand, Adagio led the tired preteen up the stairs and placed her in Applejack’s old room.

As the siren moved to leave Applebloom said, “I hope Mac will be ok, I’m kind of worried.”

“I’m sure he’ll be back in the morning, just like he said. Now get to bed, you have school tomorrow,” Turning off the lights Adagio walks down to her room and readied herself for bed, brushing her teeth and pulling her hair into a loose ponytail. She settles down under her blankets feeling none of the usual warmth. Longingly she looked to Mac’s empty spot grabbing his pillow and holding it close to her chest.

“You better be here when I wake up.”


Maddie paced restlessly back and forth, while Kira sat calmly against a tree. Both were waiting for Mac to return for the past few hours. Night has already fallen and the camp was completely dark, save for the few lingering fires and the lamp for the bathrooms. The two of them forced to hide in the brush from the camp officials.

“Where is he? We already scoped out the site, but it’s going to be hard to find out way back in the dark!”

“Calm yourself, Maddie,” Kira chided, she’s been listening to the mad scientist’s complaints the entire time they waited and they were starting to wear on her. Personally, she was amazed she could stand to sit, let alone work, with Madhoof’s daughter, the pony reasonable for creating her.

Part of her was rather thankful, as she would not exist without Madhoof’s unnatural merging of life. However, that process did include sacrificing not only a number of young foals but also dragons and any other manner of creature the mad scientist mixed in to create her. On top of all that he erased her memories and all the others, and sent them out into the wild to breed like livestock, living on scraps they stole from a town nearby the cave he dropped them in. On another bright side, they did meet Luna thanks to that and that by far had been one of the better moments of her life. Outside of marrying into the Nippon royal family and have foals of her own of course.

She only wished Sixes and those that froze themselves in stone had the chance to experience happiness like she had. She remembers how the black rinin acted during the Battle of Maredor, two years after Nightmare Moon’s banishment. He had been a different pony back then, bitter, angry, and brutal; it was nice to see him back to normal after Luna freed him from stone. Well, he was mostly back to normal. The others may not see it, but he still had that darker edge to him sometimes, like when he was about to kill Maddie.

Maddie yelled, “Hey!” Right into Kira’s ear, making the Rinin jump and grab the girl by the scruff her neck and snarl, fangs barred.

“Sorry, sorry, didn’t mean anything by it, I just wanted to tell you Mac’s here and you looked half asleep.” Maddie cautiously said, Kira’s claws poking her against her skin.

Kira let her go, “Sorry, I was thinking of something, something from a long time ago.”

“PTSD episode?”

Kira blinked, unfamiliar with the phrase, “Excuse me?”

Before Maddie could explain properly Mac entered the brush, a belt of bullets around his shoulder and large gun on his back.

“Sorry, I’m late. Had to sign a lot of paperwork.”

“Did you buy a fricken elephant gun?” Maddie points the large weapon in disbelief. “Where did you even find something like that?”

Mac rolls his eyes, “One this is America, two I already owned the gun, I just needed more ammo for it that wasn’t a hundred years old, three… ok, there isn’t a three. Regardless, let get going.”

“Says the guy that was late.”

“Complain later. Hopefully, we won’t need it.” Mac adjusts the strap on his shoulder for the gun, wanting to be able to draw it with as little trouble as possible. He really hoped it would be useful in the event they did need it. Also, he had to talk to Adagio when he got back home; she maxed out the credit card again. Hence the new credit card in his wallet. Fifty caliber rounds were not cheap at five bucks a shot; maybe he didn’t need a hundred rounds, but he would rather be five hundred dollars poorer than dead. Make that five fifty, he forgot the tax.

Trekking through the woods at night was not fun or at least not as much fun as people who trek in the woods at night say it is. There were numerous branches that scratched your face, creepy noises, and tree roots. Lots and lots of tree roots.

Mac growls as another branch caught his cheek, hot sticky blood stuck to his fingers as he rubs the sweat from his face. He really thought after all the nights hunting monsters in the woods he would be more adept at navigating the night, but it seems he was still just bumbling through everything like usual. On the other hand Kira, despite being in a different body, seemed right at home in the forest. She was making ground much faster than either he or Maddie.

“Oh God, I’m out of shape,” the mad scientist moaned. “I hate you for taking me off my diet.”

“I didn’t take you off anything, you just sit in front of your computer, and you have three hundred acres to exercise on, use them!”

“I’m a city girl, thank you very much, and none of you know how to make a salad!”

“What’s wrong with plain vegetables?”

“You’re barbaric; your dad was a freaking horse! Yet you hardly eat any greens!”

“You dad was a horse too, remember?” Mac retorted helping her over a fallen tree.

Maddie huffed, “Shut up.”

“I sense we are bonding,” chuckles Mac as he playfully pokes Maddie’s cheek, the mad scientist smacking his chest in retaliation, making Mac laugh even harder.

“You are oddly friendly to someone who was once your enemy,” Kira stated as Mac caught up with her. Before them lay the clearing they were searching for. So far the portal has yet to open, but there was a feeling of electricity in the air and that it wouldn’t be long before something happened.

Mac shrugged at the statement, “I suppose. We have a phrase here called forgive and forget. From the stories, Sunset tells of Equestria. I would have thought you guys base your entire lives around it. You seem to get along alright.”

“On the surface yes, Equestria seems like a fantasy world, but even if we all live in harmony it doesn’t mean every pony gets along all the time. Even to this day certain issues still persist in the underbelly of our society, issues that may never be solved.” Kira soberly stared ahead, but then smiled, “Still things are much better than before. I wish Sixes could have met you sooner.”

“Why’s that,” Mac asked curiously. What would it have mattered if had met Sixes sooner?

The moonlight illuminated Kira’s face, revealing her sadden expression, “He was very different from when you first met him, it wasn’t even that long ago really. He was… much harsher of a person. He had a hard time forgiving Celestia for sealing Luna in the moon. Before he sealed himself in stone he fought in the Battle of Maredor, a bloody, brutal battle filled with monsters the likes of which no pony had ever seen before. Monsters we could not let live, nor their creators.”

“Maredor, that was Adagio, Sonata, and Aria’s home, right?”

Kira nods, “Correct, the siren race was allied with the ponies of Maredor, as they lived off its coast. I fear nothing remains of it, nothing but rubble and ash. The ponies that ruled there were not ones that we could just forgive and forget I’m afraid.”

“Hate to break up the backstory, but we’re going to have company soon,” Maddie chimed in. Holding up her laptop, which was showing red flashing warning all over its screen, so that was probably bad.

In the clearing, a swirl of energy suddenly expanded and began to grow larger and larger. A loud crash and boom followed by a menacing roar shook the trees as something pounded against the wall between worlds. The flat surface of the portal stretched, a giant fist pushing against the fabric of reality and then disappeared flying back to the other side.

“Maddie, what’s happening?”

“How should I know, this is the first time I’m actually seeing something come through in real time, but if I had to guess I would say whatever owns that fist is trying to break the wall between worlds and cross over, not that it wasn’t obvious.”

Insults aside whatever was trying to get through was indeed big. Very, very big. The hand returned, this time it got through, it grabbed the edges of the portal and pulled itself through, what came through made Mac wish it had been a cyclops. This monster was at least twice as tall, covered in armor and barbs, with blood flowing down its limbs like a faucet as it screamed in horrible agony, its head completely encased in a thick black metal helm and its arms and legs bound in shackles with dangling broken bits of chains.

“What the hell is that,” Mac demanded as the monster turn towards them.

Kira gasps recognizing the monster; it was one she knew well, “A Gore… that’s a Gore! Brace yourselves!” She yells as the beast come barreling at them, its armored head breaking through tree trunks with ease.

Scrambling backward Kira grabs Maddie and Mac by the scruff of their shirts and tossing them out of the way. Barely drawing her swords in time to ram them between the gaps in the Gore’s armor plates. It didn’t slow down. The Gore kept charging taking her along for the ride as it barrels through the forest, sharp stones and splinters pelting Kira’s body as it did so.

Screaming madly Kira transforms, planting her feet in the ground, she force the Gore to turn back to the clearing. A tree trunk catching her wing as the Gore turned, breaking it. She screams but did not let go of her swords. Charging the blades with lightning she tried to fray the Gore’s insides, again the beast didn’t take notice.

“Kira!” Mac yelled emerging from the trees. He was trying to get a shot but was too worried about her to fire his weapon. There was no time for that.

“Fire! For Luna’s sake fire!” She screams, the Gore stopping its mad dash and looked down, finally taking notice of her. Raising its barbed arm for attack. She cursed and let go of her swords. Hitting ground as the Gore striked, pushing the swords into its vile stomach. Two loud bangs echo and bits of flesh and armor off the Gore, it screams, turning towards Mac and Maddie. Kira screams, “Run!”

Maddie didn’t need to be told twice, while Mac stayed put dropping in two more shells, and firing at the Gore again. The monster screamed, barreling towards him. With his second round, Mac aims for the Gore’s knee and fired, the round hitting the Gore’s metal knee guard.

“Shit,” Mac rolls out of the way as the Gore rams his position, dislodging the fallen tree from its resting place and sending splinters everywhere. One big splinter flew behind him and he lands on top of it, the splinter piercing all the way through his side.

Mac reached for his gun, which had fallen a few feet away from him. He reached for all he was worth barely grabbing the shoulder strap and pulling the gun back to him. Breaking open the action, Mac ejects the spent rounds and quickly grabs two more rounds while ignoring the growing pain in his side. The Gore notice his struggles and turn towards him, two black narrow eye holes stare him down. Mac finished loading the gun and took aim, the bead swaying widely as he tries to aim for the narrow eye holes. He fires once; the round missing the hole and rebounding off the helms angled face. Mac grit his teeth and tries again, the second round also missings. The Gore reached for him with its giant bloody deformed hand.

“I really don’t like this!” Maddie screamed flying in from the side, ponied up and holding a fist full of magic. She punched the Gore’s wrist, screaming as the barbs wrapped around the monster's arm pierce her hand.

The Gore screamed! Recoiling from the attack as it nursed it bleeding hand.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Maddie pulls Mac off the ground, throwing the big man over her shoulder with ease thanks to her pony strength. Grabbing the gun off the ground she ran for all she was worth as the Gore screams in rage. She shivers as she felt its eyes fall on her.

Mac yells, “Maddie look out!”

It was too late before she could react a large barb pierced her leg and she stumbles to the ground, the barb sticking out below her knee. Tossing Mac off her, she grabs what shells she could from his ammo belt and loads the gun. Charging the rounds with magic, she took aim. The Gore emerge from the tree line, she fires! The rounds piercing the Gore’s armor, traveling through its body and out its back, leaving a tennis ball sized hole. She grins, proud for the damage she inflicted, but her joy quickly fades as the Gore stuck its big meaty fingers into the wound, as if uncertain it was actually there.

Kira still transformed, stumbles over to the two with a line of blood running from her mouth.

“Gores are in constant pain due to the barbs on the inside of their armor, thus their tolerance to pain is unbelievably high. Any damage below fatal will feel just like another flesh wound to them. This battle will be difficult without Sixes,” Kira said helping the two up. Together they hobble for cover as the Gore played with its wound. “If Sixes were here he could melt it into a pool of lava and we would be done with it.”

“Is there any other way to kill it,” Mac asked trying to clear his vision. Everything was blurry and blood was seeping from his forehead. Kira laid him and Maddie in a den some animal had dug under a tree. He did not like the look on the patroller’s face as she started piling branches in front of the entrance.

The night patroller looks grimly at them. “Without the aid of tank or cannon, I’m afraid our chances are nearly none. You two stay here, I will do my best to lead it away, once I do you must run as fast as you can and try to get a hold of Sixes.”

“You’re going to sacrifice yourself,” Mac stated, not liking the idea or even wanting to support it. “You can’t, there has to be another way! Kira!”

She shushed him as she finish covering the entrance, “Be silent, Gore’s are not smart nor can they see or hear very well, so you will be safe if you are quiet. Don’t fret my death. I have lived for a thousand years; this is a good way to go.”

Stepping out into the clearing Kira watched the Gore pick at it wound. From the edge of the bloody hole, she spotted the hilt of one of her swords sticking out. She wanted it back. Activating her vision she looked at all the Gore’s kill spots, all well protected under its armor.

“Come on then, one last time you beast! This for the friends you killed in Maredor!” Kira screams sprinting ahead.

The Gore stopped picking its wound turning towards the charging patroller. Raising its hand to attack, the Gore attempts to swipe at Kira, who ducks under the Gore’s arm. Jabbing her fingers into the Gore’s wrist, bypassing the barbs with her vision, Kira dug her claws into the Gore’s nervous system and sent a shock of lightning into the Gore’s body. The Gore screamed as its body became numb and unable to move.

“I’ll give you something to scream about!” Kira reached into the Gore’s stomach wound, grabbing her sword by the hilt she pulled, tearing flesh and organs as she did, freeing her katana.

The Gore recovered and pulled her into a deadly hug, barbs piercing her back. With no other option, Kira dug into the stomach wound, working her way into the Gore’s body. Stomach acid burning her flesh as she dug through the monsters entrails, clawing and slashing her way to the other side. She picked up her short sword along the way and emerged from the gory mess gasping for air. She drops to the ground, covered in burns and blood.

Using her katana for support Kira slash the back of the Gore’s leg with her short sword, cutting the tendons and began to hobble away. Despite all the damage, she knew it wouldn’t be long before the Gore was back up. Gores didn’t heal, but they didn’t stop either. Looking back she found her hunch to be correct as the Gore stuffed its wounds with massive amounts of dirt. The two limp fingers that Mac had damaged with his rifle the Gore rubbed against the barbs on its arms, severing them with the barbs and packing more dirt into the wounds.

“Over here! Come on.” Taunted Kira whipping her short sword about, sending blades of lightning at the Gore to lead it toward her. Gores were stupid. She had not lied to Mac. They could probably all sneak away unnoticed if they were careful, but then the Gore would be left alone. The only thing worse than a Gore attacking you was a Gore with nothing to attack because then they attack everything. It would start with the animals and then would eventually find its way to a town or city and it would just keep wondering and killing till it was finally killed. She had the best chance of surviving long enough for Mac to get help.

The Gore followed her. Breaking through the barrier of trees, hobbling on its injured leg. Grinning madly Kira ascends up a pile of rocks, crossing her swords when she reached the top and fired an X-shaped blast of lightning at the Gore, sheering its torso and leaving a nice big wound.

“That looks rather fetching on you,” She teased as she ignored the shaking in her hands. She wasn’t doing so great, but she felt so alive at the same time. The taste of battle, how she missed it.

The sound of something clanging brought Kira out of her musing. Stuck below her was a string of the Gore’s barbs attached to the chain, with it the Gore began to pull intending to bring down her stone perch.

“You never did that before.”

Running down the barbed wire line she slash at the Gore’s arm, leaving deep cuts. Aiming for the head, her blades screaming as they sparked against the thick helm, leaving two small gashes. Stretching out her only working wing Kira tried to half guide her flight to the ground, when the Gore’s other arm, also sporting a chain and barb, came whipping around and caught her, the barbed wire tangling around her body, trapping her.

Kira righted herself against the stone slab, mouth gasping in shock. Had the Gore just used strategy?

“You are not as stupid as I believed, how intelligent are you?”

The Gore knelt down, putting the point of its large helm only a few inches away from her face. Slowly the Gore removed part of the helm, revealing its mouth a ghastly sight of broken and chipped yellow teeth.

“Smart enough to trick you, number 4242. Let’s go flush out your comrades.”

The Gore grabbed her, its grip tighter than iron chains, as it carried her back towards Mac and Maddie. Kira struggled in its grip, her teeth bared in anger and frustration. This thing knew her number. Could speak properly and apparently think, most of the time, leading her to conclude to one thing.

Somepony body soul jumped into the body of a Gore. (Great… things just got a lot harder, if not impossible. Mac, I hope you got away. This is out of your league.)

The Gore reached the clearing, breathing in deep breaths of air through its nostrils, scenting the air. Its griped tightens around Kira as it ground its teeth ground together with seething anger. Kira wondered what was making it so mad as it raised its helm to yell.

“NICO VEGA! I SMELL YOU HIDING OUT THERE! I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE UPON YOU! MY BROTHER WILL BE AVENGED!”


Several minutes had passed since Kira led the Gore away. The sounds of fighting grew distant and then silent. Whether this meant they were just that far away or Kira had been killed or the Gore or both. Mac did not know. What he did know is that he had to get Maddie out of here at least and try to get help. He’d get Maddie to the truck, hopefully, have cell service and call Adagio to go get help from Equestria. Sunset’s journal should be in her shack. He wouldn’t think she would take it to camp. Once all of that was taken care of he would return to find Kira, alive hopefully.

Carrying Maddie on his back was the best course of action. The barb made walking almost impossible for her.

“Keep your hands steady,” Maddie warned him as he grabbed her thighs.

“Is this really the time? Also, no offense, but Adagio’s are better.”

“I would slap you, if not for the fact you could leave me to die and get away with it.” She huffed as they moved through the undergrowth, Mac doing his best to stay hidden while moving as fast as he could. There was no telling where the Gore might be.

Unfortunately, the two of them didn’t get very far. The Gore came trampling through the tree line, Kira tight in its grip. Mac let Maddie down, taking cover in another dugout like Kira had put them in, only with much less personal space. Maddie’s chest squishing against his back as he climbed inside. He ignored her fuming glare, peeking out between the branches; if the Gore would only turn it would be looking right at them.

The Gore raised its helm revealing a part of its face and sniffed. Mac wondered what it was doing when suddenly it yelled, “NICO VEGA! I SMELL YOU HIDING OUT THERE! I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE UPON YOU! MY BROTHER WILL BE AVENGED!”

(Shit… more of dad’s past coming back to get me.)

The Gore sniffed again, a grin appearing on its wide thick lips, “Madhoof! Are you there, sir? I smell you here. Where have you been for all these years?”

Mac grabs Maddie by the shirt, “Think very carefully before you do anything.”

“I know,” Maddie replied through gritted teeth. The burn mark on her chest began to heat up with Mac’s angry tone. Her chest feeling like someone was dropping candle wax on it.

Mac let her go, “Good. Now, what can you tell me about this thing and don’t say you don’t know. I’m sure you can take a few guesses. Your dad had to have a hand in this somehow.”

“So did yours,” she replied, Mac’s glare narrowed and the pain increased. “Right, going from dad’s notes, Kira’s brief explanation, and what I’ve seen so far. I can safely say that is probably one of dad’s experiments finished by his friends in Equestria. Given the fact, the Gore’s body doesn’t seem to need it’s organs to function. I would guess it was probably made from a variety of different powerful monsters mixed into one and then killed and turned into an undead mindless killing machine. In the case of this one, someone probably shoved their soul inside it, dad’s goal was immortally after all and someone probably through that was close enough. And it can probably only see through scent now. Hence why he thinks we’re our dads, if we get closer he’ll probably realize the truth on his own once he gets a better whiff of our scents.”

Now the question was what they do with that information, Mac wondered, racking his brain for a strategy to save Kira.

“If you walk up there and say you’re Madhoof’s daughter, do you think he would listen to you?”

Maddie taps her chin in thought, “If I could walk we could try that, but I can’t and I wouldn’t have anyway. Not with your scent probably clinging all over me. He might mistake me for you instead. Dad told me that when you make a undead servant you never want to use them as host body if you’re a soul jumper. Even if the Gore’s body is technically immortal, it’s still dead, it’s still decaying. For whatever reason, that guy in there can function right now, but I bet it’s only temporary and he’ll be back to a mindless monster sooner rather than later. So, you need to go out there and kill that thing with magic. I know this may sound weird coming from me, but brute force is our only answer here.”

“Brute force huh, somehow I’m surprised,” Mac chuckled humorlessly. “But I guess you’re right. Take this and give me cover.”

Mac handed her the elephant gun and his ammo belt.

“I’m not a very good shot.”

“Good thing he’s so big then huh. Just shoot when you can and when I’m out of the way. I’m going to get Kira away from him first.”

Mac sets Maddie up behind cover and walks out into the clearing. Completely unarmed, except for his fists, focusing his magic, he ponied up. This was going to be it.

The Gore turned towards him. “Nico Vega… no… I smell something else, yet so similar… like an offspring. Yes, I see now. You are Nico’s foal!”

“Yelp that I am. I’m Big Macintosh Apple, pleasure to meet you, Mister…”

“I am called Gene Scrambler; I was head of the Genetic labs in Rainbow Factory. I chose what traits what experiments would receive. Such as in the case of number 4242 and your father 088, both of them turned out fantastic.”

Mac kept walking closer, keeping a neutral stance. They were talking nice so far; why not try to keep it going a bit longer? “I suppose I should thank you, without you, I might not have been born. If you don’t mind me asking, what is it that has you so crossed with mah Pa?”

Scramblers posture relaxed, his grip on Kira loosening, but not enough to free her, yet. “A fair question and one I don’t mind answering as it is only fair to know why you will be killed. My gripe with 088 started at the battle of Rainbow Factory, he was the one to give away our bases location and bring the full might of Luna’s damnable night patrollers upon us. He got inside the base before we raised the shields and was able to sabotage them, but that wasn’t the only thing he did. We were a very light staffed organization, after all, there are only so many ponies that could match up to the intelligence needed to perform experiments. But we also need grunts, my brother was one of those grunts. Scrambled Eggs was his name, a simple fellow, meant for a simple job. I had him guard my experiments during the attack. 088… 088 slit his throat, killing him in cold blood and just left him to die on the cold floor! My own creation! On top of all that he destroyed the teleport room causing a malfunction and killing countless of my friends!”

“That’s a sad story. Really it is,” Mac said closing his fingers into a fist. “What makes it even sadder is the fact dad’s already dead, killed by Madhoof here in this world. A world you don’t belong in!”

Mac clears the remaining distance between him and Scramble; fist glowing with orange magic he socks the Gore in the gut. The dirt packed into the wounds exploded, flying everywhere. Scramble screams swinging both of his fists at Mac in a hammer strike. Mac set himself and caught both fists, the impact of the attack making his boots sink into the ground.

“Don’t worry; I’ll get you out of there! Maddie!”

A bullet pops off from the tree line, hitting Scramble’s wrist forcing him to let Kira go. Scramble howls staggering away backwards. Kira falls to the ground, Mac runs and catches her. Sprinting away as fast as he could and Mac drops her off next to Maddie and runs back into the fray. Jumping in the air, Mac lands a heavy blow on Scramble’s helmet!

“Agh! ARMAGH!” Scrambled screams unintelligently swinging madly around. A part of the helmet fell away, revealing Scramble’s bloodshot eyes and hideous face.

From the trees, Maddie yelled, “Mac he’s going insane again! You gotta finish him while he can’t take the pain!”

“Right!”

Mac ran and jumped, landing on the Gore’s chest and began pounding away, bones breaking and blood caking his fists as he pounds through the heavy flesh towards the Gore’s heart. Before Mac could get to it the Gore grabs him!

“SHIT!” He cursed as the Gore pulls it’s helm back, fully revealing its mouth, he struggles being pulled closer toward the rotten teeth. He tried to break free, but the monster’s grip was too tight! His head enters the monsters rancid mouth, its jaws lowering. Outside he could hear Maddie’s and Kira’s screams for him. He couldn’t believe this was how it ends, eaten alive, he closes his eyes and thinks of Adagio.

The Gore’s mouth closed completely, but there was no pain. That was strange. Was he already dead? Mac opens his eyes. He was inside the Gore’s mouth still, but everything was different, it was all silvery.

(Hey, move! This isn’t going to last forever!) A voice said from nowhere, startling Mac, he jumps and suddenly he fell through the Gore’s body to the ground. He lay there in shock, unsure about what was going on. The Gore seem confused too, it looked down and stomped it’s foot right on top of him, but much to Mac’s surprise the foot just went right through his body!

“What the hell?”

(I don’t have infinite magic here, move away!)

Mac did as the voice demanded and rolls, his body passing through the Gore’s foot like it wasn’t even there. “I’m dead. I gotta be dead. I’m like a fricking ghost!”

The voice sighs, “Oh for Luna’s sake! You are not dead! I had this exact conversation with the girl the other day. I’ll give you the short version kid. I’m night patroller 0013, Shadow Specter, I’m a ghost pony. I’m possessing you. Congrats you can phase through solid objects now. This is how this goes, you fight, and I phase you away from danger.”

Mac clench his fists. He could see the bones in his hands, and the claws at the tips of his fingers, all surrounded by a pale silver aura. “Alright, let’s go.”

He took off running the Gore swung at him its fist passing right through Mac’s body; he jumps into the monster's stomach and was solid again.

(Now dig and shred its brains!) Shadow yelled at him and he did just that. Reaching up Mac claws his way up the Gore’s ribcage ripping the dead flesh out of the way as the Gore pounding in vain to reach him from the outside. He reached the neck and tore the spine out of the way, shoving his hand into the base of the skull and grabbing hold of the Gore’s brain. He closed his hand, crushing the brain into a pile of mush. The monster stopped moving and slumps over.

Mac emerge from the top of the Gore’s head. Jumping off he lands on his feet breathing a heavy sigh as he slumps against a nearby tree and fell to the ground. Exhaustion was all he could feel. He looked towards the dead monster as Kira and Maddie hobble towards him and he smiled.

The Gore was finally dead. He could go home alive.