//------------------------------//
// Chapter 22: Apples and Crusaders 
// Story: BlackWarGreymon: Warrior of Harmony 
// by I-C-U-P 
//------------------------------//

High above the town of Ponyville, BlackWarGreymon was on his way to one of the places he hadn’t seen yet. Sweet Apple Acres. As he flew by, he saw all the ponies below him. They eventually spotted the airborne Digimon and waved hello at him. After taking in the sight, BlackWarGreymon went on his way.

As he approached his destination, he came to a halt as he looked upon Sweet Apple Acres ahead of him. As well as a large red barn and several farm fields, what really caught his was the apple orchard itself. He had never seen so many apple trees in one place before. They literally stretched as far as his eye could see, and he was in the air.

“That’s one big apple farm,” He said before making his descent.
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Not far away, at a tree house called the Crusaders Clubhouse, the Cutiemark Crusaders, were inside planning.

“Alright fellow crusaders, any ideas on how to earn our cutiemarks?” Applebloom asked as she looked at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle from behind her podium.

“Well, the hang gliding idea didn’t work the other day. Now I got nothing. What about you Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked, but she saw the young Unicorn looking worried as she stared at her hooves.

“Hay Sweetie Belle, are you feelin’ ok?” Applebloom asked, gaining her attention.

“Oh, sorry girls. It’s just that…”

Though her friend found it hard to speak, Applebloom knew what she was talking about.

“It’s about that dragon attack yesterday, isn’t it?” She asked in concern.

“Well…yeah. It was so scary. Rarity and I were almost eaten,” Sweetie Belle said, cringing at the thought of her becoming dragon food.

She then felt Scootaloo’s hoof resting on her shoulder. The young Pegasus trying to comfort her.

“Well that was before BlackWarGreymon swooped in and saved the whole town.”

“Yeah! And it was amazing that he took all of them on and kicked their butts,” Applebloom joined.

The positive talk about the Digimon had cheered up the Unicorn filly.

“You’re both right. We were lucky that he showed up.”

“Yeah. He might even be just as amazing as Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo said.

Not far away from the clubhouse, BlackWarGreymon made touchdown. His landing however let out a sound of impact, which was heard by the crusaders.

“Did you hear that?” Sweetie Belle asked the other two fillies.

“I think it came from outside,” Applebloom said while looking at the window.

Scootaloo popped her out the window and saw the Digimon in the distance.

“Hey, it’s BlackWarGreymon! He’s here!”

Her reply caused the other two girls to look out the window over Scootaloo’s head. Then they saw him too.

“Wow, even from here he still looks huge. Wait, where’s he going?” Sweetie Belle asked, watching BlackWarGreymon walking in the opposite direction to their clubhouse.

“I think he’s headin’ to the farm,” Applebloom said, curious as to why he was dropping by to visit.

Then a lightbulb lit up in Scootaloo’s head.

“I got an idea girls!”

She then ran to one of their draws and pulled out binoculars. 

“How about a cutiemark of watching someone powerful without being spotted?”

Although Applebloom and Sweetie Belle weren’t keen on the idea, but it was better than no idea at all.

“Ok, let’s do it.”

Decided on what to do, the three grabbed more binoculars, jumped out of the tree house and landed in a nearby bush. After poking their heads out of the plant growth, they saw BlackWarGreymon walking further away. Pretending to be spies and ninjas on a top-secret mission, the three fillies ran, jumped and crawled to one bush after another.

Every so often, they stop to regroup in a large bush or behind a tree, put up their binoculars and watched the distant Mega. At first it felt like an important mission, but the fillies started to enjoy themselves.

It went on until BlackWarGreymon stopped at the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres. The distance between him and the hidden crusaders made him look like the size of a bug. But as they put on their binoculars, they got a full view of the Digimon.

“What’s he up to?” Applebloom asked in a silly suspicious tone.

“Maybe something evil?” Sweetie Belle joked as she laughed to herself. Knowing that it wasn’t true.

“Maybe he’s just stopping by to visit?” Scootaloo joined.

After the three finished guessing and kept looking at BlackWarGreymon, he shifted his head slightly to the left and motioned his left eye in their direction.

Thinking that they’ve been spotted, the three young ponies immediately retreated into the bush. Hiding while breathing heavily as if BlackWarGreymon was a predator.

“You girls think he saw us?” Sweetie Belle said after catching her breath.

“I don’t know,” Scootaloo answered.

“I don’t think so. There’s no way in Equestria he could spot three small fillies from that distance,” Applebloom stated, thinking that it was just a coincidence.

Back where BlackWarGreymon was, he averted his gaze from the far away bush and back to the large red barn.

“Very funny.”

As he approached the barn, he noticed that the barn’s doors were wide open. As he got closer to investigate, he heard the unmistakable sound of Applejack’s voice.

Peering his head through the open door slightly, he spotted the orange Earth Pony herself. He also spotted two other ponies with her.

One was an elderly mare with green fur and a greyish-white mane and tail, that were both done up in a bun. Her winkles confirmed that she was old. Her cutiemark was of an apple pie and her wobbly legs looked as though they were about to give out any second. The second pony was a large red furred, orange maned stallion. His size and looks confirmed that he was Applejack’s older brother. His cutiemark was of a green opened apple.

“Knock Knock,” BlackWarGreymon said as he stepped out in the open. Addressing the three ponies.

“Well howdy, big fella,” Applejack said as she approached him.

The other two ponies however stared in shock.

“Is my eyes playin’ tricks on me again?” The elderly mare asked.

“Nope,” The stallion answered, trying to get over the shock since his sister knew who the visitor was.

“What are ya’ doin’ over here?” Applejack asked BlackWarGreymon.

“I’ve never been in a farm before, so I dropped by to visit.”

“Well, you’re always welcome at Sweet Apple Acres. Let me introduce ya’ to my family,” The orange mare said as she motioned BlackWarGreymon to enter the barn. Luckily the barn doors were big enough for him to walk through.

“Family, this is BlackWarGreymon. He’s a visitor from another world,” Applejack said to the other two ponies, whom were stuck in awe.

After a brief moment of silence, the old mare quickly calmed down and spoke.

“Well, howdy stranger. I’m Granny Smith, Applejack’s dear old granny.”

Applejack then motioned her hoof to the red stallion.

“And over there is ma big brother, Big Macintosh.”

Big Mac merely responded with a simple smile and nod. Recognizing the Digimon as his sister’s friend.

BlackWarGreymon then noticed that the stallion had a white bandage on one of his legs.

“What happened to you?” He asked Big Mac, but Applejack answered for him.

“Well he got hurt from fendin’ off the pesky dragons yesterday. But he’ll be ok.”

The Digimon then looked back at Big Mac.

“The dragons attacked here too?”

“Yep,” The stallion answered.

“And you chased them away?”

“Yep.”

After receiving the same answer twice, BlackWarGreymon sensed a pattern.

“Not much of a talker, are you?”

“Nope,” Big Mac admitted.

BlackWarGreymon then turned his attention to Applejack.

“And of course, ya’ already met Applebloom. She and her friends are over by their clubhouse.”

“Well, they were at the clubhouse.”

The Digimon’s sentence made Applejack confused.

“Were?”

“Yes. When I landed here, they tried to be sneaky and followed me here.”

Then the Digimon and the three ponies head three voices shouting at once.

“WHAT!?”

Facing at the barn doors where they heard the voices, the four saw Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo emerging from hiding and walked inside with surprise written on their faces.

“How did ya’ know we were followin’ ya’?” The young Earth Pony asked, demanding an answer.

“I sensed you,” The Digimon simply replied.

Then Applejack joined in.

“And I guess you were tryin’ to get a cutiemark from spyin’?”

“Well…maybe,” Scootaloo said, but the way she spoke confirmed that it was in fact true.

“Well, all of ya’ can take a break from crusadin’ and help me,” Applejack said to the three fillies.

“Help with what?” Sweetie Belle asked, She and her friends were confused by Applejack’s meaning.

“Ya’ see, with Big Mac now out of work until he’s healed, I’m on my own with doing the chores. I don’t think even I could get it all done by nightfall all by myself.”

As well as the crusaders, BlackWarGreymon too was thinking about it. Because that he’s bonded with the ponies of Equestria and feeling that friendship could be the key to his destiny, he had the opportunity to prove himself that he could be a true supportive friend. Though he already made very good examples. Such as tending to Twilight Sparkle as she grieved over seeing his death from his memories. And then comforting Fluttershy as she too learnt of his death.

Also apart from visiting Sweet Apple Acres, he had nothing else to do to pass the time.

“If the chores are very important to you, then I guess I could help out.”

Applejack had to admit it, she was taken back by BlackWarGreymon’s offer. She thought helping around the farm would be the last thing he would do.

“Really? You wanna help out?”

“That’s what friends do, right?”

Applejack couldn’t had said it better herself.

“Well… thanks big fella. Ya would really be helping out a lot here.”

“So what do you want me to do?” The Digimon asked.

“Follow me,” Applejack said as she walked passed the Digimon and out of the barn. Curious of what she had in mind, BlackWarGreymon and the crusaders followed.

Outside, Applejack lead the four to a large empty field with a large garden plough at the front.

“Well one of Big Mac’s chores was to plough the fields so we can plant the seeds. Ya think you can handle that?” She asked BlackWarGreymon.

The Digimon was in thought as he walked up to the plough. Yes, he could do it piece of cake, but the effort of getting rope long enough to tie it around him would take time. But then he had an idea.

“I know how to make this easier, Applejack,” He said to her.

“Huhh, how?” The Earth Pony asked.

Without answering and while being watched by Applejack and the three fillies, BlackWarGreymon stood parallel to the plough and faced the empty field. Then he knelt down and put the tips of his clawed gauntlets in the dirt. Then he remained still.

The confused ponies watched on as BlackWarGreymon focused his inner energy into his arms. Then after a moment of silence, he suddenly threw his arms up, creating two gusts of wind powerful enough to be seen from the naked eye. As the four amazed ponies watched the curved winds, they noticed that the winds carved groves in the dirt below. They went on until the winds gave out, leaving two long groves from one end of the field to another.

“How’s that?” BlackWarGreymon asked as he looked at his handy work.

At first, there was stunned silence from Applejack, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Then the oldest pony spoke up.

“Ah’ don’t believe it! You just did a fifteen-minute job in just five seconds!”

Then Applebloom joined in.

“That was so cool!”

BlackWarGreymon then turned towards Applejack.

“What’s next?”
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Later, the Digimon, the Earth Pony and the Cutiemark Crusaders were in the apple orchard. They were ready for the next item on the chore list.

“Right BlackWarGreymon. The next thing we’re gotta do is to collect apples from these apple trees. Like this,” Applejack said before standing in front of an apple tree, turning away from it, and then slammed the tree with her rear hooves.

The force of the impact shook the tree, freeing all the apples that it held and into the awaiting baskets below.

“Impressive,” BlackWarGreymon complemented.

“Thanks. That’s one tree down, and over a hundred to go,” Applejack said as she looked at the end of the field to see the apple trees in the distance.

“You sure have a lot of work cut out for you,” The Mega said as he too saw the distant trees.

“Now ya see why I need some help around here. But thanks to you, we’re ahead of schedule.”

Applejack then made a plan of action.

“Ok, ya three fillies come with me. And BlackWarGreymon, ya can start with these trees here.”

With the plan set, the orange mare and the three crusaders ventured deeper into the orchard. Leaving the Digimon to deal with fairly large trees around him.

Knowing his strength, he would have to rule out his kicking. The trees, as think as they were, would easily be snapped in two if he kicked. He couldn’t just punch them either, his claws may impale the trees.

He decided then to use the smooth flat side of his Dramon Destroyers. In the way, he would lower the risk of damaging the trees.

After walking up to his first apple tree, BlackWarGreymon took a good look of its bark and the red apples above. Feeling that he was ready, he slammed the back of his armoured against the tree. The giant plant vibrated from the aftershocks of the impact and shook all the apples loose. BlackWarGreymon felt satisfied as he watched all the red fruit landing in the already prepared baskets.

“Well, that was easy.”

Then to his bewilderment, the Digimon suddenly heard loud creaking noises. Then to his shock, the tree that he hit started to topple over. Then crashed with a thud on its side with its dirt-covered roots sticking out.

BlackWarGreymon may had put too much strength in that blow.

“Uh oh.”

Then to his alarm, he heard Applejack’s voice in the distance.

“What the hay was that!?”

It was clear to the Digimon that Applejack heard the fallen tree and was sure that she would arrive to investigate what happened.

He also knew it would be stupid to just fly away from the scene. He had to fix his mess, and quick.

Not wasting a moment, BlackWarGreymon swiftly grabbed the giant tree, lifted it off the ground and hastily put it back in its original place. He had just moments to stand next to the tree and pretended to look innocent by looking at the sky before Applejack showed up.

“Hay BlackWarGreymon, did ya hear a fallen tree?”

The Digimon averted his gaze from the sky to the pony as he answered.

“Huh? A fallen tree?” He asked back, acting as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

Applejack grew suspicious from his response. Knowing BlackWarGreymon’s advanced hearing, she was sure that he could hear a falling tree a mile away. She then brought her attention to the ground around the Mega Digimon’s feet. There were leaves everywhere. Not to mention that the ground around the base of the tree looked up-rooted.

Applejack looked at BlackWarGreymon with a suspicious raised eyebrow and a smile. She knew exactly what happened.

“You knocked over that tree, didn’t ya?”

BlackWarGreymon’s eyes widened in alarm. He was busted. But kept trying to act cool.

“No I didn’t. I was just looking at the sky.”

Applejack chuckled at BlackWarGreymon pretending to be denial about it. Since no harm was done, the orange mare turned back to the way she came. But then stopped as she had something to say.

“Well at least ya put the tree back in its place. And by the way big fella, you’re a terrible liar.”

As she disappeared into the tree growth, BlackWarGreymon breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Well… she took that surprisingly well,” He said. He thought that she would totally flip out and get mad.
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Hours had past at Sweet Apple Acres and the apple orchard was thinning on apples. After his mishap with the first tree, BlackWarGreymon quickly got the hang of controlling his strength. After finishing his one hundred and forty fifth tree, the Digimon stopped for a moment to look at the sky. The sun was just over the horizon and the orange sky showed that it was evening. 

“It’s that time already? How long have I been out here?” He asked himself as he approached what looked like the last tree full of apples.

He suddenly heard three voices calling out his name.

“BlackWarGreymon!”

Turning to his side, he saw the Cutiemark Crusaders rushing towards him.

“Oh, it’s you three.”

“Yeah, and watch this,” Scootaloo said as she, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle positioned themselves around the apple tree. Then at the same time, all three kicked the tree.

The combined blow from the fillies shook the tree like it would when kicked by Applejack. Soon the apples fell into the baskets below.

Then BlackWarGreymon heard a small thud as he felt something landed on his nose horn. Looking up, he saw an apple impaled on his horn. The three young ponies let out their laughter at the sight of it.

“Haha, he’s got an apple on his nose,” Sweetie Belle said, trying her best to calm down.

While remaining calm, BlackWarGreymon stuck one of his metal claws into the apple and pulled it off his horn.

“Here,” He said as he lowered the apple to one of the crusaders.

Applebloom was the one who pulled the red fruit off the metal claw and quickly ate it whole.

While the small Earth Pony munched on the apple, Scootaloo became intrigued by the clawed gauntlets.

“Hey BlackWarGreymon? How sharp are your claws anyway?”

After looking at his Dramon Destroyers, the Digimon looked around to see what he could use them on. It ended up being a large stray rock at the end of the field.

“Sharp enough to cleave though almost anything.”

He then faced the distant rock with his claws ready.

“Just watch.”

As he began to sprint, the crusaders noticed that he was heading for the rock. Then as he got within range, BlackWarGreymon slashed his right arm at it and came to a halt as he passed it. Not moving a muscle, he glanced back to see the faces of the fillies.

The crusaders were confused at first, since it seemed nothing had happened to the rock. Then tot their amazement, the top half of the rock started to slide at an angle before detaching itself completely.

“Wow. He sliced that rock like it was butter,” Sweetie Belle said while Scootaloo and Applebloom were simply speechless.

Then the three ponies ran towards the sliced boulder to inspect it. The part where it was sliced felt incredibly smooth to the touch. The fine edge of the angle was perfect.

“Woah… and just how strong are you?” Scootaloo asked.

Again, making another demonstration, BlackWarGreymon walked to the bolder and with the crusaders backing away a few steps, he placed his right foot on the top of the rock.

Then he began to press. The leg muscles tensed up as he pressed his leg harder and harder on the rock. The fillies could hear BlackWarGreymon grunting lightly as he kept pushing his strength. Then the young ponies started to hear cracking sounds. Looking at the rock, they were amazed to see large cracks forming beneath the Digimon’s foot and spreading across the surface.

Then to their surprise because of the loud noise, the solid rock shattered into pieces.

“How’s that?” BlackWarGreymon asked, already knowing the answer.

“That was amazin’!” Applebloom cheered, while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stared in awe.

Then appearing from behind, Applejack appeared to fetch the four.

“Alright y’all, it’s time for break!”

Not including BlackWarGreymon, the crusaders were relieved to hear one of their favorite words. Then Applejack spotted pieces of rock down by the Digimon’s feet.

“Huh, what did that boulder ever do to you?” She asked BlackWarGreymon, obviously joking.

“I was just testing my strength,” He answered.

“Well I like to thank ya again for the help today. Now come on y’all, we’re headin’ back home.”

Applejack then turned to walk home. As the fillies and the Digimon followed, Scootaloo caught BlackWarGreymon’s attention.

“Hay, BlackWarGreymon. Did you really race against Rainbow Dash the other day?” She asked with excitement in her voice.

“Yes, I did.”

“…But, she won. Right?” The filly asked again. The second time hoping that her hero hadn’t lost.

“Yes she did. But the race left her exhausted.”

“Wow. Never heard of Rainbow Dash being tired in a race before.”

The two continued their conversation as they headed back to the barn.
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Half an hour had passed and the sun was close to touching the horizon. The evening sky slowly began to darken.

Upon hearing BlackWarGreymon’s fight with the Bugbear at Fluttershy’s cottage and the Digimon’s presence at Sweet Apple Acres, Princess Twilight was on her way to check up on the saviour.

After arriving at the barn, she was greeted by a happy looking Applejack.

“Greetings Twilight.”

“Hi Applejack. I heard that BlackWarGreymon dropped by.”

“He sure did. And I tell ya Twi, the big buy’s a life saver.”

“What do you mean?” The Alicorn asked in curiosity.

“Well since Big Mac got himself hurt in that dragon attack, BlackWarGreymon’s been helpin’ me with the chores.”

While Twilight was awe-stricken, Applejack pointed to exhibit A.

“Ya see that field over there? He did those two groves with just his claws in five seconds, where it would’ve taken a plough fifteen minutes to do.”

“Wow. I better add that to my notes,” Twilight said, learning something else to write about the Digimon.

“Ya do know that he’s a real being, not a science project?”

Though it was a joke, Twilight took slight offence from Applejack’s remark.

“I know that. It’s just that I like to learn about him.”

“Well if ya want to see him, he’s inside.”

Soon Applejack lead Twilight inside the barn. Meanwhile, Granny Smith was showing BlackWarGreymon her old photo album. Which included ones from her youth. As surprisingly, the Digimon was interested in learning its history.

“And this one was when the town was first open to the public. And I was right there when they cut the ribbon,” Granny Smith explained while pointing her hoof at the picture of a mare that turned out to be her from the past.

“You were there when Ponyville was founded?” BlackWarGreymon asked, surprised that the old pony lived THAT long.

“I sure was. And it all began from this very farm. Which is why it’s known as Ponyville’s Core.”

While Granny Smith kept looking at the black and white photo, reminiscing of her past, BlackWarGreymon saw Applejack and Twilight entering the barn.

“Hey Twilight.”

“Hey BlackWarGreymon. I just dropped by to check up on you. I hear you’ve been helping with the chores around here.”

“Yeah. I’ve been filling in for Applejack’s brother.”

“Yep,” Big Mac said as he watched Granny Smith turn a page in her book. Then he started to giggle when he saw a certain picture of Applejack.

“And this one here is Applejack when she’s just a little baby.”

Hearing Granny Smith brought BlackWarGreymon’s attention back to the book. Although seeing the orange pony as a baby was cute, but what she was wearing made him chuckle.

“Never thought I would see her wearing a diaper.”

His one sentence almost made Granny Smith and Big Mac burst out in laughter. It was the way the Digimon said it made it funny. While Twilight was giggling too, Applejack had a massive blush of embarrassment all over her face.

“Hey Granny, don’t go show him that!”

“Why not? It’s ok since he’s ya boyfriend,” The cheeky granny said in amusement while giving a playful wink.

Again, Twilight and Big Mac tried to hold their laughter in, while Applejack’s face kept growing in embarrissment.

“W-What!? He AIN’T my boyfriend!”

Despite the funny ordeal, BlackWarGreymon then became confused.

‘Boy…friend?’

After letting out an aggravated sigh, Applejack had just about enough.

“Come on now, break time’s over. There’s still one more chore to do.”

After her statement, Applejack stormed out. Followed by Twilight and BlackWarGreymon.

“She thinks he’s your boyfriend?” Twilight whispered to Applejack, finding the whole joke funny.

“It aint that funny, Twilight. I’m starting to think that her age is gettin’ to her.”

While the mares were talking, the confused Digimon behind them caught their attention.

“Girls, what is a ‘Boyfriend’?”

Twilight and Applejack looked at BlackWarGreymon in disbelief. How could he not know what a boyfriend was?

But he wasn’t finished.

“I mean… I am classified as a boy. And I am your friend. But the word felt like it had a different meaning.”

“Don’t worry about it, BlackWarGreymon. I’ll explained another time.” Twilight said to him.

When the group arrived back at the fields, Applejack explained the last chore of the day to the two. Whom were joined by the crusaders who were waiting outside.

“Ok BlackWarGreymon. I was originally gonna get Rainbow Dash to do this. But since ya here, I’ll let ya give it a shot.”

She then pointed to another barn on the top of the next hill.

“Ya see that old barn up there, it needs to be taken down.”

“Hay. That should be easy for you,” Twilight said to BlackWarGreymon.

“Is that all I have to do?” The Digimon asked, finding the task incredibly simple and easy.

He was then briefly startled when the crusaders caught his attention.

“Hay! Hay! BlackWarGreymon! Try using your powers on it!” The excited Applebloom suggested. Then joined by Scootaloo.

“Yeah! Use that giant ball attack of yours!”

Then the three fillies tried to guess the name of BlackWarGreymon’s signature attack.

“The Death Ball!” Said Applebloom.

“The Aura Sphere!” Said Scootaloo.

“The Spirit Bomb!” Said Sweetie Belle.

The first two fillies looked at the young Unicorn in confusion.

“The Spirit Bomb? You totally made that up,” Scootaloo objected.

“But that is a cool name if ya think about it,” Applebloom said.

“Girls, girls. It’s not either of those names. BlackWarGreymon call it ‘Terra Destroyer’,” Twilight corrected.

“Woah, now that’s a cool name,” Scootaloo said before she and the other fillies realised that someone was missing.

“Wait, where is BlackWarGreymon?” Sweetie Belle asked while looking around.

“Well while ya three were discussing names, BlackWarGreymon’s gettin’ started,” Applejack said while pointing at the Digimon, who was hovering high above the old barn.

“Get ready girls,” Twilight said as she waited in anticipation. To once again see the power of BlackWarGreymon.

While Applejack was calm, the three crusaders just couldn’t wait to see the Digital Monster in action.

After the Artificial Mega positioned himself high above the worn-out barn, he raised his right arm to the air and quickly gathered energy. Because of his mastery of his technique, he could form the Terra Destroyer sphere at the end of his clawed gauntlets. As well as he would normally do with his palms.

Which he done so. He formed the red orb at the end of the claws on his raised arm.

With the sphere expanding to the size of Big Mac, BlackWarGreymon threw it straight down at the barn below. First the red orb smashed through the roof. Then when the ball struck the ground, it exploded in fiery light with enough force to blow apart the roof tiles and wooden supports. The floor and the walls either crumbled from under the pressure or incinerated by the blast. Even though it took place quite far from the watching ponies, they felt the shockwaves from the ground beneath them.

When the explosion died down, all what’s left of the old barn was debris and a smoking crater.

When BlackWarGreymon landed next to the ponies, he saw the looks of satisfaction from Twilight and Applejack. While Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had looks of astonishment.

“Wow. That small ball packed quite a punch,” Sweetie Belle said while looking at the destroyed barn.

“Yeah! But I figured that you would make the ball bigger,” Scootaloo said, slightly disappointed that the small orb was all that’s needed to get the job done.

“If I did, I would’ve blown up the entire hill,” BlackWarGreymon mentioned. Only he knew the true extent of the Terra Destroyer’s destructive factor.

The crusaders meanwhile, were startled by the Digimon’s statement.

“Ya can do that?” Applebloom asked.

“Yes. But I don’t think Applejack would allow that,” BlackWarGreymon said as he turned to the orange mare.

“Exactly. And with that old barn gone, that means the chores are pretty much done. Thanks for helpin’ me today,” Applejack said to the Digimon.

“No problem.”

Once they were done with the thank you’s, it was time for Twilight and BlackWarGreymon to head back to the castle. As they left Sweet Apple Acres, the Apple family and the Cutiemark Crusaders were seeing them off.

“See ya latter you two!” Applejack called out while waving goodbye.

Come by and visit soon!” Granny Smith said.

“Yep!” Big Mac added.

“Hope to see you again soon!!” The crusaders cheered.

On the road back to town, Twilight looked over to BlackWarGreymon and gave him a kind smile. There was something about him that she indeed noticed. Something that wasn’t there before.

“What is it?” BlackWarGreymon asked, sensing that the young Alicorn had something to say.

“Hmm, it’s just that you’ve really came out of your shell.”

BlackWarGreymon was confused by the statement and gave Twilight a look that showed it.

“Out of… my shell?”

“It’s just a saying. It means that you have changed a lot,” Twilight said, but it brought more confusion to BlackWarGreymon as he looked at hi gauntlets.

“Are you sure? Because I’m still a Mega.”

After letting out an amused chuckle, Twilight got the Digimon’s attention while explaining herself.

“That’s not what I meant. What I mean is that… when you first came to Equestria, you were solitary, alone and confused. But now you’re not like that anymore. You’re now friendly, well-mannered and from what I’ve been seeing, making new friends.”

BlackWarGreymon finally understood what Twilight meant by him changing. He was not the same Digimon he was before. The things he thought he couldn’t do, he not only done them, but got better at it. He once doubted that he could be a friend. But there he was not only a good friend to others, but making friends.

If defending their world meant gaining more and more friends, then he wouldn’t hesitate to do it.

He then felt deep satisfaction at the positive thoughts. He would never be the cold heartless monstrosity he once was. Never again.

His thoughts were interrupted by Twilight.

“And that’s not all. I’ve even heard that Fluttershy kissed you.”

Her sentence made BlackWarGreymon think back to the events at Fluttershy’s cottage. After saving her and her animals from the Bugbear, the Pegasus herself awarded him with praise and a soft kiss on his right cheek.

BlackWarGreymon then touched the spot on his cheek where he was kissed. The action suddenly earned a gasp from Twilight.

“Wait, she actually kissed you!? I thought Fluttershy was only joking. That’s… that’s so sweet of her.”

Then under the realisation that he needed to know, he turned to Twilight with something on is mind.

“It’s just her showing gratitude. But I need to know something, Twilight.”

“What is it?” She asked, wanting to hear the Digimon’s request.

“I would like to understand more about positive emotions. I keep experiencing them but, I don’t know how to act upon them.”

Although baffled, Twilight perfectly understood what BlackWarGreymon meant by.

“Of course. I’ll be glad to help you with that. And may I ask, how did you create those groves back at that field?” Twilight asked.

Realising that the Alicorn was referring to his first chore, BlackWarGreymon stopped walking and placed his pointed claws of his right arm on the path. Then after a brief moment, he was ready.

“Like this.”

Throwing his right arm up, he once again created a powerful gust of wind. The amazed Twilight could see the curvature of the wind while seeing the wind creating a long grove in the ground as if it were a blade.

But it didn’t stop. After passing over the path, a loud booming sound was heard when the curved wind collided into a tree. At first only its leaves fell, but then the entire top half of the giant plant started to slide off the bottom. It then crashed to the ground with a loud thud.

In one swift move, BlackWarGreymon created a grove in the ground and sliced a huge tree in two.

Twilight and BlackWarGreymon just stared at the fallen tree in shock and worry. Then the Alicorn broke the awkward silence, followed by the Digimon.

“We should go.”

“Right.”

With that, the two immediately took off into the sky and while silent, flew towards the town.

Then BlackWarGreymon spoke up.

“Twilight, if anyone asks, the dragons did that.”

“Deal.”

Then Twilight realised something. She was flying alongside BlackWarGreymon. One of the things she wanted to do for the past few days.

She couldn’t help but let out a giggle of excitement that she was flying by his side.
…………………………………………………………………………………………................................................

Beyond Equestria, The Changeling Hive

Far beyond the view of Canterlot, deep within the darkest areas of the Everfree Forest, was something that very few ponies had ever seen. Of not, no pony had ever seen.

The Changeling hive.

Home to the shape-shifting creatures called Changelings.

The Changelings were sentient insectoid creatures that resemble ponies, but were in fact entirely different. Instead of fur, they had dark grey and blue exoskeletons, just like an insect. Also like an insect, their eyes were blue and featureless, as well as their thin see-through wings used for flight. The most bizarre trait they had were the holes in their legs, but it didn’t seem to be a problem for them. They also had large canines and fin-like mane and tails. Just like Unicorns, they too had horns on their heads. Which they use for their own kind of magic. Another one of their unique traits was their ability to shape-shift. Disguising themselves to the very image of any pony caught in their sights. It was a very useful tactic when invading territories, such as the Canterlot wedding incident. Changelings were also known to feed off the love from their victims. Other food in their diet was unknown.

Like all insects and their hives, the Changelings had their queen.

Royal Changelings were uniquely different from their ordinary counterparts. They could grow to the size of a full grown Alicorn. While they had the same wings, exoskeleton, fangs and hole-filled legs like the solders, the unique traits on the royals, which were mostly queens, were their longer green manes and tails, longer jagged horns which possess stronger magic, crown-like antenna on their heads and eyes which were very similar to ponies.

The queen of the current hive in particular was called, Queen Chrysalis. The same queen who was responsible for invading Canterlot a few years back. But was thwarted by the shear amount of love between the newlyweds Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armour. Their power of love literally blew all the Changelings back to the Everfree. Since then, they kept a low profile to recover.

As Queen Chrysalis inspected her children, she knew she was facing another problem.

“Queen… we’re so hungry,” One Changeling said, begging for food.

“I know you are. But we will find love somewhere,” Chrysalis said, trying to reassure her hungry child.

But then, she and most of the Changelings around her heard a voice.

“Hmm. Haven’t you tried ‘normal’ food?”

The shadowy voice startled the Changelings. While the soldiers were looking around for the intruder, ready to protect their queen and home, Chrysalis was startled for only one reason. She knew who the voice belonged to. But the last she heard of him… he was dead.

After feeling out the sudden dark energy, Chrysalis turned to the small ridge in her and saw a mass of living shadow. The moment her children saw it too, they were quick to be on the defensive around their queen. They were ready to fight.

Then the living shadow morphed into a shape of a stallion and soon took physical form. Even before he showed his face, Queen Chrysalis already knew who he was.

King Sombra had just arrived.

As the former king of the Crystal Empire let out a chuckle, the Changelings soldiers sensed he was a threat and reacted by flapping their wings. Thereby creating a loud buzzing sound.

But Chrysalis thought otherwise as she raised her hoof.

“Stand down my children, he’s an old friend of mine.”

Although confused at her command, the Changelings dared not to question her authority. She was their queen after all. So they recomposed themselves and quietened down.

Seeing himself as a guest, Sombra leaped off the ridge and landed ten feet in front of Chrysalis. He then let out a smile as he gave his greetings.

“Queen Chrysalis.”

The Changeling queen responded back.

“King Sombra.”

“Hmm, it’s been so long since we last met,” Sombra said as he approached Chrysalis, eyeing her and her subjects.

“Indeed. But the last I’ve heard of you… you were dead,” Chrysalis mentioned.

“Hmm…yes I was. But I was resurrected by, you know who.”

Sombra’s statement startled Chrysalis.

“Who?” She asked, despite already knowing the one who was responsible.

“You know who I mean. You can’t fool me, Chrysalis,” Sombra said before receiving a flashback of what happened to him.

It was on the day the Crystal Empire returned to Equestria. But as it did, so did he. He came back for the Crystal Heart and to enslave the citizens of the empire like he done so before. But thanks to the young dragon Spike, the Crystal Heart was returned to the empire. And the power awakened within it shattered the dark king’s body and blew him to smithereens.

But what the ponies didn’t know was that while Sombra’s body was destroyed, his red horn remained intact. And after months of lying in the snow of the Artic North mountains, a large mysterious figure emerged and retrieved the horn. While the horn itself may not look like much, the creature knew that Sombra’s dark magic remained within it. After taking it to his lair, the being used his phenomenal powers on the horn. Igniting the dark magic and restoring the fallen king’s body and memories.

But even then, that wasn’t the first time Sombra met the evil creature from another world. He was all too familiar with him. And from the look on her face, so did Chrysalis.

The Changeling queen knew what and who the king of the shadows was talking about, but she doesn’t want to think of the matter. When the evil being first came to her, she was only young. No bigger than a filly. It was during the reign of her mother, the queen before her. Since then to the present, Chrysalis was terrified of him. She feared him more than anything in Equestria.

She wasn’t even sure that he was in fact a ‘he’… more like an ‘IT’.

The one true reason she was so scared of him was because of what happened to one of her family. Long ago, when she was a young teen, she had an older brother. She loved him because he was always looking out for her. Even though he was a royal Changeling, a prince, he was the strongest Changeling of his time.

But he didn’t last five seconds when he defied the foreign being. The creature took his life right in front of the young Chrysalis.

The queen shivered in cold fear as she remembered everything that happened involving the evil being. She’d hoped that he would’ve forgotten all about her.

She looked away from Sombra in fear and shame when she spoke up.

“I know who you mean, Sombra. He’s the one who planned the Canterlot wedding invasion. Some plan that turned out”

Sombra intervened.

“May I remind you that the plan was YOUR doing. He only gave you information on the castle and the city. Nothing more.”

Chrysalis knew he was right. The dark being only told her about Canterlot, the plan itself was her idea.

She then decided to change the subject.

“Enough of the past. Just why are you here?” She asked.

However, the answer she received definatly wasn’t the one she wanted.

“The dark one requests your presence.”

It seemed all the hopes of Chrysalis had dashed away. She really didn’t want to have anything to do with the powerful being. Even as far as to be near him.

“He has you and Tirek. Why should he need me?” She asked, hoping to find a way out of it.

“Haven’t you heard? Tirek’s back in Tartarus.”

Chrysalis was stunned. Even at half power, Tirek was stronger than both her and Sombra. But she did recall hearing that before, he was defeated by the Mane Six in their Rainbow forms.

“He was defeated by the ponies again?  I thought that fool would’ve learnt his lesson by now,” She said, but the next thing Sombra said unnerved her.

“That’s just it. It wasn’t the work of the ponies. We have a much bigger problem.”

“What is it?” She asked in curiosity.

“Well, do you remember the name of the dark one’s species?”

Although it was a question that was never spoken to her before, she knew the answer as it was imbedded into her fear.

“Yes. He…was…a Digimon. What are you saying?”

King Sombra took in a deep breath and spoke clearly.

“There is another.”

Queen Chrysalis let out a gasp of disbelief, she thought that the dark master was the only one in Equestria. The Changelings around her were concerned. Their queen was frightened. Despite their concern, they were also confused. Since they were relatively new compared to their queen and Sombra, they’ve never heard of a Digimon before. But by the reactions of the queen, the Digimon sounded frightening and very powerful.

Then Sombra made it clear to Chrysalis.

“That’s right. Tirek was defeated by a Digimon. And by the way things are going, we believe that this one is a friend to the ponies. Now you see why the dark one requires you and your soldiers. The more allies we have, the greater our chances of taking over Equestria and getting the paradise we deserve. This new Digimon is a threat, and all threats must be eliminated. And the only way to do that, is to ally with the dark master. Don’t you want to take over this world and everyone bowing before you? Don’t you want to be worshipped?”

As Chrysalis took in the information, Sombra made a conclusion.

“We can rule all, and even more by working together. What do you say?”

The Changelings looked at their queen while she was in thought. Yes, see wanted all that was explained. But the only problem she was facing was to work with the evil being. Just his appearance alone makes her want to hide away in fear. But if she wanted everything that Sombra said, she had to overcome her fear.

She then let out a chuckle and gave Sombra a sinister grin, she had found her answer.

“……I’ll do it.”