Applelox, guardian of Honesty
The entire group advanced through Sweet Apple Acres guided by Applejack to reach the forbidden field, beyond the area that was claimed by the fruit bats. The normal cute and colorful ones, the vampire bats were another story in the other side of Sweet Apple Acres.
“A’ always wondered why Granny Smith allowed this pests to take over this entire field” said Applejack looking around. “She wanted to keep us away from the forbidden field”
“It’s a nice spot with all the bats” said Twilight smiling. “How is this supposed to keep you away?”
“Cause’ it’s not possible to work here, not with all the bats” said Applejack. “Besides this part is just the beginning, one day A’ asked Granny what was in the forbidden field and she brought me here just to calm my curiosity. And sweet Celestia, it worked!”
“How?” Asked Midna boringly.
Applejack suddenly stopped.
“See for yerseves’”
The field before them was somehow scary, very resembling to the Everfree Forest. The trees around them were definitely apple trees, but they were taller thicker and the trunks twisted in very disturbing ways. But the worst part was the ghostly fog around the trees that only allowed them to see the shapes of the waiting monsters: keeses, wolfos and such.
And strangely enough, around the entire field the trees were so close to each other that formed a very strong natural wall. There was only one way in, but it was blocked by a large rock.
“Huh, this place seems like the Lost Woods” said Epona shrugging and taking a bomb from her saddlebag. “Kaboom?”
“Kaboom!” Confirmed Appelack.
But before Epona could detonate the rock, an old mare jumped in front of them blocking the entrance with her fragile body.
“No please, do not come inside!” Shouted Granny Smith. “Applejack: I don’t wanna lose ya’ as A’ lose yer’ parents! After they passed away by entering here, all A’ have are ma’ grandchildren, so please turn back”
Applejack gulped.
“But Granny, didn’t Epona explained this already? We have to get in here, is the only way to save Equestria”
Granny Smith stood firm.
“A’ still remember, ya’ know? The earthquake that awoke us all, yer’ mom and dad running to save ya’ and yer’ siblings but then they realized the strange earthquake came from here and went to investigate. A’ TRIED TO STOP THEM BUT THEY DIDN’T LISTENED AND NOW THEY’RE GONE! I WILL NOT ALLOW YA’ TO ENTER IN HERE!”
And then Granny went to hug her granddaughter cring.
“Please stay away from here!”
Applejack didn’t know how to react at this, the only thing she could do was to hug her grandma, but how to explain to her she needed to get into the field for Equestra’s sake? Applejack tried to push her granny away but she didn’t wanted to move.
“No Applejack, I won’t let you do this!” Cried the old mare.
The two of them stood there without granny willing to move, when suddenly two Keeses flew towards them about to attack. Granny Smith fell on her back because of the surprise and one of the keeses tried to bite her.
But the monster was disposed by Epona’s dagger in less than a blink. Another tried to avenge its partner and attacked Epona, but she threw a dagger straight to its head.
“Is just me or those things are just getting more annoying?” Asked Rarity.
“You have no idea” grumbled the wolf Link. “Epona, blow that rock, and somepony please move Applejack’s grandma”
Twilight nodded and with her magic, she removed the Apple matriarch who began to complain and protest. Then Epona just threw a bomb to the entrance of the forbidden field. Granny Smith’s complains were about to get worse but she muttered when a bunch of goblin-like monsters charged to the group.
“OH NO!” Shouted Granny Smith.
But Link and Midna exchanged a look and nodded.
Link growled and bristle his fur while Midna immobilized the bokoblins with orange twili energy in a small magic field and finally Link finished them all in a single bite.
“That brought back a lot of memories” smiled the wolf.
“Easier than the monsters summoned by Zant” said Midna.
More bokoblins arrived leaving the warriors no choice but get back to their normal forms and destroy the monsters using both the Mirror of Shadows and the Master Sword. Then Fi jumped out of the sword destroying some with her own skill as well, it was done.
“Fi, are we in the right place?” Asked Epona.
“I’m 98% sure, Epona. We’re getting closer to an area that matches with the Element of Honesty’s aura”
“All we needed to know” smiled the former farmer preparing the Spinner.
And seeing both bokoblins and a few keeses who joined the attack were reduced to nothing, the warriors from Hyrule leaded to the forbidden field.
“Are you coming or what?” Asked Midna looking back at the Mane 6.
“Yeah, sorry!” Said Twilight. “Come on girls!”
Then five of the six girls hurried to follow the heroes; but Applejack stayed to tranquilize her grandma.
“Sorry Granny but A’ have to go for Equestria’s sake”
The old mare nodded.
“A’ don’t want you to go, A’ really don’t. But tell me, are those warriors going with you the whole way?”
“Of course” said Applejack.
“A’ still don’t want you to go… but as long as ya’ promise me you’ll be at the warriors’ side, A’ll try to be positive. Mah’ old heart won’t resist losing ya’ as A’ lost yer’ parents”
The cowgirl fixed her hat and joined her friends deep into the forbidden field.
They were waiting for her right before a giant wooden door with apples carven all over, a door that opened as soon as Applajeck approached.
“Definitely ma’ call” said the cowgirl taking the lead, right in front of the Hyrule warriors.
They arrived to a small clearing surrounded by apple trees very close to each other forming an unbreakable wall making the clearing look like a round room; it was fantastic and scary at the same time. And as expected in open dungeons as that, at the sides of the ‘room’ there were several paths guiding to different areas of the forbidden field.
And right in front of them, a second door shaped like an apple.
“The Boss’ door” reasoned Epona.
“It seems so” nodded Twilight. “Now which path shall we take?”
“I don’t know” mumbled Sweet Fog. “Do we split again?”
“Not yet. Let’s try to know more about this place first” said Fluttershy. “Please?”
They all agreed and took the path on the right advancing slowly, ready to face whatever come for them from those trees. But nothing, they just arrived to a much smaller clearing with a chest in the middle.
“If it’s money I swear I’m going to hurt somepony” said Rarity frowning.
“Yeah, yeah!” Shrugged Applejack. “Just let’s open it and deal with whatever is inside”
“Wait!” Warned wolf Link. “There are some traps that activate when you open one of those”
“A’ll roger that!”
And she opened the chest: it had a big golden key with small apple-shaped rubies, obviously the Boss key.
“Okay, that was fast” mumbled AJ.
Nothing happened at first, but then the whole field began to tremble and apple tree after apple tree were teared down by something big and powerful coming towards them slowly and threatening.
Finally the last trees fell down revealing their enemies, something that seemed like three giant pegasi in black heavy armor carrying two giant claymore swords that aimed towards the hero.
“Great, I freaking hate Darknuts” sighed Link making a face-paw.
“Look at the bright side, you’re not alone this time” smiled Midna turning them back into their normal selves.
Fi also jumped out of the Master Sword and got ready for combat.
“Master, I count a total of three enemies. My advice is that each of us take care of one in order to…”
“Don’t you have any other place mention obvious things?” Asked Midna annoyed.
“Who cares? Let’s fight!” Ordered Link jumping towards the closest of the monster.
The armored monster answered with a blow of its own sword, that Link blocked with his Hylian Shield but the impact was so big that he lost his balance and fell on his ass.
He grumbled in protest, but when he reacted he was about to be killed by the monster’s sword. Luckily Twilight shot a magic beam that make the Darknut fell this time. Link thanked her with a quick nod and jumped towards the monster to finally decapitate it (or just send his helmet to fly, it was basically the same) revealing the emptiness inside the armor.
“EPONA!” Commanded Link.
The mare smiled and threw a bomb to the empty case that reduced it to nothing.
Midna was busy with the other Darknut, who was trying desperately to hit her with its sword but the Twilight Princess limited to float at a prudent distance and distracted the monster for a while with the stone hands summoned by the Mirror of Shadows but after a while she got bored and created a huge stone cannon and destroyed the thing with a single shot.
And for the third one, it was too busy fighting Epona and Fi. Fi was the one distracting the monster kicking it several times and then dance away from its desperate thrusts; while Epona was delivering the heavy attacks penetrating its armor in several spots making it fall apart slowly. And when it was finally exposed, Fi delivered the final stroke by turning herself into a sword.
“Cool, can we go now?” Asked Rainbow Dash looking around.
“Sure”
So at the end the heroes left calmly, with Link and Midna leading the way and Fi, Fog and Epona closing the group.
“So what now? Can we go straight to the Boss room?” Asked Fluttershy softly.
Fi nodded.
“Yes, you’re now able to go to challenge this so-called Titan of Harmony. However I do not recommend to do it without the tool hidden in this temple”
“Why don’t you just say we still need the Dungeon weapon?” Asked Twilight slightly annoyed.
“My apologies” said Fi bowing.
No one had anything else to say, so the group began to look around, but after three hours they didn’t find anything. No traps, no monsters, not even chests with bits. This so-called temple was just a labyrinth of trees. So at the end they had no choice but return to the clearing where the Boss Door was.
“What now? Shall we just get in?” Asked Rainbow excitedly.
“One does not simply walk into the Boss Chamber, there have to be something else” said Midna biting her lip.
It was when the Door began to shake as in an earthquake beginning to glow.
“What’s happening?”
“A’ think is reacting to this!” Said Applejack taking the Boss key that was glowing as well.
Several monsters began to appear all over the place: flying skulls surrounded in dark auras (bubbles) and of course the already known stalfos, stalchilds and lizalfos.
“Great! Get ready for round two!” Said Link growling.
Applejack exchanged a quick look with her friends and charged to the door making all the monsters begin chase her; the bunch of bubbles were about to take her but several arrows (courtesy of Link back into Hylian shape) and magic beams (from Twilight) destroyed them before they get too close. Another bunch of lizalfos approached from the right, but were quickly disposed by Epona.
“What are you waiting for? Let’s go!” Commanded the Hylian steed.
“We’ve got your back!” Assured Link with a confident smile.
Applejack couldn’t understand Link in his Hylian form, but got the context while the rest of the Hyrule warriors took position and maintained the monsters away from her, but the one with the most important position was Epona who took the difficult task cover her front.
Six stalfos waited in front of the door roaring in anger, but Epona got rid of them Goron-style and Applejack opened the door freely while Epona destroyed a couple of keeses who attacked out of nowhere, but at the end the two mares successfully accessed to the Titan Chamber.
It was almost empty, just an apple tree with three fruits growing from it, but nothing else.
“What now?” Wanted to know Applejack.
“Now wait” said Epona, and as soon as she said that, the door closed behind them. “What did I told you?”
The three apples fell from the tree and joined forming some kind of strange worm made of apples. Three more apples grew from the tree and joined the creature that began to grow until it had the size of a small house.
And last but not least, a couple of yellow eyes and green lips appeared in one of the apples of the top.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you young Applejack. I am Applelox the Titan of Honesty; but you can call me just Applelox”
“The pleasure is mine” said Applejack. “Shall we start?”
“Of course, but I still have something to take care” said the Titan looking at Epona.
Before the Hylian mare could react, she was buried into applesauce.
“WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM, DUMBASS?”
Applelox bowed to Epona.
“Forgive my rudeness dear, but Sparkler told me about you Hyrule visitors and I had to make clear this fight is only between Applejack and me”
“I already knew moron, Princess Celestia warned us about it” said Epona angrily. “But whatever, Jacky, kick this thing’s butt”
“Sure A’ will!” Assured the cowgirl preparing for battle.
Applelox laughed and floated above the ground exhaling some kind of strange apple-sider-gas over the cowgirl.
“It’s time to face your honest desires dear Applejack. Only the pure Honesty of you Heart would make you see beyond my sider-breath”
Applejack was coughing uncontrollably, the damn gas was too powerful and dense; but it was dissolving in the atmosphere so after a few minutes she recovered her senses. And she had to shake her head to understand what she was seeing: she was on her house’s kitchen where a light-yellow stallion with a short red mane, just like Apple Bloom, but his complexion reminded Applejack to Big Mag. He was cooking something, aside of a cute and delicate mare, with light orange fur, and red orange mare.
NO, IT COULDN’T BE!
“Mom, dad! What’s going on here? YOU TWO ARE DEAD!”
The mare blinked surprised.
“Morning darling, what you mean with dead? Did you had another nightmare?”
“A’ warned ya’ not too eat that many fritters last night” sighed her father. “But anyway, yer’ just in time to help us with breakfast. Can ya’ scramble the eggs while yer’ mom finishes the baked beans”
Applejack couldn’t believe it, she just stood there like frozen.
“Is something wrong Jacky?” Asked her father.
“She’s still shocked, remember she just had what it seemed like an awful nightmare” assured Applejack’s mother with a warm smile. “But don’t worry dear, we’re here and nothing will tear us apart. We promise”
Applejack needed a full minute to recover her senses.
“No, no, no, this can’t be happening! Just a few minutes ago A’ was with ma’ friends saving Equestria, they need me and…”
“What you mean? Everything is fine” Said Rainbow Dash entering to the house along with Fluttershy. “You invited us to have breakfast, remember?”
“What?”
“Yes, and then I promised you to help you with the beavers again. Don't you remember, Applejack?” Asked Fluttershy softly.
It had… sense. Yeah, now that she thought about it, the beavers had been causing problems the whole week and her mother and her kindly went ask Fluttershy for assistance.
“Yer’ right girls!” Agreed the cowgirls. “Sorry but as mom said, A’ just had a horrible nightmare and needed some time to recover”
“We heard, no problem, its cool” said Rainbow shrugging.
“Anyway, do you mind if we take care of the beavers right now, Flutters? A’ could use some fresh air before breakfast”
“Sure!” Smiled the yellow pegasus leading the way.
But then Applejack froze in the doorframe.
“What’s wrong dear?” Asked her mother.
Applejack glared at her parents’ shadows.
“This is a lie!”
“Jacky?” Asked her father.
“EPONA TOOK CARE OF THE BEAVERS YESTERDAY! THIS IS A LIE!”
The whole kitchen began to vanish and Applejack found herself back in the Titan Chamber facing Applelox.
“Nice trick. But A’m too busy to attend cheap magic tricks!” Shouted the cowgirl angrily.
Applelox nodded approvingly.
“You passed my test. Your urges and Honest desire to help Equestria and your friends was stronger than your deepest desires. Congratulations”
Epona winked to Applejack.
“Glad you didn’t fell for that”
Applelox then made appear a chest in the middle of the Chamber, and inside the chest, there was a small necklace similar that the one she had before they returned the Elements to the Tree of Harmony.
“You earned it, now it’s time for the real fight”
Applejack took the necklace and faced the Titan, who grinned and began to spin all over Applejack creating a rain of giant apples that threatened to smash the cowgirl. But Applejack was in excellent shape and could avoid the attack easily, and shot a powerful energy beam to the titan.
The ray impacted fully on one of the apples he had for a body, separating it from the body and shrinking it back to normal apple size. With a grin, Applejack ate it.
“Oh, Zapp Apple. Neat!”
“Focus on the fight!” Warned Epona just in time.
Applelox had rose back in the air and began to spit explosive seeds that impacted all in Applejack, sending her to the ground. But not satisfied with that, Applelox repeated the same technique than before and this time one of the giants apples did smashed her.
But even if she was injured, Applejack stood as she could and shot a new ray to Applelox, this time hitting on its face.
The apple fell from the Titan’s body but the face seemed to move to another apple.
“You’re learning, good!”
He repeated the technique of the giant apples, and in her current state, Applejack won’t be able to avoid it.
Luckily Epona had the answer.
“Applejack, shot the beams to destroy them before they hit you!”
“THANKS EPONA!” Shouted Applejack obeying her friend.
It worked.
“No, that’s cheating!” Complained the Titan.
“I didn’t intervened directly, I just gave my friend an advice” said Epona shrugging. “And the Magic of Friendship is allowed”
The Titan was about to protest but then Applejack shot a couple of beams to his back.
“Damn it…”
Applelox then was about to spit more explosive seeds when he suddenly was hit on the face again.
It was over, Applejack won.
“You proved to be worth Applejack Apple” said the last apple on the Titan’s body. “I declare you winner of this challenge. The Hyrule warriors proved to be a positive influence”
“Thank you Applelox” said Applejack bowing.
The gigantic apple smiled to his champion, but then his expression turned slightly melancholic.
“I owe you something my friend, an explanation and an apology”
“What ya’ mean?” Asked the cowgirl.
The Titan closed his eyes surrounding himself with a golden light, showing the events that happened fifteen years ago: an unnatural earthquake shook the entire farm threatening to destroy it; but at the end the only harm was that the two giant rocks that blocked the way to the forbidden field were destroyed.
“Your great grandfather blocked the entrance to my temple several years ago, but during that time it wasn’t my templ; the Temple was built the day you were born. Then three years later, even if the Temple wasn’t active yet, the monsters who protect it were alive already and the earthquake was created by them. What happened next is something I’ll always regret, but I assure you, it wasn’t my intention. It was just an accident… you see, the earthquake attracted two ponies, who thought only in the safety of their family, especially their three children: one colt and two fillies. The monsters ended their lives at the very first moment they put a hoof inside this sacred place”
Applejack noticed the tears on her eyes.
“No… so they killed mom and dad…”
“I’m so sorry Applejack Apple. Like I said, I’ll always regret what happened that day, and that’s why I’m doing this”
The light surrounding the Titan then took the form of two ponies a stallion and a mare, the same stallion and mare from the illusion; except that this time this was no illusion.
“No, it can’t be!” Said Applejack.
The mare, Pear Butter, smiled to Applejack.
“Hello darling. It’s been a while”
“I’m so glad to see you after all this years” said the stallion, Bright Mac.
Applejack cried and ran to hug her parents.
“Oh god, you’re here! You’re actually here!”
“We never left completely” said the stallion. “All this years we’ve been watching over you and your siblings; taking care of you from the distance”
They kept the embrace for a while until Miss Apple noticed Epona.
“Epona from Hyrule…”
“Yes?”
“Take good care of our seedling”