//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Breakout // Story: Rainbow is Magic S2: Apple Family Feud // by aceotaku //------------------------------// A crowd watched as several ponies raced down a track towards a finish line. Many of them wore specialised outfits to assist them in running, one in particular stood out as she dashed past her competitors. A blue coated pony, she wore a black and white striped speed suit along with a large black helmet with purple tinted glass visors over her eyes. She smirked as she felt the wind on her, running faster as she ran across the finish line, skidding to a stop to pull a triumphant pose. “And in first place,” a pony announced, “Photo Finish!” As several racers crossed the line and groaned in annoyance at their loss, ponies surrounded Photo Finish to take pictures and interview her, the racer removing her helmet to reveal her mid-length straight white mane, placing a pair of pink tinted sunglasses over her eyes. “So now that you won the Manehatten Marathon,” A reporter asked her, “Are you planning to try your hoof at the Running of the Leaves? Considering that its being held at such a small place like Ponyville, not to mention how dangerous its gotten over there lately...” Photo Finish smirked cockily. “Why, of course! I vouldn’t miss such a race for all ze vorld! I can’t VAIT to see who I’ll be up against in Ponyville...and have zem taste my DUST!” ------------------------------ Rarity grinned widely as she read the newspaper, then got up to her hooves and started running through town, screaming in joy. Investigating the sound pollution, Applejack found her friend standing on a fountain that had recently been set up by the current Mayor. “Rarity, darling, whatever are you doing? Ah thought some deranged beast had invaded the town!” Rarity blinked and stopped her noise making, turning to the fashion designer. “Oh! Sorry, AJ, but I just heard the BEST news!” “The Princess has decreed that Ah design the clothing for the noble ponies of Canterlot?” Applejack asked, her tone at its most earnest and serious. “No!” Rarity denied. “Photo Finish herself is coming HERE to compete in the Running of the Leaves!” Applejack blinked. “Ah..should Ah know who that is? Is she some sort of..photographer?” The white unicorn gasped in shock. “You...you never heard of her!? Photo Finish is ONLY the best race mare in Equestria! She’s won EVERY event she ran in, won tons of awards and has donated tons of bits to charity!” The earth pony blinked. “I....see.” “Hence that’s why I’m gonna compete in the race too!” Rarity grinned. “When’s the next time I’d get a chance like this? To race against THE Photo Finish! Why...I might even BEAT her, wouldn’t that be crazy!” Applejack shrugged. “Well Ah wish you good luck, darling.” “You’re not gonna compete?” “While Ah enjoy a good job every now and then, Ah simple don’t see myself running in such a long, arduous race for no reason. Plenty of ponies will be competing, Ah don’t see what difference my presence or absences will achieve.” “But...But it will be so fun!” Rarity argued. “For you, perhaps, Ah on the other hand would much rather spend some quiet time at the Spa.” Applejack turned and trotted off. “Now, you can be excited a bit more quietly while Ah go have some lunch.” Rarity watched her go. “Don’t worry AJ, the race is gonna be so much fun! You’ll see! Just you wait! I’ll show you!” --------------------- In Wannaweep Penitentiary, one of Equestria’s finest prisons, several criminals sat in the mess hall, eating their lunch. A unicorn mare grumbled into her meal, an orihalcum ring around her horn to prevent her from casting magic. “I don’t deserve to be here!” A stallion beside her chuckled. His green coat was largely covered by the grey prisons shirt he and everyone else was forced to wear, his cutie mark of a  blunderbuss on display. His mane was of medium length and quite greasy and scraggly, leading into a long beard hanging from around his chin and from his sideburns. His green eyes sparkled with intelligence as he smirked at the mare. “Oh? Havin’ yer hired muscle assault Celestia’s nephew, contribute to the riot at the Grand Galloping Gala AND blackmailing ponies into giving you control of their businesses and taking their money for yerself AIN’T enough reasons fer you ta be here, In-Charge?” “I am a mare of great standing, and a unicorn besides!” The former noble In Charge snapped, facing the smugly smirking stallion. “Unlike a mud pony like you, I am of a higher stature among the pony races, I simply do not BELONG in this...this cesspit! I was well within my right as a member of Canterlot nobility to do as I pleased! Blueblood had shamed himself in the Princess’s eyes and associating with him would be social suicide, I was merely reminding him of his standing! And surely I deserved that money far more than those ingrates and bottom feeders!” “And look where ‘doin’ as ya pleased’ got ya.” Rotten Bad Apple chuckled. “Locked up in prison with the REST of Equestria’s undesirables. As ‘shamed’ as Blueblood was at the time, at least he wasn’t arrested and tossed in here to rot!” “Bah!” The unicorn huffed, turning her head. “I shan’t spend any further time here! My employees and retainers shall see me out of here! I have a LOT of influence in Canterlot!” Rotten Bad Apple rose his eyebrow, then he started guffawing. “YOU ain’t got NOTHIN’! By ‘influence’ you mean ‘money’ and newsflash lady, YA AIN’T GOT NONE! Ya’ll really think the Guard would give ya access to yer wealth after going to the trouble of catchin’ ya? All yer assets are frozen, either moved to a bank for general use or handed out to other ponies! Yer ‘employees’ ain’t gonna give a DANG about what happens to ya since ya can’t pay ‘em and ya never will!” “How DARE You talk back to me, you filthy peasant!” In Charge shouted, turning to face him indignantly. She tried to use her magic to teach him a lesson....forgetting the orihalcum around her horn prevented her from so much as lifting a feather. Rotten sighed. “Idjits like ya are part of why Ah’m here in the first place.” With that, he lifted his plate and slammed it into the mare’s face, knocking her onto the floor. A couple of Guards walked over, their uniforms much simpler than the standard Royal Guard uniform, simple iron plate helmets and torso armour, their horn glowing. “Okay that’s enough! You two are going back to your cells before you start a riot!” In Charge yelped as their magic activated the shackles around her hooves, forcing her to stand and walk despite her pain. “Y-you filth! He should be drawn and quartered for striking my beautiful face!” The guards rolled their eyes and ignored her, one of them escorting her as his magic made her trot back to her sell, the remaining guard glaring at Rotten Bad Apple. Rotten shrugged and started trotting. “Hey now, I’m complyin’, no need to use any of that there prison magic on me!” “Between you and your daughter, I’m surprised your son was as well adjusted as he was.” The guardsmare spoke, a smirk forming over her yellow face. “Oh, but then again, I suppose you’re mad he got early parole for good behaviour, and you’re still stuck in here.” “Actually Ah’m more upset about mah daughter bein’ in solitary confinement.” Rotten argued. “She’s a delicate flower, after all.” “Your ‘delicate flower’ injured a dozen prisoners and five guards!” The guard replied in exasperation. “Hay, those ponies had it comin’!” She glared. “Well, doesn’t matter, cause you and the rest of your family are gonna be stuck here for a long, long time!” There was a crash as a nearby wall was smashed apart, several large wagons bursting through the hole, a stray bit of rubble knocking out the guard escorting In Charge. “Finally!” In Charge sighed with annoyance, walking towards the wagons, now able to walk under her own power. “You took your sweet time! Well, get these ugly metal things off me and get me out of here!” Braeburn Bad Apple stepped out from atop one of the wagons, pushing the mare away. “Nopony is here for you.” He looked over to his father, tossing a lasso to yank off the shackles restraining Rotten Bad Apple. “We’re breakin’ ya’ll out of here, Dad.” Rotten smirked as he flexed his hooves, getting used to the sensation of not being restrained. “Thanks son. Ah missed ya.” “Missed ya too, Dad.” “W-what what what!?!?” In Charge cried out in frustration and confusion, crying out as she and most other prisoners still in their shackles crumbled to the floor in a heap, grin lines of magic glowing along the walls. Rotten smirked. “Iron Will tech still never fails ta impress.” He turned to his son. “So, who ya’ll got with ya? Unless ya’ll drove all those wagons by yerself just ta get me an’ yer siblings out.” The wagons’ doors opened wide, several ponies surging out of them, each one standing behind Braeburn with looks of absolute familial loyalty on their faces. “Figured we needed ta hold a family reunion, whole reason I did mah best to earn a way outta here.” Braeburn chuckled, smiling warmly. “Got a present fer ya too.” “Oh?” The older stallion raised an ear, tearing his shirt off. Braeburn tossed a white ten gallon hat towards his father, a slightly singed circular hole marring it....along with a large, heavy silvery blunderbuss which matched the one that served as Rotten’s cutie mark. Rotten put his hat on as he stared at the weapon he now held in his hooves in disbelief, a tear in his eye. “Ya...ya fixed it....” “of course Ah did, dad. Ya know Ah always liked watchin’ yer smithin’.” Rotten gazed up at his son, eyes brimming with pride, biting his lip as he choked for the right words. “Ah...Ah dunno what ta say...” “Happy birthday, dad.” Braeburn replied simply. “It’s a breakout!” A guard shouted as the doors burst open, several guards pouring into the mess hall. Several Bad Apples jumped in front of Rotten and Braeburn, firing upon the guards with blunderbusses of their own. Some guards cried out as they were knocked back by harmless concussive blasts and steel balls, others lifting up tables for cover as they fired back with magical blasts. Rotten smirked at his son and the pair ran off to the cell block. They first came up to a locked cell where a black stallion sat behind the bars. He had a scraggly black mane and a large double chin, sporting some stubble that was hard to see due to his coat colour, his red eyes bored before widening upon seeing his visitors. “P-Pa! Big bro!” Braeburn smiled at his brother as Rotten shot the cell door off its hinges, shooting the shackles off his son’s legs. “Get up on yer hooves, Worm-Eaten, we still gotta bust yer sister out before we leave this joint.” Worm-Eaten trotted after them as they ran down the hall to a much larger cell with a solid steel door, several key holes adorning it. “Ain’t blastin’ this thing down.” Rotten commented. “Good thing I was prepared.” Braeburn pulled out a glass jar filled with dirt from under his hat, upending it and pouring the dirt all over the floor, revealing the many wriggling worms inside. Braeburn then un-holstered a banjo from his back and gave it to his brother, who grinned and began playing. The moment he did so, the worms started wiggling in time to the rhythm, crawling out of the dirt and up the steel door, sliding into each keyhole slowly. With a click and a whir, the door slid open, the worms crawling out to move back into the dirt, Worm-Eaten tenderly tucking the dirt back into its jar and closing it. Inside the now open cell, a massive, round white mare with a short brown mane and tail grumbled, wrapped in many chains and metal restraints, a mask over her muzzle to stop her from biting people. Braeburn trotted over to remove the restraints from his massive sister as a few guards ponies shouted and ran down the hall towards the group. Rotten grinned as he hefted his blunderbuss high, facing the approaching guards. There was a click behind him and several crumbled bits of metal were thrown to the cell walls, his daughter leaping out of her cell and onto the guards, crushing them under her sheer weight. “Ah’ve been wantin’ ta do that fer MONTHS.” Bruised Bad Apple growled, her voice as deep as an older stallion’s. “Took ya long enough, Brae.” “Happy to see ya too, sis.” Braeburn smiled. Rotten chuckled giddily. “Okay, kids, let’s get back together with the rest of our family!” ---------------- After a few hours, the Bad Apples and their extended family rode their wagons from the remains of the Wannaweep Prison, all of the guards within either unconscious, injured or hiding for their lives, several prisoners still trapped inside due to the magical safeguards in place. Rotten strummed along his banjo with a relaxed smile as he sat on a rocking chair atop his personal wagon which was being pulled along by a pair of alligators commanded by Worm-Eaten. He looked back at the other members of the extended Bad Apple family, following behind in wagons of their own. “Well that was a load of fun, everypony!” He called out. “But now Ah think we should make good on some outstandin’ debts!” “Outstandin’ debts? We ain’t owin’ nopony anythin’ Pa.” Worm-Eaten replied, earning a punch on his noggin by his sister’s hoof. “He means the other Apples who got us in jail in the first place, ya dummy!” She belloed angrily. “Right ya are, Bruised!” Rotten confirmed. “A few in particular Ah reckon be owin’ us a fair bit. Ah’m talkin’ the Ponyville Apples! Ah’ve had a good long while to think on somethin’, an’ Ah got JUS’ the plan to get what we deserve from those selfish, good-fer-nothin’ relatives of ours!” There were many hoots and hollers of agreement from the other Bad Apples travelling with them. Rotten grinned, strumming a melancholis tune on his banjo. “Now then, who about a song, ta ‘set the mood’, as it were?” After a few strumming, he began to sing. “Ah was just a little colt back on that farm long ago when Ah asked my Ma ‘Is there nothin’ an Apple can do but farm? Ah got some dreams in my head Why can’t Ah follow those instead?’ Well Ma said that’s just not our way Well now Ah say Ah don’ care! ‘Cause we’re gonna be a feudin’ yeah a feudin’ We’ll be a feudin’ so long A feudin’ A feudin’ A feudin’ every day A feudin’ A feudin’ A feudin’ Mah dreams can never die Ah drew up my ideas I made some big plans I saved up some bits to leave that stiflin’ farm My Mama asked with teary eyes if Ah knew what was in store My sister on the other hand simply called me a fool and said not to ever come back! And since then We’ve been a feudin’ a feudin’ A feudin’ for so long a feudin’ a feudin’ a feudin’ everyday A feudin’ a feudin’ A FEUDIN’ Why does nopony understand? So I left that farm of course and said my goodbyes I thought I’d have it made BUT REALITY’S FAR COLDER THAN YA KNOW! Mah ideas were rejected! Mah family rejected me! EVEN MAH FARM REFUSES TO GROW! And everywhere Ah turn somepony laughs at me! Somepony berates me! Somepony mocks mah family! And so now We’re a feudin’ a feudin’ a feudin’ so long! A feudin’ A feudin’ a feudin’ every day! A feudin’! A feudin’! A FEUUUUDIN’! This hate my heart will not Let go.”