You both dash towards the turn beside the security gate. But you come to a screeching halt when you notice how "safe" the hallway in front of you looked, but you knew it was full of traps… "Fuck...Chrysalis, what do we do?"
Chrysalis stopped beside you as she heard Flim and Flam already making a dash towards the both of you. She looked towards the hallway full of traps with determination, with renewed vigor from feeding from Flim and the determination of not wanting to die. "Anon, consider this saving your life for the third time. You'll owe me big after all this. I need you to stand straight up"
Goddammit. Why did she even want you to stand straight up? Did she have a plan? For the sake of your life, you comply. "What are you going to do?"
Chrysalis stepped behind you, still looking towards the hallway. "I'm going to show you exactly why I am queen...hold on tight" Chrysalis cranes her head down and rushes forward, scooping you up with her muzzle and tossing you onto her back as she runs through the hallway. She had it all memorized, the map showed what every trap looked like, so she just had to make sure her memory didn't fail her.
She first starts running up the wall from the side and hops up near the ceiling as arrows start flying across the walls below her.
"Oh shhiiiit! SHIIIT!" You yelp in fright
As she falls, she makes sure to land on her belly and slide as flames start shooting out from the ceiling, singeing your mane.
"Eeeghhh! Hot hot hot!" Goddammit! It burns!
Chrysalis jumps forward like a grasshopper once she clears the flames and darts ahead, jumping from side to side to dodge rising spikes that slam all the way to the ceiling. As she neared the T junction, one more trap activates, sending a gigantic steel ball right at her.
She ducks it, only leaving enough height.........for you to get smashed right in the face and fall right off of her at the end of the T junction.
Chrysalis cackles as she comes to a halt. Feeling victorious that she dodged all the traps.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That is why I am the best!" Chrysalis was damned proud. She looked back at the hallway of traps. Flim and Flam were far far away at the other end. In utter shock that she evaded everything. "Now then, Anon......Anon?" She looked to her own back, and saw you weren't on it.
You were on the floor behind her, your eyes spinning as the tip of your mane was a lit with a small flame.
"Anon, what did you think of that, hrn?" Chrysalis looked to you with a smug smirk
"....duuhhhhhhh" You say in a dazed stupor
Chrysalis sighed, licked her front hoof and dabbed it on the flame, taking it out. "Always the most intelligible words come out of you, don't they?" She chuckles then gives you a light bop on the head. "Now let's see...." She turns to the right of the T junction. Another security door. "Blast, another exit blocked. I know there's a few trapped hallways that lead to the throne room. We should-"
Suddenly, intercoms start blasting from all over the castle. "Flim Here!"
"And Flam!"
The noise blast is enough to snap you out of it. "W-what's going on, why do I smell chicken?"
"Shhhh" Chrysalis shushes you as she looks around and listens.
"It appears a couple of rebels of some kind have invaded our castle, the kind of rebels that RIP YOUR HEART OUT AND-!" Flim screams in a heart scorned with agony
"Calm down Flim, go take a seat brother, I'll finish the announcement. Ahrm, anyway. These two are probably trying to find a way out of the castle as we speak. They are capable of dodging our traps and are very quick for a couple of young ponies. Guards, take positions at all windows, doors, and exit ways around the castle. And a big big big time reward for the guard that brings them in! Captain Applejack, we trust that you are scouring the castle looking for these two? Good show! You are given full permission to do what you like with them. Especially...on the smaller one." Flam says through the intercom, his voice becoming near evil has the thoughts of your crude behavior fill him.
The announcement ends.
"...Ugh.." You rub at your head, feels like a giant steel ball smacked into it. "...I didn't even catch all of that. what's going on?"
"It appears all the exits are blocked, Anon. Hrmmmmmm" Chrysalis notices one of the doors along the west hallway. "But, if memory serves me correctly. This room is not only not set with any traps..." She slams the door open, and has a sinister grin on her face as she looks upon the contents of the room. "But will have every weapon we need to make a more....brutal escape."
"Wha?" You look into the room, holy fucking shit, it was a weapon room. It was full of medieval weapons. Including...
"This will do nicely, should be able to bash right through the door, and anypony behind it" Chrysalis walks inside, passing the spears and shields and looking upon the wall where a gigantic warhammer with a minotaur symbol on the hammer part itself hung on the wall. The thing must have been five times bigger than her, it was huge. "I wonder who this was intended for." Chrysalis uses her magic, as her horn appears as a ghostly form as she uses it to hold up the hammer. She then starts swinging it around "Yes, this will do nicely."
You just sat there, rubbing your ears. "Chrysalis, Flim and Flam are pretty smart. What if they expect you coming." Egh, you could of sworn you heard something about Applejack. But that wouldn't make any sense.
"Then we'll just smash them to bits like everything else that will be in our way."
You walk over and look at the shields, and try to find a smaller one for your size. Then you walk over to a spear and poke it's end...it was sharp.
Both of your ears perk, there was a sliding sound. Like a stone wall opening up. Was there another door? You hide behind the rack of spears while Chrysalis ducks behind a pillar.
A hidden wall opened up, stepping forth, clad in red armor, with silver spiral designs around it, and the letter "F" on either side of the helmet, stood Applejack. Captain Applejack.... Oh shit, you weren't just hearing things.
Applejack didn't seem to notice any of you were in here. She just takes a shield...just a shield. And starts to walk over to the door you both came into. Chrysalis peered over from the pillar, her horn glowing. You notice the spears on the rack start to raise up and aim right at Applejack.
OH SHIT! She was gonna make her into a shiskeapple! What do you do?! Why was Applejack captain of the fucking guard?! What the fuck! Do you save her?! You could see Applebloom now, oh god. She had to exist in this world......fuck. You rush out from your hiding spot and scream "WATCH OUT!".
You headbutt Applejack as spears rain down on you. You could hear the sound of clanging all around you. You hide your face. And the moment the sounds stopped, you looked around.
Spears stabbed into the ground all around you, all missing you by an inch. "E-ehhh-hhhhh"
"Anon!" Chrysalis pops out from behind the pillar "What are you doing?!"
"What in tarnations?!" Applejack quickly recovers from the headbutt and sees you nearly get skewered. She rushes over to the spears and kicks them aside to get to you "Hey, are you alright little fella?! Are ya hurt!"
"Get away from him!" Chrysalis gave her an evil glare, it was almost like...
"Woah, woooah!" Applejack stepped back "Hold yer cabbages little lady, Ah don't mean either of ya any harm."
Chrysalis walked over to you and stamped her hoof on your tail and pulled you back as she stared at Applejack. She looked ready to pounce. "Oh really? We already heard the announcement. You're just lucky that this colt is a sentimental idiot. Well...." Chrysalis's eyes glowed for a moment. "You won't get lucky a second time"
Applejack was slowly backing up away from her. "Look, Nymous, right? Ah'm tellin' ya. I may wear the garb, but ah ain't behind those two varmints. Ah swear!"
Chrysalis brings two spears next to her. "Really? You really expect me to believe that you'd just come and tell us you don't work for them? Just out of the blue like that? Do you tell that to all the intruders?"
"W-wait, Chrysalis." You swat the spears down. And step up to Applejack and turn to face Chrysalis. "I believe her!"
"....." Chrysalis couldn't believe it. "Did I drink too much cider? Am I still with Flim right now? Let me get this straight. I try to execute her, she immediately says she's on our side, and then you immediately believe her? Anon, have you not heard of a little thing called "Gaining one's trust first" or more importantly....THAT SHE IS THEIR CAPTAIN! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT THIS IS A POOR ATTEMPT TO SAVE HER SKIN!?"
Things were going very quick. But you already knew everything you had to know about Applejack. This Applejack lost her home to these two. The only thing that didn't make sense was......how she ended up as captain. "I know this seems sudden. But if Applejack says she's not behind Flim and Flam. Then it's the truth!"
Chrysalis scoffs at the whole thing, finding it absurd "Wonderful. Apparently I'm out of the loop or something because you already seemed to forget THAT WE'RE NOT IN OUR WORLD ANYMORE! THAT'S NOT THE SAME APPLEJACK!" She bellowed
"W-woah, hey now!" Applejack was getting weirded out by the whole thing. "How do ya both know me? Why are ya callin' her Chrysalis? I thought her name was Nymous"
You never break eye contact with Chrysalis. It was quick, damn quick. But the alarm was blaring and you didn't have time. "It's a nickname. Look..." You sigh. "Chrysalis, I know. I know that me trusting her outright is super stupid. But so far everypony else has turned out alright. We can at least hear her out"
Chrysalis puts her hoof to her head and shakes her head in disappointment, confounded by your immediate trust of the orange mare. ".....Why do I put up with you? Fine, for the sake moving this along, let her explain her case. But if I don't trust her, she's going to meet the fine end of a spear. Got it? At this moment, we have the advantage over her. So she's most definitely going to try to lie to get out of this. I warned you Anon..so be wary"
Chrysalis was being awfully patient with you. Then again, if you fucked up, she might actually put a spear through Applejack.
"Hold on now! Yer ain't putting a spear through Anypony! I actually wanna help ya two because yer the only ones to get the code zero alarm rang out. That's more of a serious deal than hundred of apples for a single bit. Ya must have gotten the kings mighty ornary to get ah code zero." Applejack explains. This all seemed rather confusing however, what was a code zero?
Chrysalis points to you. "Talk to him about it, all I hear is "Boy howdy, I'd sure love to be a sheskepony right about now"."
"Why I oughta..." Applejack wasn't taking kindly to Chrysalis's attitude.
"Woah! Woah! Hold on there..look, it's alright. I believe you. And I'm gonna show her why she should believe you too." You stop Applejack from getting violent.
Applejack takes a breath, and calms down. "Shoot, sorry there...Anon, right? Shucks, ah didn't mean to scare either of you from the get go. Ah just wanted to meet you is all. But how do ya'll know about me?"
You sigh, you would only explain what was believable. "Well, I'd think the takeover of Sweet Apple Acres would have made the news. You're Applejack after all. The most honest, hard working, and family oriented pony around. A lot of ponies know you, you're a hero."
That kinda made sense to Applejack. But she didn't show any modesty. She instead took off her helmet and put it down to her side as she looked down in shame. "...Maybe at one time, but I ain't that Applejack anymore. Now I'm just Captain Applejack, head of Flim and Flam's guard, and there ain't nothing to be proud of in that. Surprised somepony actually cares about how things used to be."
"Of course I do. Things were A LOT better before Flim and Flam came along. But, I know only so much about you. What happened? why are you their captain in the first place and why would you want to help us?" You asked
"It's actually a long story, but we really don't have time for it so ah'll just give you the short version. After they took the farm, me and mah kin went to Appleoosa and helped out our cousin Braeburn. After that, things started a changing. Not just the towns or the ponies but, it was getting harder and harder to grow crops every season. It was getting harder and harder to survive every day. We had to try to take different jobs just to make ends meet. And when we couldn't, we all had to part ways. We all couldn't live in the same place after that. Ah thought if ah took the family to Canterlot, ah could get a job at the fancy smancy side of town doing a rodeo show they had...but they wouldn't take an old fashioned pony like myself"
Applejack's shame piled up as she got further into the story. "...That's when ah ran into the kings. They we're lookin' for a captain they could trust, who'd never lie to them. And they knew mah reputation and cut me a deal. At first, ah told them to bug off. But when they mentioned how ah wouldn't be able to make enough money for mah sister or Granny Smith on my own, and that my brother and I couldn't find work....ah.....mnnn..." Applejack had a tear go down her eye. "Ah ate mah pride, and became the captain...and things only got worse from there"
Worse? How can it get worse than captain? Chrysalis could feel it, the love she had for her family. "....Oh...she's telling the truth. Well then, don't expect an apology. And you still have yet to explain how you plan to help us. Or the real reason why"
"Ah wanna help ya both for the same reason it got worse. But what exactly are you two aiming to do anyway? Ah gotta know before ah can help" Applejack wanted to know your intentions before she offered her services.
"We're trying to bring the kings down. We had them sign contracts giving up their crowns. But without something to show everypony else that they are scumbuckets, there's no point. But they are already on to us, and all the hallways are trapped."
Applejack nods and walks past you, towards the axes. There was one super rusty small axe in the set of sharp big ones. "Now that's a mighty tall order, that's why ah gotta ask. Are ya both serious about that? If not, ah can lead you out of the castle without the kings being the wiser"
Chrysalis raises an eyebrow. "Are you saying you can help us get evidence of them being scum?"
"Ah can, there's a place that nopony else knows about. And if it ever got out, with proof, that this place exists. They'd be done for sure" Applejack says as she places her hoof on the axe
A place? An entire place?...The place on the map that wouldn't get marked? "It's an entire place? How bad could it be? If it was that bad, why didn't you come out and tell everypony?"
Applejack winced, she had an extremely pained expression on her face as a few more tears ran down her eyes, she looked away to hide her shame. "...As it turns out, they wanted me as captain so ah could make sure their other guards wouldn't go snooping around. They wanted me because ah was honest and likable and that ah could keep ah secret. They went over the castle layout with me and only me, and basically gave me the job of keeping order around the castle and keeping ponies out. At first, things were kinda ok. Pay is good. But then they started acting extra shifty, and finally....they showed me the "place". They told me that under no circumstances are anypony allowed to even know about it. If they did, or if I said anything mah self, they said they'd have me hauled off to a mental ward and take Applebloom. Just knowing about this place and not doin' nothin' about it though. It makes me as bad as them"
"If it's that risky, then why help us?" Chrysalis asked.
"Because.....nopony has ever gotten as far as you two, you two may be young, but gettin through the traps and tricking those con ponies? Ain't never seen nothin' like it. It gave me a faith ah thought was lost. But that's why ah gotta ask. If ya'll wanna see "The place". Ya gotta promise me....that you'll take those two no good, dirty dealin', sons of a snake down." Applejack looked to you both with a serious expression as she awaited both your answers.
"Oh trust me, We'll be doing much more than that. Humiliating them and having them dethroned is just step one of the plan. Well then, Captain Applejack, you may not have earned my admiration, but you have earned my trust. Show us "The place".” Chrysalis was convinced
Applejack looked really emotional about whatever "The place" was. What could be so bad to give her such a heavy guilt trip? "Applejack, ma'am. I really appreciate you helping us. But...why are you feeling guilty about this place? What's so bad about it?"
Applejack turns the rusty axe, making another wall open up. "A-ah....look Anon. Ah don't wanna say. Tell you the truth, ah'm kinda gettin' scared showin' the both of you. Ah'm putting Applebloom, Granny Smith, and Big Mac in danger by doin' this. But...if ah don't. Then.....then" Applejack's tears began to increase, she sniffed, and had trouble keeping it together.
You put your hoof to her side. God...whatever this was, it couldn't be good. It couldn't be TV-Y levels anyway. "Don't worry Applejack, don't even say it. We'll see when we get there. But hey look, I promise. We may look young and incapable. But we're gonna bring those two down. We got the contracts. We just need the proof."
Chrysalis just looked forward, and stepped inside the passageway alongside Applejack. "I can only hope the proof is good. In either case, I doubt those two idiots will think their own captain has just betrayed them considering the stakes. And they would never think to look in what might be the most dangerous part of the castle. We'll be safe for now, but then there's that part of Sunset's plan that has us hiding with the proof. How does she expect to get anything done if the place in question is secret? What is even the point in her plan? Anon, we should just take the proof and figure out our own plan."
That might actually be a good idea, but… "Maybe, but we should still trust in Sunset. She's pretty smart. If she has a plan, then she probably might be executing it right now as we speak."
"...even though we have no idea what it is?" Chrysalis was skeptical.
"....yeah, I know, it sounds bad. But...who knows. It might be just what we need" You still had faith
"Well, whatever ya two have planned. Ah'm just hoping it works. And Anon, yer a good colt, how did ya even get mixed up in all this? This really ain't no place for somepony as young as you, the both of you really" Applejack remarks
You laugh and shake your head. "That's an even longer story, and I don't think I have time to tell it....Applejack." You lean into her and nuzzle on her side for comfort. "I promise, it'll be ok. We got some secret weapons just in case." Hopefully you did anyway, you lost track of time. But it had to be past midnight by now, right? The horn should be recharged by now.
"Ah believe it, somethin' about you two is tellin' me that ya two are more than what ahm just seeing. Look, even with what ah know. Ah don't know everything. But ah know somepony who does. Ah'll lead ya to her, but let me tell ya. Once we enter "The place", just act like ah'm bringin' ya in and don't act all suspicious like. Them kings have a second set of guards made up of nothin' but Diamond Dogs, they never leave "The place" and they are always suspicious of everypony. So, just trust me, and act like prisoners."
The three of you reached the end of the tunnel. And enter a room with two huge doors, hidden in a place where every hallway leading out or in had a security door slammed down. Applejack walked up to the two large doors and looked to the both of you. "Ah hope yer ready partners, just stay calm and act natural, because what yer about to see....ain't pretty"
You both were ready. You were finally here. Whatever was behind those doors, was the final piece of the puzzle you and Chrysalis needed. And when she opened the doors to reveal what was behind it. Your optimism left you, replaced with dread. You...did not expect this.