//------------------------------// // Diplomatic Talks // Story: The Descent into Madness // by FenrisianBrony //------------------------------// Rainbow stared at what was in her hooves, who was in her hooves. It was a trick, it had to be, but the more she looked at the pony she was holding, the more she began to piece together everything that had happened. The pony known as Applejack is in the galactic east, beyond the realm of mankind known as the Ultramar Sector. The young race known as the T’au found her. Their Ethereal’s have plans to use her for their own ends, plans she is unaware of. They have her, ensnared in their lies. She is with the Tau, Rainbow Dash. Only you can separate her from them Izrameq had led her here, told Rainbow that Applejack was with the Tau. He had never said prisoner, that was all from Rainbow’s brain, and now she saw how wring she was. If Rainbow had risen through the ranks of Eldar society, why had she not seen the possibility of Applejack doing the same. “A…Applejack?” she croaked hoarsely, her throat drying up faster than a raindrop in Somnambula. At the single word, Applejack’s eyes flew open, rage filling them so utterly that Rainbow dropped her back into her damaged battlesuit. “Ya gonna speak ta me now?” Applejack snarled, this toppling the final domino of doubt within Rainbow’s mind of who she was looking at. No one could recreate that southern drawl, no one. “All forces of Half-Formed Hope, break off engagements and pull back through the Webway. Remain on station in orbit but hold fire!” Rainbow roared, activating her communicator before turning from Rainbow, walking towards those who protested with determination in her eyes. Scrambling out of her battlesuit, Applejack stumbled towards one of her downed wingmen, ignoring the Dark Eldar, some of whom look like they wanted to rip her apart, even as Rainbow shot a particularly embellished looking Dark Eldar with a pair of swords in his hands through the temple. “Pa’Laa forces,” she wheezed into the suits helmet pickup, linking in to her own suit with practiced ease. “This is Shas’O Applejack. Dark Eldar forces holding, power struggle or something. The Caverns have fallen, reinforce next line of defence. Applejack, over and…” She never finished her sentence, the exhaustion from the fight finally hitting her as she collapsed into darkness. *** “She’s coming around,” a voice swam into Applejack’s mind. “Git out of ta way,” another voice this time, gruffer and deeper than any Tau. This one Applejack did recognise. “Kog…had,” Applejack murmured, trying to force her eyes open, her cybernetic eye flickering on and focusing on the Demiurg. “Where…am…I?” “Yer in the medical ward, behind tha lines,” Koghad spoke quickly, looking like he was going to hug her before a stern Tau got in the middle of the pair. “Attempt to hug the Shas’O and I shall you escorted out,” she spoke softly, but it was clear it was not a suggestion. “Ah know, I ain’t gonna crush her, don’t worry,” Koghad rolled his eyes, before kneeling beside Applejack’s bed. “What happened out there, las?” “Rainbow, she won,” Applejack shrugged, slowly sitting up with a groan of pain, waving away the doctor with a hoof. “Easily at that. Ah think she called fer a ceasefire, that still in effect?” “The Dark Eldar are holding outside of the cities, most of their forces have disappeared back into the webway, but many of their Haemonculus forces are still holding outside of many of the cities,” Aun'Vesa said as he walked in, his honour guard flanking him. “I am sorry to cut your bed rest short, Shas’O, but we require your presence. They will only negotiate with you.” “How are our forces doing?” Applejack asked as she slipped out of bed, grabbing her hat and wincing slightly as the bandages pulled around her stomach. “You have three broken ribs, be careful,” the doctor snapped, before sighing and leaving. “I’m not going to lie, Applejack, we are not in a good position. Many of our forces were killed in the initial assaults and even more were wounded. If the Dark Eldar decide to attack again? Well…” He didn’t need to finish, it was quite obvious what he meant, Applejack nodding solemnly. “All right, lets get this over with then.” *** Applejack stood alone, her hair blowing in the soft breeze that blew through the still burning remains of the outer city limits. This had been where the hardest fighting had been and it showed, it would be many years before it was even close to its former glory. She was clad in her old Fire Warrior armour, polished to perfection, but still bearing the marks of conflict it had accrued over the years. It felt odd to her, being back in her regular combat gear, even though she had only piloted the battlesuit once, but she had been training none stop for months in it, so she supposed it was to be expected. Quite a way behind her, her entourage stood, dozens of Fire Warrior honour guard surrounding the core group. Aun’Vesa was here of course, as was Koghad at Applejack’s personal request. Along with the pair stood the non-empire species, Juhani and Tar’nek garbed in pathfinder armour to replace the suits they had lost in the Dark City, and finally Scootaloo, Lightning Dust and Spitfire. All in all it was a good group, and every one of them was on their guard, ready to fight their way back to their transports if the need arose. Looking back at them, she didn’t see the figure approaching, but she heard the landing, turning to face the new arrival. Rainbow now stood before her, just as terrible as she had been during their fight. Her armoured bodysuit glistened in the flickering fires, stirred up by her wing beats as she touched down on a rocky outcrop, looking down at Applejack. “Ah suppose ah know why yer here,” Applejack called, making sure her voice was loud enough so both Rainbow and her own group could hear. “Applejack…” Rainbow began, before looking at the disgust written across her face. “I am allowed to use the name of my friend you know.” “Yer not mah friend,” Applejack practically spat the last word. “Ah know what y’all did, what monster y’all became! Ah know everythin’!” “You know nothing,” Rainbow snapped, jumping from the rock and landing a hairs breadth away from Applejack, who instinctively powered up her own weapon. Even unarmed, she knew Rainbow was a threat, and she would not be caught unaware if this…thing that had once been her friend tried anything, even if it would have been a symbolic gesture at most. “You know nothing of what I did,” Rainbow continued, beginning to circle Applejack as she stayed completely still, her eyes locked on the horizon. “Everything I did in Commoragh was to find and save you. You are needed, Applejack. Just as much as I am, but you couldn’t get home without me, because you ended up in this shithole instead of with the Eldar. Bad luck for you I suppose. Every day the pair of us are away from Equestria, the world is in danger. How quickly do the elements find new bearers? It took a thousand years for the last lot to cycle through, and we haven’t been gone that long now have we. We have got to go back, and any price we have to pay to do that is perfectly fine.” “There are lines!” Applejack shouted, finally turning to face Rainbow, her nostrils flaring as she snorted in rage. “There are places where no pony should ever cross!” “Grow up!” Rainbow roared now, her fangs glistening. “Grow, the fuck, up, Applejack! There are no lines! There never can be, you’ve seen the universe, I can see that bionic eye of yours, the scars you bear. Was there a line for whatever caused those? The universe is split into two things, Applejack, that’s it. What you’re willing to do, and what you’re not willing to do. I’m willing to save Equestria, fuck it I willing to save the entire fucking world! What are you willing to do?! While you sit here in your little pisshole of the T’au empire, hmm? What line have you drawn in the sand?! Everything I did, I did for you, and I would do any of it again!” “Ah never asked yer ta do any of it!” “You didn’t have to, I know what needs to be done, I’ve been here before! Any price is worth paying to see us returned!” There was a moment of silence between the pair, both now face to face, glaring into each other’s eyes. Rainbow stared at her one-time friend, seeing the pony she had once known so well still there, beneath the burdens of command that had been placed upon her for decades. Applejack saw nothing when she looked back, an empty void, any traces of the Rainbow she had once known long since cast off and forgotten. “Then what, in yer eyes, needs ta be done?” Applejack growled after a seeming eternity of waiting. “You come back with me,” Rainbow replied instantly. “We go back to Equestria, where we all belong. You take up the mantle of honesty again, like you were meant to do, and I’ll take up loyalty again. Equestria must be safeguarded, now and always.” “How many hits have yer taken ta the head since you’ve been lookin’ for me?” Applejack snorted in amusement now. “The Elements of Harmony work on friendship yer idiot, and ah don’t see any of tha others being yer friend after all this.” “They’ll understand,” Rainbow snapped. “They’ll have to, because they need loyalty and honesty, and that’s us.” “I’m not coming with you,” Applejack spat. “Ah’d rather die than come back with y’all.” “Then I’ll order the Triumvirate to resume their attack,” Rainbow retorted instantly. “I’ll take you and ensure the rest of this world is wiped clean, everyone on it to fuel the slave pits of their betters for their pathetically brief life span. They will all die in agony and fear, and it will be on you. I am giving this one chance to save this world you’ve made your home, make the right choice, Applejack.” Rainbow had her, Applejack knew that immediately. Her forces were simply better than the T’au were, and they had numerical advantage. If they attacked again, they would win, it was as simple as that. Rainbow saw the fire leave Applejack’s eyes, her head falling just a fraction, but it was the most obvious motion in the world next to Eldar body language. “I am glad you saw sense, Applejack,” Rainbow smiled, before spreading her wings. “You have a week to gather your things, I will meet you back here then and we shall leave. Tell Scootaloo, Spitfire and Lightning that I will be generous and forgive them, but they’re coming too.” With that, Rainbow beat her wings, disappearing into the rising smoke, Applejack watching her go, before sinking to her knees and letting out a soft sob. *** “Withdraw?” Eethron asked with a wry smile. “No no, my dear, that in not…” “You’re going to tell me that’s not how this works,” Rainbow cut in. “I’m then going to tell you it is, you’ll try and threaten me, I’ll remind you that I have already killed two leaders of this Triumvirate. Should I go for the third?” “You would find me a harder fly to swat than Ale’ri or Ilithia,” Eethron scowled. “Yes well, look at it this way. The pair of us fight it will be interesting, winner isn’t assured, but loser isn’t getting back up, I know enough of your secrets to ensure that. Accept this, and the space is wide open for the Triumvirate to have a single leader. The Coven of Mutilation would benefit greatly from having a subservient Kabal and Wych Cult, don’t you think.” “You make a compelling argument, it is why I always enjoyed our little repartees,” Eethron was suddenly smiling again as he spoke. “And what is it that you’ll be getting out of this…arrangement?” “Not much, but I don’t want much,” Rainbow shrugged. “Do what you want with any of them, but I suspect I may have to travel back to this place again in my life. If I do, I would have allies waiting for me, I expect you to remember that.” “Of course,” Eethron sneered. “Now if you are quite done, I have quite a bit of work that must be done. Please, show yourself out when you are ready, my fleet is always open to you, Rainbow Dash.” *** Applejack, Scootaloo, Spitfire and Lightning all stood together, looking over the same ruins as before, the fires having long since died, but the smell remained. Her battlesuit had been repaired, Aun’Vesa decreeing that it was hers, since no one else would be able to pilot it anyway. He had also hinted that he wanted her to have some protection if the worst happened, although Applejack didn’t know what good the suit would do her, it had already failed once. Tar’nek and Juhani had been stoically silent as Applejack had explained what she had to do, nodding in agreement, but saying nothing. This entire course of events had shocked the pair, it was clear to see. Goge had been difficult to console, but that was to be expected. He wasn’t as strong as the two Eldar warriors, regardless of what he said, and he’d been close to Rainbow before. Seeing her fall to the thing she was now was as hard for him as it was for any of them. He still wore the mantle of the Pa’Laa sept, he knew full well he couldn’t return to his beloved Elysia. Rainbow had cost him far more than just a friendship, he was a traitor to the empire he loved, all thanks to her. As for Koghad, he and Applejack had shared words in private. No one knew what had passed between them, and when asked the answer was nowhere to be found. That conversation was for their ears only, but Applejack had been sobbing when she exited the room. Koghad hadn’t been seen for many hours afterwards, but his normally stony face was just as red and puffy as Applejack’s had been. “Are you sure you want to do this, Applejack?” Spitfire asked, Applejack struggling not to look at the nub of her wing. She had been offered a replacement, a jetpack thruster admittedly, but she had turned it down, not giving any reason beyond the simple but firm ‘no’. “I don’t have a choice,” Applejack sighed, looking down at her from within her battlesuit. “Y’all do though, are yer sure ya want to be so close to her again. After what she did…” “Someone needs to tell the story when we get back,” Lightning growled. “The whole story, everyone needs to hear it.” “No, they don’t,” Gilda called out, touching down alongside Rainbow, the pair regarding the four ponies with the gaze of Apex predators. “So nice that the three of you could join us,” Rainbow smiled, a terrifying sight with her face and sharpened fangs. “It is good to see you again, Scoots.” “Leave her alone,” Applejack placed the foreleg of her battlesuit in front of Scootaloo as she spoke. “Touch her and the deal’s off.” “As much as I could say this isn’t a deal its an ultimatum, I’ll humour you, Applejack. Now, if you are all ready, I have a ship waiting in orbit. Gilda, signal Kas, open the portal.” Nodding, the Griffon put a claw to her ear, mumbling something the others struggled to hear. A moment later a dark rip appeared before Applejack and the others, directly below where Rainbow and Gilda were perched. “Please, after you,” Rainbow gestured to the portal. “We are going home, it’s been a long time. Next stop, the Black Library.” With a sigh, Applejack started forward, disappearing into the portal.