After the whole fiasco had calmed down, and I had apologised profusely for my actions, they all finally leave. All except Applejack, who refused to leave my side as I walked back towards the castle.
“Uuuh...AJ. I’m okay, now….You don’t have to follow me around.”
“Nnope. Ah’m stickin to ya like a stain on white clothes.”
“Weird analogy, but okay….. Hey, uh….since you’re around, would you like to, uh...hang out tomorrow?”
She goes completely pale. “U-uuuh, ah can’t. Ah’ve, uuuh...got some stuff ta do! Yeah...See ya later!” She zips off towards her farm.
Weird reaction…. A simple no would’ve been fine…
She’s hiding something. I say we follow her.
What?! Why!?
Aren’t you curious?
No!........a little…….
Okay, so tomorrow, we’ll follow her. She won’t even notice we’re there.
It is rather strange…..she did say she was going to stay with me….But she ran off….She has to be hiding something….Maybe I shouldn’t…
You should. If you are her friend, maybe this will bring you closer.
Yeah…..You’re right. If something is bothering her, maybe I can help. I did promise Luna…
I nod and head back to the castle.
By the next morning, I woke up giddy, feeling excited to finally be doing something productive. As I head downstairs, fully clothed again with blindfold and all, Twilight stops me at the doorway.
“Six, there you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I’ve made a breakthrough on how I can regrow your arm and-”
“Sorry, Twilight. But I gotta go. Can this wait?”
“I-uh...I-I guess so….” She sounds a little hurt. I bite my lip.
“Alright, fine. But quick, though. I have some errands to run today.”
She beams and pulls me along into the library. There were papers strewn all over the floor. Countless books were scattered and thrown all around, and Twilight looked rather frazzled.
“Are you alright? Were you...up all night?”
“Yes! Well, um….It...it was my fault that you lost your arm….and it’s only fitting that I try to make you a new one…”
“Make? I thought you were going to try and regrow it?”
“Well, it’s a bit of both! But it’s still in its trial stage right now. Basically, I did a thorough study on regeneration magic for plants and objects, and I found there was a case back around Ponyville’s founding where Princess Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to cure an old man of blindness! I think that they may have some sort of regenerative properties, as well as their purifying properties. That would explain why the girls and I weren’t scraped or bruised after we used the Elements during a fight. They must’ve healed us! So, I think that if I can use their energy properly, I could regrow your arm.”
I shake my head, blinking a few times.
“Was that english?”
She groans and facepalms.
“I’m going to regrow your arm with the Elements of Harmony.”
“What!? Wouldn’t there be some kind of repercussion for using that?”
“That’s why it’s a trial. But, I needed to get a mold of your other arm for dimensions so the new one won’t be lopsided.”
I sigh. “Alright. Go ahead, Twilight.”
I sit on the couch as she gathers plaster and newspaper with her magic, quickly wrapping my fully extended arm in the cold, wet gunk.
“How long will this take?”
Her hand glows softly, and she waves it over the plaster cast. It instantly hardens.
“That long. Now, slowly pull your arm out.”
I nod and very carefully remove my arm from the mold.
“Perfect! I’ll get to work straight away!”
“Uuh...okay…” She was already rummaging through papers.
I shrug and leave, heading out towards the farm. The sun just begins to rise as I get to the farm. I hide behind a nearby tree and wait, seeing Applejack’s bedroom light was still on. Good, I haven’t missed her yet.
It takes almost another hour until her light turns off and she comes out the front door. She waves back at someone, probably Big mac or Applebloom, and heads not towards town, but towards Fluttershy’s cottage.
“Huh?” I carefully follow her, being sure I can barely see her. I had made sure to wear more Ponyville-esque colors so I would fit in rather than my normal black. I had to borrow one of Spike’s t-shirts, which was a bright green. It fit rather snugly.
As she approaches the cottage, she looks around. I quickly dive into a bush, hoping she hadn’t seen me. When i can see the coast is clear, I peer out. She was standing outside of Fluttershy’s cottage, talking to the shy mare very sternly. Something must be serious.
Fluttershy nods and slips AJ a little bag, then hugs her as AJ leaves, going into the Everfree treeline.
“Just where the Hell are you going?”
I sneak along behind her, matching my footsteps to hers at a 50 yard distance to avoid detection. She walks quite a ways in, but eventually reaches what looks like an old, beat up hut of some kind that had masks and cauldrons everywhere.
She knocks on the door, and I watch silently from a nearby tree. The door opens to a dark-skinned woman with a black and white mohawk. She had a figure very similar to AJ’s bottom heavy one, but this woman was just slightly smaller in both height and width.
Pervert.
Eat my entire ass.
The mare smiled and gestured AJ into the hut. She steps in, and the door closes. I carefully approach the hut and peer in the window. AJ was sitting on a wicker chair, fidgeting nervously, while the mystery woman grabbed various bottles and relics from her littered walls.
I manage to catch the dark mare’s name is “Zecora”, but not much else. As Zecora throws various things into a cauldron, it starts to bubble and glow. I look around briefly, noticing that it was already sundown. The day had passed so quickly…
When I look back at the two, Zecora had thrown what I could assume was the last piece of the potion she must’ve been brewing. It glows brightly before firing a beam of light into the sky. As it reaches the treetops, a magic dome slowly spreads across the sky above me.
“Crap!” I make a run for the edge of the dome, but it hits the ground before I get close. I slam into it hard, being knocked back into a tree.
“Gaah, damn it! Trapped….Did AJ notice I followed her, so she trapped me here to punish me? No...She said we’re friends….Maybe it’s something else…”
I start to head back towards the hut just as sunset approaches, and the moon slowly rises. It was a full one tonight. Wow, one of seven this week...Luna, great job ag-
My thoughts are interrupted by a loud howl in the distance. It sounded like a timber wolf, but...not wood-like enough. It sounded too natural.
“Oh, crap….Applejack!” I sprint full speed towards the hut, but I only get about three feet from the door before I slam into another barrier, falling over.
“I need to invent a new swear word….So, this is a doughnut shaped barrier?” I feel around the inside barrier, and sure enough, it was a doughnut shape. A big dome outside with a small dome around the hut.
“What the Hell is this for?” I hear the loud howl again, this time a bit closer.
“Let’s see, um….This looks like ten square miles….And there’s either something outside this dome….or something inside…”
I quickly try to teleport, but my magic fizzles out.
“Gngh...heh….fizzled under confounded karma. Heh. This is what I get for being nosy….Hey, that could be a new curse word….F.U.C.K.”
I tense up hard as I hear breathing nearby me. I look around, and I see a set of glowing, green eyes staring at me from the treeline.
“Applejack? Hey, look. I’m sorry for following you. I just...I was worried about you. You’re my friend, and I was worried that something was bothering...you….” I back up slowly as I see not Applejack, but a towering, bipedal wolf step into the moonlight. Its fur was a burnt orange color, and it had a mouth full of sharp teeth. And it was glaring at me, growling.
My heart sinks.
“U-u-uuh...I-I, uh...I’ll just…….go!” I make a mad sprint away from the beast, my heart racing as I make a mad rush towards the hut.
“HELP! SOMEONE HELP!!” I holler out, but to no avail. It seems the Zecora woman sound-proofed her hut.
I leap up into a tree, clinging to the trunk as I climb as high as I can, really wishing I had my other arm. The beast sniffs around the trees beneath me. Now that I can get a good look at it, it looks rather well build. And it’s oddly human….And, judging by the, uh...bits and bobs visible, it was clearly a “she”. And she had very wide hips….familiarly wide hips.
No….fuck…..way…...No, that won’t work….Would fucking work? Yeah. Lemme try that again.
No….fucking…..way…… Yeah that works.
“A-Applejack?” The beast’s tail flicks around and its-her ears twitch as her head turns up to look at me.
It only takes a moment of direct eye contact to finally tell.
“Oh, Celestia...It is you….Y-you’re a…...a werewolf?! H-how is this possible?! They don’t exist!!”
Well, objectively speaking, neither should demons or ghosts…
SHUT UP YOU FUCKING ASS!
God, I’m glad I made that word. Maybe it’ll catch on.
Applejack, or Applewolf, growls and digs her claws into the tree trunk, her long, dog-like legs pushing her to full height. She had to be nearly Luna’s height like this...I wish i had my notebook of the paranormal…
“This may not be the best time, but could I study you if I survive this?” I call down.
She roars and slashes at me, slashing a fairly deep gash in my thigh.
“Gaaah! Fuck! Ngh...Guess not….Wow, that word caught on fast….”
I try to pull myself up the tree a bit further, but I can't hold onto the trunk as well with my leg damaged. I slip off the trunk and lad with a heavy crunch on the hard forest floor. I scream in agony as my thigh bone snaps, stabbing through the gash in my leg.
“FUUUUUUCK!!!! AAAAAAH!” I scream in pain, clutching my leg. I look up, my heart plummeting as Applewolf snarls down at me, sniffing at my wounded leg.
“Y-you wouldn’t…..” She gets close to my face, sniffing me closely. Then, out of nowhere, she leaves.
“Wh-what the...aagh...fucking leg….”
I take my shirt off and bite into it.
This is really gonna hurt…..
Shall I take over and fix it for you?
You don’t need to do that…
I insist. I won’t kill you.
Fine.
I grab the stuck-out bone and shove it hard back into place. I scream in agony before blacking out.
When I eventually come to, it’s still very dark out. I couldn’t see much of anything. I shakily sit up, feeling a bit light-headed. I take the shirt out of my mouth and make a makeshift bandage out of it [sorry, Spike], and I tie it around my leg.
“Ngh...A-at least Applej-wolf left me alone...She has so much explaining to do if I don't bleed out…”
I take off my blindfold, tying it around my upper thigh to stop the bleeding.
When I look around, I can see small gold figures scurrying around the thick brush.
“Mm...must be animals….” I look around closely, before I see a much larger golden glow approaching me from behind. It was Applewolf.
I wince as I try to back away from her. But she gets right in front of me and stops, dropping something onto the ground.
I groan. Still don’t have night vision, but I’m guessing by the sound the drop made, it’s probably a dead animal of some kind. It must’ve gotten stuck with the others...but why was she giving this to me….
AW, as I’ll call her when she’s like this, scoots the carcass over to me with her snout.
“H-heh….th-thanks….” I carefully pick it up. Oh, God….It was a little raccoon.
She walks around between me and the tree behind me and she lays down, huffing.
“Wait...is...is this an apology?” I look back. She just grunts.
“Guess so….” I stay completely still, just focusing on my thoughts. But, I start to feel dizzy again. Oh...I’m gonna faint from blood loss…
When I come to again, I’m blinded by a bright, white room. I was in the hospital again.
I look around groggily, my stomach groaning at me angrily.
Applejack was back to normal and clothed, laying on the couch in the room. I look at my leg, and it was wrapped in a cast and thick bandages.
“Gaah...damn it…..that was all real….”
I sit up a little and wince, my head throbbing. I notice an I.V. bag in my arm, and a blood bag. I must’ve bled out a bit…
I look outside. It must be about midday.
“Hey...Applejack. Wake up.” I poke her nose.
“Gaaah….Maac….five more minutes….”
“It’s not Mac, AJ.”
She jolts awake, nearly head-butting me in the face.
“Six! Yer awake! Oh, Celestia, ah’m so sorry!”
“For what? AJ, it wasn’t your fault…”
She starts to cry, squeezing the blankets at my feet hard.
“Ah...ah just can’t control it….”
“When….does iit happen? Just the full moon?”
“Not just that….it also happens when ah’m real mad….but ah only change at night.”
I nod understandingly.
“Ya probably hate me….”
“What? Why would I hate you?”
“AH GORED YER LEG!”
“.......and?”
“Ya don’t care?!”
“Why would I? It was an accident. You had no control of yourself. And besides, now I get to study you!”
She laughs. “Not a chance.”
“But...Applewolf promised…”
“Who Now?”
“Applewolf! That’s what I’m calling her!”
She facepalms and sighs. “Alright, alright...Well, guess ah can’t be breakin promises.”
I smile and lay back down.
“You know...once you get passed the “maul you apart with your teeth” thing, your wolf form’s kinda h-huuuah….” I slur hard, stopping myself.
“It’s kinda whut?”
“Huuueh...h-hoooooouuagh…..For fuck’s sake, he thinks it’s hot!”
Thanks….
Jackass.
Up yours.
AJ chuckles. “Ya really think that? Hehe. Don’t go takin it the wrong way er nothin, but yer a little off yer rocker.”
“What gave you that idea, Applejack?” I say, Shade and...Sombre. Good name. Shade and Sombre adding.
She laughs. “That’s a new one. Ya sound like one of them voice boxes ya see in theatre that plays sounds when ya push a button, but ya can’t made up yer mind.”
“I aim to entertain.”
Suck up.
Kiss ass.
You both suck.
I groan and smack myself upside the head. They can’t feel it, but it makes me feel better. Fuckers. Hey, a new use! And Shade had one too!
AJ laughs. “Well, guess the secret’s out now. But ya can’t go followin me around like that no more. Ah could’ve killed ya!”
“I know...I was just….I was worried about you...You’re my friend, and I thought you were upset or something…”
She swats my good leg with her hat. “Ah guess that’s fair. But yer gonna be bedridden fer a while now. And no gettin up.”
“Wait, can’t the doctors just fix it with magic?”
“Well, no. See, ah found out that werewolf attacks are magic, like a spell. So it takes time ta heal.”
Damn it….
“Well, shit… How long am I jammed in this bed? Oh, and thanks for putting my old blindfold back on.”
“Eeyup. Yer stuck here ‘bout two weeks.”
I huff. “Gonna be sooo bored….”
“Hey, ah’ll come visit ya! Oh, and don’t go tellin this ta nobody. Only you, Shy, and Zecora knows. Got it?”
“Awe...I thought Pinkie could throw an “AJ’s a puppy now!” party!” I tease.
AJ growls, her eyes briefly glowing green.
“N-nevermind...j-just teasing….” I gulp softly.
She laughs, making my heart skip a few thousand beats.
“Ah’m just yankin yer chain. See ya tomorrow!” She leaves.
As soon as she shuts the door, I let out a heavy sigh.
“That girl is scary…..it’s kind-of attractive….”
“You just want a piece of that ass.”
“And you don’t?”
“I have more, eh….refined tastes…”
“I ought to slap you for even saying that girl isn’t refined
Did you even see dat ass!?”
“I have. And it’s not my style.”
“He has the hots for Luna.”
“Shade, you sly dog!”
“Damn you, Sombre! Stop reading my thoughts!”
“I have no way to stop that function.”
“Damn it!”
“It’s like a soap opera in here….”
I close my eyes, going into my mind. All was dark briefly before the bedroom of the tower appears around me. To my left was who I assumed was Sombre. He wore all black clothes and a blank expression. He even looked black and white. Shade was to my right, suit, tie, and fedora as usual.
“Shade….Sombre.” I say plainly.
“Why are we here this time?”
“You have nothing better to do but sleep and complain.”
“Do we have to keep him around?”
“Unless you can find a way to kick him out, then no. Now, about this Pyre business….”
“His essense most likely bonded to one of the guards, but there’s a chance it bonded to one of the Princesses.”
“That would be very bad….”
“You’re telling me.”
I sigh and rub my temples, turning to Sombre.
“You need to learn not to force me to kill myself. Ever. If I die, you die.”
“I make no promises, but I will attempt.”
“Great...I go from the ‘I wanna kill everyone’ to ‘Kill yourself’ in one fell swoop. Damn it….”
“At least you have me?”
“You….yeah, at least I have you. You’ve always been that guardian Devil.”
“Rude. I only keep my eye on you because you and I made a deal. You reap demons for me, and you go to Heaven when you eventually die.”
“I remember. Sorry about the crude nickname, but it was the best I could do on short notice.”
“It’s fine for now, but I got a bit cocky back there the other day. They already fear me as it is. They would all have a fit if they found out I was Satan.”
That’s right. Shade was indeed the Lord of Darkness himself. When I had died the first time, my soul went to hell for all the burdens I carried. When I got there, he made a deal with me: Gather demons and send them to Hell through him, and I get to go to heaven when I eventually die. I agreed, and was brought back. Now, I have a little devil on my shoulder.
As I refocus my mind, I look around the hospital room. It was nighttime now, and I swear I could hear a soft howl in the distance.
Why does she have to be so painfully THICC…..