"So do the Emerald's always appear in the weirdest places or are they doing this just fer us?" Applejack asked.
Before her and the rest of her group was a red emerald (how did that work? she wondered), right out in the open for anypony to take. The issue was that the emerald was surrounded by dozens of rock monsters, a giant, metal centaur, all of the Deadly Six and Knuckles.
"Can't believe they did all this for us," Rainbow Dash said. "They really don't want us getting that emerald, do they?"
"Somethings wrong," Tails muttered. "Why didn't they just take the emerald? They beat us here. Any of them could have grabbed it and brought it back to Sombra, but they didn't. They waited for us. Why?"
"Ah can think of several reasons," Applejack replied. "Maybe they knew if they took the emerald we wouldn't come. Sombra has been adamant about trying to kill us, so he wouldn't pass up a chance like this. He knows we need that emerald, so he's sent his best to protect it and kill as many of us as he can. That be mah guess, at least."
"Not a bad theory," Tails nodded.
"If that's the case, then maybe I should go in alone," Rainbow Dash said. All eyes turned towards her. "If that down there is a trap to lure us in and kill us, then we shouldn't take the bait. I'm the fastest, so I've got the best chance of going in there and grabbing the emerald before any of them can stop us. It's better than risking all of your lives fighting through that."
"Good idea, but it won't work," Bunnie said. "Ah can see a barrier of dark magic around the emerald. Ah also see the same dark magic coming off of Tirek down there. If we want that emerald, odds are we have to take out the big guy to do it. And we'll have to go through all of them to get to him."
"Still want to take em on yerself?" Applejack teased. Then her smile fell when she saw Rainbow Dash seriously consider it. "Oh no, you are not going down there all by yerself. That's too much, even fer ya. We're going with ya. Ah'm going with ya."
"Yeah, but..." Rainbow Dash began, avoiding Applejack's eyes. Bunnie placed a hand on RD's shoulder and smiled at the mare.
"Don't worry. All of us have been here before. We'll win this by working together. So trust in yer friends."
"...alright. Let's do this," Rainbow said. Tails hopped onto Bunnie's shoulders with a smile, while Applejack held out a hoof to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow took it with a smile before grabbing AJ's other hoof. Both pairs took to the air, flying towards the army while Tails talked.
"Rainbow, I want you to use your aerial mobility and speed to control the battle to keep our enemies separated. Don't let them group up and keep them off their feet. Applejack, I want you to handle Knuckles. He's tough, incredibly strong and is able to fight Sonic pretty well. Might want to use your Element."
"On it," Applejack said.
"I'm going to try to use a new gadget to see if I can take down the deadly six. And Bunnie...take Tirek down."
"With pleasure."
Bunnie let go off Tails before rocketing into Tirek, slamming her fist into the centaur's jaw and knocking him clean off his hooves. Tails spun his tails to stay airborne and pulled out a strange device from his bag, flying over the deadly six as he did so. Rainbow dropped Applejack off not to far from Knuckles, both of them watching as he approached.
"You got this," Rainbow said. Applejack opened her mouth to say of course she had it, but then she realized Rainbow wasn't questioning her. She was believing in her. Applejack smiled at Rainbow Dash and winked.
"Yeah. Ah got this," Applejack said. Then she flashed Rainbow a smirk. "Still, wouldn't mind a kiss fer luck."
Rainbow Dash became Crimson Dash once more, getting AJ to giggle. "Maybe later then. Go do what ya do. Ah'll handle this."
Rainbow took off and rocketed towards the army of stone monsters, creating a massive, rainbow tornado that swept them all off their feet. AJ watched her go with a smile before turning her attention back to Knuckles, who brought up his fists. "So yer the heavy hitter of yer team, huh? Well so ah'm ah. Let's rumble. YEEHAW!"
Applejack's eyes blazed with fire as she charged at Knuckles, hurling out a punch. He threw out a punch of his own and their limbs collided, shattering the ground under them. Both were sent skidding back by the blow, with Knuckles being the first to recover. He charged at Applejack and took a couple swings at her head, blows she was able to avoid. She fired back with a hoof buck, only for Knuckles to block the kicks with the back of his fists.
Knuckles swung with both fists and AJ brought up her hooves to catch the punches, gritting her teeth as she did so. For a moment the two struggled against the might of the other, before Knuckles slowly began to push Applejack down. AJ realized what was happening only to smirk up at Knuckles, before rolling onto her back, freeing up her legs and aiming both of those legs at Knuckles face.
Twin hooves connected squarely on Knuckles jaw with a loud crack, getting the echidna staggered back dazed. Knowing she couldn't pass this chance up, Applejack charged towards Knuckles and slammed her forehead into his nose, staggering him even further. She pulled out her lasso and wrapped it around Knuckles wrists, before kicking his legs out from under him and tying his legs to his hands.
"Whew. And that's how ya wrangle an echidna," Applejack chuckled.
Knuckles shook his head and looked down at his entangled limbs, raising an eyebrow. Then, with a flex, he tore through the rope and freed himself. He got back up to his feet, cracked his neck and turned to face AJ once more. This time, though, there was a faint smile on his face.
"Well ain't that interesting," Applejack muttered. Those under Sombra's control never smiled. Could Sombra not completely suppress their personality? Or was Knuckles starting to break free? "Either way, seems like hitting ya is what's causing ya to snap out of it. So come on, let's keep going."
AJ threw two quick jabs followed by a haymaker, only for the first two to be blocked and the last one ducked. She cocked back a punch, but before she could throw it Knuckles lashed out with a punch of his own. AJ only had enough time to register the punch had been through before Knuckles spiked fist slammed into the side of her head, ripping her off her hooves and sending her tumbling back across the dirt.
"That...wow..." AJ barely managed to get out. She staggered back up to her hooves and tried to blink the stars out of her eyes. That was the fastest punch she had ever seen. She had barely been able to register it. Which was concerning, considering that, thanks to so much time with her, AJ could almost track Rainbow at her fastest. Which means Knuckles was either faster, which was unlikely...or was used to fighting fast foes as well.
"So play time is over, huh?" Applejack asked. Knuckles made the bring it motion to answer her question. "Fine, let's dance."
Knuckles took the lead this time. He closed the distance in a blink and had a fist out in half that time. Now that she knew he was quick as well as strong, Applejack was ready this time. She whipped her head out of the way of the punch before following with a gut punch, one that was blocked.
Knuckles went for a massive punch, one that he swung down straight towards her head. AJ leapt back to avoid the impact, watching with wide eyes as Knuckles punch shattered the ground where they had been fighting, sending chunks of stone into the air. He grabbed and hurled these chunks towards Applejack, who buckled down, gritted her teeth and punched each of the chunks out of the air.
He would try to close the distance. Just like she had thought, Knuckles appeared in front of Applejack and wound up another punch aimed at her head. Applejack smirked before she simply tossed her hat at his face. For a moment, Knuckles was stunned. He had dodged punches, kicks, all sorts of attacks. But a hat was a new one. And in the time he spent processing that, Applejack hurled out a kick that caught Knuckles right in the gut. Knuckles doubled over from the impact, giving AJ the opening she needed.
"Bionic..." She slammed her hooves into the ground, tucked in her head and hurled herself head first into Knuckles. "FARM!"
The launching headbutt ripped Knuckles off of his feet and hurled him into the air as the apple missile crashed through him. AJ skidded to a halt on the ground, spun around and leapt into the air, dropkicking Knuckles out of the sky. Knuckles skidded across the ground, on his face, while AJ landed and let out a whoop.
"That's right, don't step up to the best mother bucker around!" Applejack laughed. She then staggered slightly, black spots appearing on her vision. "Woo, that was rougher than ah thought. Which means ah'm really going to have to buckle down. Ya can hear me, right? Might as well get up, ah know that's not enough to put ya down."
A moment later Knuckles got back up, wiping his nose on the back of his hand as he turned to face Applejack. "Yeah, ah'm not surprised. Ya fought Sonic, Eggman and plenty of other monsters. No way that would be enough to take ya down."
AJ then glanced to the side to see how the rest of the battle was going. The stone monsters were completely shattered. Tails and Rainbow Dash were using Tails device to cause the Deadly Six to use their powers on each other, causing all sorts of mayhem. And Bunnie stood alone atop a hill, lifting a beaten Tirek over her head with her metal arm, screaming in victory towards the heavens.
"Ah would love fer this to go on, but looks like it's time to wrap up," Applejack said. She pulled out her Element and wrapped it around her neck. Magical might erupted from her body, getting Knuckles to put up his guard. In the blink of an eye she appeared in front of Knuckles, who hurled a punch at Applejack. She caught the blow with ease, before smiling at Knuckles. "And honestly, aren't ya tired of being controlled by Sombra?"
"...Yeah, I think I am." Applejack smiled as the last of the darkness faded from Knuckle's eyes. The echidna sighed as he stood up straight, cracking his neck and checking his gut. "First of all, ow. Second, you've got a nasty kick. Third, what have I missed?"
"Eggman and Sombra have teamed up, we're getting the Elements and Emeralds to stop them, and then we're going to unleash an ass whooping on them the likes of which they've never seen," AJ summerized.
"Short and to the point. I like it," Knuckles said. He then slammed his fists together and smiled. "So, who get's the honor of being the first to get pulverized?"
"Sorry Knuckles, but ya missed all the fun."
Bunnie, Tails and RD landed next to the group, with Bunnie and Tails smiling at Knuckles. "Glad to have ya back. Ah never realized how tough ya were until we ended up having to fight ya."
"Hey, who goes all out against friends?" Knuckles asked. He then looked over at the aftermath of the battle and sighed. "So I missed all the fun?"
"Yup, but don't worry, there's plenty more where that came from," Bunnie said.
"Glad to hear it," Knuckles said, before looking at Rainbow Dash. "Oh, right. I'm Knuckles. I already fought Applejack, but it's nice to meet you."
Knuckles extended a hand as he said this. Rainbow Dash looked at it for a second before she walked between him and AJ, using her wings to push him back slightly, before putting her wing over Applejack's back. "Rainbow Dash. Fastest in Equestria and Mobius."
"Ha, so you're like Sonic, huh?" Knuckles chuckled. "Seems I've got a lot to catch up on."
"Don't worry, we'll get you all caught up back at the base," Tails said. "Now come on, we're meeting with...our ride over here." Bunnie, Tails and Knuckles started talking as they walked, leaving AJ and RD alone for a moment.
"Told ya ah had it," Applejack said.
"Never doubted you for a second. I knew you would win," Rainbow said. RD looked over Applejack's body, which was once again covered in bruises, cuts and dirt, and a sigh escaped her lips. "Doesn't mean I like seeing you like this."
"Eh, ah've had worse." Applejack shrugged. Then she smiled devilishly at Rainbow. "So since ah didn't get a kiss fer luck, can ah have one fer winning mah fight?"
Rainbow's face went red again, getting Applejack to giggle. Then a softer look spread across Rainbow's face and, faster than almost anypony could register, pecked Applejack on the cheek.
"Good job."
Rainbow took off after the others, leaving Applejack to place a hoof on her cheek, smiling at Rainbow.
"Brave enough to take on an entire army. Barely managed to do that. That's mah Rainbow."