Chapter Twenty Six: To Champion New Equestria
~BlackRoseRaven
Ponyville was in an uproar after Celestia's brief appearance, and Applejack grimaced in disgust as she sat in what had once been the library, and had now instead been converted into an outpost for the Knights of New Equestria. Specifically, it was where they held their strategy sessions and made their plans for the future: it contained the war room, map room, and all their gathered files on Luna, Scrivener Blooms, the various monsters and demons they had encountered in one form or another... and now, they were assembling files on Twilight Sparkle and Celestia as well.
All of Twilight's possessions had been removed, most of them destroyed, others sold off, as had many of the books in the library. All of the correspondence that had been created over the years, the notes, the drafts and letters and law papers, were also being sorted through: the useless was being destroyed or sent to the Temple of the Sun for archiving, while any letters or notes regarding Luna or Scrivener were being put into evidence here, as well as anything suspicious written by Twilight or Celestia's hoof.
Where shelves had once sat, a massive map of Equestria had been set up, covered in thumbtacks with different-colored heads: yellow represented villages and populations of ponies, red represented known 'hives' and 'infestations' of 'Supernatural Entities Allied with Luna,' commonly shortened to SEALs, red represented known locations of dragons and other neutral targets, and black represented the location of Enstasis. Ponyville, denoted by a blue tack, was the closest settlement to the castle... and hence played a key role in Equestria's defense.
Applejack was currently leaning over a map at the table, her sharp eyes roving grimly over this before she glanced up as Rainbow Dash approached with a slight grin in his new armor: silver scale mail, emblazoned with the Trilateral Crest, the symbol of New Equestria. The symbol of the Equestria they wanted to build... one where ponies ruled themselves with good and grace, instead of trying to maintain some impossible balance between good and evil represented by near-demigods who had gone out of control. “What do you think?”
“I think you need to get back to work.” Applejack said shortly, and Rainbow winced a bit as he fluttered his wings once, hooves pawing against the floor before the goldenrod mare blushed and said awkwardly: “I... I'm real sorry, Dashie, I didn't mean that. It's this place... it's everything that happened. It's Apple Bloom...”
She closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards before she sighed and shook it briskly as Dash smiled at her supportively, and then she turned her eyes back to the map of Ponyville in front of her: it illustrated the locations of all their defenses up to and including the rural areas outside of the Ponyville, such as Sweet Apple Acres, and... “Did you stop by and talk to Fluttershy?”
“She wouldn't open the door for me.” Rainbow Dash blushed a bit, dropping his head forwards and mumbling: “I know she's... you know. She's on the neutral list, but I still felt awful. I tried to convince her to come out and talk but she was really... scared and stuff. And Pinkamena, well...”
Applejack only grimaced, however, muttering: “Yeah, I know. I had another talk with Pinkie Pie, but she's as stubborn as ever. Damn protective of that damn sister and that stupid shop... don't help none that all the foals really like her and most of the town's hesitant to blacklist her, but... it's gonna get to that if we can't convince her to help us out and to stop speaking out for Luna and Scrivener.”
Rainbow Dash sighed a little, nodding slowly and hesitating for a moment before he asked quietly: “Do you ever worry we're going too far, though? We... AJ, I mean, seriously. Twilight... I feel awful about that, I know you feel guilty too, but we also both know that it had to be done, that Luna... infected her with that... nastiness. That maybe she even had something to do with scaring off Rarity and poor Spike, except... like Big Mac says, ain't likely. But Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy...”
“I know. I know, and I feel horrible about it too, but we... we're on opposite sides of the fence here, Rainbow.” Applejack said quietly, shoving her hooves against the table as she looked silently at the outline of Fluttershy's cottage on the map... an area marked as a danger zone. “She's got Phooka in there, she's taking care of them and maybe even... breeding them. And few ponies can get close because there's a demon patrolling around her home. She's a victim... that Phooka with her, it's inside her head, it's made her think that she's in love with it or something and that it loves her when it's using her like a shield. But friend or not... kindest, gentlest, nicest pony in the world or not... we gotta get rid of that Phooka nest, and we gotta drive off or exterminate that demon. And god help me, we gotta either help Fluttershy or get her to a... a safe place.”
“I don't like the thought of putting her in an isolation booth.” Rainbow Dash said quietly, and Applejack smiled faintly as she glanced up at the Pegasus, nodding slowly in agreement. “But... I know. I know, we got a lot to think about, and a lot to deal with. It just kills me inside that all this is happening. It hurts so goddamn much that so many of our friends are enemies.”
Applejack sighed a little, then she sat back and shook her head slowly, saying quietly: “I know. I never expected that we'd be up against Celestia, either... you saw the letter from Greece yourself, though, he says that new horn of hers could be enchanted, drilled right into her brain. Either way, she duped us good yesterday and that proves she's still as sharp as ever... I don't like the idea of going up against a pony that smart and strong. Anyway, you got a report for me?”
“Nah, no news.” Rainbow Dash shook his head, glancing around the empty main room of the once-library, now intelligence center before he sighed a little. “Hate when it's quiet like this. Everyone's out on patrols, doing drills, or trying to balance life and... this. Hey, I didn't get a chance to see Big Mac before I left this morning...”
“He's taking care of Apple Bloom. I can tell he's coming around, but what happened yesterday...” Applejack grimaced and shook her head, muttering: “I get that the two fillies care about each other but Scarlet Sage is Luna's damn daughter. This is like that play, the one where the ponies from the enemy families fall in love or whatever, you know that one?”
“Yeah, Applejack, you know I'm secretly a huge fan of plays.” Rainbow replied dryly, and then he winced when Applejack picked up a paperweight off the table and threw it at him, the stallion ducking quickly under the small iron hoof. It hit the floor a few feet away, the bang it made unnaturally loud in the silence of the building, and both ponies winced before Rainbow muttered: “Okay, I've gotta go find something to do. AJ, you gonna stick here or what?”
“No way, this is getting to me too and I can't see any holes in our defenses from this map alone... guess I'll go wander around Ponyville, check out things for myself. I'm supposed to be Commander, after all... I'm supposed to be a hero.” Applejack sighed quietly, shaking her head slowly as she slipped out of the chair... and then she smiled faintly when Rainbow reached up and gently stroked her cheek, looking down into her eyes softly. “I hate this, Dashie. I hate this responsibility. I hate them all following me, looking up to me, listening to me and doin' what I do. I ain't somepony they should imitate, and I wanna save them all, but... I don't know if I can.”
“You are a good pony. A goddamn good pony.” Rainbow Dash said emphatically, and then he kissed her forehead, before meeting her lips and sharing a soft, gentle kiss with her for a few moments. It broke, and he smiled a little, saying quietly: “Look. Tonight, we'll take the night off. Have a date. Screw around like we used to.”
Applejack smiled wryly at this, shaking her head slowly. “You're a damn bad influence Dash. Always makes me glad that... you're so loyal. I mean, I get why Luna snapped... pressure all the time, screwing up like she did with the Starlit Knights, and whatever the hell happened after Ragnarok... that, and being soulbound to a Tyrant Wyrm, I can see how that's messed her up. No excuse, of course, and if it comes down to it, I'm ready to send her to hell if it comes to that... but I do envy that freedom.”
“Yeah, well. We still got freedom even now... and what we're fighting for is freedom, right? An Equestria that isn't ruled by darkness, an Equestria where we don't have to be afraid... that the bad things are gonna come again and try to steal this world away from us.” Rainbow Dash replied quietly, nodding firmly once before he smiled slightly and turned towards the door, calling easily over his shoulder: “Take the evening off with me, we'll get Big Mac to take Apple Bloom out somewhere. I'll see you after I do my rounds.”
Applejack nodded after a moment, then she sighed a bit as she walked over to the paperweight, picking it up and tossing it absently up and down in one hoof as she looked over the map of Equestria, muttering: “I'm gonna feel a whole lot better when the New Equestrian Army gets here... if they ever do, that is. Some days I feel like this whole 'war on Enstasis' stuff ain't nearly everything that the Council says it is... at least after what happened yesterday it sounds like they're going to be sending us some more proper supplies.”
She shook her head slowly, then turned and headed back to the table, dropping the paperweight on it and closing her eyes as she murmured: “I just hope they recognize this ain't something that... can just be left to sit around forever. That if they don't actually do something about it instead of just sitting around talking, we might face another Ragnarok... or worse, we might all get made into Luna's puppets.”
The earth pony sighed a little, rubbing for a moment at her face before shaking her head briskly and turning around, muttering: “I need some air. Maybe seeing how things are going will help me feel better, talking to some of the ponies out on duty...”
She grumbled a little as she headed for the door, but then halted and looked over her shoulder in front of it, silently surveying the area. A vague memory came back, of laughing, smiling, with Twilight and Rarity... both of whom were gone now. One a traitor, the other a runaway... and she closed her eyes before sighing and shoving out into the sunlit day, muttering: “It ain't important now. Focus, Applejack. You got a town to protect.”
The goldenrod mare kicked the door shut behind her as she rolled her head on her shoulders, eyes shadowed by the wide brim of her hat, her braided tail flicking once before she turned down the street. Ponies waved and nodded to her as she passed, and she did her best to smile in return to them despite feeling her mood darkening and deepening, a shiver rolling along her spine as she felt like something bad was on the horizon. Like there was something nasty coming...
She paused, then grimaced as she looked up and saw Pinkamena lounging calmly against a lamppost as she moodily watched ponies carrying supplies in and out of a storage hut across the street, muttering: “Well, I guess sometimes the future's closer than you expect... hey! Don't you got somewhere to be?”
Slowly, Pinkamena's eyes roved towards Applejack, and she grinned slightly as she tilted her head towards her, asking mockingly: “Can't a pony stand anymore? Or you putting up some law against that too? And here I thought Princess Sunshine sucked the fun out of things...”
“Shut up. We both know you ain't just no normal pony.” Applejack retorted, striding up to the dull-gray pony and gritting her teeth at the cocky grin on her face and the unnatural light in her eyes. “Why the hell are you still even here? Answer me honestly, you owe me that much at least-”
“Oh, I owe you? That's hilarious.” Pinkamena snorted in entertainment, shaking her head in disgust as she leaned back and crossed her front limbs. “But gee, let's see, why the hell would I still be in this crappy little town when it's turning quickly into a giant roach motel for anything that ain't perfectly pony... oh, I dunno. My sister. My shop. And you're just so fun to play with.”
Pinkamena leaned forwards mockingly, grinning widely, and Applejack narrowed her eyes dangerously as she leaned forwards and set herself, saying coldly: “I've warned you before. I'll warn you again, but this is the last time, Pinkamena... next time I catch you doing something suspicious like this, making me think you're spying on us for the other side-”
“Yeah, right. That's me, spy for Luna and Scrivener.” Pinkamena rolled her eyes, and malicious mischief gleamed in her irises as she leaned forwards and asked mockingly: “What are you really gonna do about it, Applejack? You're just an earth pony. And like you said yourself, we all know what I'm not. You stand here, all tough and proud talk, but you know that if we got into a scrap I could blow you out like a candle, little girl. And you know as well as I do that if Scrivener and Luna wanted to wipe this town off the face of Equestria, you wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in Muspell. And before you ask, why yes, I did pick that saying up from Luna.”
“You're pushing my buttons.” The goldenrod mare leaned forwards, and then snarled when Pinkamena matched the motion, almost shoving their faces together. “Maybe you're forgetting that what you do doesn't just affect you, Pinkamena. Maybe you're forgetting that what you do affects Pinkie too.”
Pinkamena's eyes widened slightly at this... and then she snarled, seizing Applejack by the throat as she stood up on her rear hooves, hefting the goldenrod mare into the air as she gargled in shock and clutched at the hoof grasping into her throat... a hoof that felt more like a claw as she stared down in shock as Pinkamena's eyes glowed and she snarled: “She is not a bargaining chip, do you understand me?”
Ponies were staring now, all around them, and Applejack gritted her teeth, horrified by the strength of the dull-pink pony before she hissed and swung a rear leg up before slamming her hoof into Pinkamena's face. It dislodged her, knocking her free as the gray-pink pony's head snapped to the side, her waterfall of a mane spilling over her features and obscuring them from view as her forelimbs dropped limply by her sides, and Applejack hit the ground on her back but quickly rolled backwards to her hooves, breathing hard.
She glared across at Pinkamena as the creature stood stock still... and then slowly rose her head slightly, her mane parting around her muzzle, revealing half of her grinning face... and Applejack stared in shock as a tremble ran through her. Sure, she might not have put all her force into the blow, but it would have been enough to rattle the teeth out of a normal pony's skull... while Pinkamena was only grinning, not a speck of blood or hint of a bruise, whispering: “What a letdown. Last time we fought, you cracked my goddamn skull. This time you couldn't even give me a nosebleed... and that brings a tear to my eye.”
Pinkamena sniffed loudly, reaching a hoof up and wiping at her face slowly Applejack straightened, her eyes locked on the dull-pink pony before the goldenrod mare said coldly: “You're a demon.”
“Duh-huh. Gee, AJ, you sure catch on quick. I've only been called 'half-demon' for pretty much the entire time I've existed.” Pinkamena retorted rudely, flicking a hoof before she snorted and began to turn... but Applejack smiled ruthlessly as she caught the half-glimpse Pinkamena shot back at her, the hints of nervousness in her body language as she began to pass through the crowd. “Anyway, that's enough fun and-”
“You been screwing with us, Pinkamena. You're a full-blooded demon, ain't you?” Applejack asked sharply, and Pinkamena froze before slowly, coldly looking over her shoulder, and AJ glanced towards the uniformed soldiers that had stopped loading up the storage facility, nodding to them curtly.
Immediately, the uniformed ponies ran forwards and fell into formation behind her, and Pinkamena grinned widely as she turned around, licking her lips slowly. “What, you and your friends are gonna beat me up now? Ooh, I'm shivering in my hooves, Applejack, really. Tell you what-”
“No, you ain't in charge here, demon or not. I'll tell you what.” Applejack said cordially, narrowing her eyes. “You and Pinkie are friends, but we got strict rules around here. Rules I've been overlooking for way too long. Somepony, I need to send a message.”
A unicorn stepped forwards immediately, flicking his horn to open the saddlebag at his side before a quill and a short strip of parchment floated out, and Applejack said coldly, as her eyes met Pinkamena's own surprised irises: “Eviction order: Sugar Cube Corners. Reason: SEAL infestation. Recommendation: Purge. Send it to head office.”
“You bitch!” Pinkamena snarled as the unicorn flicked his horn and the strip of parchment burst into green flame, her eyes glowing as she spun back around and stepped forwards, but then she halted when Applejack held up a hoof and two ponies leapt up beside her, snarling and setting themselves even as Pinkamena's frame rippled unnaturally, her hooves grinding against the ground as she hissed: “That's our home! My sister's home!”
“Not anymore. Messenger, got a second message for you.” Applejack replied coldly, even as her heart twisted in her chest, even as her mouth felt dry at the words she had to speak... but she had to protect Equestria. She had to protect Ponyville, even if it meant hurting her friends, and she said with only the faintest of unheard trembles: “Arrest Order: Pinkamena Pie and Pinkie Pie. Reason: SEALs. Send it.”
“No!” Pinkamena shouted desperately, shaking her head fiercely as she stepped forwards, snapping: “Pinkie Pie's a retard, she didn't have any idea about me... yeah, I'm a demon, you got me! I'm Luna's best goddamn friend if that'll make you happy, I polish Scrivener's claws every night, leave her out of this!”
But the strip of parchment had already burst into green flames and vanished, and Pinkamena stared stupidly before the uniformed officers began to advance... and then halted when Applejack straightened and held a foreleg out, shaking her head shortly and saying quietly: “Pinkamena, you have maybe one hour while that paperwork goes through City Hall and then filters its way through all the forces of the Knights of New Equestria. Here's your choice. You can stay and fight us all, or you can get your flank moving, grab Pinkie Pie, and flee into exile. But once the order goes out... we'll come for you. We'll come to lock you away if we can or kill you if we have to. Now take this chance and go.”
Pinkamena snarled, breathing hard for a few moments... and then the demon turned and vanished in a burst of black smoke, several of the uniformed ponies staggering backwards in surprise before the unicorn looked up and asked worriedly: “C-Commander Applejack, are sure that's wise? What if... if Pinkie Pie...”
“Pinkie ain't no demon. But she might be co-conspirator all the same, as much as it... hurts to think. As that betrayal...” Applejack closed her eyes, swallowing thickly before she shook her head briskly and looked coldly up, saying quietly: “I want one of you to head out to the ranch. Get the best gear you can grab and tell them to be ready to purge Sugar Cube Corners, but don't head over early. Give them a fair chance to escape. Pinkie deserves it, even if Pinkamena don't.”
“You're a good pony, Applejack. This is why we all look up to you, need you... you aren't heartless like those rear-echelon mother-buckers who think we can all just stand around waiting forever while more and more monsters rise up against us, but we all know you'll do everything you can to keep us safe. You're a real hero.” one of the ponies said empathetically, nodding fervently, and Applejack only smiled faintly over her shoulder at the mare.
The unicorn hurried off, and Applejack took her time getting everypony back in order, letting herself calm down before she made her way towards Sugar Cube Corners. She watched, silently, as Pinkamena half-shoved a crying Pinkie Pie out the door, the demon carrying a pair of heavy saddlebags and pushing her sister along, shouting at her to keep moving even as ponies and Nibelung both stared... and then Pinkamena's eyes alit on Applejack, and she snarled at her before shouting furiously: “I won't forget this, Applejack! Don't you think I won't come back for you one day!”
“Applejack, why? Why are you doing this?” Pinkie Pie added, almost the perfect twin for her sister at the moment with how her own usually-bouncy mane and tail had fallen straight, her eyes wild and terrified and despairing as she continued to stagger along in front of Pinkamena, and then she yelled miserably, childishly: “I don't want to go!”
And Pinkamena snarled before suddenly leaping forwards, Applejack gritting her teeth and leaning forwards, expecting everything she had ever suspected to prove true in that moment... but instead of attacking her, Pinkamena twisted sinuously low beneath Pinkie and shoved herself back to her hooves, picking her twin easily up even as the saddlebags bounced at her sides as she ordered: “Hold on!”
And Pinkie shrieked as Pinkamena shot through the street, Applejack looking surprised... and then gritting her teeth when several armored ponies charged past her, heavy, masking helms over their faces and thick shields over their backs as one of them shouted: “In the name of the Knights of New Equestria, cease and desist!”
Applejack shook her head slowly but didn't call out to halt the three, sighing a little as she muttered: “Overeager. I'll have to talk to Unit B again... great, another thing on my to-do list.”
She shifted a bit, guilt still twisting through her heart... but she knew Pinkamena would escape, and likely with ease. Even if the Nibelung closed the gates, even if she ran into Rainbow Dash and his Aerial Assault squad, she'd find a way through. And once they got a little ways out of Ponyville, they'd be safe...
Applejack shook her head slowly, turning and trudging silently down the road towards the gates that would take her towards her own home... and past a visit she had been putting off for too long. But even though it hurt to have driven the ponies who had once been friends out of her village... she knew she had done the right thing, and it compelled her to finish the job, to clean out the wound completely. To take care of one last problem.
She calmly walked towards the gates, and Nibelung dressed in thick rawhide armor both saluted her courteously, the mare nodding in return to them before pausing to ask calmly: “Patrols been out this way?”
“Yes, pony-boss. But no bad news.” the dwarf replied quickly, looking relieved. “Is safe, and no sightings of nasty shadow-ponies in area.”
“Just keep your eyes open. Now that we know Luna really does have Nightmares that can walk around during the day, we gotta be more careful.” Applejack said calmly, and the wolf-pigs both nodded and saluted before the earth pony continued out into the road, reaching up to adjust her hat as she glanced silently into the fields.
New buildings were being constructed out here: higher fencing and security walls, enormous and ominous guard towers equipped with alarm bells and signal beacons, and old buildings had been remodeled. What had once been a little used barn was now an armory, and all the Knights of New Equestria were familiar with 'the ranch,' an impromptu base where the Knights gathered and trained on acres of farmland that was slowly being converted into a full-fledged training facility.
Applejack lowered her head as she walked, grimacing a little: it was hard to think of how in the past, her enemies had been her best friends. Once, Luna had even been the leader of the Starlit Knights, the organization that had inspired the Knights of New Equestria... once, the had all protected Luna, and her secret, from all of Equestria. But she had changed... she had corrupted.
“Power... does it do this to everypony? Does everypony transform, change, when you give them strength? Do all saviors eventually become villains?” Applejack wondered aloud, looking up silently towards the blue sky overhead, watching blameless white clouds float slowly by before she halted quietly in the road in front of a cottage shielded by walls scrawled with graffiti, dirt, and gouges of all shape and size. “Is anyone... really ever friends with anyone, or do we just... use other people while we like 'em and need 'em...”
She sighed softly, then stepped silently forwards... and grimaced when the demon that guarded Fluttershy's cottage materialized in front of her, shivering a bit. It had a hard, jagged carapace shielding its back and skull, its eyes glowing blackly and teeth enormous and dangerous in jaws that dripped acidic saliva, six sets of clawed limbs eagerly tearing against the ground as it rasped: “No guests.”
“Look again. I know I ain't Fluttershy's favorite pony in the world, but she's never turned me away neither. Now get out of my damn way.” Applejack said quietly, and the demon leaned forwards with a snarl, breathing steam over her face as she faced it back, refusing to show fear. “I said... get out of my way, monster.”
The demon snorted again, then it suddenly drew back and vanished from sight, and Applejack shuddered once before stepping firmly forwards, breathing hard and refusing to give in to the fear. They knew that demons fed off it... especially the nastier ones, like the Wrath demon that guarded Fluttershy's cottage, left here by Luna. Some nice gift that thing is... “Fluttershy!”
The goldenrod mare hammered on the door... and then frowned when it clicked and slowly opened, pushing her hoof against it and feeling a shiver of concern. She leaned nervously forwards as she pushed the door open, then strode slowly inside, calling hesitantly: “Fluttershy? You in here?”
“Oh...” Applejack turned in the direction of the sound, frowning a bit before she strode into the den... and then stared at the sight of Fluttershy sitting on the couch with her head back and eyes closed, smiling dreamily as the Phooka lay half-curled over her, raising its head with a snarl and a flare of its bright green eyes. Applejack immediately winced and half-rose a hoof as she turned her head away with a grimace.
“Dammit... Fluttershy, you hear me, you need help? And Phooka, get away from her and stay away from me or I'll beat the tar out of you.” Applejack grimaced, slowly edging forwards as the Phooka snorted in what sounded almost like disgust... but the earth pony knew they were only animals, no matter how smart they seemed. It growled at her, but then slowly slunk backwards, slipping off the couch and moodily sitting itself between earth pony and Pegasus. “Fluttershy, wake up!”
“Oh, Applejack?” Fluttershy blinked a few times, curiously raising her head... and as Applejack lowered her hoof just enough to look past it at the Pegasus, she felt a shiver roll through her at the way Fluttershy's eyes seemed almost to glow. “What are you doing here? I was... I was just having the nicest dream...”
“I bet you were.” Applejack muttered, and the Phooka grunted at her before the earth pony mare sighed and closed her eyes, turning her head away as she muttered: “Fluttershy, listen. I'm really, really sorry to do this, but this is a business call. I've been here a few times and... so has Dash, and every time, well... we've-”
“It's okay. I understand.” Fluttershy said quietly, bowing her head forwards before she smiled faintly as she rubbed slowly at her stomach, sitting calmly up. Then she glanced down at the Phooka... and Applejack couldn't help but stare at her with surprise as the Pegasus spoke in a growling, rumbling hiss, and the Phooka glanced up at her before nodding once.
The smoky, pony-shaped creature stood up and headed to the kitchen, and Applejack frowned a bit as she looked at Fluttershy, drawing her eyes over her as she asked slowly: “You... you can talk like them?”
“Yes, of course. It wasn't hard to learn because... well, he's able to link with my mind and all.” Fluttershy smiled a little, looking silently across at Applejack. “It was important I learn. I needed to be able to communicate better with him, and... with other Phooka.”
Applejack frowned slowly, looking nervously back and forth, but Fluttershy only smiled as she silently pushed herself to her hooves, then blushed a bit as she rubbed at her stomach again, saying quietly: “Please do me a favor. Please don't burn my cottage down, or... do anything bad to it. One day, I may want to come back, if things... settle, I'm very fond of this. Luna and Scrivener... made this a beautiful place for me.”
She quieted, then shook her head slowly as Applejack felt another horrible wrench of guilt in her chest at the sad eyes of the Pegasus. The earth pony mare swallowed thickly, then she said almost desperately: “Look, it... you don't have to leave Fluttershy, I just came here to say that... we need you to stop feeding the Phooka and taking care of them...”
“They're my family, Applejack.” Fluttershy glanced up towards the earth pony, then she smiled a little as her eyes gave another strange gleam, making the earth pony shudder a little again with something other than guilt, a worry that wasn't just for the Pegasus. “And I didn't want to leave here. Like I said, this place was special to me... and I wasn't sure I'd be up for the journey. I was scared, so scared... but the Phooka have promised to protect me and help me, as has the demon outside. They don't scare me anymore... none of them do. Especially not Luna and Scrivener and Twilight... why, the only reason I feel... okay about moving now, is because they offered me my own home at Enstasis, my own set of rooms, and even a job.”
She laughed a little and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “Well, actually, the last sounds almost too good to be true. They want me to tend to the Phooka and the other creatures who have more... animal in them. Twilight said she was very impressed and very proud of me... her love is like a mother's love, a mother's pride, and that's important, the most important thing in the world... or next to it. Love is very special Applejack... love makes us strong. Love makes even the meek strong enough to do things that the confident never could...”
She smiled again, looking up at Applejack almost knowingly, and the earth pony swallowed thickly as she stepped backwards before wincing as she heard quiet taps of pony-like things surrounding her, keeping her eyes low as she gazed back and forth. She saw smoky, incorporeal hooves all around her now, could hear the breathing of the Phooka and their low rumbles, and then she slowly looked up as Fluttershy stepped forwards and said quietly: “It's okay, Applejack. They aren't going to hurt you. They just want to protect me, that's all... and I know you and all the ponies of Ponyville don't agree with things, but... the Phooka reminded me of what's important. Twilight, Luna, Scrivener, Scarlet Sage... they're all important. And that I should move on, and they're all here to help with that, because... and I'm so sorry... but because Ponyville... isn't Ponyville anymore, and you're not the ponies you used to be, either.”
“Fluttershy... what are you talking about?” Applejack asked slowly, and then she closed her eyes and lowered her head quickly, trembling a little as the Phooka moved in closer around her. “Look, you're... kinda scaring me, Fluttershy. This... this isn't like the Fluttershy I know...”
“Applejack, they're my friends, and they aren't going to hurt you. If you would trust them enough to open your eyes, you'd see.” the Pegasus replied quietly, shaking her head slowly as she smiled sadly at the goldenrod mare. “And I know it's hard, but... you're also here, throwing me out of my own home, because I've been taking care of these harmless friends...”
“Harmless? They eat meat! They hypnotize ponies, they... look, okay, fine. Fine, Fluttershy, I'm going but... sunrise tomorrow, I'll be back here to make sure that this cottage is empty and you and all your... 'friends...' are gone, you understand?” Applejack stumbled blindly in a circle, then she shoved forwards, gritting her teeth as she ground against semi-corporeal Phooka, breathing hard and feeling them pushing back against her like smoke that had somehow gained solidity, cursing under her breath before she felt thin air in front of her and she opened her eyes to wheeze in relief at the sight of the door.
She wanted to glance back over her shoulder, but resisted, keeping her eyes forwards even as she shouted: “I'm sorry, Fluttershy, but Ponyville has to be safe. For the foals, for everypony, and Phooka feed on anything they can lure out into the wild... and worse yet is that demon you got in the yard, and the fact we know you're connected to Luna and Twilight and you... you just confirmed that. That makes you an accomplice to Luna, Fluttershy, and I'm sorry.”
“I know.” Fluttershy calmly strode into the herd of Phooka, the six or seven creatures clearing out of her way even as they gathered protectively around her, and Applejack finally couldn't resist risking a quick glance back at the Pegasus... and she swallowed at the sight of her, surrounded by the smoky equine shapes with their horrible, eldritch fire eyes. And yet Fluttershy was smiling faintly all the same, the sorrow in her eyes not for herself, but for the earth pony as she said quietly: “I'm sorry it all came to this, Applejack. I hope one day you'll be our friend again. That one day you'll see for yourself that things are different... but not bad. I always hoped that maybe... you know, our foals would play together, if you ever had children with Rainbow. That would have been nice...”
“I... wait...” Applejack's breath caught in her throat, and she creakily turned to stare at Fluttershy, shaking her head mutely before she whispered: “You... oh my god, Fluttershy...”
But Fluttershy only smiled softly, shrugging slowly as she reached up and rubbed her stomach quietly. “Since my first day here... he lived with me. He took care of me. He showed me he wasn't a monster, or an animal. I taught him to read, but you never really cared to ask, did you? Even when we visited when you were at least pretending to try to understand us, you threw him scraps like he was an animal and you got mad when we shared a plate or a glass. I'm a month pregnant. He's going to be a wonderful father, and I'm going to be a proud mother. You're the first I've told, because I only found out a few days ago and don't... I don't want to rub it into Twilight and Luna's faces or anything, but I do want to tell them. I want to tell everypony, but... I don't know how they'd react.”
Applejack was pale and staring, shaking her head slowly before she whispered: “You... you got until sunrise. Then I'm reporting you as a SEAL. Not just... an accomplice, a... a SEAL. Do you hear me?”
“I know, and it's okay. No pony has to get hurt, and I'm sorry you feel the way you do.” Fluttershy bowed her head quietly, closing her eyes before she glanced up and added softly, as the eyes of the Phooka around her flashed: “But I won't ever let you or anyone else hurt my babies, either. Thoughts of... being hurt make me sad, and imagining what you might do to me with what you've become, Applejack, upsets me and scares me. But the thought of you trying to harm my foals before they've even been born...”
She looked up, her features become hard and cold for a moment, and Applejack almost fell backwards against the door as she saw the monster who had been Fluttershy's mother in that look. “I don't like that. I don't like that at all. So please leave.”
Applejack shivered, then half-spun and yanked the door open, staggering outside and running down the path through the enclosed cottage to the dirt road, stumbling into the middle of it and gasping hard as she looked fearfully over her shoulder just in time to see the cottage door slam closed. Trembles ran up and down her spine and through limbs that felt like jelly, and then the mare staggered across the road and then half-fell forwards before she vomited loudly.
Thankfully, there wasn't much to throw up, even as he coughed and gagged before stumbling backwards and falling on her haunches, a single, weak sob ripping up from her chest as she clenched her eyes shut in pain and heartache. Fluttershy... even Fluttershy had been infected by the evil, the darkness, turned into some breeding tool by Phooka and tricked into thinking one of them actually loved her... and it made Applejack's stomach twist into knots as she breathed hard and looked weakly over her shoulder at the cottage.
Then, slowly, she turned and dragged herself to her hooves, cursing under her breath as she forced herself to stride back towards Ponyville, doing her best to shake off her shivers as she spat to the side a few times. “Just... just focus. Just focus, Applejack... you still got Big Mac and Rainbow and Apple Bloom to think about, and... all those ponies in Ponyville, counting on you. Relying on you to take care of problems like this before they can spread... you gotta push forwards now and add to the notes. You gotta let the others know what those... those things are capable of...”
She nodded a few times to herself, picking up her pace, shoving her thoughts away as she told herself she was doing the right thing, shuddering as she whispered: “Imagine if you didn't know, after all, and we found out too late... after... they got another victim, those things are... goddamn rapists. How sick is that? They eat our corpses and they use us as... oh god, no, no, I'm gonna throw up again if I have to think about that.”
She shivered a little, keeping herself moving forwards as she thought about all the mares in Ponyville, all the fillies... and then she gritted her teeth, muttering: “I ain't gonna let that happen, no way, no sir, no how. Answers where the Phooka come from, at least, but... god what if Luna knew? She... no, I... would she sink that low?”
The thoughts that rose up made Applejack growl in disgust and contempt, running through the gates and into Ponyville with her mind focused and her eyes distant, the Nibelung looking worriedly after her as she headed through the streets. But instead of heading to the library, she turned and veered off towards City Hall, muttering: “Better send a message out immediately about this...”
She paused at the steps, shaking her head out briskly and composing herself, reminding herself there was no need to panic just yet as she straightened and adjusted her hat. She shivered: Fluttershy had been lost to the Phooka a long time ago, especially if she had given herself over willingly, knowing what they were... and Applejack felt another curdle of disgust in her body as she headed quickly up into City Hall, striding across the spacious lobby towards a pair of double doors guarded by armored Knights of New Equestria.
They saluted her approach, looking surprised as they hurried to open the doors for her, and the mare strode briskly into the large, open room beyond. A circular table sat at the front of the room, used for semi-private conferences and meetings, and shelves and racks of scrolls formed several dark aisles along the latter half of the room. Applejack ignored the few uniformed ponies at the table as she turned to make her way down the corridor of shelves, heading for one of several doors at the very back to shove her way through, and a Nibelung glanced up in surprise before Applejack barked: “I need you to send a letter to the head office, I have urgent findings to report, Peru!”
“Uh... well...” the Nibelung cleared his throat awkwardly, rubbing apprehensively at his simple robes as he rubbed at the single tusk jutting from his jaws. Unlike the other Architects, it wasn't cut down, but he was completely missing the other tusk, making him look all the more lopsided when he grinned awkwardly. “Can't it wait until tomorrow, pony-boss?”
Applejack glared at him as she strode up to the desk and then slammed her front hooves down on it, making his collection of quills, ink pots and parchment rattle, and the Nibelung squeaked and half-fell backwards before the goldenrod mare took a slow breath, forcing herself to calm even as she said in a dangerous voice: “Listen, Peru, we can always go right ahead and have you transferred way back up north...”
“Okay, okay, point taken.” Peru sighed and dropped forwards, nodding grouchily before he straightened and added glumly: “But this whole nightmare has to stop one way or the other. Yes, I know that most of the Architects are working for Equestria, but plenty of them are trying to balance between both sides... and quite a few are still loyal to the scary fancy-corn. And the longer there's a division in the Architects, the longer I'm going to stay a neophyte, and the more frustrating it gets for me. I should be a docent by now at the least!”
“Yes, yes, I heard all this before, sugarcube, my heart bleeds for you.” Applejack said tiredly, and Peru mumbled to himself disconsolately before she softened and said finally: “Please? Will you please do this for me?”
“Yes, pony-boss, yes.” the Nibelung grumbled, pulling a piece of parchment towards him before he picked up a quill and swirled it into an open inkwell, mumbling: “Three ranks beneath the meanest Architect and I'm supposed to be in training to be an Engineer. Did I show you my plans for the flying machine?”
“You show everypony the plans for your flying machine, somepony's gonna end up stealing it from you.” Applejack said gently, feeling her mood settling with relief at the willingness of the Architect to work. Then she paused for a moment before closing her eyes, saying quietly: “Tell 'em... tell 'em that I found out the Phooka can breed with ponies. That maybe part of the reason they stick close to settlements ain't just to pick up scraps or hope they can get a lone pony, they-”
“Oh that's disgusting.” Peru mumbled, and Applejack glared at him as the Nibelung wrote hurriedly before adding moodily: “Not as disgusting as something else I heard this morning, though.”
Applejack tried to resist, but then sighed a little, asking finally: “What'd you hear? You know, you ain't supposed to go telling gossip to everypony...”
“Well with you it's different, isn't it? You're the Commander, and you're going to get the report on this anyway.” Peru grimaced a bit, looking up and saying moodily: “Scouts in the forest found a bunch of dead zebra. Strung up by their own guts. They'd been there probably since the night before... but the real twisted part? They were still alive. They were strung up, then force-fed their own healing potions. Apparently left by the demons as a warning not to mess with the scary fancy-corn.”
Applejack shuddered at this, shaking her head slowly as she muttered: “Dammit... did they...”
“They're alive, yes. Scouts brought them back, they're in intensive treatment at the hospital.” Peru replied absently, glancing down as he signed the letter and then rolled it quickly up. Applejack watched silently as the Nibelung opened a desk drawer to pull out a ribbon marked with the seal of New Equestria, the dwarf continuing thoughtfully as he tied the letter closed with this: “Think it's pretty stupid, personally. I mean, it's almost a declaration of war, isn't it? Maybe the fancy-corn wants this war, though... maybe that's why she sent Celestia in the first place. To antagonize a battle...”
The goldenrod mare shook her head with a grimace, muttering: “I don't like that thought at all, Peru. Not with Ponyville in so much danger... not with us without a whole lot to depend on right now. If Luna attacked...”
The Nibelung winced at this as he nodded a little before standing up and turning around, grasping the handle of a panel in the wall marked with the crest of New Equestria and sliding it open to toss the letter inside. He slammed it closed, and there was a loud whoosh from behind the panel before the dwarf sighed and turned around, saying finally: “So I take it you don't believe in the stories about the new guy?”
“What new guy?” Applejack asked curiously, and then she groaned and rolled her eyes when Peru gave her a look, muttering: “Great. Now what the hell did I miss? How am I the Commander and yet you're the one everypony tells about things?”
“Because I'm the one who gets all the correspondence, and you know that you usually get the memos passed onto your unit from administration two or three days late.” Peru shrugged a bit, smiling slightly. “Apparently he's been wandering through Equestria for a little while, and he just got into Ponyville this morning, hauled two supply wagons by himself.”
“Big fella? I saw a big fella helping unload supplies at one of the storage huts... figured he was going to be heading back out with the rest of the New Equestria forces, though, to Manehattan or one of the other larger cities they send most of our stuff out of.” Applejack looked thoughtful at this, glancing up and muttering: “Well, that'd be a stroke of luck. Fine, then, I need some cheering up anyway so a drink at the tavern sounds like a plan. Thanks, Peru.”
“Good luck, pony-boss.” Peru said mildly, raising a hand to her, and Applejack grunted as she turned before rolling her eyes as the Nibelung called hurriedly: “Come back and tell me if he really can lift a wagon, will you? He can help with my flying machine!”
The earth pony only shook her head as she headed back through city hall, emerging onto the steps and grimacing a bit as she glanced first in the direction of the once-library now-intelligence center... and then she sighed a little, nodding to herself and murmuring: “Duty first, then we try and see about the new guy.”
It was only a short stop, however: there were a few other Knights of New Equestria going over charts and maps, but nothing else to seriously distract her as she dug one of the notebooks on Phooka out of the shelves. They seemed to recognize that she wanted to be left alone as she wrote a little bit about what she had learned and shuddered as she thought of Fluttershy, an uneasy feeling twisting through her gut as she thought both of what the Phooka had done to the poor Pegasus... as well as worrying suddenly if she had been too hasty. After all, she had more than once been asked to catch SEALs when they acted particularly-strangely or came in some rare variety... what if they wanted her to capture Fluttershy? What if they sent somepony else in to do it, what if...
“I need that drink.” Applejack muttered as she slammed the book closed, and then she sighed and shook her head briskly before looking up over the uniformed ponies and asking finally: “Hey, any of you know about the new recruit the Knights apparently have?”
“He's handsome?” a teal-green unicorn mare supplied, and this earned a snort of amusement from one of the others as Applejack looked at her dourly. “Not a lot, though. I don't think he's actually a Knight, though, or sent in by New Equestria... I got the feeling he's... he's here for some other reason.”
Applejack frowned at this, and then she nodded slowly and muttered: “Alright. Thanks, Burst. Peru said he was but Peru's more gossipy than a songbird in a hen-house, so I'd better check this out for myself. Somepony double-check what I wrote and then put the book away, got it?”
“Yes ma'am.” replied another pony, nodding firmly once, and Applejack smiled as she turned and headed out the door, glad she had ponies she could rely on to listen to her and follow the rules... even the ones that didn't always make sense at first.
The goldenrod mare made her way calmly to the tavern... and then winced as a Nibelung flew through the double-doors and crashed onto his back, skidding almost all the way across the width of the street and making ponies stare in shock... but instead of yelling or chaos, there was the sound of laughter from inside the bar, followed by cheering as Applejack ran over to the dazed dwarf and looked down at him with a wince.
He only stared dumbly up at the sky, however, then the wolf-pig shook his head hurriedly as Applejack leaned over him and rolled to his feet before he sighed in relief, mumbling: “Oh... pony-pony, not giant-pony. It's... pony-boss!”
The Nibelung yelped and saluted dumbly, and Applejack groaned and rolled her eyes, asking irritably: “And what in tarnation did I just see?”
“Uh. Arm.. wrestle. That go. Bad.” the Nibelung said dumbly, and Applejack stared at this excuse before the Nibelung winced. “It true! Giant-pony is... is strong as dragon!”
“We'll see about that.” Applejack muttered, heading for the double-doors and shoving through them with a glower. Her eyes immediately locked on a crowd that was gathered around a table, hearing a loud voice laughing and making a face as she began to push her way through the group, which winced and hurriedly parted for her after a moment. “Now who the hell are... you...”
Applejack stared dumbly up at the pony leaning over the table, a stein of ale in front of him, but the chestnut behemoth only grinned widely down at her as his eyes sparkled. At first, she thought he was wearing some kind of helm... but after a moment of staring, she realized his mane was made of living vines and ivy that twisted back and forth of their own accord, precious gemstones shining throughout them before he sat back and shouted cheerfully: “And here we see another warrior! And all thee know what that means, do thee not?”
There were cheers throughout the tavern, and then the earth pony who could only be Sleipnir the Mighty swept up his stein of ale, winked at Applejack, and cheerfully tipped it back, guzzling its contents and unmindful of the rivers of amber that flowed along his chin and muzzle before he let out a sigh as he slammed the stein down and shouted warmly: “Barkeep! Another round for all!”
More cheers echoed through the tavern at this, and the huge equine grinned jovially back and forth as Applejack could only stare. She knew the stories about him, remembered Luna's descriptions from all the times she'd talked about him, and she swallowed thickly before looking dumbly down as a glass of whiskey was set on the table in front of her, the cheerful earth pony saying kindly: “Join us, will thee not, fair battle-maiden? And my, what a pretty creature thou art! Such eyes, they shine like gemstones-”
“I'm married.” Applejack said shortly, and then she picked up the shot glass of whiskey and snapped it back as he gave her an almost-sulky look, swallowing it and exhaling loudly after a moment as her mind tried to catch up with what was going on before she looked dumbly up at him and said finally: “You're Sleipnir, ain't you?”
The earth pony's eyes lit up, looking delighted at this as he leapt backwards and nodded fervently, striking a pose as he shouted cheerfully: “And finally! A pony who recognizes I, I, Sleipnir the Heroic, Sleipnir the Mighty! Sleipnir, the generous-with-drinks-so-that-mares-may-forget-their-husbands-for-one-special-night.”
The male leaned over towards a pair of pretty Pegasi in armor, grinning widely and winking at them as he rose a foreleg and flexed his strong musculature through the chainmail that covered his limbs, the heavy breastplate over his body glinting majestically as the females giggled. Applejack, meanwhile, could only stare, and then Sleipnir laughed loudly and turned his grin back towards Applejack, looking over her thoughtfully. “But tell me, who art thou? I saw the fear in their eyes when thou came in, after all, the fear that can only be brought from a commanding officer, whom, while so pretty as the-”
“My name is Applejack, Commander of the Knights of New Equestria, Ponyville Division. If you hit on me again, I swear to god my hoof is going to turn you from a mighty male into a mighty mare.” Applejack said flatly, but Sleipnir only laughed again at this and tossed his ivy mane, and the goldenrod earth pony half-glared, half-fought a smile brought on by the sheer jovial ridiculousness of the stallion. “I thought you were dead though, for one thing... and for another, if you really are Sleipnir...”
“Aye, aye, I suppose I did die a long time ago... but that was another world, another time, and I have been sent to...” Sleipnir halted, and his merriment died slowly down as he gave a small smile, looking back and forth. “To clean up a wicked mess. Many pardons, my friends, but I fear I must take my leave with the Commander here. I must bring her up to speed, and she must speak to me. Aye, I know, I know, duty calls... but worry not, we shall have the time to drink and make merry again soon.”
The crowd rumbled its disappointment as Sleipnir strode calmly forwards, a titan that towered over the other ponies and yet did not intimidate for all his size and strength as he smiled with all the warmth of an innocent, tender child. He gazed back and forth as Applejack slipped out of her seat to head towards the door, Sleipnir falling in step beside her as they pushed through into the open air of the village.
Ponies and Nibelung both gazed at them with awe as they began to make their way slowly through the village and back towards the intelligence building, and there was silence between them for a moment. Applejack's was thoughtful; Sleipnir, on the other hand, was taking long breaths of the air as he gazed back and forth, marveling over every little detail, every now and then even staring up at the sky... and then he threw his head back and laughed, earning a glare from the earth pony mare as they halted in the street side-by-side. “What's so damn funny?”
“Everything!” Sleipnir cried cheerfully, and then he threw a forelimb around her shoulders, easily lifting the much-smaller pony off the ground and making her yelp in surprise. “Look around thee! Oh, in times of war, truly, moments of peace and beauty are to be appreciated most! The sky, so blue, so wide, so free! So many ponies, striding without shackles, equals instead of slaves! Even Nibelung freed from their burden and bloodlust of Niflheim, oh what glorious days these are, when we see for what we fight, not just the dark cloud on the horizon.”
“Well, maybe it's been a good day for you, but I lost two friends and I still got a whole load of work to do, and don't even know what the horseapples you're doing here.” Applejack grumbled, shoving herself away from him, and the titanic pony looked down at her with surprise and sympathy. “So maybe you can start by answering a few questions I got.”
“I mean no offense, fair Applejack, but why art thou so glum, then? The passing of friends and family should not be celebrated with tears, but laughter and remembrances of times past, so we do honor to their memory, so that when we think of them, 'twill not be with bitterness, but 'twill be as a reprieve, as a warmth, as a goodness!” Sleipnir replied warmly, reaching up and slapping her lightly on the back... and it was still almost enough force to drive Applejack to the ground as she winced, her hat flying off her head before she hurriedly picked this up and shoved it back on with a glare over her shoulder at the male. “Come, tell me of a good memory thou hast of thine lost fellows!”
The goldenrod mare only shook her head, however, muttering: “Ain't like that at all, Sleipnir. I didn't... they... they didn't die, but they're gone. They SEALs... I... that means they went over to Luna's side, and in a real bad way too. Your sister, who's gone bad. Real bad.”
Sleipnir cocked his head curiously at this, frowning slightly, and Applejack winced, wondering for a moment if the male knew anything about what Luna had done before he asked curiously: “Then if they still live, why aren't they thy friends?”
“They... I... didn't you hear me? They're... one of 'em's the twin of a demon and run off with her, one of 'em's stuffed full of Phooka foals and thinks one of those monsters actually cares about her, Luna's flooding Equestria, our Equestria, this land you're standing in right now with monsters and you're asking me why we aren't friends? What the hell is wrong with you?” Applejack asked incredulously, staring up at him with shock before she snarled and shook her head violently. “Do you even know what your sister's done? How she screwed with your other sister, Celestia's mind? How her husband is a damned Tyrant Wyrm?”
“And a fine poet, which is even worse!” Sleipnir said as if outraged, slamming his hoof against the ground, and Applejack's jaw dropped, her mind freezing up as the male said seriously: “Does thou know he had the audacity to complain about my singing? Granted, I was very drunk and the words were not exactly correct, but 'tis not the point of the matter! Little sister agreed with me, he was most out of line, but then she insulted me as well, although to be fair I did call her a sea-cow and 'twas really only a matter of time before-”
Applejack snarled and leaned forwards, shouting: “Will you just shut up? That ain't even important or the point! Does anything I say get through your damn skull, do you think this is all some big joke?”
“Well now. It seems as if somepony must have woken up with a pinecone jammed into her nether regions, for I cannot explain otherwise why thou would be so prickly and nasty a creature.” Sleipnir said sulkily, and Applejack stared at him before the male reached a hoof up and swiftly plucked something from her ear, and the female stared as he held up a small sprig covered in pine needles. “See, I was right. 'Tis growing all out of thee. No wonder thou art so moody.”
For a moment Applejack only stared at him, and then Sleipnir grinned widely and tossed the twig away, laughing and winking. “Oh, worry not, 'tis only sleight of hoof, I am sure that somepony did not actually jam such a thing into thee... but if thou wants me to check, I would be more than glad to make sure that-”
Applejack turned and seized Sleipnir by the shoulders with both hooves, leaning forwards and glaring at him furiously as she snapped: “I swear to the Horses of Heaven that if you continue that line of talking to me, mister, I will punch your lights out and leave you laying here in the street!”
“Art thou flirting with me? It is hard to tell with thy dialect, but it sounds very similar to what the maids of the past used to say to me.” Sleipnir narrowed his eyes at her inquisitively, and Applejack groaned and shoved him backwards before she shook her head and cursed, storming forwards before the enormous stallion smiled benevolently and hurried forwards, falling back into pace beside her as he asked kindly: “So hast thou ever visited Castle Enstasis? I was thinking of going there on the morrow and visiting my sisters. It would be nice.”
“You're really just going to stroll over to Enstasis and have a friendly visit your sister, after she's killed... who knows. Who knows how many deaths she's responsible for, how many mutilations and how much violence.” Applejack looked with disgust over at Sleipnir, but the enormous earth pony only smiled kindly at her, making her shake her head in disgust. “Yeah, that's a great plan, Sleipnir. So why are you here? Sightseeing? Touring? Are you just... here to enjoy the bloodshed? 'Cause if you are, you're a lot more like Luna than I'd hoped.”
But Sleipnir only laughed at this, shaking his head slowly and smiling kindly as they halted in front of the enormous tree that housed the intelligence center, the male reaching a hoof up and gently resting it on the mare's shoulder. “Nay. I am here to right wrongs, as I said before... and aye, I am here to aid thee. Thee and thine do not know what thou art up against with my precious little sister, or these creatures of darkness, but I do. I have been sent down from Valhalla on a mission, to supply what help I can and to bring Luna to justice.”
“Yet here you're talking about her like she's still your baby sister, like... like what, you're gonna just walk in there, fix her, and walk out? Like she's still somepony you're friends with, that you can visit between, what, meeting on the field and trying to kill each other?” Applejack gritted her teeth, knowing she was barely coherent... but in her mind, it made even less sense than her broken words.
Sleipnir, however, only smiled warmly down at her, saying gently: “Silly mare, thou hast been a soldier either too short or too long. Aye, Luna has done wrongs, and I am here to fix those as I can... but she is still my baby sister, and I her big brother. We're still friends and family, honored and bound, if not in blood, then in ties far deeper.” He smiled wider, as Applejack only stared up at him, and then he laughed and shook his head, patting her gently on the head and knocking her hat askew. “One day I shall fight her, certainly. But even after that day, we shall still be friends and family. Even should she kill me, we will still be friends.”
He paused, then shrugged a bit, saying meditatively: “'Twould be embarrassing, though. I would not wish to show my face for a week, perhaps more... killed by my little sister, I'll be the laughingstock of Asgard! What a future to look forwards to!”
And with that, Sleipnir turned, booted open the door of the once-library, and let himself inside as Applejack only stared after the gigantic earth pony, not even knowing what to think, too confused by everything that had happened to even understand what side she was on anymore.