//------------------------------// // Making Allies: Appleoosa's Grief // Story: A Sleeping Legend // by LE_MALEM //------------------------------// "Talk": Normal Talk "Talk": Thoughts Writing: Normal Writing Writing: Flashback, Letter... "Talk": Dragon Language, Shout... Chapter 4: Making Allies: Appleoosa's Grief Last time on A Sleeping Legend The blonde pony tilted her hat up, revealing a black band on her eyes and scars coming out and over. The bartender was scared of her appearance. She suddenly said. "One Applecider, shaken but not stir!" said the blind pony. The bartender looked at the strange pony then blinked twice. A sudden silence roamed the saloon but the stranger broke the silence. "What's the matter?" The bartender laughed loudly along with the whole bar. The blind blonde quirked an eyebrow which caught the attention of the bartender. "Ah'm sorry, ma'am" he said "But we do not serve anymore Applecider in these parts, or any parts of Equestria that is." "And why is that?" asked the blind pony. "Ya mean ya don't know!?" exclaimed the bartender "Any of the Apples' merchendise doesn't exist anymore. All the Apple farms all over Equestria were bought by Flim and Flam, y'know the two inventors, and they're dominating the market of apples and do never allow any competition. All this happened because of Queen Twilight's influence and the Element of Honesty's sudden disapperance, or should I say desertion." The blonde quirked an eyebrow at the news then hunched her head. She tilted her strawhat down as she said. "What about Braeburn?" "Braeburn? Well after the big Apples' Crisis as we call it, he didn't give up and was still selling his apples until one day at night, they torched his entire apple supply along with his house where he died totally burned to crisps." The news to the blonde pony were like thunderclaps to her heart. She tried to cry but she decided not to, not yet anyways. She placed a few bits on the counter but as she was leaving the saloon, she heard sounds, sounds of swords and knives being unsteathed. "Not so fast, ma'am" a customer said. She couldn't see him or anyone else but they were all, including the bartender, armed to the teeth, litterally. "We are under orders from Flim and Flam to apprehend or kill anypony that mentions any information about the Apples. We didn't expect that there is still an acquaitance for them in here except for the Queen but orders are orders. Do not expect us to pity you because you're blind." The blonde pony wasn't fazed by the threats but one thing was sure: Her heart wasn't the same as her mindset. "Why wherever I go there should be bloodshed? When will it cease? I am sorry for death shall be your fate!" *SLASH* Outskirts of Appleoosa In the hot desert, we could see two ponies' silouhettes approaching the entrance of the city. One was quite recognisable with her dragon armor, sword and stature; of course it was Fluttershy. But the second pony couldn't be seen or identified, it was hooded and wore brown clothing hiding everything. "Appleoosa!" Fluttershy exclaimed "The last time I was here I was trying to bring back Applejack to Ponyville." "You mean you knew that cowboy pony, my Thane?" the strange pony asked, unfazed by the mention of Applejack. The voice of the stranger looked female and calling Fluttershy 'My Thane' was sign that she is under her command. "Yes indeed! She was one of my best friends at the time. But enough chatter about the past! We're here for business. Could you please find a place where to hide? I will call you when I need support!" ordered Fluttershy. "Your orders are my commands, My Thane." she replied as they went their seperate ways. Fluttershy noticed the lively Appleoosa has become quite desert in the past year she saw it last time. No pony was in sight. It is as if ghosts inhabited the town. The green fields and trees were now piles of sand and dead pieces of logs scattered everywhere, waiting to be burned or carried by the winds. Fluttershy was saddened by the sight: She regretted every second that she killed the Princess. She wouldn't imagine that who once was her friend, Twilight, neglects something as simple as this but again she thought about her destiny and the fate of Equestria being at her capable hands, or should I say hooves. After that grim sight of the apple forest, she returned back to the city. She suddenly passed the saloon where she could hear screams of pain and agony all and around. "P-please, have mercy! I'll give you all the money I ca-GLAAAGHHHH." the pleading pony's voice yelled in pain as he was beheaded. His head rolled out the door of the saloon: It was the bartender's. Fluttershy's eyes, upon seeing the head, glared at the saloon's door and entered inside. She saw a bloody massacre: Limbs of every customer were scattered everywhere in the saloon. Bottles of Flim and Flam's Cider were broken all over the counter and shelves. Blood was roaming all and around as somepony was slowly cleaning her bloody sword and steathing behind her back. Her dress wasn't spared of the massacre as it was also covered in blood. As soon as she heard Fluttershy enter, she turned around, her face also shocked Fluttershy: Being blind yet capable of all this carnage was shocking indeed. "Who's there? I command you to tell me who's there before you face my wrath!" said the blind pony, pointing at Fluttershy's direction. "A-are you the one who caused all this?" asked Fluttershy. "What if I am? They saw it coming. They were all pathetic. They deserved to die!" she seethed. "I did it all of self-defense. They were trying to kill me too." "Well, wasn't there a more peaceful solution?" she asked again. "Peaceful? Let me tell you something there, stranger, this world has changed since Fluttershy murdered our Princess Celestia." these words were tearing Fluttershy's heart apart right now. "This world was as peaceful as it is until Fluttershy suddenly out of nowhere decides to kill her. Now we are feeling the wrath of Twilight herself because of this! It's chaos everywhere I go. Killers, thieves, rapists, opportunists and anypony that is corrupt... all this didn't happen in Celestia's reign. I swore myself when I lost my eyesight because of Rainbow I'll kill her and Fluttershy no matter what the cost." Fluttershy's eyes widened "Rainbow? As in Rainbow Dash? She did this to this pony? No! It can't be! Rainbow is the most loyal pony in all of Equestria. She couldn't harm anypony! And who is this pony anyway? How does she know Rainbow? I am really sorry for you." "I feel that you are a warrior of some sort! You want to battle with me?" asked the blonde pony all of a sudden. How did she know she was a warrior? Was she really blind? "True I am a warrior but I am not fighting you without any good reason. I am not here to fight you but to fight some threat that is coming to Appleoosa!" retorted Fluttershy. "Oh? In that case, we could simply test our mettle against each other, IF you're not scared that is." she unsteathed her sword as she stood on her two hind hooves, her stance was strange as she was gripping her sword while the blade faced the opposite way Fluttershy was standing. (I can't describe it well but imagine Johnny's stance from Guilty Gear). "B-but I said-" she was cut off by the blonde pony's rush. She moved incredibly fast towards Fluttershy. The latter backed to the streets where it is more open. "Good reflexes, warrior! Now less talk more fight! I don't have all day." she said, taking the same stance again. "I really do not wish to harm her but she's so spirited over a fight. I can feel that she doesn't want a fight either but maybe she really just wants to test her skills. Plus I've never seen that stance before! Maybe it's specialized for visually challenged pones such as her or maybe there is more to it." Fluttershy thought as she unsteathed her sword. "I think you're taking this more seriously, warrior! Let's see what you've got!" said the blonde as she charged Fluttershy again but this time with a horizontal slash. Fluttershy dodged it but as she dodged it she heard a crack on her helmet. "Huh? How did this happen? I dodged the strike!" she thought, evading the next flurry of strikes. The blind pony was moving with such grace that she could land her hits easily. Fluttershy had scars all over her body despite her ability to dodge. "I can feel that my sword has tasted your blood! Is this all you've got, warrior? I can feel that you're more than that! By the way, are you a pegasus pony?" she asked. "How did she know that? Is it-" her train of thoughts were interrupted. "I couldn't feel your hooves on the ground at all!" she said. Fluttershy's eyes widened. "This pony is amazing! Not only she controls her sword better than I do but also she's in total commune with earth itself. I underestimated her because she's blind but now I won't hold back at all." she steathed her sword, closed her eyes and concentrated her hooves; a yellowish aura enveloped her body as her scars closed up and the blood all over her disappeared. The blind pony felt that energy. "What is this power I feel? It's like the source of life itself was around this warrior! She's showing her true colors. Maybe that warrior has more that came from! I better interrupt her." she charged at Fluttershy again with an overhead slash. Fluttershy opened her eyes in the nick of time as she found an opening. She unsteathed her sword quickly and slashed the pony's stomach. Her wound was deep as her skin were split open by the sheer force of the strike. Her stomach was bleeding heavily as the blind pony fell on the ground. She was in pain as she was approached by Fluttershy. She could feel the danger coming. "I cannot die now! Not after all this, not after I've returned, NOT BEFORE I TAKE MY REVENGE!" she thought as she became unconcious. As the hours passed, the blind pony regained conciousness. Her body was quite in a rough shape as it was bandaged up. Her clothes and hat were on a chair besides the bed she was in. She woke up but couldn't totally get up as she held her stomach in pain. "It seems you're with us now!" a strange voice said. It was different from the warrior's sound. "Where am I?" she asked. "My Thane, after your duel, carried you here with my aid. I can't beliveve you survived! You must be a strong-willed pony to survive a wound like that." the strange voice answered. "'Thane'? What kind of name is that?" she asked again. "That would be my title." a familiar voice answered: It was the warrior she was fighting. "I'm glad that you're safe, Applejack!" If the blind pony was able to see, she would have her eyes widened of astonishment. She nearly passed out again but she maintained her composture. "H-how did you know my name?" Applejack asked. "You're clotheless now! I still can remember your cutie mark even after a year! Those unmistakable three apples are and were always in my memory." Fluttershy answered. "Y-you? C-could you please come over here? I-I want to touch your face please." Applejack stammered and demanded politely. Fluttershy removed her helmet, approached Applejack who touched her face gentlely. There was no mistake about it. "F-Flutter...shy?" she asked, gluping. "Yes, Applejack! It's me." Fluttershy replied calmly. "W-why? W-why did you save me? I- I threatned you. I tried to kill you. I swore that I will! Why did you do this to me?" every question for her was like a sword piercing her heart and soul. "Wouldn't that be a normal thing for a friend to do to his friend?" she replied. "A friend? You? You killed our beloved Princess! You turned Equestria into a chaotic mess under Twilight's reign. You made us go our seperate ways. You made us betray and forget everything we knew and loved till now and you say that you are my friend? I am sorry but I am not buying it." yelled Applejack, emptying her heart from the sadness that has overcame her the past year in those harsh words. "Then..." saif Fluttershy as she kneeled in front of her. "Kill me!" the servant pony tried to yell in protest but Fluttershy's hoof blurted out of nowhere ordering her to stop. Fluttershy handed her own sword to Applejack. "I had my own reasons of killing the Princess! Once in a time I regret doing it but it was the Princess' last wish. She accepted her fate to be killed by my hands after discovering she was evil. She always thinks and will think in Heaven that I did the right choice for Equestria. True I did make it plunge into its doom with Twilight as a new queen but one thing is clear: I would never betray my beloved Equestria no matter what. These were my last words. Now... Kill me!" she explained herself solemnly, still kneeling in front of her friend, thinking about failing her legacy, her mother and Equestria. She was ready to sacrifice her own life for the sake of her goals. The hooded pony's tears were showing on her face. Her master's words were touching. Applejack was still laying on her bed. Fluttershy's sword on her lap, she hunched her head down in shame. Her hooves were shaking when she held the sword and put it back. She got up and hugged Fluttershy tenderly, crying tears but not any tears, her bandana was turning red: She was crying blood. "I...don't know what to say to you, Fluttershy. I can't belive I was the Element of Honesty in Equestria yet I was blinded by vengance. I... am sorry but I cannot kill you. I just had that feeling that you're telling me the truth. I just want to say-" she was interrupted as Fluttershy put her hoof on her mouth. She wiped the blood on her cheeks, took off her bandana and used a spell. "Don't worry! It's just a spell I can use." Fluttershy calmed her as the blood stopped from her eyes. She couldn't open them but she kept crying but this time they were normal tears. "I- I do not cry blood anymore! Just what are you Fluttershy?" as soon as she asked the question, roars could be heard outside the abandonned house. It was chaos as the citizens were coming out of their burned houses yelling: "Dragons! Dragons in sight!" "Run for your lives!" There were four dragons this time attacking Appleoosa, ripping anypony apart and burning every house that stood in their way. Fluttershy, hearing the help calls, grabbed her swords and went out. "It's them! I am sorry Applejack but destiny calls. Don't move from your bed! Trixie, I require assistance please!" "Trixie? Trixie the showoff mare?" Applejack pointed at the hooded pony who unhooded herself. "Oh come on! I am just Trixie, my Thane is my master and I am her servant and yours too, no hardfeelings right." she replied quite eloquently Trixie's appearence changed in the past year, her hair became longer. She had a bow which she levitated by her horn and a quiver of arrows strapped on her back. Not only her appearence but her manners became better with Fluttershy's company the past two months. She rushed out of the house onto the roof as she notched up her arrow. Fluttershy was walking slowly, her beloved sword on her back. Instead, she reached for a glass short sword as she knew that the dragons were... weaker than those she faced before. There was a song that her mother taught her when she was training. She told her that a strange bard sang her the song. "Allow me to introduce myself to the world!" declared Fluttershy Music: Skyrim Rap: Dan Bull (Pony Edition) (Listen to the song while reading the next part) Fluttershy rushed towards the first dragon as an arrow was shot by Trixie to its eye. She slashes the dragon then mounts him, jumps and tears his mouth. The first dragon fell down from Fluttershy's brutality. She rushed to the second dragon, going under its belly and slicing it in a half. Blood was running out like a fountain dowsing Fluttershy as Trixie finished him off with an arrow to the face. The third dragon tried to toast her but. "FUS ROH DAH" Fluttershy shouted at his face interrupting him and startling him. He answered by a tail swipe which injured Fluttershy but she was unfazed. But she was angered as she shoved her glass sword right into his upper jaw and electrocuted him from the inside. She saw citizens being attacked by the fourth dragon which was the strongest of them and the most intelligent. "RUN FOR COVER!" she yelled to the citizens as she rushed towards the last dragon. Trixie's arrows were ineffective as he was flying all over the place. Fluttershy flew towards him shouting "STRUN BAH QO" as a storm was brewing in the sky. She slashed one of his wings which made him roar from pain. He fell down breaking some houses. As lightning stroke him over and over, the dragon didn't fall. He was a tenacious one but Fluttershy decided to put an end to this: She steathed her sword, mounted the dragon and with her own sheer force, beheaded him along with its spine which made Trixie squeal of joy upon seeing the power of her master. The dragons turned into bones as Trixie was looting them and Fluttershy absorbing their souls. Applejack didn't need her sight to know that Fluttershy was not the same pony as her mouth was open ajar from her power. She heard every slash, every roar and every gash of blood coming from those dragons as they stood no chance against the most unlikely pony imaginable. She knew that if she dueled her once again, she won't ever win in a fight with her at full power: She admitted defeat. Fluttershy and Trixie were approaching Applejack which kneeled in front of them. "I am Applejack, Ex-Element of Honesty in Equestria, want to go along with you in your quest and follows you wherever you are." declared Applejack. "Before we go Applejack, who's this Rainbow you swore vengance upon?" asked Fluttershy. "..." Silence roamed the place. "Well?" she asked again. "*sigh* I guess I can't hide it from you. Rainbow Dash is the cause of my blindness and my misery for the past few years." Fluttershy was all ears to hear Applejack's story (Will come in a seperate chapter later on). As soon as they heard the whole story, the newly formed group headed to their next destination. Canterlot's Castle Twilight was sitting on her throne (imagine Dracula from Castlevania: SoTN) as she was holding a glass of wine with her magic and drinking from it. Reports of the Appleoosa's dragon attack came through her via pegasus pony. "I think I'll have to investigate upon this matter much more seriously!" she said as she read the document. "But later, there is another matter at hand. I think Rainbow should take care of it by now." she smirked evily as she held up a poster. Wanted Dead or Alive Vinyl Scratch codenamed DJ-PON the 3rd For massive robberies, breakings and enterings and gambling Reward: Five million bits Facts: She loves gambling very much and was known as a disco pony in the past. And that's it for today folks! Part 2 is coming soon so don't forget to comment. Also, Trixie and Applejack's stories will be special chapters and I'll deal with them as soon as possible. Thanks for all and see you in another chapter!