//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: If the Nightmare Came True // by Curious Mew //------------------------------// Applejack ******** I'm busy apple buckin' when I think I see somethin' out of the corner of my eye. I stop for a second and look over at the treeline. I don't see anythin', so I turn back to my work. Near every citizen in Ponyville has to put in some work for the apple trees 'cause of Nightmare Moon. Used to be that only some ponies would bother with the harvestin', ponies like me. 'Course, at that time, we also woulda been workin' for ourselves. That bein' said, it certainly does help when more ponies put in some work for the harvest. I normally don't waste this much time thinkin'. I need to get back to work. I kick another tree, makin' all the apples fall into the baskets set up around it. Then I freeze, certain that I'm hearin' somethin' unusual from the woodland behind me. I really should get back to apple buckin', I think as I turn slowly and walk toward the sound. I crouch in some bushes and stare in the direction I'm hearin' things from. And then I see the strangest sight I've ever laid eyes upon. An actual dragon, although clearly a young 'un, is ridin' on a purple unicorn trottin' next to a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and behind another pegasus, a pale yellow one with a pink mane. Seein' two pegasi is strange enough, most of 'em spend their time in Cloudsdale or other cities in the sky, but dragons haven't been seen in Equestria since the Pony-Dragon War, if I'm rememberin' my history correctly. They were supposed to have all been exiled or somethin' like that. More than all of that, what the hay would ponies be doin' in the woodlands around here? It's not common, but at times creatures from the Everfree wander into the surroundin' woodland and it's better to just avoid the risk, despite how uncommon it is for a pony with a lick of common sense to actually be in any real danger so close to town. The blue pegasus suddenly turns her head and looks straight at the bushes I'm hidin' in before launchin' herself directly at me. I try to get out of the way, but the pegasus is a lot faster than me. She knocks me to the ground and stands over me, keepin' me pinned down. “Who are you?” she demands aggressively. “Why were you spying on us?” “My name's Applejack,” I respond indignantly. “I wasn't spyin' on ya, I was just workin' and I heard a noise. So I came over here to see what it was. Now get off me and tell me who ya are at what yer doin'.” The pony looks behind her and seems to get a response that I'd like because she snorts and lets me up. “Just don't try anything funny,” she warns. “Like what?” I snap, “Knockin' a pony to the ground for no good reason?” She snorts, “Whatever, just don't make any sudden moves or anything like that.” “So who are you ponies, anyway?” I ask. The unicorn steps forward and begins, “My name is-” “Stop!” the blue pegasus shouts angrily. “I still don't trust her! For all we know, she could be a spy!” “I'm not a spy!” I shout back. “She's not a spy,” the unicorn says. The pegasus gives her a distrustful glare. “Well, every spy needs to carry an enchanted object for identification, and I'd be able to tell if she had one,” the unicorn states defensively. I shift uncomfortably. How would she know that? It sounds like somethin' an agent of Nightmare Moon would know, and I'd rather never need to meet one. “As I was saying,” the unicorn says, turnin' to face me, “I'm Twilight Sparkle.” “Great, just give her your name,” the blue pegasus says, rolling her eyes. “And my name's Spike,” the dragon says. “Whoah, Nelly!” I exclaim. “Dragons can speak Equestrian?” “Of course we can,” he huffs and mutters somethin' else under his breath. “Well, could she be anypony else we should be worried about?” the blue pegasus demands. Suddenly, Twilight Sparkle shifts uncomfortably. “Ah, yes, we are fugitives, so I suppose we should try to avoid any loyal subjects of Nightmare Moon.” Then her face lights up. “Or we could turn ourselves in and explain the situation! I'm sure everything is just one big misunderstanding.” The pegasus looks at her like she's crazy. “You were sent to interrogate us before breaking us out of prison and now you want to turn yourself in to your teacher, who happens to be the most powerful pony in Equestria?” I start sweatin' and begin to feel very uncomfortable. This pony is a student of Nightmare Moon? And now she's a fugitive with other these other ponies? What the hay have I gotten myself into? I nervously mutter, “Well, I guess I'll just be goin' now, iffen you don't mind.” I turn to run away when the blue pegasus lands right in front of me. “Oh no you don't,” she says, a threat quite visible in her eyes. “You'll probably just run right off to turn us in to the closest Royal Guard.” “No, I just want to get back to work and forget that all of this ever happened!” I yell. “I just want to have a nice and simple life without needin' to deal with criminals or guards!” “That doesn't really seem very realistic,” Twilight Sparkle says slowly. “I'd imagine that anypony within a ten mile radius at the very least will be interrogated.” “Well, I'm not very fond of Nightmare Moon,” I say, “but y'all have just made my life harder and more complicated than she ever did.” “Why don't you like Nightmare Moon?” Twilight asks, soundin' a little hurt. “After all that she's done for you-” The blue pegasus snorts. “I'm serious, Rainbow Dash! I know that you and Fluttershy have had difficult lives, but most ponies are quite content!” Rainbow snorts again. “Great, now she knows all our names.” “Content, maybe,” I say, “but that don't have anythin' to do with Nightmare Moon. What has she ever done for us? And content might even be stretchin' it a bit.” “Everything I know can't be a lie!” Twilight protests. “What about the emergency food supplies? Or the soldiers stationed to protect you from the Everfree Forest?” “Sugarcube, I don't know what yer talkin' about,” I answer soothingly 'cause I can see that she's distressed, but I'm confused myself as to what she means. “There aren't any emergency food supplies, least not for us. Iffen there's a poor harvest, then we go hungry. And the Royal Guards do protect us, but they ain't exactly our friends.” The blue pegasus, Rainbow Dash, I remind myself, looks at me and says, “Well, I don't think we can exactly let us go. After all, I doubt you'd lie to protect some ponies you don't even know, and Twilight –” she glares at the unicorn “– told you our names and story so you know exactly who we are.” “So yer takin' me hostage,” I state in disbelief. “Not quite. You don't like Nightmare Moon and we, well Fluttershy and I anyway, don't either. So think of it as rebelling against her,” she replies. I stare at her, unable to believe that she just said that. “But I have no interest in rebellin', either! I never wanted any of this,” I protest. The other pegasus, I guess that would be Fluttershy, walks up to me and quietly says, “Then, um, you can go.” Rainbow Dash sighs, “No, 'Shy, she really can't. It would be too risky.” She looks at me and continues, “For us and for her.” “How would it be risky for me?” I ask with a sinkin' feelin'. “Well, the guards will probably talk to you, and if you say you don't know anything. And, well, how good are you at lying?” she asks. “Not very,” I answer. I've always been an honest pony by nature, and ponies seem to know on the rare occasions when I'm not tellin' the truth. And those ponies aren't even trained to detect lies. “Then the guards we probably learn that you knew that we're fugitives. And that you didn't try to stop us,” she continues. “Well, I could just go and tell the guards about you myself,” I reply uneasily. “But I don't think you will,” Rainbow Dash states. “You've already made it clear that you don't want anything to do with this. But there is that risk, after all, it would be less of a hassle than becoming a criminal. But that's another reason that it's dangerous for us to let you go.” Consarn it, why couldn't I have just kept my big mouth shut? “But I have a job! And my family lives here!” I protest, already knowin' that it's in vain. “Maybe you shouldn't have come over to see what you were hearing, then,” Rainbow Dash replies coldly. Twilight Sparkle looks at her in shock. “Rainbow, aren't you being more than a bit forceful here?” “Look, maybe you can get off with this if they catch you because you're Nightmare Moon's student and all that, but Fluttershy and I can't. We'll be punished for something we didn't do, and I don't even dare to imagine what that punishment might be. I don't want to force anypony to do anything, but I don't have a choice!” Rainbow Dash replies, yellin' by the end. “About you bein' a student of Nightmare Moon,” I begin hesitantly. “There's no need to worry about that,” Twilight states quickly. “No need at all. I'm just a citizen of Equestria who happens to be particularly talented in magic.” “The fact that ya think that is what worries me,” I answer. “Equestrian society ain't exactly made up of equal citizens, sugarcube.” “So I seem to be learning,” she replies, hanging her head slightly. “I just wish I knew why I've been lied to all this time.” “Well, we're all taught that we're equals in school,” I say, “it's just that the reality don't exactly match up, and we all learn that pretty quickly. I guess yer just an exception. Where are ya from, anyway?” “I'm from Canterlot,” she answers. “That would explain why then, I guess,” I mutter. I say more loudly, “Sugarcube, Canterlot ain't exactly a normal city. It's where most of the Equestrian elite live, and my understandin' is that there are few normal ponies there, just the servants that try to stay out of the way.” “Look, we've wasted way too much time already,” Rainbow Dash bursts out. “We need to get moving. Applejack, you really do need to come with us, there's no other option. Fluttershy thinks she knows the area well enough, but since you live here, you probably know it even better. So, could you be our guide? It doesn't matter where we go, it just needs to be away from here and all the guards.” “Fine, y'all just wait here while I go say goodbye to my family,” I sigh, knowin' that I'll never be able to change Rainbow's mind and that I have no way of getting away from this group of ponies. “That really isn't a good idea,” Rainbow Dash says. “It's better for your family if they don't know where you're going and doing, and what else would you tell them?” “I can tell 'em,” I begin before realizin' that I can't think of anythin' I could say. And they'd know I was lyin', anyway. “Fine, I'll lead you away from here right now,” I sigh. Twilight looks apologetic, but doesn't say anythin'. Neither does Spike. But Fluttershy comes right up to me and whispers, “Um, I'm sorry for the terrible inconvenience, but, um, thank you.” Rainbow Dash simply says, “Look, I'm sorry, but you need to start leading us right now.” “Alright, just come on,” I snap. “You could be more grateful.” Rainbow's face softens and she says, “I'm sorry. I know it's hard, but there's really nothing else you or we can do.” I nod. “I suppose that's right. Now come on and stick to the treeline.” I head off, followed by these strange ponies and a dragon still without knowin' exactly what the hay is goin' on or what I should be doin'.