Episode 7: Luna loosely based on the episode ‘Asuka Tachibana’
I don’t care about the past. It’s not important…just a distraction. Applebloom, Scootaloo, Fluttershy…I care about them. So STOP DOING THAT!!
Applejack sat up with a start, yelling into the darkness. “Easy, Applejack. There’s still a lot you still have to do” She looked around, straining against the shadows when a faint light shone and the air shimmered with it. A familiar shape stood before her, illuminated by the pale blue mist. “Don’t tell me…Darn it, I just don’t remember your name.” Applejack picked up her hat, brushing dust off it. The figure sighed, “It’s Luna, remember. How do you feel?” Applejack stretched, testing her body for injuries, “Good so far. What happened? How’d I get down here? Where is here, anyway?” Luna sat down, “We are in an underground cavern several feet below surface. You fell down here after a fight with Rarity, which ended with a massive explosion. You forced Rarity to reveal Zetsuei – Style Personified. An impressive feat.” Applejack yawned loudly, “This sucks.”
HOLY HQ
“As a result of this operation, we have now taken 41 Native Alters into custody. However, priority target NP-3228, alias Applejack, was not listed among them and is still missing. Given her particular personality, I personally cannot believe that she would be killed so easily, sir.” Rarity read out her report, her icy demeanour returning, though Pinkie was still…well, Pinkie. Commander Macintosh looked over the report, “Very good. Though I also have my doubts that Applejack is dead, but until we have proof either way, we shall go about our business as normal. Clear?” Rarity and Pinkie answered in unison, “Yes, sir.” When Rarity and Pinkie left, Commander Macintosh looked to his left, “How goes the plan, Sweetie Belle?”
Outside, Rarity and Pinkie discussed Applejack. “She’s definitely alive, Pinkie. I can feel it. The worst part is…maybe I want her to be alive, though I’m not sure why.” Pinkie pulled out a few cupcakes, swallowing two of them in one gulp, “Cupcake? Anyway, I’m sure it’s nothing. After all, she always comes back to you sooner or later. You make such a cute couple.” Pinkie danced away happily, giggling to herself as Rarity chased her. “There you are.” Twilight’s voice rang through the hallway. “Ms. Sparkle-” Rarity began, but Twilight held up a hoof, “Just Twilight will do. We’re friends, not strangers.” Rarity tried to maintain her professional air, despite having just thrown a cupcake at Pinkie Pie, “Twilight, then. I didn’t see you there. What are you even doing here? The medical team shouldn’t be back so soon.” Twilight held up several files on Native Alters, presumably the ones captured in the recent operation, “I got called back to do some research on the Native Alters you caught. You’re heading to interrogation?” Rarity nodded, “Yes. Then…I don’t know. Something to take my mind off things, I guess.”
Underground tunnels – Unknown location
“Looks solid, but the only way is through the water…” Luna sent out a few tendrils of mist lighting up the cavern. Applejack tapped the wall with her hoof, “What if we open up the wall? We could make a shortcut and-” “And cause a cave-in. Would’ve been a good idea, though. Ready for a swim?” Applejack blushed, and Luna noticed, “Don’t go thinking that! I’m not taking anything off!” Applejack turned away, trying to hide her face, “I wasn’t thinking that…” “Stop trying to lie. I can hear it in your voice, you pervert.” Luna ran into the water, chanting in a sing-song voice, “Applejack likes girls! Applejack likes girls!” Applejack charged after her, “Shut up, you! I’m gonna get you for this!” They came to some tunnels. “Guess we gotta crawl in there.” Luna giggled, “Shall I go first? I’ll shine some light so you get a good look.” Applejack tried to hide her blushing face, “You’re not gonna let me forget this, are you?” Luna beamed widely, “No way. Do you think this way about Rarity?” Aplejack buried her face under the water, though Luna swore she saw steam rising from the surface.
They crawled through the tunnels, stopping occasionally to figure out where they were going. “Hey, I got no light back here-OW!” Luna stopped and lit up Applejack’s surroundings, showing her what she had just bumped her head against. “Next time, I wanna get stranded somewhere sunny. Maybe a beach.” Luna shook her head, grinning slightly, “Well, we can arrange that, but you’d hate it. Since you and Rarity share a strong rivalry and all.” They came to a small hollow, big enough for them to stretch out. Luna handed Applejack some food, though it was HOLY rations and they’re not known for flavour. “Tell me, Applejack, what made you do this sort of work? Why do you risk your life like this?” Applejack stared at her right hoof for a moment, “I grew up alone, relying on no one but myself. I was always in trouble, then someone saved my stupid butt and started me on a new track. But that’s enough about me. What about you? How’d you get picked up by HOLY?” Luna ate one of the dry salty crackers, “Those were always terrible. Well…my sister always told me to follow what I believed in, but I’ve always doubted why I believe in something. I could just be so desperate to believe in something that I’ll believe in anything…” She trailed off, staring down at the ground. Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder, “Then trust your heart. Believe in yourself and make the decision that YOU believe in.” Luna thought about it for a while, seeing sense in the words, “Why are bothering to fight Rarity when you could talk her down?” Applejack shrugged, “Not sure. I fight HOLY because they’re invading our homes. But Rarity is different. I get the feeling that she’s…just like me.” “Aside from a different backstory, according to her file. But yes, ultimately, you two are so similar.”
The Inner farm
“See you tomorrow, Applebloom. Say hello to Applejack for us.” Applebloom nodded and waved goodbye as she raced home. She was worried about Applejack, even more than she usually was. She never used to take this long to do anything. Why hasn’t she come home yet? Where are you, big sis? She thought as she wrenched open the door, hoping to find Applejack waiting for her, but there was no one there. No Applejack, no Scootaloo, and Applebloom didn’t know what to do…
Underground shopping complex
The calm quiet was disturbed by a sudden explosion. When the dust cleared, Applejack and Luna stepped into the mall. “Your Alter matches you quite well. Blunt, strong, and wastes no time getting things done. Could also cause problems at times.” Applejack shrugged, “We work through it.” Luna looked around for an exit, “Should be around here somewhe-what are you doing?” Applejack held up a sealed can, “Food. If it’s good, then it’ll keep us going longer than those awful crackers.” Luna picked up a can, “Probably expired a while ago, and there’s no way to open them” A surprised yell from Applejack proved otherwise, “It’s spoiled. At least I didn’t get any on me.” Luna rolled her eyes, “Remember those problems I mentioned? This is it.” Applejack shook the gunk off her hand, “It’s not that bad.” Luna grinned, “You’re not worried at all, are you?” “Nope. Call it a ‘big sister’ instinct.” Luna set up some boxes as chairs, “Well, we can relax here for a while…I hope.” Applejack leaned back, stretching her legs out. Luna kept thinking, “Are you really the bad guy in this story? HOLY loves to believe you’re a maniac who fights for the sake of fighting. But you’re more complex than that.” Applejack sat up, “I’m fighting to bring hope to those who don’t have any. To inspire others to stand up for themselves and be strong. And to defend what I love most. That’s why I fight.”
The air shimmered as things started vanishing. Applejack and Luna stood back to back, scanning for enemies. “I don’t like this…” A huge monster appeared, charging out of the darkness towards them. They leapt out of its way, rolling to the side. “One of your HOLY friends?” Luna checked her communicator, “No, they would’ve contacted me.” Applejack charged at it, “Well, it’s between us and the exit.” Luna stayed back, concentrating her Alter, “We need a plan!” Naturally, Applejack had already started fighting, “No time!” She swung a heavy right hook, but was trapped by the creature’s tendrils. It lifted her into the air and tossed her into a wall. Luna floated up to assist Applejack, but found her grinning defiantly. “Playing hard-to-get, huh? If it wasn’t so ugly, that might be kinda hot.” “Must you joke at a time like this?” Applejack turned to Luna, “If I don’t, then it’s not fun.” Luna thought to herself, Even in a life-threatening situation, she still makes jokes? Is she really that relaxed?
“SHOCKING FIRST BULLET!” Applejack shot out of the wall, straight at the creature, knocking it back and tearing off its eye. She grinned, but her small victory was short-lived as the monster’s eye regenerated. A stream of tendrils shot forward at Applejack. She dodged the first wave, but got caught by the second wave. She struggled against the creature’s grip. “LUNA! GET TO THE EXIT!” The creature slammed her into the floor as Applejack yelled in pain. “GET GOIN’, LUNA!” Luna charged down the exit tunnel. Applejack turned her attention to the creature, knowing that she was about to die…
A stream of pale blue mist surrounded the creature, severing the tendrils holding Applejack down. “NIGHTMARE MOON!” Luna landed next to Applejack. “I told you to get to the exit.” Luna helped her up, grinning as defiantly as Applejack did, “I didn’t save your butt so you could die here, and I’m not leaving without you.” They took on fighting stances, “Let’s do this!” Applejack charged, fuelled by her passion. Luna charged in behind her, forming her mist into a blade. The two worked as a team, whittling the creature down, bit by bit. As they did so, Luna kept thinking about her older sister and how much Applejack was like her, missing the finer mannerisms, of course. “ANNIHILATING SECOND BULLET!” The attack hit the creature head-on, stunning it long enough for Luna to keep it that way. “Find the source while I hold it down.” “Already done.” Applejack pointed to a dog, twitching on the floor. “You can let go now, Luna. It’s different. We’re the intruders here, and she was protecting her home. I would’ve done the same thing…” Luna kneeled down, “I’m sorry, little one. We didn’t know.” They heard a rumbling through the plaza, and the roof came crashing down. Applejack picked up the dog and her puppies and handed them to Luna, then threw a punch straight up to break the rocks. The dust cleared and they found themselves trapped again. “Well, that could’ve gone better.” Luna nodded as rays of light shone down from the sky. Applejack smiled, “But there’s always a tomorrow. They laughed as they made their way to the surface.
Outside
I was dreaming. In my dream, she came back to the sunny bright world, filled with new hope and strength. But there’s still a shadow deep in her heart and an anger that never truly went away.
“Do you really want to do this, Luna? After all, we’re friends.” Luna nodded, “Yes. I need to know…how it ends.” Applejack nodded and readied her fist, “I only have one shot left.” “Nightmare Moon is in a similar condition. So it’s an even fight.” Applejack nodded and charged, swing a punch at Luna, who dodged and swung a powerful kick. The fighting was fierce, though brief, since both combatants were at their limits. Then the air rang with Applejack’s voice… “EXTERMINATING LAST BULLET!” She hurtled towards Luna, who blocked the blow with Nightmare Moon, though the barrier wouldn’t hold for long. She tried to draw some power to make a blade, but Applejack shattered the shield and crashed into the ground, sending Luna flying.
“Luna? Wake up, Luna!” She stared bleary-eyed into Applejack’s face. “I lost, didn’t I?” Applejack nodded, “But you gave it your best shot. Couldn’t be prouder unless you beat me.” Applejack lifted Luna onto her shoulder, “Now, we’re gonna get you some medical attention fast. And I want you to meet Applebloom.”
HOLY HQ:
“Interesting. The plan is going well. I only hope that when it’s over…it will be worth the price I must pay.”
End of Episode 7