//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Secrets // Story: Alteration // by MaximumBurn117 //------------------------------// Episode 11: Secrets Episodes 11 and 12 of s.CRY.ed were kinda boring, so I compiled them with Episode 13. Sorry if it’s bad Twilight awoke in a dark cell, unable to remember what happened previously. All she knew was that she had learned the truth about HOLY, but nothing more. She had been a pawn in a game, exactly as Rainbow Dash had said. But where would it end? How long before things finally see the end? HOLY HQ – Commander Macintosh’s Office “Make sure the records regarding Twilight Sparkle are sealed and deleted. It’s essential if we are to succeed.” Commander Macintosh said as he mused on current events. “So, she actually did it. She found the place where two worlds meet. But she still has so much left to learn…” Unknown Location – Somewhere on top of a bridge “Wind, temperature, humidity, awesomeness: Check.” Rainbow Dash turned her back towards the city and lowered her sunglasses, grinning to herself. “Shall we dance?” She fell backwards over the edge, the air shimmering and the sound barrier forming around her. Then the ground exploded and a rainbow coloured streak shot towards HOLY HQ at incredible speed, almost vaporising the wall of Twilight’s cell. “Oh darn, I did it again. Time to switch to decaf, I think.” She turned to a scared-looking Twilight, and lifted her glasses. “Hey there, Twinight.” “I-it’s Twilight.” Applebloom dreamed again that night. This time, though, it was like her hero’s memories, showing what that pony had been through. Rarity was dreaming of something similar, trying to figure out why she was so attracted to Applejack. Why she reacted so strongly to anything relating to that pony. Without warning, she sat bolt upright and screamed into the darkness. “APPLEJACK!” Applejack’s house Almost as if she heard a million voices calling her back, Applejack’s eyes flashed open. Luna glanced over towards her, surprised to see her wake up so soon “Huh? Oh, Applejack, you’re awake. Scootaloo, Vinyl. She’s awake!” “How long was I out?” “Three days. We thought you’d take longer to recover, actually.” Vinyl charged into the room, “You’re alright. I was so worried about you.” She grabbed Applejack into the biggest hug ever. “Easy there, Vinyl. Let her breathe.” Scootaloo said, trying to supress a laugh. “We’re all wondering about your arm. You’d yell whenever we touched it.” Applejack rolled up her sleeve, noticing a series of intricate patterns, like tattoos or scars, running up her arm. “That’s bad, right?” Vinyl took a closer look, “Looks kinda pretty, actually.” Luna checked the patterns carefully. “Alter scars. I heard they can be almost artistic, but…” “Not like this.” “Exactly. The only one I know of who has Alter scarring is Rarity, and she hides them with her hair. They show when she gets really angry.” Applejack got up out of bed, carefully making her way down the stairs. “I’m gonna go get Applebloom. I’m gonna tell her the truth. About me, HOLY, everything. I owe her that much.” Scootaloo opened the door for her, “Are you sure?” Applejack nodded, and climbed into the car. Only then did she stop to notice that the car was different. “What happened to the other one?” Scootaloo looked annoyed, “You happened. The car got caught in your fight with Diamond Tiara, who was picked up by HOLY earlier. According to Luna, she’s so far gone that she’s useless.” Luna flared up slightly at Scootaloo’s comment, “I didn’t say it that way. I will mention that she deserved it, though.” Applejack leaned back in her seat, just as Vinyl Scratch climbed onto her lap. “Ooh, cozy…” She giggled as Applejack blushed. The Inner Farm The trip was all but uneventful. Vinyl eventually moved to a seat of her own, but nonetheless kept as close to Applejack as she could (She’s starting to seem real clingy, huh?). Then they saw the Inner farm where Applebloom worked…as it was burning to the ground. “Oh, crap!” Applejack leaned forward, “Step on it, Scootaloo! I have to know if Applebloom’s ok!” Scootaloo complied, and revved the engine into overdrive. As they reached the farm, Applejack spotted some of HOLY’s Guards. “Over there. HOLY.” Applejack leapt out of the car, “Keep goin’! Help the people at the farm while I hold them off.” Vinyl yelled from the car, “Why do you always get to be the hero?” Applejack grinned, “Who said I’m being the hero?” She raised her fist towards the HOLY Guards, “How about you guys?” Scootaloo hurried over to the well, trying to get as much water as possible. “Let me,” Luna said as the air shimmered. “Nightmare Moon, retrieve water.” Scootaloo muttered, “I wish Fluttershy was here…” Vinyl groaned, “This is taking too long. BASS CANNON!” In the most stunning display, as soon as the air shimmered, she already summoned her Bass Cannon, and used it to blow out the flames by pulsing sonic vibrations through the ground. “Don’t ask me how I did that, ‘coz I don’t know.” Scootaloo wrenched open the door to one of the buildings and began ushering people out. “Has anyone seen Applebloom?” “Over here!” She banged on the door, trying to get it open. “It’s stuck!” “Stand back.” Scootaloo pulled out a gun and shot the hinges off the door, kicking it down. “Is Applejack ok?” “Yeah, she woke up a while ago, but she should be-” Scootaloo was cut off when Applejack landed in a nearby haystack. “Well, we won’t have to walk far to find her.” Applejack surfaced, spitting out hay and trying to get it out of her clothes. “I’ve had better landings. Hey, Applebloom.” Then Applebloom noticed Applejack’s arm. “Sis, what happened to your arm?” “No time to explain now. HOLY’s coming this way. I want you to head back home, ok? Luna and Scootaloo will look after you until Vinyl and I get back.” Applebloom nodded, “You promise?” Applejack grinned, “If HOLY doesn’t get me, and they haven’t caught me yet.” A few minutes later “Great plan. Was running for our lives part of plan A, or plan B?” Vinyl quipped, as Applejack looked back, “I think they’re tirin’ out. Things are goin’ our way for once-” She got cut off by the Guards appearing in front of them and solidifying. Applejack flipped onto her feet and helped Vinyl up, “Did you know they could do that?” “No. Must be new.” HOLY HQ – Commander Macintosh’s Office “I have to admit, I didn’t see your move coming, Rainbow Dash. Well played. But why? Are you trying to destabilize my plans?” Commander Macintosh asked. Rainbow Dash just grinned, “Well, you can’t just sit back all the time. Sometimes, things need to be set in motion. Besides, it’s actually a very small piece of the plan. Not even a setback, is it?” “So what are you going to do now?” Rainbow smiled, “What I’ve always done…” HOLD broadcast – Main street Applebloom watched the broadcast, as it showed Applejack fighting. The crowd clamoured for her to be thrown in jail, or to the lions, depending. The troops kept shoving them forwards, shouting orders and words they didn’t quite understand. They didn’t seem to remember Luna, either. “Monster!” “MANIAC!” “ALTER USER!” The clamouring got too much for Scootaloo to bear. She spun around, slamming a branch into a trooper’s face. “DON’T TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHY SHE’S FIGHTING?!” One of the Inners spoke out, “Why do you care? You’re just garbage!” “SO WHAT IF I’M GARBAGE?! THEY WANT YOU TO THINK SHE’S A MONSTER, BUT SHE’S NOT! APPLEJACK IS FIGHTING FOR YOU! YOU ASSHOLES WHO CALL HER A CRIMINAL! I’M PROUD TO BE HER FRIEND!” Luna joined in, manifesting Nightmare Moon, “YOU WANT TO HEAR HOW DEDICATED APPLEJACK IS? SHE RISKED HER LIFE TO GET A YOUNG FILLY SOME MEDICINE, EVEN THOUGH SHE COULD’VE WALKED AWAY! THEY WANT YOU TO HATE HER!” Luna knocked the troopers away, “Go, Scootaloo. Take Applebloom and run. I’ll cover you.” “But…” Luna looked back at Scootaloo, “Run! And keep running!” The Inner – Applejack and Vinyl Scratch “Where’d they go?” Applejack looked around for the Guards they were fighting, but found they were gone. “Style Personified!” Applejack looked up to see Rarity spiral down like a drill. She grabbed Vinyl and leapt out of the way. “What happened to your honour, Rich Bitch?” Rarity tore her fist out of the ground, “Where you’re concerned, there is no honour! The public will finally see you for the maniac you are!” Applejack scoffed, “You’re still clingin’ to that delusion? You haven’t acknowledged your own feelings about this?” Rarity’s eye widened in shock. “I see it plain as day. We’re so similar, yet so different. And you hate it. You hate that there’s someone you feel attracted to, someone who can fight on even terms with you, and they don’t acknowledge it.” Rarity grinned evilly, “If it makes so much sense to you, then you must feel the same. We’re destined to keep fighting, aren’t we?” She readied her blade. Applejack looked back at Vinyl and said, “Run. I don’t want you getting hurt because of me. Find Applebloom and look after her.” As Vinyl ran, Applejack turned back to Rarity, “I guess we have to do this…” Rarity charged, holding her blade out like a spear. Applejack leapt over the blade, using her fist to vault onto a nearby rock. “Don’t be so shy, Applejack. After all, you’re the one who started this fire!” Applejack sprinted down towards Rarity, fist extended. “They’re not just orders to you anymore, Rarity. SHOCKING FIRST BULLET!” Rarity blocked the blow effortlessly, but Applejack hit her with a left hook. “Don’t make me fight you anymore.” Rarity responded by knocking Applejack into a building. “It’s not over…It will never be over!” A tear ran down Applejack’s face, “So that’s what it means…” Scootaloo and friends – Location unknown Scootaloo hit the gas hard, pushing her vehicle to the limits to get to a safe place before HOLY found them. She saw Vinyl Scratch and stopped, “Where’s Applejack?” “Where do you think? Psychobitch Rarity found us. By the way, this is Twilight Sparkle. She used to be a HOLY scientist. Our little group just gets bigger, huh?” A light shone in the sky and everything stopped… Applejack and Rarity Applejack held her fist out in front of her, but instead of her usual defiant expression, it was one of sadness. “Why are you making me do this? Haven’t you proven enough?” Rarity looked puzzled. Tears? Applejack’s tears? “Who are you really hurting?” Rarity couldn’t respond. She just looked at her own hands. “I…I have to finish this…so I can bury the past. I’m sorry, but it has to be this way.” Her blade glowed as she charged. The air shimmered, the shone with a bright light as Applejack manifested her second stage. She sprinted towards Rarity, saying nothing. Rarity’s blade collided with Applejack’s fist, and the area around them exploded into dust and debris. The world shook with a violent force, changing the very face of the Lost Ground. The mountains heaved and great fissure opened in the ground. By the time Luna caught up with the group, they were being scattered. Massive pillars of light and energy tore open the sky, and everything blacked out… 3 days later The aftermath was horrible. Things that had seemingly gone well took a turn for the worst just as quickly. Everyone was feeling the effects. HOLY was in disarray and the government was quickly trying to re-establish order, while the Inners worked to rebuild their lives. Pinkie and Derpy were almost declared unfit for duty, given how depressed they had become since losing Rarity. It was hard for Pinkie to sleep now. She just cried into her pillow. Her friends, gone. The only one left was Derpy. It felt like a bad dream, and she wanted desperately to wake up from it. Luna, Twilight and Vinyl holed up in a small house, big enough for three, where they helped others rebuild their lives by offering supplies. It left a hole in Vinyl’s heart. She loved Applejack dearly, and now she’s gone… Applebloom and Scootaloo were in a slave camp, forced to work long and hard. As they toiled, they thought about Applejack. She’d come and rescue them, right? Well, it’s nice to have something to hope for. If only to see her. One last time… End of Episode 11