//------------------------------// // Ambush! Hurry! // Story: My Little Chrono Triggers Are Magic // by Pav Feira //------------------------------// 65,000,000 BC Southern Lair—Grand Cavern Eva grinned at Applejack, staring at her with a stoic, half-lidded gaze. Arms akimbo, her weight was shifted slightly, jutting her hip out to the side. Behind her, Iron Will stood tall, his chest puffed out and pressed against his folded arms. Eva cleared her throat demurely. “That’s Queen Eva. Show some respect to your betters, dear Applejack.” A feral growl tore out of Applejack’s throat. “Betters?” came her husky voice. “I ain’t seein’ no betters in front-a me.” Winking, Queen Eva waved a single finger in front of her, bouncing with each correction. “I don’t see any betters in front of me.” Applejack snorted. “Mockin’ my way of speakin’? I’d say that’s like spittin’ in a rain barrel, but I reckon there ain’t no depths that scum like you wouldn’t stoop to.” “Mocking you?” Eva gasped lightly, raising her eyebrows and bringing her index finger to rest lightly on her bottom lip. “Applejack, Applejack. I thought we understood each other better than that. I would never be so petty as to resort to sticks or stones.” Her surprised expression having served its purpose, her face returned to its neutral pose of smug bemusement. “I simply want what’s best for you.” “Best for us? Best?!” shrieked Applejack, her voice cracking under the strain. Her toned legs slammed down into the floor, drawing a hairline crack in the stone. “You’ve the gall to say that after all the despic—” She looked up, the words dying in her throat. Blinking, she turned her head around to find a pink hoof resting on her withers. Pinkie Pie pulled her in close, gently stroked her mane, and whispered into her ear, “AJ, it... it’s gonna be okay, okay?” After hesitating briefly, Applejack relented and drew into Pinkie Pie’s side, slowing her breathing to normal. Closing her eyes, Queen Eva nodded in agreement with herself. “Mmm, yes. Your amaranth friend is correct, dear Applejack. There is no need to be upset. You and I simply need to have a girl chat one of these days.” She rested her cheek in the palm of her hand, planting her elbow in her other hand. “Perhaps over some chai? Or you could have some of your cider instead, if it’s more to your tastes.” Applejack exhaled deeply, drew in a lungful of fresh air, and opened her eyes. When she spoke again, her voice was soft, level, and forcibly restrained. “Eva. That thing you stole belongs to Rainbow Dash and her friends,” she said, nudging her head toward Rainbow Dash. “They ain’t a part of this. It’s me and my kin you’re after. Hoof them their thing, let ‘em be on their way, and then you and I can ‘chat’ all y’like.” “Ah yes, these new companions of yo—” She paused, a single thin crease appearing on her brow. Her smile slowly melting, Eva’s eyes danced up and down Rainbow Dash’s form, causing the pony to fidget under the scrutinous gaze. She glanced briefly at Pinkie Pie before returning to Rainbow Dash, and her jaw jutted out ever so slightly. And then, just as suddenly as it had left, Eva’s easy smile returned. “—these new companions of yours. Rainbow Dash, was it?” She looked to Applejack for confirmation, then smiled again at Rainbow Dash. She slowly walked her way around the perimeter of the cavern, Iron Will following two paces behind. “Charmed. I am Her Majesty, Queen Eva.” Rainbow Dash raised her hoof and pulled back, keeping the queen locked in her sights. “Queen? Queen of what?” The blade of her katana bounced and flopped with each syllable. Queen Eva shook with silent mirth. “Why, everything, of course. The land.” She swept her hand across the room in an idle, grandiose gesture, before pointing her hand at Applejack, palm up. “The beasts. All things. It is our destiny.” Pinkie Pie looked up from Applejack’s mane, momentarily forgetting the growling and tensed muscles below her. “Your... destiny?” “Buncha hooey!” spat Applejack. She jabbed her hoof in Eva’s direction. “You do whatever you choose, imposin’ yer will on everypony, then you just claim it’s ‘birthright’ and ‘natural order’? You ain’t foolin’ nopony!” She stomped her hoof down, its sharp clack punctuating her sentence. “Spoutin’ the same crazy-talk over ‘n’ over, every single chance you get, don’t make it come true. Yer still a bunch of apples short of a bushel!” “Shh.” Queen Eva raised a finger to her lips. “Stay calm, dear Applejack.” She reached behind her back, and though she had no visible pouch or bag, her hand reappeared delicately grasping the Gate Key. Pinkie Pie gasped audibly as Eva continued, “You were right, earlier: there is no reason to subject your visitors to our quarrel. A simple courtesy, then.” She held the Gate Key out toward Rainbow Dash, half a meter out of hoof’s reach. “Your friends can have their little toy back.” She smiled serenely at Rainbow Dash. “Wouldn’t that be nice? I’m sure you and your friends are eager to return to the future.” “I mean,” said Rainbow Dash, scratching behind her ear, “Twi has been freaking out that we’d be stuck in the past forever, but still, we can't—mmph fhph ghp!” she yelped, gagging as Applejack’s hoof lodged itself in her mouth. “Ha ha ha!” laughed Applejack, wearing a toothy expression which was likely intended to be a disarming smile, but in actuality looked as though she had been suckerpunched in the gut. “Ain’t she a riot? RD sure does love to weave one heckuva yarn, lemme tell ya. Why, just last night, she... she...” Applejack swallowed the rising lump in her throat. Queen Eva was wearing her own tooth-filled grin, her brow creased and her pupils flared. “Now now, my little pony. Lies don’t become you.” “Ooo, how’d she know? How’d she know?” Pinkie Pie trotted up to Queen Eva, eagerly examining her dress as if looking for a clue written in the stitching. “Is she a spy? A fortune-telling gypsy?” Her jaw dropped as she stared up at Eva’s face. “Don’t tell me she’s a time traveller, too!” Eva chuckled and arched an eyebrow at Applejack. “Pay attention. You might learn something. Firstly, you’re with a pegasus. Barring your wife, who turned her back on her own kind—say hello to Daring for me, won’t you—I’d hardly expect your tribes to suddenly start cooperating now. “Next, your friends’ attire,” she continued, waving the Gate Key at Rainbow Dash. “Fabrics which I’ve never seen, certainly not on any of your kinds. A blade of fine make. Even some saddlebags, which, if I’m not mistaken,” she said while squinting and dramatically holding a hand over her brow, “appear to be machine-stitched.” “Got it!” said Pinkie Pie, smacking her hooves together. “She’s a private investigator with obsessive-compulsive disorder!” Sweeping with her other hand, she motioned to Pinkie Pie beside her. “An earth pony who decidedly lacks, ahem, yer kin’s ax-ent.” She offered her hand, which Pinkie Pie promptly shook with her hoof. “Not to mention, this quite ornate collapsable crossbow she’s wearing.” “Thank you for noticing!” chirped Pinkie Pie. “And then of course, there’s this.” Queen Eva turned aside, holding the Gate Key in full display, turning it end over end. “Such advanced technology. I’ve never seen its equal.” Blinking, she looked askance at Applejack. “Of course, the marvel is probably lost on mere livestock. But even I wouldn’t know where to begin with studying such a device. This is quite exciting.” She returned her gaze to the Gate Key and chuckled. “It would seem the future holds much in store. “But no matter. Forgive me and my idle musings.” She rested a hand on her hip and took a few steps toward Applejack, unphased by the latter’s sneer. “Even if your friends are from the future, they needn’t be present. They may have their item back.” She offered the Gate Key to Applejack. “Cool. Awesome.” Rainbow Dash looked to Applejack for confirmation, but the two arch-enemies were locked in each other’s gaze. She slowly approached Queen Eva and reached up with a hoof. “I’ll just—” Eva curled up her arm, spun on her heels, and walked away. “After a brief sortie, of course. Lest we forget, you invaded our sovereign soil and slaughtered some of our guard beasts. Such an act of aggression cannot go unpunished. Quid pro quo, and all that.” Applejack's gaze bored into the back of her skull. “What's the point? You’ll throw your crony at me—” she waved her hoof flippantly at Iron Will “—and I'll just beat him up. Same old song and dance. It's just a waste of time.” Queen Eva froze in her tracks, looked back at Applejack, and blinked. “But it is a waste of time, dear Applejack.” She looked to Iron Will, tilting her head to the side. Iron Will grasped onto a chain on his belt, from which dangled a small hourglass. After studying it for a moment, he nodded. “It should already be underway.” “More guessing games?” asked Pinkie Pie. “Neat! Now what does she mean? What could be starting soon?” “I don’t understand what you’re goin’ on about,” murmured Applejack, furrowing her brow and staring down at her muzzle. “Wastin’ my time with all this here hoop-jumpin’ is petty, even by your standards. Let’s just get on with it. I promised DD that when I got back to... the village... No...” Her eyes growing in size, Applejack took a few steps back. Her breathing intensified. Her tail thrashed about violently. “No!” ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 65,000,000 BC Apple Village Commons Fluttershy shook violently, taking slow, stilted steps backward. She jolted as her flank unexpectedly bumped into the exterior wall of the cabin. She flattened her body against it, trying to withdraw as much as possible. In front of the steel pony stood a human clad in a suit of iron. Holding a jagged knife in one gauntlet and a bridle in the other, he slowly closed in upon the cowering Fluttershy. “Huh, ain’t that something. You ponies are making armor now, too? Queen Eva'll be quite pleased to have such a mount in her stable.” As he approached, he held the bridle in front of him, preparing to position it onto Fluttershy. “Here, little pony. I don’t want to hurt you. I’ll just—yearrgh!” His scream of agony overwhelmed Fluttershy’s sensors as he fell to the ground, clutching his back. “Fluttershy!” Twilight Sparkle leaped in front of Fluttershy, facing out in a defensive stance, her blaster levitating and steaming. She glanced a look back and shouted above the din. “Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” “N-No, I’m... well, I’m not okay, but I’m so glad you’re here.” She peeled herself off the wall and stepped to Twilight Sparkle’s side. “Who are they? What’s going on?” “I’m not certain,” she said, drawing the corners of her mouth tight, “but I have a theory. And it’s not pleasant.” The humans’ ambush raged around them. With ropes and bridles, they subdued and bound the cowering ponies of the village. A scant few ponies were brave enough to fight back, but against warriors with training, armor, and arms, they were quickly subdued. Most ponies opted for proverbial flight over fight, screaming in terror as they tried to escape the village. But the escaping ponies were cut off, chased down by humans riding astride the same quadrupedal lizards from yesterday’s skirmish and wielding wooden bows and arrows. “This...” stammered Fluttershy as she reached the same conclusion as Twilight Sparkle. “This is... I can’t even...” Her body started to shake once more. “We have to—” “Duck!” Twilight Sparkle shoved her to the ground and again leaped in front of her. Another human warrior, seeing his fallen comrade at the hooves of two armed ponies, charged at them at full sprint, sword held high. Drawing in a breath, Twilight Sparkle leveled her blaster at the charging human. She closed one eye for focus and felt out for the trigger with her magic, ready to protect her friend and herself—when without warning, the soldier was violently pulled back off the ground with a sharp crack. Twilight Sparkle snapped her eyes open, searching around for a possible explanation, when one crashed down in front of her. “Eyes forward, ladies!” barked Daring Do. She snapped her head to the side, sending a shockwave through the four-meter bullwhip hanging from her mouth. The whip cracked sharply at the feet of the uprooted human, eliciting the intended reaction: immediate tactical retreat. “These monkeys aren’t dicking around.” “Daring!” screamed a pony from across the way. As they located the source of the voice, they could see her hoisted over one of the human’s shoulders, her hooves bound in thick rope. Eyes flashing, Daring Do bit down on the midsection of her whip, forming a lazy loop in her mouth, and she took to the sky. Hesitating in the air, she spun back to Twilight Sparkle. “Help us! Keep everypony safe!” Twilight Sparkle gave a crisp nod without hesitation, and Daring Do was on her way. Holding up her blaster, Twilight Sparkle motioned with her head. “Fluttershy, c’mon! They need us.” “This is... disgusting.” Though Fluttershy’s frame continued to vibrate, her hooves moved forward at a faster and faster rhythm. “I can’t stand in the back and let this happen. I can’t allow it! Get out OF HERE!” “Fluttershy, wait for me!” Twilight Sparkle broke to a full gallop, chasing after her screaming friend as they dived into the thick of the fray. ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 65,000,000 BC Southern Lair—Grand Cavern Queen Eva’s smirk stretched ear to ear, her blue eyes reflecting the flames of the oil lamps. “As I said, dear Applejack, quid pro quo.” Spinning on her hooves, Applejack bolted for the cavern’s opening, but screeched to a halt at the mouth of the tunnel, narrowly avoiding getting crushed by a collapsing cascade of boulders. She turned back from the cave-in, glaring with flames in her own eyes. Iron Will pointed straight at Applejack with his left arm, his right forming an indent in the cave wall. “When somepony’s running from the bout, cut off their escape route!” Applejack spread her stance wide and crouched low as she roared, “You snake! Let us outta here this instant!” Rainbow Dash looked to Pinkie Pie, who simply shrugged back. “I think we’re missing something, AJ. Can’t we just play their dumb little game, and—” “They’re attackin’ the village, Dash!” she yelled, wheeling on Rainbow Dash. Her eyebrows had flipped from furrowed to raised, her eyes shimmering in the lamplight. “What?!” “They’re just stallin’ for time while we ain’t there to protect everypony. They’re foalnappers and slavers, Dash. Everypony’s in danger! Mah family! Daring!” Rainbow Dash’s face fell, from her ears to her jaw. “Twilight?” “Now, now,” purred Queen Eva. “Fighting against Iron Will here shouldn’t take too long. You might even have enough time to save one or two of yo—hrrk!” A rainbow blur crashed into her, sending her flying across the cave and pinning her against the wall, a half-meter above the ground. “Let! Us! Out!” Rainbow Dash yelled into her face. Though her eyes were twisted in pain, Queen Eva still managed to wear her signature smile. “My, aren’t we the feisty little freedom fighter? I can see why dear Applejack enlisted your help.” She tucked the Gate Key into Rainbow Dash’s saddlebags and gave them a soft pat. “Your trinket, as promised. But I’m afraid you’re wasting valuable time, yelling at little old me. Iron Will is the only one strong enough to open that tunnel back up, so if you want—” Rainbow Dash released Eva and spun backwards through the air, dropping her unceremoniously on the ground in the process. She hurtled toward Iron Will at full speed, katana at the ready. In a fluid motion belaying his muscular size, Iron Will leaned to the side, dodging the pegasus projectile entirely. Snatching out with his hand at the last moment, he grasped onto Rainbow Dash’s chromatic tail. “When they use blades...” He spun on his hooves, whipped her about in a circle, and then, like a discus thrower, hurled her across the cave. “Pay ‘em back in spades!” Rainbow Dash crashed into the wall with a crumble of stone, a plume of dust, and a pink earth pony hot on her heels. “Oh no, ya don’t!” Applejack leaped at Iron Will, twisting herself in midair to lead with her rear hooves. Iron Will blocked with an upraised forearm and swung with a wide left hook, but whiffed over her head. She dropped to the ground, slid between his legs, and bucked again, directly into Iron Will’s waiting palm. She staggered as Iron Will tried to pull her off-balance with his captured hoof, but she spun about her leg’s axis and delivered a sharp hoofdrop to the inside of his wrist, forcing him to release his grip. Rainbow Dash staggered back onto her hooves, clutching her forehead and enveloped in a cool blue mist. “Dang.” Finishing her Cure spell, Pinkie Pie nodded while looking at Applejack and her opponent. “I know, right? It’s quite emotive.” “Seriously,” said Rainbow Dash as she too nodded. “They’re really going at it.” She blinked. “Wait, I don’t think that’s what ‘emotive’ means.” “But just look at em!” Pinkie Pie smooshed her cheek against Rainbow Dash’s and pointed a hoof at the dueling pair, as if to ensure that Rainbow Dash wasn’t looking at a different fight. “They musta fought dozens of times, and they know all of each other’s moves. It’s like they’re dancing, isn’t it?” “What?” droned Rainbow Dash. She pointed her own hoof at the pair, for much the same reason as Pinkie Pie. “They’re trying to kill each other. Well, at least one of 'em is, anyway.” She winced and inhaled through her teeth as Applejack took a rough hoofkick to her midsection. Pinkie Pie shook her head, and—since she was still cheek-to-cheek—she shook Rainbow Dash’s head as well. “Nopey dopey. She’s super mad at that Eva lady, and who can blame AJ for that, since Eva sure seems like a big bossy brazen bipedal witch, but with Iron Will, it seems more like—” “Hey, RD, Pinks?” Applejack punched Iron Will in the kneecap, then somersaulted and kicked him square in the jaw. “It’s nice that y’all are having a friendly little chat ‘bout philosophy and what-has-ya, but would ya mind lendin’ a hoof?” “My pleasure!” Smirking, Rainbow Dash charged up her outstretched hoof. The air about her hoof cracked and ionized as voltage coursed about her body. Iron Will and Applejack’s sparring slowed to a halt as the pair bore witness to the magical display before them. With whirling flair, Rainbow Dash whipped her hoof skyward, shooting electricity up into the stalactite-covered ceiling. Applejack and Iron Will’s eyes instinctively drifted upward, following the charge. It was exactly the opening Rainbow Dash needed. With a sudden burst of speed, she tore across the chamber toward Iron Will. Her blade aimed and focused, she gashed across the breadth of his chest, a small whirlwind following behind her at a half-second delay. A small red streak formed on Iron Will’s chest, looking rather inflamed. With a frown, Iron Will licked his thumb and rubbed it vigorously across the mark. “C’mon, seriously?!” “Now you look here, missy.” Iron Will grasped her tail once more, before she could fly to a safe distance. He tugged and flexed, holding Rainbow Dash still in spite of her frantically-beating wings. “Sneaky attacks like that are for cowards. True warriors attack head-on!” “Yer one to talk,” grumbled Applejack, wiping her jaw. Once more, Iron Will whirled Rainbow Dash about, this time spinning her overhead like a screaming, cyan sling. “Go for a cheap shot, I’ll make you hurt a lot!” “Whee! Faster, faster!” Iron Will’s face contorted. “Wait, huh?” As his wrist stopped flicking back and forth, the pony overhead lost her momentum and fell downward, swinging back and forth from her curly pink tail. Lacking the needed concentration to maintain his composure, Iron Will's jaw fell and his shoulders slumped. “Aww,” whined Pinkie Pie, her pout managing to resemble a chipper smile when viewed upside-down. “Why’d you stop?” Rainbow Dash blinked and looked herself over, suddenly finding herself seated on her haunches in the middle of the cave. “Wait, huh?” “Hey, don’t give me that stupefied look! Look!” Reaching within her frizzy ponytail, Pinkie Pie scooped out a heaping mound of glitter, holding it atop her downward-pointing hoof. “Glitter!” she explained. Sucking down a lungful of air, she blew the glitter off her hoof, covering all over Iron Will’s face, nose ring, and eyeballs. “Gah!” Releasing her tail, Iron Will brought both fists up to his eyes and vigorously rubbed at the tiny flakes of color scratching his corneas. Pinkie Pie plopped down to her hooves and merrily skipped away, clearing the distance just as Rainbow Dash’s bolt of lightning released from the stalactites and shot to the ground, straight through Iron Will’s body. His agony doubled, he roared as his muscles twitched and spasmed in spite of himself. Applejack seized her opportunity, galloped in, and gave a leaping buck to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. As she skidded to a landing, Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash with a pained look upon her face. “Hold up now. How’d she and you switch places like that? How’d she hold that glitter upside down without it fallin’ out her hoof? How’d she know when the lightnin’ would—” “No. Applejack, seriously, stop trying to figure her out.” Rainbow Dash waved her hooves at Applejack. “You’ll just give yourself a headache. Trust me.” Taking to her wings once more, she smirked at her recovering opponent. “Alright, you bully. Now lemme show you how it’s really done.” ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 65,000,000 BC Apple Village Commons The warrior’s chestplate crumpled like tinfoil as Twilight Sparkle’s mallet crashed into it. He fell to his knees, wheezing for air, before collapsing face-first onto the dusty field. Freed from engagement for the moment, Twilight Sparkle’s eyes danced about the chaos. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy, where are you?” Even amongst frantic, scampering earth ponies and armored, marauding humans, and in spite of her muted yellow and pink palette, a trail of murky exhaust made Fluttershy easy to locate in a crowd. Her Rocket Hoof smacked into the hindside of a fleeing human, sending him flying a good five meters before crumpling in a heap on the roadside. Turning back, Fluttershy leaned down and looked into the eyes of a sniffling little filly. “There now, please don’t cry. He won’t hurt you ever again.” The filly didn’t look back at her, instead reaching her hoof over Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Daddy!” she wailed. Fluttershy turned and looked in her direction. On the grass between two cabins, an orange stallion bucked and squirmed against his restraints. A pair of humans held him fast, one tightly grasping the lasso that wrapped around his chest while the other tried to affix a bridle on his muzzle. “Hey!” Fluttershy’s rocket wings shrieked to life, sending her heavy steel frame hurtling toward the poachers at deadly speed. “Leave him alone!” Twilight Sparkle raced up to the filly, gasping for breath while she stared after Fluttershy’s jet trail. She turned down and motioned with her nose. “Your dad will be fine, I promise! Head for Applejack’s cabin. It's safe there!” The young filly sniffed and wiped a hoof across her nose. “Promise?” “Yes, now go, quickly!” Twilight Sparkle nudged the filly along with her head and watched her scamper towards the cabin. Sufficiently convinced of the young one’s safety, she turned back to the battlefield. The marauders numbered only a few dozen—far from a crushing invasion, but amid a village of mostly timid ponies, there was little resistance. All around her, ponies were being bound up and carted off by hominids twice her height and armed for battle. The sound of a sharp crack behind her drew Twilight Sparkle’s mind back into focus. Turning on her heels, she steadied her blaster and let fly a trio of shots. The bolts of plasma whizzed across the field, buzzing past Daring Do’s ear, and embedding into the chest plate of a female archer. She clutched at her chest and dropped the longbow that she’d been pointing Daring Do’s way. Another sharp crack from Daring Do's whip, and the soldier in front of her fell to his back, screaming and holding his hand to his face. Daring Do turned back with a wink. “Nice shootin’, kid.” “We’re starting to whittle down their forces,” panted Twilight Sparkle as she galloped up, limping from cramps and cuts, “but we’re still outnumbered by a ratio of several to one. Fluttershy is on the other side of—” Daring Do chuckled and shook her head. “What, no quips about how I’m barely older than—” “Daring!” Twilight Sparkle stomped her hooves and flicked her tail. “This is no laughing matter! Those... those things are taking—” “Hey.” As Daring Do opened her eyes again, Twilight Sparkle’s voice evaporated. Though Daring Do’s smile had not wavered, her eyes spoke. Twilight Sparkle couldn’t fathom the full meaning of the story they told, but wordlessly she understood the depth they carried. “I know, yeah? I know how serious this is. Just...” She turned her head, scanning the edges of the village. “Sometimes you gotta do anything to keep smiling, y’know?” Her head jerked to a stop, and she nodded to the distance. “Two escaping southwest. Fluttershy’s got east.” She jumped to the sky, her whip flapping behind her. “Grab the north!” “Got it!” Rearing up on her hind hooves, Twilight Sparkle spun around and raced toward the north end of the square. Her chest burned, each stride of her gallop more focused on keeping herself on her hooves than on propelling herself forward. Come on, she pleaded. Please hurry.  ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 65,000,000 BC Southern Lair—Grand Cavern Pinkie Pie’s jaw popped. “Rainbow Dash, look out! He’s gonna punch you!” Spinning onto her back, Rainbow Dash glided above Iron Will’s fist, her mane brushing across his arm as she flew past. “I know,” she growled. Twisting about, she brought down her sword on his forearm. As the muscular minotaur had been softened by her constant onslaught of lightning bolts, her katana finally struck home, leaving a proper gash along his arm. “You think you ponies can simply outnumber me?” said Iron Will, snorting roughly. He windmilled his left arm, knocking aside some incoming crossbow bolts as though he were swatting at flies. "My rigorous training regimen has made me stronger than you could even imagine!" Looking to his side, he spotted Applejack approaching at a full gallop, and he pulled back his right arm. A soft pop echoed across the cavern walls. “Applejack, look out! He’s gonna punch you!” Flipping laterally while midstride, Applejack landed roughly on her back with a grunted, “I know.” Her momentum slid her forward, the rough cavern floor scratching at her backside, as she passed underneath the punch and Iron Will himself. As she rolled beneath his legs, she opened her mouth and released one end of her rope, letting it lag behind her. Rolling up to her hooves, she doubled back and raced around him in a wide circle. Pop. “Rainbow Dash, look out! He’s—” “I know!” Rainbow Dash parried Iron Will’s white-knuckled fist and beat her wings twice, sailing over his head. Her hooves lit up with blue-white sparks before lightning rained down from her. Through gritted teeth, Iron Will steadied his shaking fists and stared down Applejack. He made to walk toward her, but staggered immediately as he found his hooves bound up in Applejack’s rope. “This isn’t over, farmgirl,” he hissed. “Even when you’re down, don’t yield any ground!” His muscles slowly stopped their shaking. Turning his whole chest, he pulled back his fist and took aim. Pinkie Pie’s jaw popped. “We know!” shouted Applejack and Rainbow Dash in unison. Pinkie Pie reached out with a hoof and yelped, “Iron Will, look out!” “Huh?” Iron Will turned to give Pinkie Pie an incredulous look, and thus he missed some things. He failed to see Applejack spin about and wind up her legs, nor did he see Rainbow Dash fly down and lightly touch her own hooves to Applejack’s. He certainly missed Applejack buck with all her might, launching Rainbow Dash like a bullet. He certainly felt the Falcon Hit, though. The pegasus and minotaur blurred across the room, bouncing and tumbling horn over hoof, before crashing full-force into the rockslide in the back of the room. The collapsed tunnel exploded in a shower of pebbles and dust. Applejack and Pinkie Pie raced up to the crash site, frantically waving their hooves and squinting through the blinding debris. As the dust settled, they saw the form of a collapsed, unconscious Iron Will, strewn haphazardly atop the rubble which once blocked the pathway. Rainbow Dash was nowhere in sight. With a running start, Applejack leaped into the air, clearing the rubble and minotaur in a single bound. “C’mon, Pinks!” she shouted while galloping down the tunnel and vanishing from sight. Pinkie Pie trotted up the side of the hill, wearing a frown and shaking her head at Iron Will’s unconscious form. “I tried to warn you,” she lamented. ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 65,000,000 BC Apple Village Commons Screams. Aching muscles. My heartbeat pounding in my ears. From somewhere, the smell of flames. I’m drowning, but I can’t stop. Not yet. Where is she? There. Twenty meters out. Two mares slung over the shoulder of one of those beasts. My weapon, held in magic. Aim. Down. They can free each other. Where is she? Keep moving. Fluttershy? Daring’s putting out that house fire. Another filly; go to Applejack’s. Fluttershy? Sword! Jump back, quick draw; he’s down. Oh thank the Sun, there’s Fluttershy—not hurt. Where is she? Twilight Sparkle’s hoof caught on a rock, and with a squawk, she tumbled to the ground, skinning her front knees before coming to rest awkwardly on her side. She rolled back to her hooves and pressed, but nothing happened. Her body shook and trembled, but her belly remained firmly rooted to the ground. “Still have my blaster,” she hissed, closing one eye. Though her hooves were committing mutiny, she planted one to her side and leaned on it, holding herself as steady as she could. Where is she? She took stock of the remaining enemies, but reality danced and swam in front of her. Only four humans left. No, nine. Where is she? Six. Ahead, one of the humans lunged and grabbed onto the hind legs of a fleeing colt. The colt squealed and screamed for help, but the attacker pulled him ever closer. Twilight Sparkle took her shot. High and left. No good. I’ll hit ponies. Where is she? She felt her horn grow clammy, her blaster wavering and shaking in front of her. Beyond the blaster, the colt wailed and dug his front hooves into the sand. Where is she? As her strength drained from her limbs, she felt her horn growing hotter and hotter. Where is she? Where is she? Where is she? “Rainbow Dash!” Her horn exploded with magic, blasting a wave of flames into the sky. Twice her size, the orb of fire hung in midair at the zenith of its lazy arc, illuminating every human and pony with a radiance like a second sun. Twilight Sparkle craned her neck, looking skyward, squinting to see the intense magic. With a leap of her heart, a burst of wind blew onto her back, whipping her mane forward and into her eyes. By the time she shook her vision clear, the perfect orb was gone; in its place was a lingering trail of color and a winged beast of fire. Flapping its burning wings, the creature peaked at the top of the sky, then nosedived sharply. It crashed into the colt-grabbing marauder, smashing him to the ground. The colt quickly scampered to freedom without looking back; the human did not stir. The remaining humans dropped their weapons in a clatter, pointing at the flame creature with such urgency, as if each were trying to convince their peers that such an impossible creature was real and in front of them. “It’s a phoenix!” “No, it’s a demon!” “Who cares?! Run!” Weapons discarded, the humans stumbled to their feet and fled to the east. From the crowd of ponies rose a boisterous cheer, as they threw apples at the retreating aggressors, praised their three pony defenders, and marveled at the flames overhead. Twilight Sparkle stared at the beast, transfixed. Her jaw hung slack, leaving her mouth making a soft “oh” shape. Even under the noonday sun, the flames were bright enough that they reflected clearly in her eyes. Overhead, the flame creature whirled about in circles above the cheering ponies, alighting the sky above with a mix of fire and rainbows. It came to a hover above Twilight Sparkle, and as it descended, its flames slowly burned away, puffs of ash billowing behind it. Her hooves touching ground, Rainbow Dash grinned eagerly at Twilight Sparkle. “Dude!” She trotted to her and lifted her up by the shoulders. “Dude! That was insane! I had no idea we could pull off that kind of crazy attack. We shoulda been using that one every single—” Twilight Sparkle wrapped her hooves around Rainbow Dash’s neck, squeezing with every ounce of her remaining strength. Rainbow Dash’s cheerful praise died in her throat. She opened her mouth, but no questions came forth. Wordlessly, she raised her own hooves and held onto her friend. The two stood in silent embrace for a hoofful of seconds which stretched for an eon. “Mom!” came the first wail. Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash’s heads turned in unison. A young mare—younger than either of them, but old enough to wear a cutie mark—pushed and struggled as two stallions tried to hold her down. “No! Let me go!” She flailed a free hoof to the east. “I need to save her! Mom!” The sounds of conflict now gone, they were replaced with the sounds of the aftermath. Fillies and colts slowly emerged from Applejack’s cabin, sniffling and shivering. A few more ponies wailed as they discovered their own family members were lost. Those who had remained hidden and safe took to the streets now, caring for the injured. Twilight Sparkle felt the grip around her shoulders tighten slightly. “Twi...” Daring Do touched down in front of them, taking a soft running landing. “Great work, Twilight! Just did a fly-by and it looks like we’ve only got a few injuries. No fatalities! You really saved our haybacon, there.” She gave Twilight Sparkle a playful bump on the shoulder. Twilight Sparkle's head bobbed lightly with the nudge, but she otherwise remained motionless. “How many?” “Injuries?” asked Daring Do. “A few. Y’know, three or so.” “How many captured?” Daring Do matched eyes with Twilight Sparkle. Both mares held the gaze for a few prolonged seconds, but the pegasus was the first to relent with a sigh. “Seven—look,” Daring Do added without pause, “it coulda been a lot worse. A lot worse.” She pointed to the east with a hoof. “They’ve never attacked with a group that size before, and usually AJ is here to defend us. You were a huge help, Twilight—you and Fluttershy both.” Twilight Sparkle looked out over the commons. Ponies were consoling each other, tending to the young fillies and colts, and starting to repair the damage done to the village. She bit her lip. “I wish I could have done more.” “Hey,” said Rainbow Dash. Twilight Sparkle turned back and looked into her eyes. “It’s not over yet. We can still make this right.” She tilted her head to the side wearing a smirk, confident yet soft. “Right?” Wordless, Twilight Sparkle stared at her for a moment. As her mind spun away, a weak smile of her own slowly emerged. “Yeah.” She turned to Daring Do and nodded with more enthusiasm. “Yeah. It’ll be okay. “We can fix this.”