//------------------------------// // Jackie // Story: I'll Love You To Tartarus and Back - AppleDash Group Collab 100th Prompt Special // by LunaTheFox //------------------------------// This chapter was written by Jackie. All four ponies ran towards the borderline of Sweet Apple Acres, or at least what Sweet Apple Acres was like during the time of Applejack's parents. None of them took notice of this though as they were fully focused on reaching contact with a certain mushroom farmer who may be the only one that can provide the cure for Rainbow Dash. From what they've seen earlier, Rainbow Dash may only have a few hours left before her stay here in Tartarus becomes permanent. As they approach the divide between good souls and rotten, the healthy trees and grass around them started to look dead and lifeless, and the plants turned from weeds, thorny shrubs, and other various fungi. It might as well resemble the Everfree Forest, only more lifeless. Keeping their distance from the unknown, they follow along a narrow pathway. A disturbing scent started to linger within their nostrils. Applejack and Twilight may not properly distinguish it, other than something rotten, but AJ's parents exactly knew what it was. Their life here in Tartarus made it all too familiar. "No trespassing! My territory!" a shrill, aged voice yelled over one of the shrubs. Red Delicious and Carrot Seed gave both Applejack and Twilight a reassuring smile before replying to the other possible pony on the other side of the shrub. "It's us, Hobbs, Mr. and Mrs. Apple. We were wonderin' if you could help us? We really need your help," Red Delicious said in an almost pleading voice. Ever since Hobbs entered Tartarus, he was secluded towards the border of the good because of his appearance. His looks resembled a disfigured old stallion, thin, spread mane and a large hunch on his back with a cloth draped over. The cloth also contained a few mushroom heads growing on it. Despite his good heart, ponies pushed him away. Since then, he isolated himself and kept himself preoccupied with his talent and knowledge for fungi. "Bear with us, just for now. A certain pony may possibly die right now," Carrot Seed added. With the thought of somepony possibly dying, a chortle was heard with a coughing fit followed immediately afterwards. "Pony alive? No! Impossible!" Laughter continued to come from Hobbs until his eyes rested on Twilight. Though this brought his laughter to a halt, a devilish grin. As the old stallion walked towards the purple unicorn, she took a small step back. "Ohhh, play game? Riddles?" Hobbs spoke. "Please, Hobbs, this is no time for riddles. We need you to give us a certain type of fungus containing penicillin immediately!" Red Delicious said, trying to make him give Twilight some space. "Pony dying?" the disturbed old stallion said, not taking his eyes off of the unicorn. "Need now?" "Please!" Applejack yelled. "Please..." "Games! Riddles! Play riddles!" "Argh! We don't have time for your games! If ya can't provide us with what we need, we'll find somepony else who can do so," Applejack said, turning around, but we stopped by her mother who spoke calmly. "Sorry, sugar, but we don't know any other pony who can help us right now. He's the only one that can." "Don't worry Applejack, I'm sure we can answer any riddle this ol' pony can ask," Twilight reassured her. Applejack sighed defeated. "Fine." This caused a not so good reaction towards Hobbs and everypony can see the annoyance in his eyes as his snout twitched. "Easy! Ha! Play riddles! I win, no penicillin." Hobbs walked around them as if he had a limp leg. "... Box, no hinges, key or lid, yet golden treasure, inside hidden." A chilling pause went over everypony as they were stumped with the riddle. A pony's life was on the line and they were being tested with riddles. This brought a smile upon Hobbs's lips. "Egg! An egg!" AJ blurted out. The smile on the old stallion was immediate wiped away and he moved within a tantrum like action. "Our turn, Twilight, you give the riddle." "Alright, let me think... Thirty white ponies on a red hill, first they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still." Hobbs opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His face changed into different emotion, immediately changing from realization, to disappointment, to anger and to thought. A momentary silent pause brought a sigh of relief to the ponies, but was broken the answer was spoken forth. "Teeth! Haha! Teeth!" Hobbs jumped around like a school filly, and paused as he eagerly gave his riddle, "This devours all, birds, beasts, trees, flowers. Gnaws iron, bites steel. Grinds hard stones to meal. Slays king, ruins town, beats high mountain down." Each of the four ponies immediately went into deep thought as they sought to find the answer. What's big enough that can slay kings and ruin towns? A dragon? An Ursa Major? But then it can crumble mountains, and surely neither monstrous creatures can do either. What other creature can do such powerful things? Applejack's impatience got the better of her as she knew that her beloved's life can be taken away any time now. She can never forgive herself for it, knowing that she was able to do something about it. The orange farmer turned to her parents for an answer, but they sadly shook their heads. She was getting desperate and turned to Twilight. "Twi, we really need to get the penicillin now and we're runnin' out of time here," Applejack hastily whispered in Twilight's ear, almost in the brink of tears. "I know that we're running out of time and we-.... Wait... time...." Twilight murmured to herself, then quickly turned to Hobbs. "It's time!" Another tantrum came from the old stallion, but all four ponies were too focused on thinking of a more difficult riddle. "Question..." Hobbs hissed. Red Delicious took the advantaged and spoke before anypony could protest, "What is the name of my father?" Hobbs snarled and stomped towards Red. "That's question! Not riddle!" "Nope, but ya said you wanted a question, so we're givin' ya a question," Carrot Seed stated. After a long pause, multiple tantrums, and several failed answers later, Hobbs gave up and succumbed to helping the four ponies. He turned to a dark passage between a thick row of trees and led them to their destination.