7.
Applejack watched the heavy metal hammer rise and fall over and over onto the glowing, red hot sheet of metal, showering sparks across the stone floor. Applejack was no stranger to smith work and forging. She’d seen the blacksmiths in Ponyvile working sheets of metal and rings of iron, beating them with hammers or, for some of the larger, stronger stallions, beating the red hot metal with their own hooves. This, however, was different. She’d heard about the spell forgers of Canterlot. Unicorns, who used their magic to forge metal and steel like the Earth ponies, but in an altogether different way. Instead of brute strength, the power behind each blow came from their magic, every strike was enchanted and blessed by specific spells to strengthen the binding between each piece and the integrity of the metal. Sparks still spilled down from each hammer blow, but they jumped across the floor in a rainbow of different colours. Sometimes burning, bright orange and then a different stroke wold send yellow and pink lights dashing across the stone floor. Applejack could have stared for hours just watching the dazzling display of lights, but every so often the smithy would heft the glowing metal into the air with a sweep of his horn and douse it in a tub of water. The hissing, like a great, vicious serpent, made Applejack jump. She looked at the sheet of metal as the smith laid it back on the anvil and leaned forward for a better look. It was pretty big. Much too big to be hers. She decided that it must be for Big Macintosh. She smirked. She’d tried picturing her older brother wrapped up in armour like a sardine in a can but it only ever made her laugh. She still found it hard to believe that Big Mac had come along. It was kind of hard to believe that any of them were in this mess, but there could be no denying how serious things were.
She remembered her confusion when the train had pulled in at Ponyville and only Rarity had stepped off. She had seen it in the faces of her friends as well, all of them wondering why Twilight hadn’t come back with her. They had tried to bombard her with questions but Rarity had moved with a purpose and determination they had only seen when she was preparing for one of her big fashion shows. She led them straight from the station back to Twilight’s library where she set about explaining everything her and Twilight had learned from Princess Celestia and Luna. Their reactions had been…mixed. Fluttershy had remained silent, turning decidedly pale, while Rainbow Dash was quick to say, “Then what are we waiting for? Where’s Twilight? Times’a wastin’!” Rarity explained that the Princesses had suggested that they take some time to prepare and that everyone they deemed necessary for the journey should come to Canterlot. There they would have access to anything they might need to get ready.
“What exactly do ya mean by everyone? You do mean the four of us don’t ya?” Applejack had asked, but Rarity had replied,
“The Princess thinks we might need some extra help. Princess Luna has already agreed to come with us.”
“But who else? Who else would we bring?” Pinkie Pie had asked looking around as if the extra people were going to be waiting in the library, but Rarity had an answer for that as well.
“Twilight thinks we should only need a couple of extra ponies.” She had looked at Applejack then and continued, “She thinks we should ask Big Macintosh to come too.” Applejack had not liked that. The inherent danger was bad enough but taking her older brother straight to meet it was another matter.
“Now hold on there! What right does Twilight have to drag my brother into this!?” She had said it in anger but in hindsight it had been pretty childish to get angry with Rarity. Of course she understood why Twilight wanted Big Mac. There wasn’t a stallion around as strong as her big brother and if there were big monsters to deal with along the way Big Mac would be invaluable. The other pony Twilight had suggested was Zecora. Her knowledge of potions, plants and herbs would be needed to keep them going if any of them got hurt or if brute strength failed to solve a problem. After that, there had been little to discuss. They had all worked together to protect Ponyville and Equestria before, and this time was no different. Rarity and Fluttershy went to speak with Zecora while Applejack went back to Sweet Apple Acres to speak with her brother. Big Macintosh’s reaction had also been mixed. He was excited to finally have the chance to help out his little sister with one of her world altering adventures she so often went on, but then again there was somepony he did not want to leave. Eventually Big Mac had said a tearful good-bye to Cherilee who came to see him off at the train station. No one had guessed that the two of them would get together after the Cutie-mark Crusaders little escapade with the Love Potion turned love Poison, but it had brought them together and together they had stayed, until that day. Applejack had disliked splitting them apart but they both understood and it had turned out that Zecora had been more than happy to offer her support and she had come along with two saddle bags stuffed full of herbs, scrolls and pots and bowls, plus a trunk full of the same. Now at last they were all together in Canterlot, but not quite ready to get moving. Princess Celestia felt strongly that they all be able to defend themselves properly and had adequate protection. She commissioned armour for anypony she knew had a habit of getting into the thick of it, so Applejack and her brother were having spell-forged armour forged to fit them and she had heard Celestia talking to Twilight about a spell she could teach Rarity. Applejack wondered as she watched the hammer rise and fall again what exactly Celestia thought they could do for Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash was fine, she could take care of herself but those two were a different matter. To be honest even Pinkie had her inexplicable Pinkie sense to warn her of danger but Fluttershy… Fluttershy was still afraid of her own shadow.
“Wanna try?” Applejack blinked and looked up. She realised she’d been staring off into space and the smith had trotted up to her with the hammer floating in front of her. She looked at it and smiled,
“Thanks, but ah’m an apple-bucker. I don’t think ah’ve got the forward body strength for smithy work.” The unicorn shrugged and turned back into his forge,
“Suit yerself, but I reckon good strong hind legs are just what you need to swing a hammer like this. It’s them that’s gotta take all the weight of each swing and you look to got a fine enough pair of those.” Applejack smiled again and wondered whether he was trying to be nice, or whether he was trying to hit on her. She’d never had an eye for flattery or flirting. That was Rarity’s department. She thanked him again and took her leave. The cool air outside the forge was refreshing after the heat of the smithy’s furnace. She let the wind blow through her hair for a moment before moving on. Applejack hadn’t been to the palace as often as some of the others, only when she’d come to Grand Galloping Gala and she’d only been to one of those. She’d forgotten how big it was. First there was the outer ward, a huge outer wall surrounding the palace and several smaller buildings and halls. Then there was the inner ward… or the keep or was it the castle Applejack could never remember the exact correct term, but it was only a little smaller than the outer ward and it was where the two Princesses spent most of their time along with their personal staff, servants and honoured guests. This was where AJ and the others were staying and making their preparations. The smithy was the one used by the castle so it was inside the second smaller wall. It provided a nice wind breaker from the harsher weather but still allowed for a nice breeze to drift in. Applejack trotted along the courtyard and up a set of stone stairs into one of the corner spires. She ascended further up until she finally came out atop the wall. From here she could see over the outer wall and into Canterlot. She couldn’t see much happening at street level but she did see a couple of hot air balloons floating through the air. She couldn’t make out the ponies riding them but what did catch her attention were the streaks of multi-coloured smoke that tore through the air over-head. Applejack recognised them as the Wonderbolts and she couldn’t mistake the rainbow coloured streak flying just left of centre. She trotted along the wall to where she could see they were coming down and descended another set of stairs to the courtyard below. By the time she got there they were all down and standing in a circle talking excitedly, laughing and hooting and slapping each other on the back. As she got closer she could overhear what they were saying,
“It’ll be real boring around here without you.” Chuckled Soarin,
“Yeah, that’s for sure.” Agreed Sunbeam. Rainbow Dash was grinning like a twit, surrounded by her fellow Wonderbolts. She had always dreamed of joining Cloudsdale’s most elite team of fliers and after performing the Sonic Rainboom at the Young Fliers competition over two years ago, it hadn’t taken long for the team to accept her. She wasn’t wearing the teams uniform but she was wearing her goggles which she always wore, wherever she went.
“Remember guys, you can’t slack off while I’m gone,” Dash pointed out, “You’ve got to keep Canterlot and the rest of Equestria safe from all those beasties Dreadwing’ll be stirrin’ up.” Spitfire trotted up and put a hoof on Dash’s shoulder,
“We’ll miss you Dash. Make sure you keep safe and get those Elements to Pyre Mountain in one piece and get back here quick.” Rainbow smiled at the team leader,
“Thanks boss.” Just then Rainbow noticed Applejack standing near by and waved her over, “Hey, AJ! Come on.” Applejack trotted over,
“Morning y’all.” She smiled and the Wonderbolts nodded their hello’s and chimed a series of greetings at her.
“Anyway Dash,” Spitfire said, “We better leave you to get ready. We’ve got some new patrols to run to keep an eye out for these new bad guys who’ll be creeping around soon.” Dash said good bye to the Wonderbolts and then turned to Applejack, who’d waited patiently for her to finish.
“Sorry about that AJ.” She apologised but Applejack waved it off with a hoof.
“No problem Rainbow. You all set for our little trip?”
“Am I ever! Check these out.” Rainbow Dash sat back on her haunches and held up her two front hooves. She was wearing a set of dark blue steel horse shoes, with stylish streamlined designs. Applejack had failed to notice them until right that moment.
“Well golly, ain’t those something .” Applejack commented leaning in to get a closer look,
“I know,” Rainbow said proudly, “Celestia wanted to give me some armour, like you and Big Mac but Princess Luna said that it would only slow me down, which it would, so instead she gave me these.” She jumped up onto her back legs and started swinging and chopping like a martial artist, “These’ll definitely leave an ‘impression.’ If you know what I mean.” Applejack ducked an over-enthusiastic left hook and chuckled,
“Ah think Ah get yer meanin’. Come on, we should go see how the others are doin’.”
The two of them set off under an archway, Rainbow leading the way, saying she had seen Twilight and Rarity in a practice yard not far off. They quickly came upon the two unicorns arguing over something. They were standing at one end of an archery range. Rarity was in a huff over something and actually looked a bit sweaty, as tough she’d actually been exerting herself. Applejack trotted up with Rainbow flying beside her and called out, “Gee Twilight, Ah hope you’re not plannin’ on wearin’ our Rarity out before we can even get started on this here quest.” Rainbow Dash chuckled and landed on the other side of Twilight and Rarity. Rarity narrowed her eyes at Applejack and mock laughed,
“Ha ha ha, Applejack. Hilarious, don’t you have some hard object to bash your head against?” Rainbow Dash laughed again but shut up quickly when Rarity turned her icy stare on her. Twilight rolled her eyes and explained,
“I’m trying to teach Rarity a new spell and she having a little trouble.”
“A little trouble!?” rarity said incredulously, “It’s like trying to pull your head through a narrow pair of iron bars while someone’s pushing in the opposite direction from the other end!” Applejack stifled a laugh and snorted instead,
“Wow. That sure sounds… unpleasant.” Rarity glowered again,
“I’m glad you think it’s so funny. Maybe you should try creating a bow and arrow out of nothing but air and essence.” Applejack turned to Twilight for some sort of explanation who sighed again,
“Rarity doesn’t know as many spells as I do so the Princess thought it would be a good idea for her to learn the Artemis conjuration.” When she saw the blank expressions on Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s faces she continued, “It’s a spell that allows the caster to summon a bow made out of pure essence and to create and loose arrows from it. I know it’s a pretty advanced spell but the Princess thought Rarity would be good at it for some reason.” Rarity took offence at the way Twilight had said that last oart and she looked even more incredulous,
“It’s not my fault! I make dresses, I don’t fight vicious monsters! How am I supposed to know how to create a mystical bow out of thin air and shoot it!” Twilight scowled and was ready to retort but Applejack decided that would probably be detrimental to any attempts at trying to get Rarity to learn something new, more specifically something new that she wasn’t good at. So she stepped between them and said,
“Ohkay, ohkay you two, Y’all just calm down now. Twilight,” She turned to the purple Unicorn, “Why don’t ya tell me how this spells s’pposed to work.”
“I’ve tried to tell her that it doesn’t have as much to do with sheer force of will as it does with concentration. It’s more about finesse and dexterity, but Rarity can’t seem to get that through her froofy head!”
“Froofy!?” Rarity just short of shrieked, but Applejack interceded again,
“Now, now there’s no need for name callin’ let me just think about this.” She pondered for a moment on what Twilight had said: Concentration and finesse. Well she didn’t know much about finesse, that was surely something Rarity would know more about, but she did now about concentration. She knew she’d seen Rarity concentrating before; in fact it was almost always when she was making dresses, Rarity was always the most at ease and the most focused when she was sewing and dressmaking. Maybe that was the key to this, “So Finesse and concentration, kind of like threading a needle right?”
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash chimed in, “Just think of it like threading a big needle… and then letting it loose and skewering a giant, blood-sucking bat!” Her friends shot her sharp looks and Dash grinned sheepishly.
“Anyway,” Twilight said with an arched eye brow at Dash, “That’s not a bad idea. Just think of it like threading a needle and running a stitch.” Rarity threw a pout at Twilight as she thought about it,
“Well, I suppose I could give it another try.” Applejack watched as Rarity turned to face the targets again. She stared at them for a moment before she furrowed her brow in concentration. Her horn glowed and spat a couple of random sparks of magic that fizzled and melted away into the grass. After a moment a long thin beam of light appeared, standing upright in front of Rarity. She opened her eyes and looked ahead at the target. Applejack heard her mutter, “Like threading a needle.” A couple more sparks jumped from her horn before the light started to bend until it looked more like a bow, ten a thin line dropped from the top to the bottom,
“That’s it Rarity!” Twilight exclaimed.
“Shh!” Applejack shot at her and Twilight bit her lip. Rarity took a steadying breath and then focused again. Another thin line appeared, this time horizontal across the bow. Rarity drew in a slow, deep breath and as she did the bow drew back, pulling the arrow with it. The whole construct quivered as a drop of sweat rolled down her face,
“Just take it easy Rarity,” Applejack almost whispered it as she said it, afraid that anything louder would cause Rarity to lose concentration and collapse the whole thing. Rarity gulped and pushed ahead. The arrow slid further back until it was almost level with Rarity’s eye. She looked down the length and Applejack just about heard her say it again,
“Thread… the needle.” With a snap that left glittering lights in the air the bow snapped forward and the arrow sailed through the air. It moved so fast that Applejack almost missed it. It left a silver trail in the air and slammed into the wall at the far end of the yard, punching a small thin hole deep into the hard stone. Applejack sighed and Rainbow dropped her head groaning,
“Don’t worry about it Rarity, it was pretty close…” But she stopped when she heard Rarity laugh out loud and start bouncing around giggling. Twilight was also jumping for joy shouting, ”You did it! You did it! Yes! Yes!” Rainbow Dash looked baffled,
“What are you screaming about? She missed.” But Rarity grabbed Rainbows hooves and started spinning around with her,
“Oh Rainbow, I’ve never even managed to finish the spell before! But I did it, I did it I did it!”
Applejack and the others found Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie in one of the castles many halls with Zecora and Princess Luna. They were looking at a map while Zecora was brewing something in the corner with her portable cauldron (a small iron pot she carried around everywhere, since she left the Everfree Forest) when they came in. “Hey guys.” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully as they trotted over to the table and sat down around it.
“Are you alright Rarity,” Fluttershy almost whispered, but that was normal, “You look a little tired?” Rarity beamed as she flicked her hair over her shoulder and sat back on her haunches,
“Why, I’m feeling just fine Fluttershy. Thank you.” Applejack had rarely seen Rarity look so proud about something that didn’t involve dresses or fashion but she was definitely proud of herself now. Luna nodded to the ponies as they sat and said,
“Mostly all of our preparations are complete it should not be long now before we can set out.”
“So what’s the plan? Where’re we headed first?” Dash asked from over in the corner. She was trying to see what Zecora was doing in her cauldron but the zebra elbowed her and she backed off. Luna pointed at the map,
“Time is of the essence, if we can restore the power of the Gaia stone before Dreadwing has fully recovered then his destruction is guaranteed. Therefore we should take a train to Manehattan. From there we can set out for the Mountains.”
“That doesn't sound so bad.” Chirped Pinkie Pie, “We can spend most of the trip, nice and comfy, on board a train. I always loved trains.” Applejack noticed that Fluttershy looked relieved by this information and then she noticed that Big Mac was nowhere to be seen.
“Uh, Princess, have you seen mah older brother?” Luna nodded and replied,
“Indeed. The royal armorer called for him just a moment ago. I imagine his armor is ready for fitting.” She looked at Applejack and added, “Yours should be ready very soon now as well.” Applejack smiled politely and nodded but in all honesty she wasn't sure about it. She’d seen the Royal Guard in the armor and she found it hard enough to imagine Big Mac wearing it, let alone herself. She couldn't help but picture herself rattling around in a suit of armor twice her size, which she could barely see out of. She snickered but then quickly coughed and looked at the floor as the Princess gave her a quizzical look. The door at the other end of the room opened up and Princess Celestia glided into the room accompanied by Big Macintosh. Applejack’s jaw dropped when he came in. Fluttershy ‘ooohed’, Rarity gasped an ‘oh my’ and Rainbow Dash just said,
“Bad ass Big Mac.” Applejack grinned at her older brother as he came in,
“Well Big Macintosh, I guess bein’ a knight in shinnin’ armor suits you pretty well.” Big Macintosh stood tall next to the Princess, resplendent in shinning silver armor, that covered his chest with an intricate laurel and apple design, and bracers and greaves on his forward and hind legs. Lastly a silver helm sat upon his head, a golden apple etched onto the temple and a long bright orange, feathery plume trailing from the top. He smiled from under his helm and replied with his customary,
“Yup.” Princess Celestia smiled and looked at Applejack,
“The armorers are looking for you next Applejack, but you might as well stay just until we’re done here.” Applejack nodded and the Princess strode in with Big Mac who went and stood next to his sister. “My letter to the Fire Casters has been answered. The King understands the magnitude of our cause and seeks to see it done. He will send his two sons to meet you at Glitter Top pass after you leave Manehattan. They will escort you the rest of the way from there.” Applejack looked up at her brother. He did look kind of impressive, not at all like how she’d imagined. The others broke off into their own conversations about what lay ahead of them as she thought about the plan. It sounded reasonable enough as it was but Applejack knew from experience, that plans didn't often turn out exactly as you ‘planned’ them to.