//------------------------------// // Third Hearing // Story: Point of No Return // by Wild_Heart //------------------------------// Applejack reflected on her life since leaving Ponyville, while the two rebels slipped quietly from shadow to shadow, trying to remain unseen and unheard. Reflection was not really something she did well, or often, but she couldn't stop the memories and thoughts from flowing. "That's where Ah used ta put th' apple stall ... Over there's where Trixie set up her first time here ... " Her thoughts turned to Trixie in that point, almost bumping into the aforementioned unicorn during her distraction. The former show-pony cast a baleful glare at the near miss, and Applejack grinned sheepishly, but nothing was said. Trixie was a lot like Dash, whether either of them would have ever admitted to it. Trixie was more haughty, but no more arrogant. Maybe it was that total confidence she'd liked in both of them. Or maybe it was the fact that that very confidence was a fabrication to hide the fact there WAS none. To be fair, Trixie's boasting wasn't really empty. She had no qualms in backing up her words, even if she obviously couldn't. Bravado in an attempt to seem strong when she always felt weak. Dash had the same problem too. And honestly, over the years, and thanks to her repeated humiliations, Trixie had learned some humility that had made her about as easy to get along with as her deceased pegasus ... Friend. Applejack tried to hold back a tear, sniffing a bit louder than she meant to. The look she got this time was a reassuring smile. Trixie didn't know what the farm-filly was thinking, but she knew just being here must be getting to her. Applejack was always so strong -- and not taken to emotional weakness -- but memories of that Rainbow Dash were something that hit her harder than she'd admit. She always said she was over it, Dash's death was something she dealt with. Now was not the time for such thought, and even as she gave that smile, Trixie's head nodded to the side. "Hurry now," that gesture conveyed. Applejack took a deep breath, steeled herself, and the two of them darted across a lamp-lit street to get to a small alley between two buildings that happened to protrude into the street enough to make it a more desirable target than another opening. Twilight's home would be on that side, and it was better than just racing across empty street right in front of Ponyville's monument to the unicorn, which was probably always under guard. Moving around behind their target, Trixie looked it over with a discerning eye, while Applejack kept a lookout. Noticing a second floor window open, she nodded to the farm-filly, whispering, "They've been here." "Ya think one of 'em's still here?" Applejack felt a sudden chill, and she had the feeling it wasn't related to the cold that was making her breath form small clouds in front of her muzzle. "No, I don't. They must have already gone to one of their friends' houses. But which one?" Trixie looked to her lover, not sure of which they might go to. She felt she should, but that was neither here nor there. Applejack lifted her head towards the dark sky. "Dash prolly would of gone right fer her house after. It's not there no more, is it?" Trixie shook her head. Another chill. Applejack looked around in the open space behind Twilight's house. "Ah think we're bein' watched, sugarcube." She could see nothing. Just empty blackness. However, a very slight movement made her gaze snap to a sudden streak of purple. "Ah, great..." She grit her teeth as she backed up, crouching low, ready for attack. "Trixie, ya need ta find th' others." The unicorn looked back to Applejack, gasping as she saw what Applejack had seen. A large black shape standing nearby, a bright purple mane flicking as a pair of hazel eyes glinted from the lamp-light. Wild Heart. Trixie nodded to Applejack without another word and teleported to a safe distance. Anywhere was better than here. The colt strode forward, a neutral frown on his muzzle. Wild Heart had been described as a living wall of meat. As tall as Big Mac -- and built as powerfully -- the black-coated, purple maned stallion was huge. His cutie mark was that of a black lily with purple spots, a purple outline that matched his mane differentiating it from his coat. His dispassionate gaze conveyed a sense of superiority while he slowly approached. Applejack found herself trembling. Wild Heart was an idiot, and pathetically child-like in his dedication to Nightmare Moon, but he was a very dangerous creature nonetheless. Her green eyes moved over his body, trying not to think about how easily he could probably stomp her into paste. However, the hoof shaped scar over his cutie mark brought her courage, and reminded her her that she'd beat him before, and she could do it again. "Applejack. How fortuitous ... Surrender to the mercy - " He didn't finish that statement before the orange pony leaped forward, striking out with a hoof. The clumsily attempted to side-step, but as lumbering as he was the movement was too slow to fully avoid the incoming kick. He reeled a bit from the blow. The Element of Honesty sold herself short on her ability to fight, and her own disproportionate strength easily staggered him even with a glancing hit. Applejack didn't turn. She knew that wasn't enough to hurt the monster of an earth pony, and so she kicked both legs out, aiming to connect with that scar she'd once given him, to hit where it hurt. Wild Heart let out a yelp of pain, stumbling, and his enemy grinned, preparing another buck. She'd been right to think that area was especially sensitive even after healing. Before it could connect, however, Applejack felt something wrap around her waist and throw her back towards the wall of Twilight's house. It was a solid impact, but the farm-filly had experienced worse. It was enough to stun her however, and through her blurred vision she saw a vine retracting into the earth. Wild Heart darted forward, and she winced as she tried to prepare herself for this coming assault, in the fruitless manner that one might throw up their arms to try and block an incoming train. The impact never came, and the farm-filly opened her eyes to find herself flying, to her bewilderment. She looked at the ground far below with a confused blink, then realized she was being held aloft, not simply floating. Her eyes widened. It was one thing to know the spell had, in some way, worked. It was entirely something else to come face to face with somepony her mind and heart told her was dead. Someone she should forget. It was entirely something else to be once again held, even if the situation wasn't at all romantic in the slightest, by someone you once loved. And Applejack was rendered completely speechless as she found herself staring up at Rainbow Dash, who was wincing at the weight in her arms, the weight of one shocked orange earth pony. "Ugh, Applejack, what've you been EATING? Celestia, you're heavy!" After losing the line of sight of the enemy far below behind a few clouds, she swept back down to Equestria, putting Applejack down, and taking a few pants for breath. She grinned weakly at her friend, gasping out "Might --huh-- wanna lose -- heh -- a few pounds." Catching her breath, the Pegasus plopped onto her haunches and glanced to the direction of the library. "Who the hay was that, anyway?" Applejack scowled. "Ah'm not FAT. Ah'm just stronger, an' muscle's got more to it than fat!" The anger quickly turned to sadness, the farm-filly biting her lip. "Nah, Celestia, not now ... Not tha' time fer it..." She looked back up and took a deep breath. "Sugarcube. We really gotta talk." --- Wild Heart didn't scowl. He honestly didn't quite care the resistance leader had slipped through his hooves. That was less important by far than what he'd just witnessed. It'd only been a flash, one quick glance, but he knew what he saw. "My goddess must hear of this immediately." As he stared along the sky, trying to trace that flight trajectory for the third time, a small flower sprouted from the ground, then slowly grew larger and larger, until it dwarfed even the stallion. Giving up on his doomed attempts to figure out where the pegasus would be landing, he turned to the blossoming plant, and stepped through a portal that seemed to replace the inside of its petals. Once he was through, the flower died, wilted, and turned to ash within seconds. --- "Eternal night ... " Twilight felt a shiver down her spine. When Rarity had come to, she had to show the fashionista that she wasn't the living dead come to feast on her (obviously lovely) brains. After that...Well, it hadn't been an entirely nice talk. Rarity was very happy to see her, but Twilight wouldn't let her welcome her properly. She needed to know what was going on. She did not like what she heard in the slightest. A world where she had died at the noose, Nyx having not have had the presence of mind to save her after her scathing words. Things had gone downhill from there. Spell Nexus was the next victim of the noose for challenging his goddess one too many times. Dash had been challenged to a race and died in the middle of it in very suspicious circumstances. Pinkie was a recluse, Fluttershy refused to speak at all (except to Rarity), and to top it off, Applejack had denounced everyone and left. It was so much to take in, and Twilight wasn't sure she could quite comprehend it. Tears began to form in her eyes, and Rarity frowned, gently wiping them away with a handkerchief. "Now now, dear, it is not at all as bad as it sounds! Sure, we may not have seen the sun in five years. Or was it six? I honestly can't recall!" Rarity gave Twilight an apologetic smile that was more polite than sincere. "Well, in either case, it's not been nearly as terrible as we thought at first." She offered Twilight the cloth, and the magician took it with her magic gratefully, staring at the floor, trying not to break down. "Ponyville is still a rather nice place to live! In fact, thanks to the presence of Queen Nyx near us, we're the most desirable place to live now, aside from Canterlot! Ponyville has grown, prospered! And my career has become something to behold!" "Y-You still live here, though?" Rarity gave Twilight a hurt look, as if that had been a grave insult. "Oh come now, even with many of my dearest friends gone, I could never abandon Fluttershy to her own devices. And there's not much reason for me to leave in any case ... " The white unicorn proudly brought her left foreleg to her chest, her head tossing back theatrically. "Ponyville is now the home of the truly talented! I, myself, even design for our beloved queen and her highest ranked officers." Twilight found herself slightly disgusted at that, but questioned why she should judge. Rarity found her dream, and she hadn't abandoned her friends. Perhaps it was the casual acceptance of the way things are now. "I didn't mean to suggest you would leave us. But ... Your duty! What about protecting Equestria? We're the Elements of Harmony, Rarity, not just anypony!" Twilight leaped up, anger on her face, and tears now streaming down her cheeks. "We have to - to do ... SOMETHING! Anything!" The white unicorn leaned away from Twilight, taken aback by the outburst. She felt a pang of guilt, but quickly shrugged it off with anger of her own. She rose, her muzzle just inches from the other unicorn's. "And what SHALL we do, Twilight Sparkle? Hmm? Shall we just go now, march up to Queen Nyx, and, dare I say it? GROUND her?" She fumed, pressing forward. Twilight, for her part, leaned back, away, surprised and intimidated by the sudden conviction. "Why, when as far as I know, everything is fine! Perhaps it is just the fact that the princesses aren't ruling? Well! Why would their command be any more legitimate than another alicorn who can control the heavens! Why should we bow to rulers not even here when there is one who seems just as kind, if not a bit more stern? Honestly, Twilight, what WOULD we even do? Banish her as we did from Luna? Where would she even go!" Rarity wasn't sure if she was trying to admonish Twilight, or convince herself of her own words, but she was far too livid to really care her once dear friend was now in tears. "Would you really do that to your own daughter even after she avenged your death? Built a monument in your name? Made Ponyville the scion, the glowing example of pony-kind?!" Twilight's back was against a wall now. Her retreat from the element of generosity, if she was even that anymore, had put her there. She cowered under the barrage of questions, trembling and sobbing openly. "I-I don't know ... Please Rarity, I don't even know why I'm here ... " Rarity suddenly felt more awful than before. She pressed up close to Twilight, holding her close and sighing softly. "Shhh ... It is alright, darling. I'm sorry ... I - I simply do not know what came over me to be so cruel." That was a lie. She knew all too well why. Her dreams, her career, had been threatened, and not only that, but her integrity as a lady. Perhaps she had been to quick to accept Queen Nyx as ruler, but that was for Twilight's sake as much as her own, hadn't it? "Yes. It hasn't been a reign of terror, after all. Everything's been fine. Her heralds have been very forthcoming with information, and if Ponyville's success is any indication, why would they lie?" Doubt bit at the back of her mind. Propaganda was always possible, after all. But those thoughts grew weaker and weaker as she comforted her friend. She allowed herself a smile, hoping it would help comfort Twilight. "Come now, dear, I'm sure you're very tired. After all, it's quite late. We could both do with some sleep, hmm?" Twilight sighed, nodding her head weakly. "In the morning ... I need - I need to see her." Rarity beamed, helping her friend to her bed, and Twilight slipped up onto it, Rarity soon to follow. The lavender unicorn laid herself on the far left of the bed, not bothering to move the covers. "Of course, dear. You have no idea how elated she will be to see you! After all, you ARE her mother, hmm?" Twilight forced back a sob as she remembered her own little Nyx. Was this really another world, another reality? Or were her happy memories a dream? Was this all some sick joke by the universe? Rarity, seeing her friend's tortured expression, gently rubbed at Twilight's shoulders. "Come now, dear. I truly am sorry for my outburst. And everything will seem much better in the morning! You'll see! Now, I'll let you have my bed to yourself, you seem like you could use the space ... " Before she could leave, though, Twilight turned and quickly shook her head. "No! I - I mean ... " She took a deep breath. "I really want someone here with me. I can't - I can't be alone right now." Rarity blinked, then nodded, laying down herself and hugging her friend to her. "Oh Twilight ... Everything will be fine. With you here, everything will go back to normal. I'm sure of it." The white unicorn closed her eyes, and began to doze off... --- Rainbow Dash was disgusted. She wasn't sure what was going on, all this. The pegasus wasn't really in her comfort zone when it came to academic things like magic, and the idea of another world parallel to her own just gave her a headache. What she got from it, aside from that confusion, was that someone decided their mess was her problem, and dragged her into it. Away from her life, and away from her Applejack. As far as she was concerned, the one in front of her could go rot at the moment. "You know what? Nevermind. Hay if I'm gonna help you! I hope that Big Heart guy or whatever comes back and kicks your flank!" Applejack winced, slightly panicked. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go. This wasn't the plan. Dash wasn't supposed to hate her! The filly shook her head and glared Dash in the eye. "Look here, sugarcube-" "Don't you call me that! You're not my Applejack, you're not my friend, you're a jerk who's ruining my life!" "Ya only been here fer an hour at th' most, you ...You ... " "Don't you DARE." "YA traitor!" That set the cyan-coated pegasus off like nothing else. Dash pounced at the farm-filly. If looks could kill, the expression on her face might have not only polished Applejack off, but her immediate family as well. As it was, hooves hurt enough, even if RD couldn't hit nearly as hard as the earth pony. Applejack hit the dirt on her back, Dash giving her a sock right in the nose with a forehoof, before the orange filly kicked her off. Rolling to her hooves, Applejack spat some blood from her mouth to the side, now just as pissed off as the pegasus. "Fine! Ya wanna make this hard on yerself, let's do this thing! Ah'm takin' ya back with me even if Ah gotta-" She didn't get it out before she saw a hind-leg coming for her face. AJ reared up, though that only caused her to get hit in the chest. She stumbled, but didn't fall. She was done with words now. The orange pony zipped behind the pegasus before she could kick out at Applejack again, the farm-filly biting onto Dash's tail. The Pegasus kicked wildly for those offending jaws, though not a single hoof found it's mark before the earth pony yanked Dash into the air over her 'friend', and swung her down to the dirt. Dash groaned and tried to rise up, only for two fore-hooves to slam down onto her rib cage. Not enough to break anything, but Luna's flank if it didn't hurt. "Ugh!" She winced, shuddering. Applejack had a definite advantage. She wasn't as tired as Dash was, and she was far stronger. "Shoulda gotten in the air as soon as the fight begun," She thought, as applejack reared again. "Hit and run. Well, Hindsight ... " "Stop! Okay!" She wheezed, struggling to find a way to get air in her lungs that wouldn't burn like Celestia's Sun. "I get the message." Applejack felt a surge of triumph break through, and she reached a hoof down, offering it to Rainbow Dash as though it were a peace treaty.. "C'mon, sugarcube. Just help us out, and y'all be back on yer way before ya can say Appleloosa." Dash grunted, not just out of lingering anger, but because talking hurt now. AJ just shrugged. "Sorry, but ya kinda brought it on yerself. Yer th' Element of Loyalty. You gotta act like it, RD." The weather-pony shot her a glare, and Applejack returned it. "Lemme finish. Ya gotta act like it, because we need ya. We can't do this without ya." Dash felt a bit of pride at that, and smiled. Maybe this pony was more like the Applejack Dash knew than she thought. "Okay, but you gotta swear we're going back home when this is over." Applejack solemnly went through the motions. "Cross mah heart an' hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in mah eye." Dash tried not to laugh. After all, the Pinkie Pie promise was serious business. "Now, let's git goin' before tall, dark and jackmule shows up 'gin." So one earth pony and one very sore Pegasus headed for the apple orchard. That was where she and Trixie were going to meet up when they were done, and Ponyville was too dangerous right now for more than one pony working espionage. "Ah sure hope ya know what yer doin', Trixie. Don't break my heart, darlin'." --- Trixie ducked behind a water collection barrel, swearing under her breath as she hid from the passing guards. They were in a rush, which could only mean they were looking for someone. Her and Applejack, of course.When they passed, she ducked behind the general store the barrel was set against, exploring her options. "I'm still not sure which friend Twilight is with, and ... " She cast her eyes down the street, the unicorn sighting more guards coming from the distance. " ... Obviously, I can't just check every one." She'd been to the Sugarcube Corner, already, but no one had answered her frantic knocking. She hadn't been surprised, though. At this hour they would be asleep and she was told that Pinkie lived on the second floor, besides. She was just about to try tapping on the window she suspected belonged to the baker, but that was when she'd heard heavy hoof-falls coming her way. She sighed with disappointment, and walked a safe distance from Ponyville, before she dared to turn and glare back at it's shape as though it itself had offended her. "Now ... I could go back to the orchard. After all, this is getting far too dangerous, and I can't possibly move along unhindered." She lifted a hoof to begin her walk there, feeling far too tired to try teleporting again, but then she hung her head. The idea of Applejack's disappointment in her for failure was too great a motivator. "No. I can't leave without that blasted Twilight." Trixie needed a place to lay low. Out in the open was too exposed, the Everfree too wild, and Ponyville would be swarmed with guards. Already she saw lights turning on in houses as the residents of the once-small town began to awake, likely wondering what in the name of Celestia was happening. "But where can I go?" She thought long and hard of Applejack's briefings of the town and it's layout. Every important Resistance leader needed to know such things, just in case coming here was inevitable. Eventually her mind settled on a particular location: Fluttershy's house. It was far enough from Ponyville that it would be easy to hide there. If guards came looking, the pegasus would hide her. She was sympathetic to the rebellion, even if she could not act openly for it. Trixie began the long trek around Ponyville. She'd have to go through the orchard to get there, but that was fine. Plenty of cover, and hopefully she could meet Applejack and tell her the plan. --- The black stallion stood at the door that led to his Queen's bedroom. He felt a bit apprehensive about waking her, to be honest. For one to wake a slumbering goddess, they must either be a foal or have something vitally important to say. He prayed this qualified as the latter, and gave a few solid knocks. There was no sound from within for a moment, so he moved a hoof to repeat the motion. Before he could, however, a single word broke the silence. "What." Flat and annoyed, the voice nevertheless retained its smooth, proud tone. Wild Heart was oddly comforted by that. It hadn't, after all, been a shout, nor had the door flown open, or any number of things his imagination would tell him were definite signs he was about to die. "My queen, I have ... Some very urgent news." More silence followed, then a deep groan of frustration. "Wild Heart, do you ever sleep?" The earth pony smiled to himself. There was definitely a reason to respect his goddess, but why fear? He explained it as some deep, primal thing, perhaps. A mortal before a goddess should of course be terrified. Feeling brave enough to continue, he spoke again. "Your majesty, my insomnia is not really a matter worth of note. I - " He was interrupted by the mare's impatience. "It can wait until I have slept. Go take your medication and rest." It was Wild Heart's turn to be annoyed, over-riding any trepidation he'd had the moment before. He stomped a fore-hoof (though as it was on carpet, it was barely audible), and turned to leave. "Very well. Then if the matter of seeing one Rainbow Dash alive and well is less important, I shall retire. Goodnight, godd - " The door swung open, interrupting him yet again as the latch struck the wall on the room's inside. There stood his queen, larger than he, and far more regal in bearing. Absolute grace and beauty. He allowed himself an awed glance before bowing. She didn't wear her armor to bed, and hadn't bothered to put it on before the door had opened, leaving her bare. An expression of shock was on her face, something he hadn't seen often. "What was that, you said? I demand a full report right this moment!" Wild Heart briefly considered pointing out her earlier argument, but that would have been a waste of his time, and, most importantly, hers. The stallion nodded, rising from his bow. "I was taking a stroll through Ponyville, trying to gather my thoughts, when I noticed the monument to Twilight had been broken into." Perhaps that was the wrong thing to start off with. Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed as her expression became a scowl. "Please, my goddess, this is more than a petty act of vandalism." She grit her teeth, and shook her head, but let him continue. "I noticed tracks leading from the upper window, but only away. Somepony must have teleported in, or flew in. I alerted the guard, then decided to observe until the interlopers returned." A brow raised on the mare's forehead as she listened, her anger still present, but curiosity was taking over. And amusement at the absurd idea that the intruders WOULD return. Wild Heart never was very bright. "I sighted a familiar pair after half an hour. Applejack And Trixie. When I confronted them, Trixie fled, and Applejack attacked. I easily subdued her, but was interrupted in my arrest by a rainbow patterned streak. I was only able to take in a brief instant of the perpetrator's identity, but it was enough." Nyx shook her head slowly, her mouth feeling a bit dry. Why was she suddenly afraid at this? "Wild Heart, this is truly an impossibly thing you suggest. You can't SERIOUSLY be thinking a pegasus has come back from the dead, can you?" Fear had turned to logic, and from logic to concern. "Perhaps you truly should go sleep. You must be hallucinating." This was not what the stallion had expected to hear. "Goddess, please. It has only been three moon-rises since I last slept." "And that's enough to cause such hallucinations." "But - ! My queen! Applejack could not simply fly off by her - " "My word is final, Wild Heart." The statement was clear, and while it was miffed in attitude at his arguments, the dangerous tone that suggested punishment for the infraction wasn't there. It was more of a teacher rebuking a student than that of a goddess being outraged at a challenge. "Go. To. Sleep. The guard has already been alerted. Most likely those two traitors have already fled, but in case they remain, I will send someone else to capture them, and this Rainbow Dash impersonator." The stallion dropped his head, and bowed. "Yes, my goddess ... " He strode away slowly, feeling more defeated, and perhaps a bit doubtful. Maybe he HAD been seeing things. The mare watched as he turned into his own quarters halfway down the hall, and shook her head. "Perfect Cut. I know you've been listening in on this. I want you to find them. Take them alive, if possible ... " She didn't take long to think over the order, and quickly add, "And mostly unhurt. None of your shenanigans." "Awwww!" A dark pink coated pony stepped out of another door, pouting both at being found out, and her fun denied. Her mane was purple with cyan highlight, and was wild and unkempt despite being brushed back. The pegaus's wings were near constantly unfurled back, though they fluttered now and then seemingly at random. "But Nyyyyxie..." "Not now, Perfect. I am going back to bed now. You have your orders." The queen stepped back into her room and closed the door. The pegasus threw herself down in a pout, her legs curled under her. Eventually, she rose up, but only because she'd had a thought that made her perk up again. "Well, she didn't say anything about accidents!" She grinned, and mimicked the apologetic, droning tone of a city guard. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but sometimes these things happen." Falling onto her back, Perfect's legs kicked in the air while she giggled. It was a happy sound, but happy for all the wrong reasons. "Might as well get to it, then! This could be all kinds of fun!" The black anklets on her front left and rear right legs jingled as she galloped off down the hall, thinking of all the wonderful 'accidents' her quarries would have before bringing them back. She let off another cheerful, but disturbed chortle as she planned her first stop.