As the group climbed the cliffs to Applefort, Applejack grew quieter and quieter, plainly withdrawing into herself. "What's bothering you?" Spike asked in concern.
AJ sighed. "I...didn't exactly leave home on the best of terms. As much as I look forward to seeing my family again...I'm kinda afraid of how they'll react to my return." She shook her head. "It's probably nothing, but...well, the Highland Apples are mercenaries. So we're all pretty tough fighters in our own way. Things might get...rough."
Spike smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure things won't be that bad. It's your family, after all."
AJ nodded. "I can only hope." Reaching the entrance to the fort, AJ pulled out her rope. Swinging her lasso around her head, she looped it around a crenellation on the front gate. With a tug, the door lowered, becoming a drawbridge, granting entrance over the wide gorge that surrounded the fort on all sides. "By the way: Rainbow, Shy, Luna, I'd suggest not flying while in the fort. Anything that goes beyond a certain height over ground level gets targeted by the crystal lasers."
Rainbow laughed. "And why should I be scared of-"
Applejack tossed a rock into the air. When it reached 6 feet above their heads, several turrets swiveled at the peak of the wall and fired focused beams of light from crystals inside. The rock was vaporized instantly.
"...lasers?" Rainbow finished, whimpering.
The highland mare chuckled. "There's a reason we've never been conquered here. Oh, and most of the interior structure has been designed to absorb magical discharge, so everyone be on your best behavior, okay?"
Everyone nodded quickly. AJ then led them inside.
A earth pony stallion in a guard uniform stepped forward. "Halt! Who goes-AJ?"
AJ smiled. "Yeah, Braeburn, it's me."
The guard lifted the visor of his helmet, revealing a blonde coat, orange and blonde mane, happy green eyes, and a huge smile. "You're back!" he cried happily, racing forward and bowing.
"Braeburn! What have I told you about that?" AJ was obviously uncomfortable. "I'm an Apple just like you! You shouldn't be bowing to me."
"But Applejack, you are the queen!" Braeburn insisted. "Well...at least until the ceremony."
The orange mare blinked. "Ceremony?"
"Princess Apple Bloom is going to be wed to Whopper, the new general. He's a highland stallion with a sound tactical mind."
AJ blinked. "Well I'll be...my baby sis...getting married? Never would have thought..." She stepped away. "Would y'all excuse me?" she asked the group. "I need to do some thinking. Why don't you all go get the lute we came for, and then come get me." Before they could respond, she headed down some nearby stairs.
Braeburn shook his head. "Didn't think she'd be so happy about this. I know Apple Bloom isn't."
Pipsqueak tilted his head. "Why is she getting married if she isn't happy about it?"
"Cause Whopper's the first highland stallion to make it into Applefort who isn't an Apple. What with every Apple mare going into that weird super heat when they come in season, we need to marry Apple Bloom to a non-relative so's she can mate and have healthy kids." Braeburn shrugged. "Since the docs say her first season will be tomorrow evening - a bit late, since she's already 14-"
"She's my age and getting married?" Scootaloo wondered aloud.
"-we were kinda desperate for any stallion to pair her off to. Even if he is a bit egotistical, has weird ideas on where to take the Apple family, and Apple Bloom can't stand him." Braeburn chuckled. "She said if he tried to touch her without her permission, she'd blow him away. I believe her."
Spike nodded. "Well, we're here to get the lute. We need it to talk to the ponies of Harmonia. Who should we talk to about that?"
Braeburn winced. "Unfortunately, you'll have to talk to Whopper about it. Apple Bloom's gone into seclusion with her oncoming season so she doesn't end up jumping her brother or anything like that, so Whopper's pretty much running everything." He pointed north. "Cross the bridge and head for the throne room."
Spike nodded. As they were crossing the outside bridge, Rainbow spoke up. "So...how much does anyone want to bet this Whopper is another demon?"
"No bet," Spike replied. "That's pretty much a sure thing."
"So, we're going to kill him so Apple Bloom doesn't have to marry him, right?" Scootaloo asked.
"We'd have to force him to reveal himself, or we'd get thrown in the dungeon," Luna pointed out.
"Maybe we could enchant one of my knives with holy magic?" Pip offered.
"The crystalline structure's within the walls would absorb the magic before it could reach your blades," Twilight pointed out.
"So how exactly are we going to make the demon reveal himself?" Fluttershy asked. "Assuming he is a demon."
"I could throw him a party and launch him out of my party cannon!" Pinkie offered.
"Rather crass, darling," Rarity pointed out. "Perhaps we could just ask?"
Spike paused. "You want me to walk right up to General Whopper and ask, 'Are you a demon?'"
"Diplomacy has to succeed somewhere," Rarity pointed out. "You never know. He might make things simple for us and say 'yes'."
"And if he says no, we can ask him for the lute so we can kill the demons!" Pinkie replied. "And if he gives it to us, we can tell him that Apple Bloom doesn't need to get married because Luna and Rarity purged the curse on the Apple line that makes the mares go into the super heat back when we first met AJ."
Spike thought for a bit, then nodded. "Right. Definitely save that bit for last." He then led them through to the throne room.
Sitting on the throne was a large orange stallion with a blood red mane and red eyes, garbed in demonic battle armor. "I don't care if we have to burn the place to the ground and sow the fields with salt!" he proclaimed, slamming his fist down on the throne. "We will claim that territory in the name of the Apple Clan!"
"But sir," one of the ponies he was talking to complained, "what good will conquering that province be if nothing grows there?"
"It will show others that we will brook no opposition, and that nothing will stop our advance!" He grinned widely. "Besides, the wealth we will accrue in the conquest will easily defray the cost, and grant us the strength to conquer many others."
One of the other ponies looked nervous. "But General Whopper-"
"Do not question me!" Whopper roared. "Simply do as I tell you, and the Apple clan will be not mercenaries, but conquerors!" He leaned back. "That will be all. Dismissed!"
The addressed ponies left the room, not looking happy. Spike and the others immediately advanced.
Whopper stood up, staring at them, his hand resting on a crenellation in the wall. "Who are you all? What do you want here? And how much did you overhear of this classified war meeting?"
Spike crossed his arms. "Are you a demon?"
Whopper twisted the crenellation. The floor dropped out from under the group before any could react, and they dropped down into a dungeon.
Rainbow sat up from where she had landed. "Well, that could have gone better."
"Confirms what we thought, though," Rarity pointed out.
"So much for diplomacy," Twilight complained. "Oh, and thanks for catching everyone, Spike. Are you okay?"
Spike sat up from having positioned himself to absorb most of the impact of the fall. "I'm okay," he replied. "My new armor absorbed almost all the damage. I'm just a little stiff."
"That's some good armor," Pipsqueak marveled. "Now how do we get out of here?"
Spike looked over at the door, and saw it was covered in crenellations like nearly every other door and wall they'd encountered. "I'm guessing one of these opens the door."
"Alright!" Scootaloo reached for the door. "Let's try them all until-"
"I wouldn't!" Pipsqueak said, pointing to a nearby sign.
One of these switches opens the door. All others bring death. Only an apple knows the secret.
The group all stared at the sign. "Buck," Rainbow said at last.
Applejack, after a long time thinking, finally stood up. "What's taking them so long?" she muttered. "I'd better go check on them." She made her way back up the stairs and onto the bridge towards the throne room, but paused. She could feel angry eyes on her. "...I know that silent gaze," she said aloud. She looked up to the top of the tower she was approaching. "Big Mac? That you?"
A massive red stallion - a near mirror image of Whopper - stood on the roof of the tower, staring down at her. He had a blood red coat, an orange mane, piercing green eyes, and was dressed in the armor of a paladin. "Eeyup!" he barked.
Applejack sighed. "And you're upset with me."
"Eeyup."
"Is it because I left without saying goodbye?"
"Eeyup."
"And didn't come back for over five years?"
"Eeyup."
"And left you and Apple Bloom to run things?"
"Eeyup."
"And now you want to take your anger out on me?"
"Eeyup."
"And you ain't gonna give me a chance to explain?"
"Eenope."
Applejack sighed. "Alright. I'll wait down here for you." Seeing him bending his knees, she readied her lasso.
Big Macintosh leapt from the tower roof onto the bridge. His landing shook the bridge, causing it to fall out from under the two of them. Big Mac braced himself on a falling piece of rubble, ready to fight as they fell...only to see no sign of Applejack. He splashed heavily into the water below.
Applejack slowly lowered herself on her rope, reaching the ground safely before freeing the rope from the broken end of the bridge. She then used it to pull Big Mac to shore. "Still leaping before you look?"
"...eeyup..."
"Gonna give me a chance to explain now?"
"...eeyup..."
Applejack sighed. "I left because I wanted to find a cure for the crazy heat thing the mares of our family go through. I bumped into a zebra who gave me some pills that made me sterile as long as I took them, as well as teaching me how to make them, but that was a temporary solution at best. But a couple friends of mine I met recently found a permanent cure and fixed me right up!"
"Then how come you didn't come back sooner?" Big Mac asked, finally saying more than one word at a time.
Applejack sighed. "I was...scared. Scared you and Apple Bloom couldn't forgive me for running off. Scared of having to take the reigns again and make all the decisions. Scared I wouldn't be good enough..."
Big Mac shook his head. "Applejack, I admit I was angry, but I never hated you. You're my sis, and I miss you. And so does Apple Bloom." He pulled her into a tight embrace. "Let's go see Apple Bloom so you can give her a hug. Then we can get your friends to remove her curse so she don't have to get married."
AJ pulled back. "Wait, have to? You mean she don't love this Whopper guy?"
"Can't stand him!" Big Mac replied. "Only reason for the wedding is her first in season time is coming up, and he's the only stallion for miles who wasn't family."
Applejack leapt to her feet. "But when they removed the curse from me, it purged it from all the mares of my family! Apple Bloom won't go into heat like I did."
Big Mac rose with the inexorable force of the tides. "Then let's go tell her, so we can kick that Whopper out of our home!"
"We'll come at him from both sides," AJ directed. "Let's go!" They both took off along two separate paths through the castle towards the tower peak.
Halfway there, AJ encountered Whopper, hassling a yellow earth pony filly who plainly wanted nothing to do with him. "Ah told you what I'd do to you if you laid a hand on me!" she snapped at him.
Whopper chuckled. "You'll be singing a very different tune by day's end. When your heat kicks in-"
"You keep your filthy, goat buggering hands off my little sis!" Applejack snapped, stomping up to him, cracking her knuckles as she prepared to rip him limb from limb.
"Applejack!" Apple Bloom shouted happily.
Whopper turned with a snarl. "What are you doing back here?"
"Kicking you off my throne!" Applejack stomped forward, her fist drawing back.
Whopper stomped on a tile, causing the floor beneath Applejack to open up, dumping her into the void as she shouted, "Dag Nabbit!"
"Applejack!" Apple Bloom shouted after her.
Applejack let out an "Oof!" as she landed in Spike's arms. "Nice catch, sugarcube," she said, leaning into him.
"So how do we get out of this prison without dying?" Rainbow demanded. "The sign says only an apple knows the secret, so what's the secret?"
Applejack hopped out of Spike's arms, walked up to the sign, and pushed the hidden switch under the word 'apple'. The door creaked easily open.
Scootaloo and Pipsqueak both facepalmed. "I can't believe I missed that!" they said together.
"Apples open doors and make paths," AJ explained. "All other switches trigger death traps. Now let's go! Whopper's got my little sister!"
The entire group followed her as fast as they could as she raced upwards, taking every possible shortcut. Eventually, they found Big Macintosh collapsed near a wall. "That door..." he groaned. "It's got a strong barrier..."
"What is the password?" the door inquired.
Spike charged forward, his body expanding as his scales turned red. He leapt forward, turning his head back, and used his fire breath to propel himself forward, smashing through the door and knocking it off its hinges.
"...ow..." the door complained. The rest followed.
As they reached the upper floor, they heard Whopper speaking. "You really should just cooperate, Apple Bloom. Soon, your heat will kick in. Once I have you hooked to the machine, your surge of lustful emotion and sexual frustration will make Applefort the flying fortress it once was." Whopper was walking towards a darkened room.
"Ah warned you, bastard!" Apple Bloom swore from inside the room. Her words were followed by a chicka-ka-click sound.
Applejack's eyes widened. "She's not...get down!" She threw herself to the floor. Everyone else immediately threw themselves to the floor as well.
BANGA-BANG-BANG-ANG-BANG-BANG-ANGA-BANGA-
An endless stream of shotgun blasts tore through Whopper's body above the waist, and he eventually dissipated into black smoke.
BANGA-BANG-BANG-ANG-BANG-BANG-ANGA-BANGA-
The shots continued, as the focus swept back and forth, blowing holes in the walls, tearing through stone, crystals, and machinery with equal alacrity.
BANGA-BANG-BANG-ANG-BANG-BANG-ANGA-BANGA-
Most of the group kept low, holding still so as not to be hit by the blasts. Pipsqueak, however, crawled forward quickly towards the room.
BANGA-BANG-BANG-ANG-BANG-BANG-ANGA-BANGA-BANG!
The sounds and blasts ceased. The group slowly stood up.
"Thanks," Apple Bloom said from the darkened room. "Guess I still need to tweak the recoil on that."
"What is that thing?" Pipsqueak asked, staring at the mounted weapon that looked like a cross between a bazooka and a minigun.
"That's my Rolling Thunder Automatic belt fed shotgun!" Apple Bloom said happily. "It's my favorite gun. Made it myself! Packs quite a wallop, though."
As the rest of the group approached, Pipsqueak replied. "Well, as long as you're okay, Apple Bloom."
"How'd you know my name?" she asked, shocked.
"I'm a friend of Applejack's."
"Really?" Apple Bloom asked seductively. "Well, if she vouches for your character, think you could keep me company? I'm going to go a little crazy later, and if you hadn't knocked me off my gun, I might have blown the top of the tower clean off. You saved my life...so..."
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack called, charging into the room. "The curse is broken! You won't get that crazy heat like I did!"
"Really?" Apple Bloom asked, surprised. She cuddled closer to Pip in her position where he'd tackled her off the mounted gun. "Can I have him anyway?"
"Hey!" Scootaloo complained, grabbing hold of Pipsqueak's other arm. "I saw him first!"
"What do you think you're doing to my little sister?" Spike, Big Mac, and AJ demanded of Pipsqueak simultaneously.
Pipsqueak had twin waterfalls of tears running tracks down his face. "Not fair..."
"So...about the Lute?" Fluttershy asked nervously.
"Right," AJ replied, remembering why they came here. "Big Mac, we need the family lute so we can talk to the ponies of Harmonia, so we can get the dream pillow, so we can restore Seabreeze's memory, so we can learn how to stop the demons and save the world. You've still got it, right?"
"Nope!"
There was a strumming. Apple Bloom had the lute in her lap as she strummed it. "Big Mac gave it to me as a birthday present last year," Apple Bloom explained, "and I've been learning to play it. If you want to take it along, you'll have to take me too! I want an adventure!"
Applejack groaned helplessly.
Apple Bloom joined the party!
