//------------------------------// // The Murky Swamp // Story: The Light Kingdom // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash and Applejack had just entered in the Hayseed Swamps, looking for the purple star seed, the General of Talent’s star seed. Rainbow Dash was flying, while Applejack was trying to walk through the flooded ground of the swamp. "Can you move faster?" Rainbow Dash asked, turning to Applejack. "We have to find the purple star seed as soon as possible." "Ah’m sorry fer not havin’ wings tah fly instead of walkin’ like ya, Rainbow Dash" Applejack replied sarcastically. "But you're a earth pony" the blue pegasus said. "Besides you buck trees. I thought you had the strongest hoof of all and you can’t even walking through a simple swamp?" "Fer starters, Ah buck trees on solid ground with tha right amount of clamminess. And then, Ah don't know if ya notic’d, but we are in tha Hayseed Swamps, which is not a simple swamp." "Details, details." "Ya know, Rainbow Dash, Ah would like tah see ya here on tha ground, without yer wings, tah see how well ya do as an earth pony" Applejack said, continuing trying to advance through the swampy soil. "Hey, do you think that flying is so easy?" Rainbow Dash asked, flying backward while facing Applejack. "It takes a lot of practice, and even more practice." Then it was heard a grunt, while they continued walking. "Did ya hear that?" Applejack asked, stopping suddenly. "What?" Rainbow Dash asked, turning. "Tha grunt" Applejack replied, looking from one side to the other. "Please, AJ" Rainbow Dash said, landing in front of Applejack. "Don't tell me you're going to say that now you're afraid to find a swamp monster." It was then that a high figure covered in mud appeared behind Rainbow Dash. "Ah, Rainbow..." Applejack started, looking scared, staying with the rest of the words stuck in her throat. "I mean, we're not any fillies for believing in the swamp monster" Rainbow Dash continued. "But, Rainbow..." "There is not such dumbest thing than the idea of the existence of such a thing." It was then that the grunt was heard again, but loud and clear, from the big figure. Rainbow Dash has made a serious look and then asked: "It's right behind me, isn't it?" Applejack nodded. Rainbow Dash then turned and faced with the figure, while retreating to Applejack’s edge. The figure then roared and Applejack and Rainbow Dash began screaming, while embracing themselves. It was then that figure traded the roar for laughs what made Applejack and Rainbow Dash stop screaming, exchanging glances with each other. They knew that laughter. "I can't believe you dropped this" the figure said, with a voice that they would recognize anywhere. "Discord!" the two exclaimed. There was a snap of fingers and the figure has been replaced by the old draconequus. "Surprise, my dears!" he said. "As we haven't seen since Twilight's wedding with that blue captain with limited memory, I decided to make a great entrance." "You might as well not even have done that entrance" Rainbow Dash replied coldly, returning to take flight. "Oh, but I love making great entrance" Discord said, invoking a hand fan and starting posing with it. "Is what characterizes my character and transmit everything that's good in me." "So ya're really bad at doin’ this kind of entries because Ah don't see what good ya may have" Applejack answered. With this, Discord made a more serious air, closed the hand fan, saying while he threw it: "Yes, I think you're right. Anyway, let's get to more important issues, such as the reason for you being here in this wonderful swamp. What can make you, two dear and lovely ponies with dear and lovely horsey cheeks to a place so exquisite and magnificent as Hayseed Swamps?" Rainbow Dash and Applejack did not answered. "Don't get me wrong, I personally love this place" Discord said, starting to take pictures with a photograph camera of the swamp, causing it to disappear, while he continued. "It's where I can do my whole the chaos I want without ruining the lives of other ponies. I mean, except in the middle of it, because of that stupid purple star seed." Those last words captured Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s attention. "That glow makes my eyes burn like a leaf in the fire. The last time that happened, I had to cover them with mud for days just to get them back." "What did ya say?" Applejack asked. "That's right you heard, days without being able to see anything" Discord said. "Bafor that," said Applejack. "About the fact that my eyes burned like a leaf in the fire?" Discord asked. "Applejack, I didn't know you were such a sadist with others’ suffering." "About the star seed, your dumbass" Rainbow said. "Oh!" Discord exclaimed. "It just happened a few days ago, when I was exploring this fantastic swamp." To emphasize this (something that he constantly does), Discord made a camper uniform and a bag appear in himself, marching while saying: "I was watching as the muck flowed in a way so elegant when I came across with that floating and exhibitionist seed of the General of Talent that is equally or more exhibitionist than his own seed." "Wait, ya mean that tha seed is expos’d?" Applejack asked. "Okie dokie lokie, how our dear friend Pinkie Pie would say" Discord said, making his uniform disappear. "And you expect us to believe in you?" asked Rainbow. "How we went to believe that the purple star seed is so exposed." "He's right" a voice said. And then Heartbeat appeared in her bubble, next to Discord, saying later: "The star seed is out in the open, but, as you can imagine, immensely protected." "Exactly what Heartbeat said" Discord said, nodding with their eyes closed and the arms crossed. It was then that he noticed who he was talking to and gave a cry of horror and jumped up and grabbed Applejack’s neck, exclaiming: "Heartbeat?! I didn't know you two were with her!" "Do ya know Heartbeat?" Applejack asked. "We are old friends" Heartbeat said, putting her childish air. "We used to play a lot. It is not so, Discord?" "Yes, except for the last time we play, you almost got me turned into chocolate pudding" Discord said. "But of course I did that!" Heartbeat exclaimed. "That's what I do with all the followers of chaos." Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at Discord and saw that he was shaking like a leaf. He was really afraid of her. "But for your luck, I just read in one of my brother's books that you gave up from evil" she said. "For that reason, I am compelled to leave you alone. But watch out, just a small relapse and we go back to the old days." Discord almost choked Applejack so scared he was. It was then that it was heard a noise of a timer and Heartbeat exclaimed: "Uh, my cookies are ready! I can't wait to see Mirror Coat’s face when he see that I brought an oven to his library. By the way, girls, I'm going to send to your mind the exact location of the star seed." And then she disappeared, but Discord remained attached to Applejack and shaking. "She's gone, Discord" she said. "You can let me." "It never know" he said, looking terrified for all sides. "She can still be here... waiting like a pack of hyenas." "You're really afraid of Heartbeat, don't you?" Rainbow Dash asked, in the air, in a mock tone. "That’s really good!" Discord disappeared and reappeared standing at some distance, saying in a calm tone: "I'm not afraid of her." And then he turned to them, looking completely terrified, saying: "I'M TERRIFIED OF HER!" That made the two ponies exchange a look. Discord continued: "You don't know her. She pretends to be innocent and harmless just to gain your trust and to get closer and then attack like a pack of buffaloes in fury! I still have nightmares about all the horrible things she did to me." "Wow, that's really painful" Rainbow Dash said sarcastically. "I'm telling the truth" Discord said. "That filly make Sombra looks like a lovely colt." "If that’s truth, don’t you think she would have kicked his ass when he attacked the Light Kingdom" Rainbow said. "Ah, Rainbow, Ah think ya're forgettin’ that her destructive power is capable of dividin’ all Equestria and surroundin’s in half" Applejack said. "Even so, when you have someone with a spear and a conical hat protecting your back, not even the explosive power of the General of Affection is able to do something" Discord said, making a hat and a spear just like Lord of Chaos’ appear in him for a few seconds. "Yes, you can say that, given that you were one of the Lord of Chaos' puppies" Rainbow Dash said. "We can sit here and talk ‘bout this subject... or we can go to pick up the purple star seed" Applejack said. And so she and Rainbow Dash began to advance. Discord said them: "You better watch out. Knowing my former master as I know him, he can always find a way to get what he wants." Applejack and Rainbow Dash continued to walk. Like Heartbeat had said, she sent them the star seed’s exact location. While walking, Applejack said: "You know, Ah think Discord is right." "About what?" Rainbow asked. "About the fact Heartbeat being nutty in a slightly smaller scale in relation to Pinkie Pie? I think we already know that, don't you think?" "No, ‘bout tha Lord of Chaos" Applejack said. "He must be doin’ his move right now." "Don't worry about that" Rainbow Dash answered her. "I bet we can do this even before this lord of the pompous show up." "Ah don't know, Rainbow. Ah think we should be very careful." "You worry too much." "Well, if Ah didn't, Ah would have the double or the triple of the problems I already have." They continued to walk until, at last, they reached the middle of the swamp. "There it is!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Right in the middle of the opening of the trees, there was the purple star seed, floating a few inches off the muck that was underneath and turning on itself. When they saw it, Rainbow Dash went right to it. "Rainbow, wait!" Applejack asked. "There may be..." It was then that the star seed shone lightly and muck rose from the floor and hit Rainbow Dash, throwing her to the ground and covering her. "Rainbow Dash, are ya okay?!" Applejack asked, worried. "Yes" she replied, rising up and being completely covered with muck. "Go get the seed, AJ!" Despite being more concerned with Rainbow Dash, Applejack began directing to the star seed. It shone again and then Applejack was surrounded by a purple aura and was erected in the air, getting to a certain altitude. "Whoa!" she exclaimed. "This is… quite weird.” "Don't worry, AJ, I got that seed" Rainbow Dash said, trying to advance to the purple star seed. But it shone in a more intense brightness and then more muck rose up to hold Rainbow Dash. She tried to free herself, but the muck only held harder. Applejack was also moving up in the air, but it wasn't easy. She tried to swim and to kick, but she couldn't move more than a few inches at a time. "I think we're in serious trouble" Rainbow Dash said. "Now do ya think we should worry, Rainbow Dash?" Applejack asked. "I guess so" she replied, continuing to try to break free. The bubble with Heartbeat appeared. She was eating a cookie. Seeing Rainbow Dash and Applejack in their respective traps, Heartbeat almost choked before she start laughing. "What's so funny?" asked Rainbow Dash harshly. "I'm sorry" Heartbeat said, recovering her breath after she had stopped laughing. "But I can't be different when I see Purple Smoke’s sense of humor in action: use your own talents against you." "What do ya mean?" asked Applejack. "Well, you, Applejack, you're very strong on the ground, so you have the disadvantage of being in the air, where you don't have the firmness of the ground to make your bucks" Heartbeat replied. "And you, Rainbow... Well, I think you've got it." "Yes, I think I understand" Rainbow Dash said, continuing to try to break free of the muck that was holding her. "How do we get out of this?" Applejack asked. "I think you just have to trust in your talents" Heartbeat replied. "Well, I gotta go. You know, there are other missions that require my supervision." And having said this, she disappeared. "What a great help she was" Rainbow Dash joked. Applejack thought in Heartbeat’s words and then realized everything. "Wait, I think I know." She put his forelegs over her body and then she bucked into the air and then Applejack moved like a torpedo. She realized if she couldn't use her force to buck as she used to do, then she just have to use that in order to boost her mobility. It was then that she reached the purple star seed and then managed to grab it. It shone again and then Applejack land back on the ground and the muck that was holding Rainbow Dash freed her. She had an air of displeasure, while trying to clean up the muck that was still in her coat and approached Applejack. "Well done, Applejack" she said. "Ah just follow’d Heartbeat’s advice" Applejack said. "She can be weird, but she know something or another." "Now, we just have to take the star seed and wait for the others..." Rainbow Dash started. It was then that something passed over them quickly and took the purple star seed. "But what tha hay..." Applejack started. It was then that something or somepony jumped on them and held them in the swampy ground. They could see that they were imprisoned for ponies. They heard a laugh and then saw a unicorn pony with dark tones and red eyes. There were more ponies with him, all with the same dark tones and red eyes. "Thank you, my dears" he said, receiving the purple star seed from the pegasus. "It was a great help of yours in disabling the star seed’s defenses." "Who tha hay are ya?" Applejack asked. "We are loyal servants of the great master of evil, and we are here to fulfill his will" the unicorn replied. "In other words, ya’re all Lord of Chaos’ followers" Applejack said. The unicorn smiled. "Well, I must say that you're too late" Rainbow Dash said. "At this time, we should have every other star seeds." All dark ponies started laughing and then the unicorn holding the star seed said: "You will know that you won't have the same ease in retrieve the star seeds as they have. At this point, our colleagues should be taking care of your little friends and retrieve the star seeds that they so generously released." "Wait till I get out of here!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, trying to free herself but in vain. "Sorry, but I don't think you have that chance" the unicorn replied. "Now, it's time we blow you up. It's nothing personal, but it turns out that fewer enemies interfere, the better." The star seed began to shone with purple glow and the same happened with the unicorn’s horn, albeit with more intensity than would be expected. Applejack and Rainbow Dash thought the end had come, but then they disappeared suddenly. "But what the hell..." the unicorn started, ceasing his magic. "We have to find them" a pegasus said, preparing to go to search Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "No, we've got what we wanted" the unicorn said. "It would be stupid to lose what our masters want just to destroy those insignificant ponies." The others seemed to agree with him, waving. Applejack and Rainbow Dash reappeared outside of Hayseed Swamps, falling on the solid ground. "Hey, how did we get here?" Rainbow Dash asked, while she and Applejack rose up. "I think you should ask who brought you here" a terribly familiar voice replied. They turned and saw Discord. "You have not to thank" he said, making a bow. "Your dumbass!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, approaching Discord in the air. "If you could save us, why don't you also take the star seed?! We need it!" "Oh, take it easy, speedy" Discord said, moving her away from himself with a hand. "I don't know if you noticed, but you were dealing with dark ponies. Dark ponies plus purple star seed doesn’t make a very good combination. They could cancel my talent to make chaos." "Dark ponies?" Applejack asked. "They are ponies without any light on their star seeds" Discord replied. "Very entertaining, in my opinion, although a bit stupid. But don't be fooled, because they are very good at following orders." "Ok, what do you want in return?" Rainbow Dash asked. "For you helping us is because you want something." "Cannot I help two friends by the simple act of wanting to help?" Discord asked. But a stare from Applejack and Rainbow Dash made him give a sigh and say: "Okay, I want protection." "Protection?" asked Applejack. "Against who?" "Is it obvious" Discord replied. "Against the Lord of Chaos. I switched sides and there is nothing he despises more than treason against his own person. Probably I should not even care, because he's too busy right now trying to dominate the world and everything and you, good ponies, tend to win all wars, even when everything is against you. But, even so, I want to have the protection of the Lord of Order." "We'll see what we can get" Applejack said. "Or not" Rainbow Dash whispered to Applejack. "I heard that, you know" Discord said. "Okay, girls, I’ll wait for the end of this cute little war against the Lord of Chaos." And having said this, he turned and disappeared. "What do we do now?" Rainbow Dash asked to Applejack. "We lost the purple star seed and we need it to awaken the Light Kingdom." "Don't worry, the more likely it is we get a contingency plan to recover it" Applejack reassured. "The best we can do now is return to the Crystal Empire." And, therefore, the two started heading north, heading to Baltimare, the nearest city, to catch the train.