//------------------------------// // With A Hoof In The Present // Story: The Legend of Brave Rick // by Exelion //------------------------------// Arc 1: One and a half year later… “Hurry up and look for Twilight!” shouted Shining Armor “We can’t hold much longer”. “Alright, I won’t take long,” replied Applejack. Without warning, a bullet nearly hit Shining on his front right leg, close to his hoof, which left a small bleeding injury. Startled, Applejack asked: “Are ya ok? Don’t ya want a little rest?” “No,” answered Shining somewhat angry. “I must defend Canterlot with my life”. Unsheathing his sword and leaping the stairs, he disappeared between the burning buildings and fallen partners. Applejack slammed the door behind her, before somepony saw, and preceded her search for Twilight. The castle was immense, she wouldn't of had any idea of that because she’d only been there a few times with her friends. Never before she had thought about exploring entirely so as to have a mental map in case of an emergency, how could she have known something of this magnitude was going to happen? Her trot could be heard even at the most forgotten corridors. Turned, she scrutinized each room, ran again, ascended stairs, got caught in a dead end, half-turn and continued her way, descended, turned; it was an endless journey. Meanwhile, as she ran through those endless corridors, the sadness for the lost of her farm overcame her. “Oh Sweet Apple Acres, I can’t believe it disappeared that way. But the worst thing is, the only memory I have of you is my cutie mark, and even though I lived, worked and enjoyed special moments with you. I can’t get out of my head the ashes that filled the air over the field, the fire that burned all in its path, the farm, the barn, the apple trees, everything… everything lost, yet-yet I remember the one responsible of such massacre, they had some kind of green clothes on, in a lot of shades, weird masks and a backpack with two tubes, and one long hose. That’s where the fire came from. The fire that ended everything, and not only Sweet Apple Acres, but everything we ever knew.” Still running, she let a tear drop from her low hanging head, but she had no time to cry when Twilight finally was in her sights, in the library. Twilight looked like she was guarding some kind of letter, like the ones she used to send to Princess Celestia. “Twilight!” shouted Applejack, when she jumped and hugged as strong as she could. “Uhm, Applejack?, What’s wrong?” she asked. “What do ya mean what’s wrong? I was looking for ya. Why did ya ran away like that? You had all of us worried; I thought you would help us evacuate the city”. “It’s just that had something important to do and I could not…” And just before she could finish that sentence, a big blare was heard from afar. The vibrations could be felt under hooves of the both worried ponies, leaving them stunned by the situation until Twilight yelled to Applejack. “Come on, let’s get out of here!” They both fled from the library but, just before turning, Twilight stopped her. Something was coming. They stood still and quiet, trying to concentrate in the noise that came from the other side of the corridor, steps, lots of them. It sounded like they were using boots, looking inside every door of the countless rooms in the castle, looking for something, gold?, money? They didn’t know. Without losing any more time, they ascended to avoid being captured, until they arrived at a room that Applejack had never seen before, it was adorned with a great deal of paintings, diamond incrustations everywhere and on the ceiling, a painting of Princess Celestia and Princes Luna, both looked like they were turning around in a circle, almost like the yin-yang. Whereas one side had a bright color orange and yellow which represented the sun, and on the other side a deep black blue with touches of gray at the borders which represented the moon, but it wasn’t until she saw the throne at the far end of the room until she realized where she was. “Where are we?” asked Applejack, waiting for Twilight to confirm her thoughts. “We are…” She hold her silence for a moment just to lock the door behind them “At the throne hall” “Wow! I have never been here before” “Here is where the Princess spends the most part of her time, taking care of royal business” Twilight laughed lightly. “What’s so funny?” “I was just remembering...” She answered while admiring the rug at the feet of the throne. “The times when Celestia used to tell me her many adventures, and sometimes I heard them while eating chocolate cake after studying. It was one of my favorite hobbies when I was a little filly” A tear fell from one of her eyes, rolling all the way from her cheek and splashing into the floor. It wasn’t one of melancholy or nostalgia; it was of sadness, the sadness of knowing that she might never remember those joyful moments again. It seemed like her era of happiness was over just yesterday, and just in one night, everything turned into pain and suffering. Suddenly, the door started to move violently and the plank that was serving as a lock was getting broken slowly, Applejack was looking nervously at the door, images of her demise flew passed her mind and dread filled her body, Twilight just kept staring at the throne, still lost in the memories of a happier past, maybe trying to lock them in the deepest parts of her mind, just maybe, to never lose them. The door was about to yield when Twilight stands beside Applejack and said: “Time to go” Twilight’s horn started to glow. The door was blown up by an explosion just after her famous teleportation spell left just a circular mark over the floor. A magical shining filled the sky of the Everfree Forest for an instant, following Twilight and Applejack spawning over it, falling over the trees and into the ground. “I’m sorry Applejack,” apologized Twilight. “It was not my intention to make us fall from that altitude”. “Don’t worry,” she answered while she stirred her head. “The good thing is we didn’t got hurt”. But that satisfaction didn’t last long, the buzzing sound of a bullet was head from afar and soon enough, it passed right through Applejack’s hat, leaving a hole on both ends. Surprised by this they looked back and saw they were dangerously close to the invader’s base “Come on Twilight, RUN!” “Follow me Applejack; we are going to be fine”. “Where are we going?” “To the underground hideout, that’s where they evacuated the rest of Canterlot and Ponyville”. Running with all their strength and without looking back, the ponies fled away from their ominous enemy, but little by little some strange noises seemed to get closer by each moment. A flurry of bullets flew past them, breaking the branches and hitting the trees. Fear was overwhelming, the fear of knowing that each shot heard could be the one that makes them prisoners, or even worse. The agonizing pain of a bullet and a river of their own blood being the last things to feel before closing their eyes forever. Suddenly, one of the invaders managed to hurt Twilight on one of her legs, leaving a trail of blood behind her. The wound was too severe, making her fall unto the ground. Applejack saw and went straight back to help her. “Come on sugarcube, we won’t give ‘em any chance to capture us”. Picking up Twilight, Applejack carried her over her back and proceeded to flee. Twilight knew Applejack was the best athlete in all of Ponyville, but she was still surprised by the fact that not only she could carry her over her back, but also that she was running even faster than before only with her determination. Twilight quickly noticed she dropped the report she was carrying when she fell. “Applejack, go back!” she exclaimed. “Ya know I can’t Twi, if I do, they will capture us”. “Then you don’t leave me a choice…” Twilight surrounded her horn with a glowing magic and aimed for the report she left behind. With a great burst of energy she shot a bolt of magic, which hit and enchanted the scroll. “Don’t attack them!” exclaimed Applejack. “You will only get us killed”. “I am sorry,” said Twilight ashamed. “I just hope that spell worked,” she thought.