//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: Reign of Fire // by MarvelBrony //------------------------------// The morning sun rose high above the eastern mountains and the sunlight crept across the wide rolling orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack yawned briefly and stretched her muscles as she trotted out to the apple trees, ready for a good morning’s harvesting and orchard checkup. She picked up a green apple that had fallen to the ground and sniffed it. Yep, it was still good. She tossed it in the basket that hung on her back and kept onward. Suddenly she stopped. A half-eaten apple core sat in the grass a few feet away. “What in tarnation?” She picked up the core and frowned. “Must’ve been them pesky squirrels again. I gotta get Fluttershy to tell those varmints ‘bout keepin’ away from my apples.” She shrugged and kept walking until she saw another. “Well now, this is a problem…” As Applejack bent to pick up the other apple core, she saw a dark form dash behind a tree several yards away. “Hold on there, it looks like we have an interloper!” Dropping her basket, Applejack ran across the orchard to where the dark form had disappeared. Just when she was getting close, it took off again. This time she saw that it was a pony of some sort, dressed in a black hooded cloak. The dark pony was running through the orchard with surprising speed. As she galloped after the intruder, Applejack called out, “Get back here, ya apple thief!” But the dark pony kept on, dodging trees and carts in an effort to get away. Applejack narrowed her eyes as she ran and reached behind her, pulling out her trusty lasso. “So, you wanna play tag, huh? Well yer it now!” The lasso twirled through the air and went sailing towards the escapee in the way that only Applejack could. The rope wrapped around the dark intruder, causing the pony to trip and fall to the ground. Applejack slowed to a walk and yanked on the rope, making sure that her captive couldn’t escape. To her surprise the dark pony didn’t struggle, but hid its face behind its black hood, crouching low to the ground. Applejack dropped the rope end cautiously and peered down at the mysterious pony. “Now what in tarnation are you doin’ stealin’ my apples? An’ who are you anyway?” The other pony turned away and spoke in a soft, frightened manner. “Please…. just let me go.... I don’t want to….” Her velvety voice drifted off and she sat still as a stone. Applejack cocked an eyebrow, puzzled, and bent down next to her. “Want to what? What’s wrong?” The dark pony then turned her head and looked right into Applejack’s face. AJ blinked and stared back. She had never seen anypony quite like this one. She was a unicorn pony, with a sharp horn piercing up through her straight-cut mane. Her body was a deep indigo and her mane and tail were jet black with purple streaks. Her eyes were black; a shiny, piercing black, as dark as a moonless midnight. As dark as obsidian. Applejack gulped and instinctively took a small step back, but seeing the fear and sadness in the unicorn’s dark eyes, she bent forward and stuttered. “Eh, um.... you alright, sugar? You look plum tuckered out.” The dark pony turned away and sighed. “No…. I’m fine….” For a moment there was an awkward silence, then Applejack spoke again. “My name’s Applejack. I live just down the way at Sweet Apple Acres. Are you new to Ponyville?” The other nodded. “Well, then welcome! It’s always a treat to have new folks comin’ here. What’s your name?” The dark unicorn paused, then said rather uncertainly, “Amethyst. M-my name’s Amethyst.” “Nice to meet you, Amethyst. Let’s get you somewhere comfortable. Oh, and uh, sorry ‘bout the lasso. Just thought you might’ve been a thief.” Applejack removed the rope from Amethyst, but the mysterious pony still sat, staring down at the grass. Applejack put out a hoof to help her up. “Come on, sugar. After we get you fed and watered I’ll take you to my friend, Twilight Sparkle. She’s real nice and I think she’d love to meet you.” Amethyst turned her head sharply. “Twilight Sparkle? The Twilight Sparkle? The one who defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord?!” Applejack was taken aback by the urgency in Amethyst’s voice. “Uh… yeah… that Twilight Sparkle. You’ve heard of her?” Amethyst’s eyes were pleading. “She’s the one who can help me, then! With a warrior of the mystic arts like her, I’m sure I’ll be safe!” She stood and stared hard at Applejack, her eyes glinting. “Take me to her.” Applejack blinked several times and shrugged. “Uh, sure thing. I don’t think she’ll be all that you’re expecting, though…. She’s not exactly a warrior type, but….” “Oh I don’t care, I just need to see her! Please show me the way to her!” Applejack wound up her lasso and started back towards the house. “Okay, sugar, if you’re so excited, then I’ll take you to her.” Amethyst threw her hood up over her face and followed close behind Applejack, nervously looking back and forth through the trees, as though she expected something to attack at any moment. As they walked, the Earth pony glanced behind her at the mysterious newcomer. This Amethyst was a strange one for sure. Applejack had a foreboding feeling that something big was on the horizon for Ponyville. But what?