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// All Is Fair... 
// Story: Titanfall - The Equestrian Frontier 
// by 1Bit 
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The next few days were hard on Applejack. The militia was clouded by death and defeats as the fight for the Frontier became grimmer with each passing minute. None of this was helped by her brief encounter with Twilight. What she had hoped would be a joyous reunion had turned out to be nothing. Depressing thoughts tore through her mind constantly, her sleeping patterns becoming more irregular. With each passing day, she seemed to age. Black bags appeared under her eyes, wrinkles beginning to surface quite suddenly. 

Applejack stared into her bedside mirror, looking at the mare in front of her with sadness. "Just look at you, Applejack." She spoke softly to her reflection. "Where's all the energy gone? Where's all the strength?" Despite all the questions, her reflection just stared back at her blankly. "Oh, who am I kiddin'?" Applejack crumbled to the floor, sniffling quietly. "The Frontier's finally broken you. All that hope you had to keep you goin'...where's it all now?" She desperately tried to stop the tears flowing down her cheeks. "Nothin's the same...you'd hoped it would be, but it ain't. If this cursed pile of rocks has even changed Twilight, what does that say?"

A hoof rapidly beating against the door shook her from her state. She slowly lifted her head up, still sniffling. "Who is it?" She called out, straightening up a bit in order to look more respectable. A stallion stood in the doorway, a cocky grin on his face. Applejack knew instantly who it was and couldn't help but roll her eyes. "What do ya want, Silver?" She sighed, turning away from him "I'm kinda busy right now"

"Oh come on, Applejack!" Silver Moon grinned, slipping in behind her. "I'm sure some company will do you some good...especially when that company is me."

"No, I do not want company" She replied coldly, turning back on him. He was a well-built stallion with a fitting silver coat and white mane. However, his most defining feature was the constant, creepy grin he took up around all the mares. "So why don't you just go already."

"Why would I do that? I can help you calm down, give you a little massage, and then maybe-"

"Get out of here!" Applejack shouted, pushing him out of the room. "I'm done with your constant flirtin'!"

"You can't resist me and you know it!" He laughed as he dodged a punch from Applejack and scurried down the corridor. Applejack was fuming as she stomped back into her room, jumping on to the bed in a huff.

"Idiot." She grumbled under her breath. "I'm gonna rough him up somethin' fierce one day" She curled up on the sheets and closed her eyes. She tried drowning out all her problems to get some sleep. The drone of electronics buzzed in her ear and the sound of hooves on metal meant she struggled to sleep but eventually the world faded away as the stars embraced her.