The trek through the Everfree Forest went faster than Applejack initially expected. She had feared that Fluttershy would slow her down, but her timid friend proved to be in far better shape than she seemed. While the Everfree Forest did not have a true trail they could follow, it wasn't as dense as many feared. It could actually be crossed rather well, as long as its travelers were watchful of mysterious plants, monster lairs, and other dangers found in the untamed woods. As such, between Applejack's knowledge of the land, Fluttershy's skills with animals, and their combined experience exploring the forest, they were able to make good time. They galloped in silence, saving their energy and pacing themselves.
They had been running for a while and were beginning to feel the pain of hunger. Luck was on their side, as they found a stream of clean water as well as a patch of mushrooms. Applejack checked them to see if any were poisonous. Luckily, none were.
"Uhmm, Applejack?" Fluttershy asked between sips of water.
The earth pony mare, who was also drinking from the stream, raised her head to reply. "Yes Fluttershy?" She turned around and gave her friend as comforting a smile as she could manage.
"Well, I was thinking; this griffon army, maybe they're not heading for Ponyville?"
Applejack sighed. "I really hope you're right. To be honest, I don't know what to think anymore. First it's changelings, now griffons, all of it while Cloudsdale goes up in arms." She kicked a rock into the stream. "It ain't right, Fluttershy. None of this mayhem feels right."
The yellow pegasus looked down. She sighed and raised her eyes in Applejack's direction. "We'll make things right. We always do. What's the worst that can happen?"
"Between Blueblood on the throne, Luna raising an army, and now these griffons, I'd say we're getting awful close to a worst case scenario," Applejack grunted.
"We don't know that for sure," Fluttershy replied, placing a hoof on the earth pony's shoulder. "Until we get back to Ponyville, we have to keep faith that things will turn out for the best. At least we have each other."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Applejack said. "Thanks for trying to keep my spirits up."
"That's what friends are for," Fluttershy said with a smile.
Applejack carefully packed the mushrooms for the road, and the two ponies got back on their way. They started with a brisk trot, gradually accelerating back into a comfortable galloping speed. They were making good time, and were sure to be in Ponyville before nightfall.
Applejack turned to her companion as they passed a group of squirrels running in the opposite direction. "What are those critters afraid of?"
"Oh, sorry, I didn't get the chance to ask," Fluttershy replied.
"Hopefully we won't run into a monster or anything."
Fluttershy didn't reply, but Applejack could almost feel the worry emanating from her friend. Leaves rustled in the wind as they got closer to Ponyville. Branches leaned as the wind pressed against them, and more critters fled the unknown danger.
Applejack stopped in her tracks, prompting Fluttershy to clumsily bump into her rear. "What's wrong?" the pegasus asked.
"I don't like this wind," Applejack said with a frown. "Those critters earlier, they were probably running away for a good reason, too."
"Do you think it has to do with the griffons?" Fluttershy asked as her ears flattened.
Applejack tapped her hoof to her chin as her tail whipped the air in annoyance. "Better safe than sorry. Can you fly above the trees? Lemme know if you see anything."
"Oh, um, sure. Just a moment," Fluttershy gave her wings a few flaps and ascended above the trees. It only took her a few short moments to glide back down, her eyes wide open with shock.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Applejack said nervously.
"Oh, Applejack, it's terrible!" Fluttershy replied between short breaths. "There's a giant hurricane right over Ponyville."
"What?" the earth pony blurted. "Could the griffons have done this? What about the weather team?"
"I... I don't know," Fluttershy quietly replied, averting her eyes.
"Consarn it!" Applejack snapped, throwing her hat on the ground and making Fluttershy recoil.
"We should probably hurry. See if anypony needs our help," the pegasus suggested.
Applejack turned her back on her friend and tried to control her ragged breaths. "You're right, you're right," she eventually managed to whisper. She took another deep breath and picked up her hat, shaking the dirt off it before putting it back on her head. "Come on. We need to double time it back to Ponyville."
Fluttershy nodded as they got back on their way, redoubling their galloping speed. They carefully dodged roots and other obstacles, and had to make way for fleeing forest creatures on a few occasions. Light droplets of rain began to trickle, but they soon made way to a torrential downpour, drenching their coats and making the trek even more difficult. Applejack even abandoned Braeburn's now soaked bag so it wouldn't slow her down.
The earth pony mare kept galloping, wincing as her muscles ached in complaint, when she heard screams coming directly from above. She stopped and looked up. Fluttershy did the same.
Two pegasi wearing what looked like light blue armor were flying over the trees and could be seen through a hole in the foliage. Applejack was about to comment when she saw at least three griffons wearing crimson red armor in pursuit.
"Oh no!" Fluttershy gasped as clear sounds of metal clashing against metal resonated above the trees. They were accompanied by grunts and cries.
Applejack's wince quickly turned into a horrified gulp as shrieks and cries of pain echoed through her head. The still-fresh image of the burning Salt Block came back to her mind as two pony bodies fell through the branches and onto the forest moss.
Both Fluttershy and Applejack rushed to the fallen bodies. The first one, a pegasus stallion, had been impaled through the heart and had a clearly broken neck. Applejack didn't have time to contemplate his fate as the other pony — a light grayish-purple pegasus mare — coughed and attempted to raise her head.
Tears welled up in Applejack's eyes as she came face to face with familiar raspberry eyes. "Oh my gosh, Flitter," she gasped. The former Ponyville weather pony was one of the many pegasi who had left town shortly after Rainbow Dash, only giving a vague reason as to why.
Flitter tried to speak, but almost choked as her own blood filled her month. Applejack helped her up so she could spit it out. The earth pony got a better look at the pegasus soldier's wounds in the process. Flitter had a clearly broken wing as well as a deep gash on the side of her throat.
"Flitter, stay with me," Applejack pleaded, holding the dying mare's body. "What's going on? Who are those griffons?"
"Blueblood's thugs," the mare whispered weakly, wheezing and coughing as she tried to speak. "They were going to... to secure Equestria for him," she coughed some blood. "We tried to stop them. I'm so sorry, Applejack. I never meant for anything bad to happen to Ponyville."
"Hush now, sugarcube," Applejack whispered. "You did what you thought was right."
Flitter slowly closed her eyes, and her chest stopped moving shortly after. Applejack gently placed the body in the grass. She slowly removed her hat as Fluttershy joined her. She dried her eyes, both from tears and rainwater, and turned to her companion. "We need to learn what the hay is going on," she said through gritting teeth.
Fluttershy nodded silently. She placed a hoof on Applejack's back as the two shared a somber look. "Let's go," the earth pony said after a respectful moment of silence.
The gravity of the situation could not be ignored as Applejack and Fluttershy reached the edge of the Everfree Forest. The storm raged on violently, encompassing a major portion of the town. Between the rain and dust being moved by the strong winds, it was difficult to make anything out. If they continued on any further, they would risk getting whisked away by the tempest. The earth pony mare had to close her eyes and shield her face with her hat as the violent storm chafed her skin through her coat.
"Fluttershy... what can we do against such a thing?" Applejack said, her eyes glued to the morbid spectacle.
The pegasus protected her face with one of her legs. "I don't know. It would take hundreds of pegasi to get this storm under control."
Applejack started pacing back and forth, holding her hat so the wind wouldn't take it away. "We need to do something. We can't stop it, but maybe there're survivors? We should head back into the forest, look for ponies."
"We should find a place to hide!" Fluttershy argued.
"We can't just do nothing!" the earth pony said.
"Once this is done, the survivors will need our help," Fluttershy said, glaring at Applejack. "We can't help anypony if we die in this storm."
"Dagnabbit!" Applejack grunted as she slammed her hat on the ground. She stepped on it to prevent the wind from claiming it. "You're right. Let's go to that bear cave of yours. Maybe somepony found shelter in there."
"Right, of course," Fluttershy replied with a nervous nod.
The two friends navigated the edge of the forest, often losing their footing to powerful gusts of wind. At one point, they had to swiftly duck behind a large tree as a large wooden plank was thrown by the storm and threatened to crash into them.
Applejack stuck her head out to make sure the danger had passed. She saw a small group of griffons heading into the storm. "What are they up to now?" she mumbled to herself.
The griffons stayed in place and flapped their wings, pushing against the storm. "What are they doing?" Applejack asked, turning toward her companion.
"I think... I think they're trying to push away the storm," Fluttershy said, also staring at the scene.
"That doesn't make a lick of sense," Applejack replied with a frown. "First they invade us, now they're trying to protect us? Wait, didn't Flitter say they were hired by Blueblood? Maybe they're here to help?"
"Come on, it's not safe to stay out here," Fluttershy said, gently pulling on Applejack's leg. "We can find out what happened after things calm down."
"Alright," the earth pony mare grunted, following her friend back into the dark forest.
The two continued on their way. Applejack barely noticed her surroundings; she couldn't stop thinking about what she had witnessed. Had the storm reached Sweet Apple Acres? If it did, did her family get out in time? Darn it! I leave Ponyville and only bring disaster to Appleoosa. Now I get back to Ponyville, and it's facing its own disaster.
A bump on the shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to face Fluttershy, who pointed at an earth pony mare waving at them from further inside the woods. Applejack immediately recognized Bonbon, a cream-coated mare with a long blue and pink mane. Bonbon was yelling something, but it proved impossible to make out the words through the storm's noise.
Both Fluttershy and Applejack rushed to Bonbon's side. "I'm so glad to see both of you," the distraught mare began. "We're hiding in a nearby cave, follow me."
"You'll get no arguments from me," Applejack said as she followed Bonbon.
They were quickly led to a nearby cave. Small groups of ponies huddled together, many wrapped in warm blankets. Applejack found a few familiar faces, although a good chunk of Ponyville's population wasn't anywhere to be seen. Even more troubling, there was no sign of Applebloom, Granny Smith, or Big Macintosh. Mayor Mare was equally absent.
"Bonbon, you actually did find survivors," a surprised sounding Lyra said with a gasp.
"I told you it was worth the risk," Bonbon replied, affectionately nuzzling her mint-coated unicorn friend.
"Fluttershy, you're back," another voice from the back of the cave added. This time, it was Roseluck, accompanied by a few small animals. "The animals are safe. Don't worry. I even have the baby raccoons here."
"Oh, thank goodness," the pegasus replied, rushing to Roseluck's side.
Applejack allowed herself a subtle smile at her friend's good fortune before facing Bonbon again. Her eyebrows locked in a frown. "What's going on here? Are there other groups like this? Does this storm cover all of Ponyville?"
"I don't know how much of the town is affected," Bonbon began in a soft voice, taking a deep breath. "I can tell you that it started when a griffon army flew over the Everfree Forest. That Cloudsdale army we all heard about? They were waiting for them right at the edge of town."
"This is insane," Applejack replied with a gasp. "Was Rainbow Dash with them?"
"Of course she was," Lyra said from a corner. "I saw her; she was one of their officers. The world is going crazy. I warned you."
"Whatever," the tan-coated earth pony replied as she rolled her eyes. "I can confirm that Rainbow was there. A few griffons came into town and spoke to the mayor as well, but I wasn't there, so I don't know what they talked about."
"Who cares?" Lyra continued with a dismissive gesture. "They probably insisted they'd need to take over the town after the battle or something."
Applejack glared angrily at Lyra before returning her attention to Bonbon. "What's wrong with her?"
"Don't get me started," Bonbon replied. "It all started when she went to Canterlot, and participated in that moon ritual. She couldn't deal with what she saw, what with that pony getting killed and all. She started drinking and, well, you can see where it all lead."
Applejack nodded, uncertain how to reply. "So what about the rest of Ponyville? Is my family okay?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know," Bonbon replied, shaking her head apologetically. "I know many ponies hid in their cellars or fled in other directions. I gathered up everypony I could find and led them to this cave."
"You did good," Applejack said with a nod. "I suppose we should wait it out, and then return and find out the extent of the damage."
"I hope you all like this cave," Lyra said. "After this storm's over, it'll be our new home. Here's to the glory of Princess Rarity!" She uncorked a small bottle of liquor and took a generous sip.
"Yeah, that attitude's helping," Applejack replied before a realization came to her. "Wait, what does she mean, 'Princess Rarity'?"
"Oh, right, it happened while you were away," Bonbon timidly began, an awkward expression on her face.
"What happened? What the hay did Rarity do?"
"I'm not exactly sure, as I only heard the stories coming from Canterlot," Bonbon said, taking a few hesitant steps in Applejack's direction. "Rarity and Prince Blueblood got married a few days ago. They had this big news, about their union solidifying the throne and granting Equestria a brighter future. I was a bit surprised, to be honest."
"Consarn it. What is that girl thinking?" Applejack mumbled out loud. Her left ear twitched in annoyance. "What about her family? They have anything to say?"
"I haven't seen them, not since they left for the wedding," Bonbon said.
Applejack kicked the dirt. Why did Rarity even agree to this? Had she been coerced into it? Perhaps it was all part of her plan. There had to be a good reason. Is this really how easily we all fall apart without Twilight? Rarity getting married to a prince she hates, Rainbow Dash fighting in a war, Fluttershy getting captured by changelings. Some leader I turned out to be.
A hoof was placed on her shoulder. Applejack slowly turned her head, and found Fluttershy gently smiling at her. Applejack never saw her leave Roseluck's side. "Once this is over, we can find out what exactly made Rarity do this. I'm sure she had a good reason, and didn't make this decision lightly."
"To be honest, Fluttershy, I'm not too comfortable with her taking Twilight's throne," Applejack said. "It ain't hers, never will be. I'm just hoping she hasn't let all them fancy Canterlot ponies talk her into doing something stupid."
"You know Rarity wouldn't do this without a good reason," Fluttershy replied. "We should try and get some rest for now. We'll have a lot to do once the storm calms down."
"You go ahead. Bonbon and I have a lot to talk about."
It took some time for the ponies hiding in the cave to realize the storm had subsided. Roseluck was the first to notice, pointing out that some of Fluttershy's critters were ready to head back outside. The group stuck together until they reached Ponyville, where they all gasped at the morbid spectacle in front of them.
It was obvious from the first few steps taken into the ruined town that life in Ponyville would never be the same. While some houses had been spared the destruction, a lot had been wrecked to the ground. Many more were damaged, but could probably be repaired.
The streets were littered with the bodies of both griffon and pegasus soldiers. Applejack even saw a few earth ponies and one unicorn, all wearing the Cloudsdale uniform. Even worse, a few faces were familiar. A mare and a stallion who had been hiding in the cave rushed to a dead body's side and cryed in each other's legs. Light rain fell from the still cloudy sky, another grim reminder of the horror the pegasi had created.
Applejack violently threw her hat on the ground. "Is this what it all comes down to? Princess Celestia dies, and suddenly everypony turns into violent savages? Why the hay did they have to bring this fight to Ponyville? We never got no quarrels with them!" She screamed at the heavens, tears welling up in her eyes.
She breathed heavily as nopony dared do or say anything. The reek of death had taken over the town, worse than anything that ever assaulted Applejack's nostrils. She spat once, and turned toward the townsfolk who were gathering around her. "Alright, we need to get this situation under control. Y'all take a moment to check on your families, then I want every able pony to meet back in front of town hall. We'll have to clean out the bodies first, and then plan out shelter. Any of you who owns a cart, bring it along. You see any soldiers from either side, don't talk to them, attack them, or anything. Stay away." Once a few ponies nodded and got on their way, she turned toward Bonbon. "Can you and Lyra check on the mayor? If there's a time we need her, it's now."
"You got it, Applejack," the earth pony replied. "Come on, Lyra."
"Fluttershy, go check on the animals," Applejack continued.
"I will," the yellow pegasus said with a nod. "What about you?"
"I'm worried about my family, Fluttershy," Applejack said, allowing her ears to flatten. "I need to know if they're alright first."
"Of course," Fluttershy replied with a comforting smile.
"We all meet in front of town hall in an hour," Applejack yelled loud enough for everypony to hear. She did not wait for a reply as she galloped toward Sweet Apple Acres, her mind filled with visions of Granny Smith, Applebloom, and Big Macintosh lying dead like all the other cadavers in the streets.
Ponyville's avenues were just recognizable enough to sharpen the pain. Familiar houses were surrounded by rubble. Ponies just like her were digging through the ruins, desperately looking for signs of their loved ones. In the distance, groups of griffons flew in formation. She could see them landing in a field some distance from Ponyville. Why are they not occupying the town? Am I missing something?
She ignored thoughts of the griffon army as she redoubled her pace toward Sweet Apple Acres. She sidestepped a pile of rubble and jumped over a broken fence the storm had moved to the middle of the road. Her heartbeat accelerated as she got closer to her home and found the damage was only getting worse.
Her fears became reality as she passed a large ruined house only to see a large expanse of uprooted apple trees. The welcoming wooden sign marking the entrance to Applejack's farm was nowhere to be seen and even worse, the house behind it lay in ruins. The barn had been completely ripped apart by the strong winds.
"No..." Applejack rushed toward her family house. The roof had completely caved, crushing the entire house and leaving it as little more than a pile of broken wooden planks. She maniacally threw pieces of wood out of the rubble. "Granny Smith! Applebloom! Big Macintosh! Please tell me you're still alive in there."
Applejack kept digging. Some familiar items were discarded as she found them within the rubble: an old cooking pan, an album of family photos, a now broken jar Granny used to store apple jam in. She couldn't hold the tears in as each item reminded her of the ponies she cared the most for in the world — ponies she might never see again.
Her legs stopped supporting her. She buried her face within her hooves as her body hit the ground. She could feel her own heartbeat still racing as she closed her eyes. "I'm done, this is too much," she whispered softly.
Her ears perked up of their own accord as she slowly registered a dim banging noise. She slowly raised her head in the sound's general direction. The destroyed barn was in front of her, and as bereft of any sign of life as when she first arrived. Another banging sound reached her ears, this one louder. Her eyes traveled around the scene and she gasped as she saw the very spot where the changelings had hidden — the apple cellar.
Applejack rushed to the closed trap door. A large wooden beam had fallen on top of it, preventing anypony from getting in or out. "Anypony alive in there?" she yelled.
Tears found their way down her cheeks again as she heard a very clear, "Eyup."
"I'll get you out of there, Big Mac," Applejack excitingly replied as she pushed on the offending piece of wood with all the strength her hind legs could muster. She had to buck it a few times, but eventually managed to clear the way.
The first thing she saw as she opened the trap door was Big Macintosh's tired, dirty face. Applejack released a long sigh of relief she didn't even realize she had been holding. "Thank goodness," she blurted out.
A yellow blur made its way past Big Macintosh before he could say anything. "Applejack!" Applebloom cheered as she grabbed on tightly to her sister.
"I'm so glad you're all okay," Applejack replied, nuzzling her little sister. "Is Granny Smith here too?"
"Eyup," Big Macintosh replied with a smile and a nod. "I'll help her out." The large red stallion made his way to the back of the cellar.
Applejack took a moment to hug her little sister back, thankful that her immediate family, at least, had been spared. After a while, Applebloom's head rose up and the filly looked around.
"What happened to the orchard?" she asked. "What are we going to do now?"
"I don't know, Applebloom," Applejack replied. "Rebuild, I suppose."
Big Macintosh slowly walked out of the cellar, helping Granny Smith. "Well, you youngins sure have done it now," the older mare said as she came face to face with the state of the farm. "What kind of insanity has the world turned into?"
"I don't know, Granny," Applejack admitted, taking off her hat. "But I know we can't just give up. All of Ponyville is in shambles, but I promise I'll stay around and rebuild. No more running off to who-knows-what."
"So what happened in Appleoosa?" Big Macintosh asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'll tell y'all later," Applejack flatly replied, shaking the dust off her hat. "For now, we got more urgent matters to take care of."
The entire family stood together in silence for a moment. Their eyes stayed glued to the uprooted trees, destroyed barn, and the morbid spectacles of dead soldiers' bodies scattered all over the fields.
"Come on, Big Macintosh. We gotta get the carts and head for the middle of town. We have to clean up this mess."
As feared, the entire town square, including town hall, lay in ruins. As soon as Applejack got back to the center of town with her family, she asked everypony there for their report on the status of the town. Luckily, the northern half of Ponyville had been spared, and more than a few families showed willingness to share their homes with ponies whose houses had been destroyed. At nurse Redheart's insistence, Applejack first ordered all the bodies be dumped in the same spot, where they could be burned before disease had a chance to spread. The task that would have once been horrifying to her quickly began feeling eerily routine.
She was in the middle of moving the body of an unknown pegasus soldier into the back of Big Macintosh's cart when Scootaloo rushed to her side. "Don't get too close, now, little filly," Applejack warned. Children like Applebloom and Scootaloo had been put to work relaying messages from one side of town to the next.
"Blossomforth sent me," the orange pegasus filly replied. "She says the griffons are still in the field, and are staying away. They made a camp and have some prisoners."
"Pegasi prisoners?" Applejack asked, taking off her hat and wiping the sweat off her brow.
"Yes, Cloudsdale soldiers. Are we going to rescue them?"
"Great idea kid! Let's rescue the soldiers who almost destroyed Ponyville," Lyra mocked as she dropped another body inside the cart.
"They're Princess Luna's soldiers. Rainbow Dash was with them," Scootaloo continued as she glared at the mint-colored mare.
"That's enough, Scootaloo," Applejack interrupted, putting her hoof down. "We're in no shape to get involved, and this ain't our fight."
"The kid is right though," Caramel said after dropping a body in the cart. "It's just a matter of time before those griffons come into town. We should run away."
Applejack shook her head. "If they wanted to occupy the town, they would have done it by now. I think they were just after the Cloudsdale ponies, and we're the innocent bystanders."
"But what about Princess Luna?" Scootaloo insisted, her tiny wings flapping.
"Not now, Scootaloo," Applejack admonished. "For now, we focus on fixing the town. We'll worry about Princesses later. Now go see Nurse Redheart and Granny Smith at the infirmary. They might need your help."
"Fine," the pegasus filly said as she kicked the dirt.
Applejack turned toward Big Macintosh and Lyra. "Will the two of you be alright? Bonbon's been digging through town hall's rubble for a while now, and I wanna go check on her."
"Eyup." Her brother nodded.
"I guess," Lyra said as she dumped another body into the cart, eliciting a frown from Applejack.
Applejack stepped over some debris and made her way to the pile of debris that used to be town hall. Bonbon and her crew had already moved some of the larger debris, revealing a sight that made Applejack's mouth gape in shock. "Great galoshes," she whispered under her breath.
While the bodies were still half-buried, Mayor Mare and her assistant, Tall Order, were easily recognizable. They huddled together as the same wooden beam lay atop both of their ribcages.
"We just found them like that," Bonbon began softly as she turned toward Applejack.
The farm mare took a deep breath. Death of loved ones was almost expected at this point. "Leave them for now. We gotta move the bodies down in the streets first."
Bonbon and the others all observed a moment of silence before slowly nodding. They all got out of the rubble, carefully avoiding the sharper debris. Goldengrape, a light yellow stallion, was already hitching himself to a cart, the others joining him. Only Bonbon stood next to Applejack.
"Now that we know for sure, there's one thing we need to talk about," the tan-coated mare said.
"What now?" Applejack grunted.
Bonbon took a deep breath. "If Ponyville ever needed a leader, it's now."
"Oh, for pony's sake, Bonbon. Now is not the time to try and get elected," Applejack incredulously blurted before spitting on the ground.
"Not what I have in mind," Bonbon continued with a dismissive gesture. "Elections can happen when things calm down. For now, we need somepony to keep things ordered." She smiled hesitantly at Applejack. "You're going to have to serve as interim mayor. Everypony will follow you and more importantly, the griffons might want to talk to the pony in charge once they do make their move."
Applejack gulped. "I haven't thought about that," she admitted. "But you're right. Unless anypony objects, I suppose I'm the logical choice."
Bonbon nodded. "Good. I suppose I should get back to work."
Applejack sighed as the mare left to help her crew. She observed the area, seeing everypony busy at their tasks. Maybe I should go see the griffons myself and get some answers once and for all, she thought grimly as she eyed Caramel digging another body from underneath a fallen road sign.
She felt some air being moved, and turned her head to her left. Fluttershy landed next to her. "All your critters made it out okay?" Applejack asked.
"Yes, thank goodness," the pegasus replied. "What were you talking about with Bonbon? From your expression, it sounded important."
"She says I should be interim mayor," Applejack said. "To tell you the truth, I haven't really considered the question."
"Oh, so I take it Mayor Mare..." Fluttershy did not finish her sentence as she looked down at her hooves.
"I'm sorry sugarcube," Applejack offered, shaking her head. "Either way, I suppose I'll have to get used to a lot of stuff."
"I think you'll do a wonderful job," Fluttershy said with a timid smile. "Ponyville needs you, and you know I'll always be here to help you out."
"Thank you kindly," Applejack said, finally allowing her muzzle to morph into a light smile. "Doesn't change things for now though. We got to clean up town and find someplace to house everypony whose homes got destroyed. Got any spare room at your cottage?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "No, most of the critters are in right now. Nopony is using the Castle though."
"Good idea," Applejack said. "It's way up north too, so it shouldn't have been affected."
"You should get your family there," Fluttershy continued. "If you're going to be mayor and all."
"Go and let Amethyst Star know," Applejack said with a nod. "I left her in charge of assigning families to houses with available room."
"I can do that," Fluttershy replied as she was about to fly away. She stopped suddenly as she no doubt saw the same thing as Applejack. Blossomforth, the pegasus Applejack had left watching the griffons from a distance, was flying in their direction, accompanied by three griffons.
Applejack took a few steps toward a cleared area in the middle of what used to be town square. She frowned as the flying procession quickly made its way to her. "Oh my," she heard Fluttershy whisper from behind her.
An imposing looking, if slightly overweight, griffon with pristine gray feathers and dark brown fur took a few steps in Applejack's direction. His golden armor was heavily decorated and complete with a helmet of the same polished material. He stared at her with piercing hazel eyes through small, round spectacles. "I was told this is where I could meet the pony in charge," he began. "Are you the mayor?"
"Mayor Mare died," Applejack flatly replied, meeting the griffon's stare. "I'm Applejack, and I'm in charge for now."
"Unfortunate, and I am deeply sorry for your loss," the griffon offered, lowering his head respectfully and taking off his helmet. "My name is Centurion Ignacio Bouvier. I lead Griffingard's sixth legion. My soldiers are here at the behest of Prince Blueblood and Princess Rarity of Equestria."
"And you thought it was a good idea to wreck my town and murder my friends," Applejack said, grinding her teeth.
"A tragedy, of course. Our initial plan was to attack Cloudsdale and keep that pegasus army from terrorizing Equestria. Sadly, they decided to ambush us, no doubt hoping my troops would tire themselves out after crossing the forest."
"So y'all created a storm?" Applejack continued, refusing to break her glare. She could see and hear ponies gathering around her and this Centurion Bouvier.
"I understand that you have no reason to believe me," Bouvier continued, "but I ordered my troops to limit the damage to your town. Unfortunately, the Cloudsdale pegasi, no doubt as a result of inexperience, opted to create a powerful hurricane in order to annihilate my forces. As you can see, it backfired."
"Let's say I believe you," Applejack said. "What now? I can't see you and your army bringing our dead back to life."
"All I can offer is my help with the cleaning effort, Lady Applejack," Bouvier continued, smiling and taking a few steps in her direction. "With your permission, griffon soldiers will move in and help clear the bodies and rubble. We also offer to erect tents, and have blankets to spare."
"That's a good start," Applejack replied, careful not to betray her relief. "And what would you ask in return?"
"Nothing but your willingness to listen to our sincere apologies, and of course your loyalty to the throne of Equestria."
"They just want to take over the town!" a voice from the crowd yelled.
"They'll slice our throats as we sleep!" a mare in the back added.
"Enough!" Applejack yelled, loudly slamming her hoof on the ground. She turned to face the crowd. "If these griffons wanna take over the town, there's nothing that can stop them. Right now, we need help, and we need shelter. I see no reason to refuse the centurion's help."
"And what about the prisoners they're holding?" Caramel asked as he stepped forward.
"It's true, I've seen them holding ponies prisoner," another voice from the crowd added.
Applejack turned toward Bouvier and raised an eyebrow. The griffon officer raised a claw. "Of course, I can explain. We're holding some Cloudsdale soldiers prisoner. They will be taken to Canterlot, where they will be tried under Equestrian justice. As I mentioned, we are not invaders. We are here to help."
The crowd grew restless. Ponies whispered to each other, and quite a few angry glares met both Applejack and Bouvier. "I wanna see the prisoners," Applejack said in a tone that brooke no argument.
"Of course," Bouvier said, bowing his head. "We currently have them in our camp."
"Good, let's go then," Applejack ordered. "Fluttershy, Caramel, the two of you come with me. Bonbon, you're in charge until I get back."
"Alright, Applejack," Bonbon said with a nod.
Bouvier pointed to the two soldiers with him. "I will leave these guards here as a gesture of goodwill, and as insurance that the Lady Applejack will be safely returned."
"Good enough for me," Applejack said.
Centurion Bouvier led the way outside of town and toward his army's camp. Applejack could easily tell not every soldier was present. Only a handful had been left to guard a group of maybe a hundred or so pegasi, all behind a fence with their wings tied up. Applejack turned to look at her companions. Fluttershy stayed close to her, nervously hiding behind her mane as she observed her surroundings. As for Caramel, he stared at Canterlot in the distance. It only took Applejack a moment to figure out what the stallion was looking at: groups of griffons flying in formation toward the capital.
Applejack frowned as she entered the camp. A few soldiers eyed her suspiciously, but they all gave them a wide berth, probably due to their centurion's presence. As she got closer to the enclave where the prisoners were kept, she scanned the area for a rainbow mane. She was uncertain if she was glad or not that she couldn't find her friend. Had Rainbow managed to escape, or did she fall in battle? While she couldn't see her friend, she did manage to spot Spitfire's fiery orange mane. The Wonderbolts' leader sat down with the rest of the prisoners. "Spitfire," she mumbled, meeting eyes with the Wonderbolts' leader as she got within earshot.
"General Spitfire," Bouvier corrected. "She was in command of the Cloudsdale army. She probably is the pony most responsible for the damage to your town."
"I'll decide that for myself," Applejack replied flatly as she took a few steps toward the enclave. Two griffon guards blocked her way with spears, but a nod from Bouvier made them step back and let Applejack through.
Spitfire and Applejack stared at each other for a moment. The senior Wonderbolt was dirty, her entire body covered in scars. Her eyebrows were locked in a defiant frown, but the bags under her eyes and her drooped ears betrayed her fatigue. "I heard the Centurion's excuse," Applejack began. "What's yours?"
"I did what I had to in order to protect Equestria," Spitfire said. "For what it's worth, I never intended for any of this to happen. Ponyville was never supposed to get in harm's way."
"Starting this hurricane right next to my town sure was the best way to protect Ponyville," Applejack angrily spat.
"A lot of innocent ponies got hurt," Fluttershy completed, stepping up next to Applejack.
"Are you all blind?" Spitfire snapped. "Blueblood invited griffons soldiers to Equestria, all so he could deny the throne to its rightful owner. We had to stop them now, before they entrenched themselves."
Caramel stepped up and was about to say something, but Applejack blocked his path with her leg and a stern glare. "Right now, I don't care who sits on the throne. No amount of power is worth innocent ponies dying."
"If only the world were that simple," Spitfire mumbled.
Applejack turned toward Fluttershy and both ponies shared a knowing look. "Answer me just one question, Spitfire," Applejack continued, locking her eyes on the former Wonderbolt leader again. "What happened to Rainbow Dash?"
This time, Spitfire avoided Applejack's eyes. "I'm sorry. She flew inside the storm and never came out. She was reported to have been taken out by hail."
Fluttershy burst into tears as Applejack hugged her tightly. Caramel looked down in silence. Centurion Bouvier silently observed the scene, slowly nodding at Applejack. After a few moments of silence, the farm mare returned her attention to Spitfire. "You disgust me. First, you draw one of my best friends into this ridiculous crusade of yours. You turn her into a killer and coerce her into creating this hurricane with you. With said hurricane, you destroy my hometown, kill ponies I care for, and bring in horrors Equestria could never have imagined. If this is the Equestria Luna wants, then I want none of it."
"Please, don't give up on everything because of my mistake," Spitfire pleaded. She attempted to get up, but a griffon soldier shoved her back down.
Applejack turned toward Bouvier, letting go of Fluttershy in the process. "Centurion, can I have your word that your soldiers will leave us alone and won't bring more battles to Ponyville?"
"All I can promise is that we'll respect your town, and we'll be available to protect it," the griffon centurion replied, taking a firm step toward Applejack. "My troops are available to help clean up your town, as promised. Once this is done, we will fly to Canterlot. All I ask is that your town support Prince Blueblood as rightful ruler of Equestria, and does not supply the rebel forces with troops, food, medical supplies, or any other aid."
Caramel stepped up and raised a hoof. "Applejack, you can't seriously consider this? Luna is-"
"Don't you start defending her again now," Applejack swiftly interrupted, glaring at the light amber stallion. She turned back toward the Centurion, who now had an open claw extended in her direction. She looked at it a moment before facing him. "Look, Centurion. I can't promise everypony in Ponyville will be loyal to Blueblood, but as long as I don't see no soldiers occupying my town, you got a deal. Luna is no princess of mine."
She ignored Caramel's gasp as she firmly shook Bouvier's claw. "I take it you're satisfied that the prisoners deserve to be tried in Canterlot?" the centurion asked.
Applejack turned back and glared at Spitfire. She then turned her back to the prisoners and looked at Ponyville. "For what the Wonderbolts did, I hope they rot."
The sun was setting when everypony gathered up in front of the Palace of Harmony. The griffons had proven very efficient at clearing the town of rubble. While a few ponies vocally objected to their presence, most of their peers were grateful for the assistance. There would be work for days to come, but at least the ponies of Ponyville did not have to go at it alone.
Granny Smith somehow managed to find herself another rocking chair. She gently rocked herself on the porch in front of the castle. Applejack sat next to her, taking off her hat and sighing in relief. The de-facto leader had not realized how exhausted she was until she found a moment to breathe.
"You did good work here, youngin', given the circumstances," the older mare offered.
"I sure hope it's enough," Applejack said, laying down on the ground. "After everything that's come to pass, I'm beat."
"Speaking of, you never said what happened down in Appleoosa," Granny continued. "Or why you came back with Fluttershy."
Applejack sighed deeply. Painful memories resurfaced as she forced herself to meet her grandmother's gaze. "Oh Granny, it was horrible. You were right. You were right all along and I should have listened to you."
Granny Smith made herself comfortable on her rocking chair and nodded once, very slowly. Her comforting silence spoke volumes.
"I managed to find one of them changeling hives. I found Fluttershy in there, as well as a bunch of other ponies, all trapped in them weird pods. I thought I could rescue them all, I really did, but I was found out by the bugs. An oil lamp fell during the scuffle, and the whole place went up in flames."
"Oh my..." Granny gasped.
"I only managed to rescue Fluttershy," Applejack continued. "Braeburn... He never made it."
"I'm so sorry," the old mare offered.
"You can say it. You told me so. I made the biggest mistake of my life, Granny. I abandoned Ponyville, got my family and friends in Appleoosa killed, then came back and found Ponyville in ruins."
"Sounds like you learned something from the experience," Granny suggested.
"No lesson is worth this!" Applejack yelled, standing up at once.
Granny stayed in her chair and leaned forward. "Death is never something we're ready for, Applejack. We'll all have plenty of time to mourn the dead, but right now, Ponyville needs you. I know it ain't fair to put all that weight on your shoulders again, but you have a rare gift. Ponies look up to you."
"It ain't right, Granny. This so-called 'gift', it got ponies killed."
"You stop that nonsense right now," Granny interrupted in a stricter tone. "You made some pretty bad mistakes, I won't deny it, but you learned from them. More importantly, you saved Big Macintosh, Fluttershy, that young mare Bonbon, me, even Applebloom. We're all here to help and support you."
The old mare tipped her head toward something behind her granddaughter as she finished. Applejack turned around and saw Fluttershy quietly standing there. "Oh... you've been here long?" Applejack asked.
"Only a few moments. I didn't want to interrupt," Fluttershy said. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Applejack replied. "Granny's right. I could use a friend right now."
Fluttershy sat down and the three mares quietly watched the scenery for a while. Applebloom and Scootaloo were playing in the sand, drawing with their hooves. Meanwhile, a few ponies gathered around the castle. A few stares went Applejack's way, most of them ending in polite smiles and nods. Applejack ignored them and focused on the orange sunset. A group of griffons had been clearing out the heavy clouds for a few hours, and the sky was finally visible again.
Fluttershy gently nudged her and broke her reverie. Applejack turned her head and saw Bonbon approaching her. She got up and put her hat back on. "Lemme guess, more problems?"
Bonbon shook her head. "No, actually. Ponies are ready to head home. Most found a place to stay, and the griffons erected a few tents as temporary accommodations for the others."
"That's good," Applejack said with an absent-minded nod.
"What they need now is some sort of message that things will be okay," Bonbon continued. "And since you took charge..."
"Ah shucks, I hate speeches," Applejack grunted.
"Part of the job, I'm afraid," Bonbon replied sheepishly.
"Just be yourself, you'll do great," Fluttershy said with a smile and a pat on the back.
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Alright, Bonbon. Gather everypony up. You're right. Let's get it over with."
"You got it, Miss Mayor," Bonbon said as she eagerly ran back toward the crowd.
"I really hope ponies don't start calling me that," Applejack grumbled.
"I think it suits you," Fluttershy teased, prompting Granny Smith to cackle, and Applejack to roll her eyes again.
Bonbon quickly gathered up what ponies were around. A larger crowd than Applejack would have expected massed around the Palace of Harmony. It warmed her heart to see that even through this ordeal, Ponyville still had such a wonderful group of citizens.
Applejack took a few steps forward, heading to the edge of the porch. "Alright everypony," she began loudly. "Y'all know I ain't much for speeches. To be honest, I don't think words can really express what's going on in all of our heads right now." She took a long breath. "But I know y'all are worried about the future. All I can say is that it ain't the first time our town has faced trouble. We've always come out on top, because we've always stood together."
She quickly scanned the crowd, and saw a lot of hopeful nods, though a few doubtful glares still remained. All to be expected; it will take time. She took another breath. "I was glad to hear most of you found a place to stay. I really want to thank each of you who opened up their homes. Whatever happens, we're still one big community. Now, for the immediate future, I'd like everypony in town to help with rebuilding. The griffons have been helpful today, but they ain't our kin. In the coming weeks, we'll have to rely on ourselves a lot. For now, we'll house as many ponies as we can inside this here castle. I'd also like to make it our new town hall."
"I got a question," Caramel's voice asked loudly from the front of the crowd. "Who put you in charge? Didn't you run away to Appleoosa while you were supposed to protect the town?"
Applejack sighed. "You're right, and it'll be up to y'all to decide if you want me in charge or not. All I want is all of us working together and rebuilding the town. The faster we fix up Ponyville, the faster we can move on and have a real election."
"Well, I'll definitely vote for you," Fluttershy said as she stepped forward, next to Applejack. "You rescued me from those awful changelings, and you're the pony who kept us together all day." The normally timid pegasus took a deep breath and aggressively turned toward Caramel. "So I really suggest you listen to her, mister."
Fluttershy's intervention was met with smiles, a few ponies even applauded. Applejack sighed in relief. She didn't have the energy to argue with Caramel. She looked at the crowd and smiled at the ponies of Ponyville.
Applejack opened her mouth and was about to speak again when a loud, high pitched voice from the crowd made itself heard. "How dare you?" a mysterious mare asked. Wait, I know that voice, but it doesn't make sense...
A hooded figure made its way through the crowd, gently pushing ponies so she could get to the front. She lowered her hood with a yellow hoof, revealing Fluttershy's long pink, familiar mane.
"What the hay," Applejack started, her head turning from the Fluttershy standing next to her to the one in front of the crowd.
"I appreciate the sentiment," the new Fluttershy offered, "but not you taking my face. Applejack is my friend, and I will not let you take advantage of her."
Applejack turned her head to her left, where the other Fluttershy stood. Her eyes glowed in a sickening green hue as she grew in size. Her yellow fur darkened as a crooked black horn grew on her forehead. "And it was all going so well. I suppose I'll have to do things the hard way now," Queen Chrysalis of the changelings angrily spat.