Nova sighs as she lays her head back down onto her pillow. She reaches over to the book Lore gave her and flips it open. Her right ear twitches slightly as her futile attempt to distract her mind quickly fails.
It doesn’t take five minutes before she’s up and pacing the room again. Eventually, she ends up at the window looking down at the ground. Small patches of grass poke through the snow at some spot. Large, muddy puddles dot the ground as the snow slowly melts. The snow has even started falling from the trees to reveal the bare bony branches. “Melt faster!” Nova shouts with a stomp of her hoof.
Someone seems a little impatient.
She huffs out a puff of smoke, which quickly gathers on the ceiling. “That’s one way to put it. I’ve been stuck here for the whole winter. I need to do something to burn through some energy. Once the snow is gone, I can get outside start flying, working. Start fixing those mistakes… again.”
Keep this up and you may yet burn this place down. That’d be something interesting.
“Yet another reason to be outside,” she mumbles as she slumps down onto the bed again. “I hate winter.”
Well, at least the snow’s starting to melt.
“Still cold outside.”
A gentle knocking comes from the door. Fluttershy looks in at the crimson pegasus concern etched on her face. “Nova, are you okay? It sounds like you’re arguing with someone.”
Nova glances over at her, and tries to ignore the voice. “No, I’m fine. Just a little… anxious to get outside.” She glances over at the window and scowls as water slowly drips from icicles hanging above it. Far too slow.
Fluttershy takes a step back, put-off by the agitation in Nova’s eyes. “O-okay… Uh… Well, I have to go. Rainbow wants start training early for the Equestrian Games. Do you think you’ll be okay on your own?”
We’ll burn down your house.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Nova says still scowling at the icicle dangling outside the window.
“Um… alright. I’ll be back later today. Take care,” Fluttershy says as she heads back out into the hall. Nova nods keeping her eyes fixed on the window. Two minutes later she sees Fluttershy walking down the path toward Ponyville, a scarf wrapped around her neck. A few minutes later she disappears around over the small hill.
Nova huffs out another breath of smoke then falls back onto her bed. “Gotta find something to do or I’m gonna lose my mind.”
And yet you say that to yourself as if you are sane.
“Fair point,” she admits. She sighs and reaches over for the book again. “Just gotta keep busy, it’ll warm up soon enough.”
Nova’s golden eyes blink open to the sound of urgent knocking at the door. She yawns and rubs her eyes some. The book is laying next to her open to the page she had been reading. Must have dozed off, she thinks stretching out some and jumping off the bed. A loud banging downstairs quickly snaps her out of her slight daze as someone knocks at the door again, hard.
She heads over to the window, all sees of the pony at the door is a blonde tail swishing back and forward. Sounds like they’re gonna rip the door off. “Keep your horseshoes on, I’m coming!” Nova shouts. She trots down the hall and simply jumps down the flight of stairs. Opening the door she notes the rather large dent in it. I ain’t gonna fix that, with that thought she focuses on the pony on the other side.
Just outside is an orange earth-pony mare. Her blonde mane and tail are tied at the ends by red ribbons. She wears an old stetson hat, and has three apples for her cutie mark. Her cheeks are flushed and she is panting as if she just ran a marathon.
“Is Fluttershy here?” the mare asks as soon as the door opens. She speaks with a thick southern drawl, something of a farmer’s accent.
Nova blankly looks at her then pokes her head outside to see the sun, the sun isn’t quite to its halfway point. A cold shiver runs down her back from the air. “No,” Nova replies looking back at her and going back inside slightly.
“Dagnabbit! Uh… where is she?”
Nova shrugs. “Don’t quite know. Something about rainbows, games and a train, I wasn’t exactly paying attention. Actually, who exactly are you, and why do you want to know where she is? Is she in any kind of trouble?”
“What, no. Mah name’s Applejack, Ah’m her friend. Ah just need ta find her ‘cause ah need her help. Listen Ah don’t have time fer this, if she comes back tell her ta find me in the Everfree,” Applejack says as she turns away.
Oh, right the element of harmony. Truth, or something like that… “What do you need help with?” Nova asks before Applejack can get very far.
The orange pony turns around and hesitates. After a moment she concedes to any inner conflict she was having. “Ah need ta find mah sister, Applebloom. She and her friends went runnin’ into the Everfree shouting somethin’ about ‘monster huntin’. Before Ah could stop her she was gone.”
Nova takes a few seconds to process what Applejack told her. “The Everfree is that dangerous place out back, ain’t it?”
“Yeah, that’s why Ah have ta find her and can’t waste mah time.”
“Alright then,” Nova says. She head back into the cottage and quickly grabs the scarf from the winter set she had gotten. She quickly wraps it around her neck and heads back out. The cold air still grips at her neck and back, though it’s not quite as bad. It’ll have to do. “I’m gonna help.”
“Now wait a sec, Ah don’t wantcha gettin’ inta trouble too. Ah just need ya to tell Fluttershy. She knows that forest better than anypony Ah know.”
“Do you want to waste time arguing with me, or are you just gonna accept my help?” Besides, gives me an excuse to actually go outside.
Applejack pauses for a moment, but quickly nods at her. “Alright then. Let’s go.” The two take off in a gallop toward the forest looming a little further ahead. However, instead of going into the forest, Applejack turns and runs around the edge of it, Nova follows just behind. They continue around the forest until they eventually reach a sort of orchard. “This is where they went in,” Applejack says stopping at a trail of small hoofprints. Not wanting to waste more time, they follow the prints into the forest.
“My name’s--,” Nova starts as they enter the forest, but she grinds to stop almost immediately as soon as they’re surrounded by trees. She jams her eyes shut, as her magic energy burns, and pulsates in her chest, yearning to be unleashed. A throbbing pain beats into her head, and the edges of her vision begin turning red. A thin stream of smoke wisps up from her nostrils as she does her best to repress the energy, and her vision returns to normal. The heck was that?
“Y'alright?” Applejack asks having stopped for her. Concern very obvious in her features, though Nova simply puts it to the fact her sister is in trouble rather than Applejack actually being concerned for her.
“Y-yeah, I’m fine. I just… I’m fine.” She gets back onto her hooves. She takes a moment to take in her surroundings. Even though the trees are mostly dead, the forest gets dark quickly the further in they’d go. Not abnormally dark, just slightly. Snow covers the ground, though it’s not very deep. “What was I talking about?” she asks as they start galloping into the forest again.
“Yer name.”
“Right, my name’s Nova Hearthfire.”
“Yeah, ah know. Fluttershy, and Twilight told us about ya. Plus most of the town’s talkin’ about the new pony.”
A another chill runs down Nova’s back, though it’s not from the cold this time. She falters for a step and almost trips, but she quickly regains her composure and make up the little ground she lost. “Really, what did they say?”
“That Fluttershy’s looking after ya while yer wing heals. By the looks of it, yer wing looks pretty good now.”
“Yeah, well, I still ain’t that good at flying,” she mumbles to herself. They continue in silence, a of eerie silence. Even though they’re in a forest, completely surrounded by trees, but there’s little sound. The crouching of snow under their hooves, snapping of twigs, and dripping of water from snow melting on the branches.
They stop after several minutes of galloping, coming to a large patch of grass where the snow had melted. The trail of hoofprints lead into the grass, and quickly disappears. Applejack looks around frantically to find some other clue to follow. “Applebloom!” she shouts stepping onto the grass.
Nova scans the area, but sees no other tracks or anything to follow. “So, what am I trying to see?” she asks looking back at Applejack.
“A yellow earth pony, an orange pegasus, and a white unicorn. Applebloom!”
“Oh great, I’m sure trying to find someone white in this mess will be a breeze,” Nova mumbles shooting a glare at the snow.
We could get rid of it all.
Yes, and I’m sure that’d go great for the fillies if they’re gets caught in it. “Sweetie!” She scans the tree for a few moments before flying up above the trees to get a better view. But, she comes back down a few seconds later, realizing she can’t see much through the branches and between the trees. “Why would they come out here to hunt monsters?” Nova calls down, still hovering a few feet off the ground.
“They’re tryin’ ta get their cutie marks. They’d do anythin’ ta get their cutie marks, and they don’t always tend ta be the--” She stops abruptly, her ears perking up and turning to the left slightly. “Did ya hear that?”
Nova tucks her wings to her sides as she lands. She swivels her ears in the same direction as Applejack’s but she doesn’t hear anything. “No. What did you--” Before Nova can finish Applejack takes off in a sprint. Without wasting a moment Nova gives chase. It takes a little while, but Nova eventually manages to close the gap between them and runs next to her.
Through the thundering of their hooves, and their panting, Nova manages to pick out what sounds like shouting and screaming. “They’re in danger!” Applejack shouts trying to go a little faster.
As they dodge and weave between the trees Nova spots several figures a little further ahead. Low to the ground, several long, thin spikes sticking out of their shoulders and back. Clearly canine in shape, but everything seems off. They seem to be surrounding a tree, or at least trying to get at what’s in it. They bark and growl at three fillies that are cowering in the tree. As they get closer they notice an odd stench lingering in the air. Applejack falters in her steps, but manages to stay up. “Timberwolves!”
“Wha--” Nova starts, but stops when the branches to her right start moving. She skids to a stop and ducks down when she sees a row of spark wooden stakes coming at her. A few inches above her head the wolf’s jaw snaps, snagging a few strands of her mane in the process. Digging her forehooves into the ground, Nova throws her head back and straightens her legs. The back of her head slams into the wolf’s jaw with a loud crack and sends it crashing back into the brush.
Pain pounds at the back of her head, but she quickly fall into a combat stance and turns to face the prone beast. Now, she can see it is indeed a wolf, though made of branches and logs. The ‘spikes’ from earlier are branches and twigs poking out of the wolf. It is covered in a little frost, either from the actual cold weather, or simply being knocked down into the snow.
The timberwolf gets back onto its feet and lunges at Nova. With a flap of her wings she moves out of the way. As the wolf lunges past, Nova delivers a blow to its neck, earning a sharp crack as the wood making it snaps. The wolf shatters into a pile of branches at her hooves. “The heck? What happened to it, what is it?” But, Nova’s questions goes unanswered as she finds Applejack charging at the rest of the group.
Shouts and cheers follow as the fillies see the orange earth pony. Nova pushes the questions of the back of her mind, as well as the dull throbbing in her head. She flaps her wings a few times to get into the air and quickly follows suit.
The rest of the wolves, five, notice the two ponies, though not before Applejack slams into one of them with her shoulder. The wolf stumbles back dazed from the surprise attack. Applejack spins around, putting her weight onto her forehooves and brings in her hindlegs. She unleashes a buck at breakneck speed which connects solidly with the wolf’s chest. The kick sends the wolf slamming into a tree a few feet away. A small chorus of cheers comes from the fillies in the tree as the wolf falls to a head of twigs and logs.
The other four wolves start spreading out and begin to surround as they move in on her. Before any of them get within striking range Nova bursts out of the brush, flying as quickly as she dares in the forest. Without slowing she rams into the first wolf in her path. A sharp snap comes from the wolf’s shoulder as Nova feels the wood giving way under her forehooves. She flares her wings coming to a quick stop and leaving the wolf to slide across the slick ground until it runs into another wolf.
Nova continues flapping her wings so she hovers just off the ground. She looks around, making sure she’s between the majority of the wolves and the three fillies. A grin curls her lips and her golden eyes take on an orange hue as they focus back on the wolves.
Finally, we get to fight something.
This’ll be fun. Though, I still have to take it easy, fillies are too close.
I doubt we need anything more to win.
Damn right, Nova thinks flying a little higher up. She stops and starts hovering, though just below the branches this time. The wolves look at one another, then glare back at Nova, taking a few steps forward.
They look scared.
Well, if they won’t take the first shot… In an instant she angles herself at the largest of the timberwolves, and charges with a steep dive. The wolf acts quickly, but barely manages to jump out of the way before Nova crashes into the ground. The impact makes a small crater and raises a cloud of dust around it. The wolves move to surround her, however they quickly find they can’t match Nova’s speed.
With a flap of her wings she shoots out of the dust cloud and toward the leader. She flies a few feet into the air so she can be just above the wolf. It tries to snap at her, but its jaws only catch air. Once over the head, Nova comes down with as much force as she can muster from that height. She comes cracking down onto the beast’s back, just below the shoulders. It holds for a moment, but ultimately the wolf’s back shatters into stick and logs, and the rest of the wolf collapses.
She tucks her wings back in and turns to face the other three as they run at her. She turns her side to the first one and crouches low to the ground. She glances over at the other two, gauging their speeds and distances to make sure she has time. She figures the wolves will be at her roughly at the same time. Within seconds the first timberwolf closes the gap between them, lunging at her aiming for the neck just as the others arrives.
Nova spreads her wing, getting it under the wolf. She quickly stands up and twists her body, moving with the weight of the timberwolf and starting to lift it off the ground. A shiver runs down her spine when she hears the wolf snap its jaws centimeters from the back of her head. Before it can get the chance at another bite she flings the wolf over her shoulder. It tumbles end over end before crashing into the second one, leaving them in a dazed pile.
Her eyes glow a golden-orange as she swings around to the third one. Once again, she spreads her wings, using them as counter-balances to stand on her hindlegs this time. She brings her hoof back, preparing a punch. It jumps at her, jaw wide, fully intent on ripping her throat out. With a twist of her body she swings her punch. The wooden teeth scratch and cut her leg as she plunges her hoof down into its throat, but the pain barely registers. Even as it tries to bite down, it doesn’t slow her down. The wolf’s eyes go wide as it realizes Nova doesn’t plan on stopping. Nova’s hoof connects with the back of the wolf’s throat, it starts biting down harder trying to get her to pull her hoof back. With a final push, there is a sharp snap as Nova’s hoof bursts out the otherside. The rest of it disintegrates into a pile of branches and twigs.
She turns to the sound of growling, just in time to see a set of wooden fangs bearing down at her. Acting on instinct she jumps to her right, just out of range of the wolf as it bites down on the air. Seeing an opportunity she swings back around, slamming her elbow into the side of its face. It staggers back in a daze, but Nova grabs it by the shoulder before it can get too far. And, keeping up her momentum, she drags it into the path of the other. The second wolf’s paws slip on the slick grass as it tries the stop, and careens into them.
The magic holding the first wolf together falters under the impact and the wolf shatters into the individual sticks it’s made of. The second one manages to stay intact however, and tumbles into Nova. She rolls back, sending the wolf over her. Branches dig into her shoulder and back as the wolf crashes down onto her. Ignoring the pain she kicks out with her hindlegs as they roll, kicking the wolf off her.
Quickly shifting her weight around Nova comes out of the roll on her hooves facing toward the wolf. Though, the wolf also managed to land on its feet and is now crouched low to the ground ready to fight.
Alright then, let’s see how you deal with this, Tinder. She flaps her wings and shoot off toward the wolf at full speed. She flies low to the ground, aiming just off the side of the wolf. It tries to bite her as she flies past, but as earlier it simply can’t match her speed.
Just before flying past Nova swings out her arm, hooking it around the wolf’s neck. A sharp yelp cuts through the air as all the force slams into the wolf at once and it’s dragged along with the pegasus. It tries twisting around to get free or, better yet, bite her. But, before it can so much as dig its claws into the dirt, it starts falling down from under it as Nova goes into a steep climb. Soon, the wolf is looking down at the trees and snow as it begins to wonder whether it should try to make her let go.
But, once high enough, Nova simply lets go on her own. With one more flap from her wings she flies above it, building up speed in a corkscrew sort of movement. She kicks out one leg and it slams into the wolf’s back with a painful sounding crack. The kick sends the wolf plummeting down, and slamming into the ground at a speed that would be dangerous for pegasi.
A grin crosses Nova’s face as the wolf simply shatters. She looks down at her foreleg as she descends to Applejack and the fillies. Quite a few long, not-too-deep cuts, nothing a bandage roll can’t fix. Well, that was fun, she thinks landing next to Applejack as the mare helps the fillies out of the tree.
A little, but we’re still cold. You should have burnt them, they’re nothing more than tinder anyways.
Once down one of the fillies, an orange pegasus, runs up to her. “That was so cool! You took them all on by yourself. You were like bam, boom, crack!” she shouts jumping around and making little fighting stances with the sounds. “It was so awesome! Almost as awesome and Rainbow.”
Sounds like you have an admirer.
Shit. She decides to ignore the pegasus, hoping she gets the hint or loses interest. Instead, she looks over at Applejack and the pale yellow filly. The filly paws at the ground an ashamed look on her face as her sister scolds her. The last filly, the unicorn, tries her best to hide behind Applejack by keeping the mare between her and Nova.
Pain stabs through Nova’s leg as the adrenaline begins to subside. She looks down at her leg again, and the blood oozing from the cuts. Should deal with that… She looks around for something to bandage it up for the time being. After a few moments she remembers the scarf she brought. Sorry Moon, she thinks as she takes it off and wraps it around the wound. Once she’s done the makeshift bandage covers most of her foreleg up to the elbow. It’ll do for now.
By the time she’s finished the three fillies are standing a little ways in front of her with Applejack standing behind them. The fillies look down at the ground and shift around uncomfortably. “Well, go on,” Applejack says nudging the yellow one forward a little.
“Thank ya, miss…”
“Nova,” Applejack says from behind her.
“Nova, Ah… Ah’m sorry for this. Ah never meant for any of this ta happen. Ah’m sorry ya got hurt because of us,” she says. The filly looks around uncomfortably unsure of what to say next.
Nova shrugs and stands back up, testing her leg to see if it can still support her weight. “Don’t worry about it, just don’t go hunting monsters again.”
The filly looks up and finally meets her eyes. “Yer not mad at us? But, it’s because of us that ya got hurt in the first place.”
“No, not really. Just glad you’re alright and that I could help.”
She looks at Nova with a mixture of confusion and happiness. “Well, thank ya. Oh, and mah--” The filly freezes suddenly the color slowly draining from her face. The other behind the filly also go a little pale.
The sound of rustling branches behind her reaches Nova’s ears. She turns around expecting to see more wolves, however she finds something quite different. All the logs and sticks from the beaten wolves floating in the air, a sickly green glow coming from them. “They can revive themselves?” Nova asks taking a step back a preparing to fight again.
“Ah, don’t think it’s revivin’ itself,” Applejack says from behind her. The sticks start floating together forming into a single large pile. Everyone jumps when the tree next to them snaps and begins floating toward the pile. Several more trees from the area snap out of the ground and head for the pile as well. Slowly, the trees, logs, and sticks begin forming into a body. As more pieces join the puzzle eventually it becomes clear that it’s a giant timberwolf.
I don’t think I can punch that thing to death…
Luckily, we can do a little more than simply punch.
Not burning it. I’m pretty sure I can outrace the thing.
You think the others can too?
Nova snaps back to reality a turns back to the group of scared fillies. Applejack stands her ground, though it’s clear she’s afraid as well. Damn, you’re right. Fine, I’ll turn it into a pile of ash. “You guys get out of here,” Nova says turning back to the still-forming wolf.
“What? Now, wait a minute, I ain’t gonna just leave ya here ta fight that thing,” Applejack says.
“Don’t worry, I’m only gonna distract it long enough for you guys to get away. I can easily out-pace it if I fly out of here. Besides, the fillies aren’t gonna stay here, and someone needs to make sure they get back in one piece.” Applejack hesitates and looks down at the three fillies. “In all seriousness, we don’t have the time to argue. Leave now, and I’ll explain everything later.”
Applejack goes to asks what she means, but stops herself realizing Nova’s right. “Come on Y’all,” she says turning and shepherding the fillies away.
Once the group is beyond the first couple trees focuses back on the wolf as it nears completion. She grins and flies up to what would be eye-level with it.
You seem eager.
I have a winter’s worth of energy to burn, and it’s been ages since I last had a real fight. The wolf’s green eyes open and immediately lock onto her. It rears back for a moment before letting loose an unearthly roar. Small twigs and sticks whips past carried on the beast’s retched breath. Too bad Tinder won’t last long enough for me to burn all that energy, she thinks as she begins to channel energy into her wings.
Applejack skids to a stop when the roar rips through the air. She whips around, easily spotting the massive wolf lumbering through the trees. It swipes its massive paws through the air trying to swat Nova out of the air as she flies circles around it. She’ll be fine, she tries to convince herself.
“Um, shouldn’t we keep running or something?” Sweetie asks nervously glancing back at the fight.
“Is something the matter?” Scootaloo asks.
“N-no, everything’s alright,” Applejack says giving a fake smile. She looks down at Applebloom, who is also looking back at the fight.
“We can’t just leave her,” she says stomping her hoof. “She came here to help us, we can’t just abandon her!”
“She’ll be alright, look, the timberwolf can’t even get close to her,” Applejack says gesturing toward Nova. Indeed, every swipe, bite, and lunge the wolf tries hits nothing but air and trees.
“Plus, she took on four timberwolves at once. I’m sure one is nothing for her,” Scootaloo adds.
“Yeah, but those were normal timberwolves. She can’t possibly fight one that’s ten times her size!”
“But, Twilight beat an Ursa Minor, and those are way bigger.”
“She had magic!”
“Applebloom, we don’t have the time fer this. If we’re still here by the time she leaves the wolf will come after us,” Applejack says nudging her sister down the path.
“Uh, girls, any idea what she’s doing?” Sweetie asks catching their attention. They all look back at the fight as Nova bursts through the branches and flies out into the open air, well above the trees.
“Come on, girls! She’s probably leavin’. Let’s get outta here before the wolf comes.”
“I don’t like this,” Sweetie says taking a few steps back, but still watching Nova. The pegasus simply hovers in place, seemingly looking down at the wolf. Oddly, her eyes seem different almost as if they’re glowing. Suddenly, a burst of red light comes from Nova, and several fiery bolts shoot out from her wings heading straight at the wolf.
The bolts rain down on the wolf, each one impacting with an explosion of fire that simply blasts through the wolf. It yowls in pain as the bolts literally rip it apart. And, as suddenly as it started, it’s over. The wolf still stands, amazingly, though barely. Flaming craters dot the area around, and under, it. Still burning holes go clean through its body in most places. Slowly, the wolf starts crumbling apart, no longer able to hold itself together. Flaming debris rains down from it, simply fueling the fires under it. And finally, the magic holding it together gives out and it crumbles entirely.
The group stand in stunned silence, watching the column of smoke billow up from the remains of the wolf. “D-did she just…” Applebloom starts, but trails off as she searches for the right word. But, even without it Scootaloo and Sweetie nod.
“What is she?” Sweetie whispers backing up a little further.
“Let’s get outta here now,” Applejack says urging the fillies to start heading away from the burning pile. Before following the group Applejack looks back, but doesn’t manage to see Nova through the smoke.
They run as fast as they can toward the edge of the forest. Eventually, they reach their prints from earlier and start following them back. They begin to relax after a few minutes of running and no sign of any other monsters, asides from billowing smoke from further in the forest. A few minutes later they come out of the forest and back into the Apple Family Orchard. However, they come skidding to a stop when they find the crimson mare waiting for them. The fillies shrink back behind Applejack.
Nova smiles up at them from her spot by the base of a tree. “Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I lost the wolf thing… What exactly were those?”
Applejack snorts and narrows her eyes at Nova. “That’s what Ah should be asking ya. What exactly are ya?”
“Huh? I’m a winged pony, what do you think I am?”
“Ah don’t know, but ya sure as heck ain’t a pegasus. We saw whatcha did back there.” She points back over at the column of smoke.
Her shoulders slump down as she sighs and looks away from the smoke. “You saw that, huh?”
“Yeah, now what are ya?”
Nova looks back at her, but says nothing for a minute as she searches for words. “I can’t say.”
“You burnt that timberwolf! You shot fire--”
“I know, but I actually can’t tell you. Not because I don’t want to, but I don’t know! I don’t know what I am. I’m part pegasus and that’s as far as I can get.” Applejack scrunches her muzzle, little less than satisfied with the answer. But, before she can ask anything else Nova speaks up. “Applejack, I don’t think this conversation is for the young,” she says looking at the fillies.
“Alright then, you three get back to the house, we’ll talk about what you did later,” Applejack says nudging them off down the path.
“Hold up a sec,” Nova says getting up and walking up to the three who shrink back from her. Applejack takes a few steps forward, ready to act if Nova does anything. “I want you three to keep this a secret. Don’t tell anypony about what I can do. Don’t even talk to each other about it. And if you want a reason to keep it a secret, you’ve seen what I can do, imagine how bad I am when I’m angry. Clear?” The fillies nod their heads in unison. “Good, get going.” At the order the fillies take of running.
“Ah swear, if ya so much as hurt mah sister, even that fancy fire trick of yers won’t save ya from me.”
“Good to know, but I don’t exactly plan on following through with the threat. It’s just easier to make ponies keep quiet if they’re afraid of you.” Nova turns back to the farmer. “Alright, shoot. If you have any questions, threats, or something of the sort, now’s the time.”
Applejack stares at her mildly surprised at her willingness. “Who else knows?”
“Lore, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow, a few other ponies you probably don't know.”
“How did this happen?”
“Can’t say.”
Immediately the surprise wears off as she realizes Nova’s only willing to listen to the questions. “That ain’t too helpful.”
“Yeah, but I don’t know the answer to that either,” Nova says with a shrug.
The farmer rubs her temples, realizing that their entire conversation is most likely going to go in circles. “Alright then, what are ya?”
“I think you already--”
Applejack shakes her head and cuts Nova off. “Ah don’t mean it that way. Back there, against the wolves. Ya fought four of them, and came out almost unharmed. Ya know how ta fight. What are ya, military, hunter?”
Nova blinks a few times catch a little off guard by the question. “I’m, uh…” Damn, she figured that out from my fighting? Ultimately, Nova relents deciding to give her a straight answer. “I’m military actually.” Applejack nods, but doesn’t say anything more. “Is that all?”
“One last thin’. If ya so much as dare to go near those fillies, or hurt any one of my friends, Ah’ll buck you inta next week. Yer fire, and army trainin’ don’t scare me, and ya’ll need more than that to save yerself from me.”