//------------------------------// // Forced Allies and Shadows // Story: Equestria Divided // by Nightmare Darkness //------------------------------// Apple Bloom Summer 6,14 ASD “Damn the Sisters to Tartarus!” Applejack screamed and kicked a chair, then bucked her desk in frustration. “I shoulda never agreed ‘ta let that apple-for-brains brother ‘o mine go on that mission!” she exclaimed. “He insisted, sis. The fact we got so close is because of him,” Apple Bloom said, trying to calm her sister, though she knew well that it would be fruitless. “You should have helped me stop him!” Applejack lashed out. “What did the letter say?” Apple Bloom asked, looking at the crumpled paper on the desk. “That his head will be on display on the treeline in a week’s time unless we pull our forces back and relinquish all of the northern part of Earthborn Territory,“ she said through her teeth while staring out of the window. Apple Bloom approached the crumpled paper on the desk and noticed a small red stain. Unwrapping the paper, she gasped and recoiled as a disembodied red ear fell from it. She looked up at her sister in shock. “What are we gonna to do, Applejack?” She asked. “My hooves are tied. I have to give inta’ Fluttershy's demands. We lost our parents a long time ago, and I won't lose my brother too.” She said, glaring at Apple Bloom. “We took a big gamble and we lost,” she said angrily. Apple Bloom covered the severed ear tip and looked at her sister. “How does she want to do the exchange?” Apple Bloom asked, unsure. “Removing the troops from the forest’s edge is easy, but relinquishing the top part of the Earthborn territory will be harder. I've ordered the troops away from the forest. Hopefully that will buy us time.” she said, becoming infuriated by her own words. “Buy us time for what?” Apple Bloom asked. Applejack looked at her sister. “To sneak in and rescue Big Mac,” she said. Apple Bloom’s eyes widened in shock. “You'd not giving up the north?!” she said. “Buck no! We fought hard for that land,” Applejack said. Apple Bloom eyes darted left and right in thought, finally coming up blank with answers. “How!” she exclaimed. Applejack took in a deep breath and was silent a moment. “I'm asking Rarity for a favor.” She said. Apple Bloom’s jaw fell open. Cranky Doodle. Summer 7, 14 ASD The smell of death permeated the air as Cranky Doodle stood before the sarcophagus of Pinkie Pie. Her skin was well preserved, and the wounds she had received from her forced transformation were stitched carefully closed.. Her eyes were colored with a light purple eyeliner along with a necklace of pearls. A permanent peaceful smile was on her muzzle, giving her the look of her having a pleasant dream. “Cranky…” a female voice resounded in his mind as a shadow took form beside the sarcophagus. A dark pink mare with a sharp toothed smile wearing a jester's outfit looked at him with black eyes only lit by a single red dot that burrowed into Cranky Doodle. “Milady Laughing Mare.” He said, respectfully bowing. “The astral plain is abuzz. It's good you came as quickly as you have. Something is happening that will remake the borders of this country. Step up recruitment and prepare for my word.” Her voice echoed within his mind. Her eyes and uncomfortably happy smile bore down upon him. “As you command,” he said as he felt her presence disappear. Standing, he stood up and left the inner sanctum that was guarded by several unmoving and ever vigilant undead. He entered a double-doored room and several faces looked at him. “What is the good word?” Derpy asked as she smiled. Cranky found his place at the head of the table and looked at his prophets. “We have need of the herald,” he said to Derpy who smiled and clapped her hooves together happily. “Yay! What is her lady's message?” she asked. Cranky looked at the other prophets. “We have new orders from the Laughing Mare.” He looked at Lyra Heartstrings who sat on his right. “You must begin to get ready for more members. We are commanded to increase recruitment and work toward a major event that will be occurring soon. Surprise, you are to also begin recruiting more Euphories.” The pegasus gave a salute in acknowledgement. Cranky then continued. “Pokey Pierce, have your jesters spread out and keep their ears to the ground for movement of forces,” he finished and looked at Screwball who waved her hoof, making him silent till she closed her eyes. “So much to do. Let me just do my thing, ok? I'll let you know if the astral plane coughs up something other than riddles and poppycock,” she said. Cranky nodded. He refocused on Derpy who sat there with her blissful smile,her one eye looking at her while the other looked away. “Take this information to the other cult cells in the cities, then tell them after this to wait for the word,” he said. Derpy nodded and stood up, signaling the meeting adjourned. The doors opposite to him opened, admitting Mayor Mare who had several papers with her. She nodded to each of the prophets and approached Cranky Doodle. “What is it?” he asked, looking at her. “Some things need your attention, High Prophet,” she said, putting a report before him. “There is a matter involving the diamond dogs that were smuggling us crystals and gems. They attracted attention and, well, now they are being punished. We need a new source, the ones from the Earthborn connections aren't enough. The demands for gems is getting higher since we’ve begun teaching more about necromancy,” she said, concerned. “Try to make another contact within the diamond dogs. We will have to silence those discovered. Does anypony know if they are connected to us?” he asked to which Mayor Mare shook her head, “So far, they are silent,” she said. Cranky thought for a moment. “Better safe than sorry. Silence them,” he said. She wrote it down and then looked at him expectantly. “Was there something else?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. She cleared her throat and nodded. “We captured a pony who was trying to bring information to one of the guards in house Whitegold, asking for sanctuary. Thankfully, the guard he told was one of us, but if he hadn’t been it could have been disastrous.” She looked up at the door and nodded to a hooded figure who nodded back and disappeared. A yelling and kicking pony struggled as he was pulled into the room and as soon as his eyes landed on Cranky and his struggling intensified. “No! No! I promise I won't do it again!” he pleaded. Cranky stood up as the approached the pony and smiled “All is forgiven brother,” he said and the pony looked up at him and chuckled. “I promise I will serve the Laughing Mare.” he said with a crooked smile. Cranky nodded and smiled warmly. “Oh, I don't doubt you brother. But... ” he said, looking at the hooded pony to his left and nodding. A dagger was plunged into the pony’s spine, causing him to scream and kick as the second hooded pony joined and plunged another blade into the pony. The two stabbed him repeatedly until Cranky held up his hoof, stopping them. The blades dripped red and the floor was a lake of blood. Cranky dipped his hoof in the blood and placed it on the dead pony’s forehead as his lifeless eyes stared at emptiness. “You will serve us, brother,” he said with a smile as the two hooded ponies pulled their hoods to reveal their smiling faces. Cranky began to recite incantations in a dark gravelly voice and soon the body jerked and began to struggle to stand as the skin and bowels fell away, revealing bone and a permanent smile that forced itself on the stallion’s face. Tears fell from his eyes. “You are going to spread Laughter across Equestria like your brothers and sisters,” Cranky said with an insane smile.