//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Sandworms, Assault Rifles, and the Merits of Extraneous Princesess // by GaPJaxie //------------------------------// Miles from civilization, Applejack felt herself thrown to a hard stone surface. The guards had simply rolled her out of the ornithoper down onto the sands, bag still over her head and legs still chained. She'd struggled to walk for a time, blindly in any direction, but the sands shifted under her hooves, and she could hardly stand. It had been hot, so terribly hot, and her world had started to spin. But then there had been voices. Hooves grabbing her, dragging her off. To this place. Hard, dry, and cool. Somepony ripped the bag off her head. "Well now," said a familiar voice, with a thick southern drawl. Blinking away the spots in her eyes, Applejack saw herself. Or, mostly herself. Her coat was still there, as was her accent, but her mane was cut tight against her head, and she had a nasty scar down one side of her face. More than that however, was how she was dressed. She was wearing some kind of black suit that molded to her body, adorned with straps and tubing. A set of nose plugs ran down from her face, and a mask hung loosely from a strap around her neck. It covered every part of her but her face, and that would be covered as well, if she was wearing the headgear. Every other pony was dressed just the same, staring in at Applejack. It was a long time before the other Applejack spoke, considering her doppleganger. "I admit, if this is the Prince's latest trick, he's got me by surprise this time." Some chuckles radiated around the room. The doppleganger reached down, and removed Applejack's gag. "So, what are you? One of them Ghola corpse things? A clone?" Applejack licked her lips, once. "Please, please tell me y'all are some kind of rebel leader plotting to blow up the palace and overthrow Rainbow Dash?" Everyone in the cave paused. "Because," Applejack added into the silence. "I'd be all over that."