//------------------------------// // Ch. 13: If Looks Could Kill // Story: Nothing Probably Goes on Forever Too // by TundraStanza //------------------------------// Reach out for the sunshine Forget about the rain Just think about the good times And they will come back again Chapter 13: If Looks Could Kill --- Sweet Apple Acres: home to the famous Apple family and source of the primary staple food of pony diets everywhere. The home of famous apple cider and zap apple jam was right here. This setting was also the current source of my heavy breathing and hind leg pains. Mostly, it was heavy breathing. "Hah... Newton... made it... seem... so... easy... for apples... to fall... from the... tree," I panted. For something that was supposed to follow the laws of gravity, the red and green fruits were stubbornly hanging onto their respective branches. Oh, some were kind enough to oblige by my persuasion to fall into the baskets. But I didn't nearly have the productivity of the two apple buckers that worked here for their whole lives. I guess even alicorns had their limits in strength. "How are you doing?" chirped a young voice. I turned my head back and forth looking for the source. Then, I stopped to look down at the yellow filly with amber eyes. "Health-wise, I'm great, Apple Bloom," I answered, "But as far as efficiency goes, not so great. I just can't connect with the tree's sweet spot." "I think you're doing great for a first timer," smiled Apple Bloom. "Heh heh, thanks," I smiled back. I needed that encouragement. The filly took a full bucket on her back and started heading to the storeroom. I moved on to the next tree. This one took me five kicks to dislodge all the apples. I briefly considered levitating some off but quickly brushed that notion aside. Applejack appreciated honest working ponies. To perform the job any other way felt... well, dishonest. That didn't mean that the hot sun was any less forgiving today. I had to wipe sweat away from my eyes more than once. Why are you doing this again? asked the thought-voice of Shirayuki. Oh, come on, Shiryauki, I thought in response, Just because we're on a mission to save the world, doesn't mean that the other important life tasks can be ignored. Besides, it's only right that I earn my keep. I didn't say it was wrong, she thought in return, I'm just making sure your decisions are made firmly. From what I can tell, you do have that. Thank you for understanding, I directed gratitude in my mind, Now if you'll excuse me, I'm busy. I kicked the next tree to prove a point. You know, I can't really go anywhere unless you go somewhere, she commented. Huh, smart alec, I mentally spat as her thoughts to me went silent. --- Half the day had passed and I had just finished bucking the orchard's second row. How did Applejack and Big Macintosh do this every day? I may never know. I was breathing so hard that I thought about collapsing right then and there. I never got the chance. The sky became much darker from something blotting out the sun. These were not Pegasi storm clouds that created the shade. The noise from above was much to rapid and buzzing to be thunder. I turned my gaze and squinted my eyes to focus on what lied above. What I saw made me open them and my mouth in disbelief. "It... it can't be," I breathed barely above whispering volume. The buzzing noise gave me the feeling that I get when staring at a swarm of wasps in one location. That feeling was a large amount of tension and unease. Since I had entered an alternate universe, I had assumed that I would never see the horrors that disgraced season two with their presence. My assumption had been wrong. I was staring at a huge swarm of... changelings. My new observation was confirmed as some of the swarm angled themselves downward and surrounded themselves in green, meteor-like fires. As they approached whatever they were aiming for, I got a better look at them. I wish I hadn't. These weren't exactly the same changelings that fan artists could make cuter just by drawing chibi versions of them. No, these changelings looked like something that the artist of Giygas from "Mother" had a field day with. I thought nothing could remind me of that. At least ten of them had crashed into the trees and grass around me, forming a circle of craters and changelings. If these guys were at least as destructive as what the show had made them out to be, I couldn't hesitate. "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" I shouted while summoning my katana. It shone in its white, ribbon form as my other half took dominance. She stood tall in her evergreen armor. "So-me-no-Mai," she spoke as she held the blade to her left. She then swung widely as she shouted, "Tsukishiro!" A giant circle of ice surrounded the ground around her. The circumference overtook the ten changelings in the immediate vicinity. A giant, ice pillar sprouted from the ground ensnaring all who were inside the circumference. It rose high into the sky before crumbling from existence. Almost all the beings who were trapped in the pillar had cracked along with the ice. Only Shirayuki remained alive. We couldn't celebrate, however, because many other changelings were still destroying the land. Not to mention, we had to make sure the Apple family was safe. Let's go! I encouraged through thought. "Right," agreed Shirayuki as she took flight toward the barn house. Along the way, numerous changelings attempted to tackle or pounce on her. Several quick swings from her sword halted their advances with slayings. The changelings seemed to evaporate into shadows when they were defeated. I didn't have time to fully observe since we were kind of in a hurry. Ahead, I could see Applejack and Big Macintosh trying to fend off a whole army of changelings. The two of them were doing pretty well holding off the frontal assault. They had strong hooves, but they were getting scratched and scraped by attacks to their sides where their legs couldn't hit. Closer to the house stood Apple Bloom, looking scared. Who could blame her? I was pretty scared right now and I actually had a fighting chance against these things. I wonder why the changelings aren't using their shape-shifting ability, I briefly wondered. Maybe they're not changelings at all, pointed out Shirayuki as she slayed another three of the monsters in her way. Well, I don't know what else to call them, I mentally shrugged, 'Cause that's the closest thing I can relate their looks to. Whatever they were, they were slowly gaining the advantage in the endurance fight over the farmer ponies. A few well-placed attacks left AJ and Big Mac in crumpled heaps. Shirayuki grit her teeth in an upset realization. We weren't going to get there in time. I managed to take over her left hoof momentarily as she caught on to what I had in mind. She vocally relayed, "Hado 33: Sokatsui!" A burst of blue arcing fire hit a large number of the creatures that had previously been on top of the bearer of Honesty and her brother. That distraction bought Shirayuki enough time to fly over the confused back line of changelings and land in front of the exhausted farmers. "Apple Bloom! Are you all right?" asked the snowy white alicorn. "T... Tundra?" the filly stuttered, "W-what's goin' on?" "I don't have time to explain," Shirayuki said tersely as she turned around to face the incoming enemies, "Just hang in there, okay?" Another wave of the dark, insectoid monsters was heading our way. Just how many of these things are there? I thought rhetorically. Shirayuki held the white katana horizontally toward the wave. As she did so, four channels of snow and air sprout from the ground to the sword's tip. "Tsugi-no-Mai!" she shouted, "Hakuren!" A large burst of ice erupted from the blade and hit at least twenty of the creatures in the way. As they crumbled to pieces inside the crashing ice, another wave seemed to take their place within a few seconds. "Urgh, they just keep coming," scowled Shirayuki, "Tsukishiro!" A new pillar of ice erupted from the ground in front of her and trapped more changelings within. They were destroyed as the pillar cracked and dispersed. Like moths to the fire, more insectoids took their place. I tried the fire approach again with Shirayuki's left hoof. "Hado 33: Sokatsui!" she shouted. Blue fire impacted and more monsters burned into the shadows. But more were buzzing away as they approached the Apple family's abode. Is there no end to this? I thought exasperatedly. Shirayuki switched tactics to cutting and slashing individual bugs that came in range. But, she was getting tired. Even I could feel the fatigue that was wearing into her consciousness. --- Apple Bloom watched as her newest friend fought the scary creatures from parts unknown. Her terrified gaze moved over to her big sister and big brother. They were lying on the ground looking worse for wear. "Applejack, Big Macintosh," she whispered. The orange farmer pony managed to open one eye and looked over at her little sister. "Apple Bloom," she coughed, "You gotta get out of here." "What?" asked the filly in disbelief, "I can't leave you here, Applejack. I just can't." Applejack took a deep breath before falling asleep again from the pain. "Applejack!" cried Apple Bloom as she held her sister's hoof in both of her own. She closed her eyes and let tears flow freely. --- "This isn't a very pretty situation." "Huh?" asked the farmer filly. She looked around to see that she was no longer on Sweet Apple Acres. In fact, her surrounding area looked more like Whitetail Woods, but with less pathway and more trees. She turned around to see another figure standing there. However, it was shaded out so she couldn't tell who or what it was. "Your family is in danger, Apple Bloom," said the figure, "You need to save them," "How can I save them?" asked Apple Bloom, "I can't fight." "It's simple," replied the figure, "Just call out my name and I'll take care of the enemies in sight." "Your name? But I don't know your name!" she shouted in frustration, "And what does that have to do with saving my family?" "My name is encrypted in your soul because I am a part of you," said the silhouette as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I don't get it," responded the filly. The figure sighed, "Reach out your hoof." Apple Bloom had no idea where the stranger was going with this, but she complied with the request and held out her right hoof. A small sword appeared and the handle was almost immediately wrapped in her hoof's grasp. "Look within yourself and find your resolve," said the shaded figure, "Then you will be able to call my name without fail." A bright light engulfed the entire forest, the figure, and Apple Bloom. --- The red-maned filly opened her eyes. She was still holding her sleeping sister's hoof in the same position she was in before she had that vision. Apple Bloom gently let go before standing upright. The tears stopped falling as she found her resolve. --- I didn't ask to be put into a real-life version of survival mode. I never tried to join the military to face wave after wave of endless enemies. Heck, I nearly threw away my copy of Left 4 Dead because I was tired of the re-spawning enemies. But here I was, killing off wave after wave of changeling wannabes with no end in sight. Shirayuki's hack and slash method would only last so long before I exhausted the energy my body had left to offer. After that, I didn't know what I would do. Right now, I could feel Shirayuki's heavy breathing during this five second long pause between waves. It wouldn't be long before the dark insectoids would be at it again. "Stand aside, Tundra," ordered a voice I hadn't expected to hear. Shirayuki turned to see a young filly walking up to the left of her. I think both of us were shocked at the filly's advance. "Apple Bloom, what are you doing?" asked the reasonable alicorn, "Get back!" "No," replied the eerily calm, yellow pony, "I've found my resolve." I watched in confusion as she held out her hoof. A small katana suddenly appeared in her grasp. At this, Shirayuki did a double-take. "I'm going to protect my family," said Apple Bloom without a trace of her usual southern twang. The rest of the changelings were closing in on our location. However, Apple Bloom looked undeterred. "Tear in frenzy," she declared monotonously, "Ruri'iro Kujaku." The katana blade seemed to glow blue like sapphire before long tendrils started flowing out of it. Within moments, the entire swarms of monsters were ensnared in the azure tendrils. The insectoids were unable to move. Something was visibly flowing out of them and through the threads. Small objects that resembled tree buds started growing out of the tendrils. "Ruri'iro Kujaku steals the life force from the enemy it ensnares," explained Apple Bloom still in a calm monotone, "Once the buds have fully grown, these invaders will die." Frankly, I was kind of horrified that a child could talk about death so casually. Sure, on any given day if I was talking to my friends about the concept, I wouldn't have thought twice about it. But this was a little girl who had yet to finish the equivalent of elementary school. She wasn't supposed to worry about pushing on daisies. True to her word, the buds grew larger and the changeling invaders looked like they were fading away. When the buds finally opened in bloom, all of the ensnared enemies evaporated into shadows. After that, the tendrils started retreating to the handle that was holding them. Within seconds, the sapphire plant returned to its sword form. One of the stray blossoms floated down within Apple Bloom's reach. She chomped it out of the air without thinking twice. "A... Apple Bloom?" said Shirayuki cautiously. The alicorn didn't get to finish her thought as a new growling sound made itself known. A shadow that looked like the changelings' dying forms appeared just in front of view. It seemed to take the reverse action and solidified itself into one large monster. It stood about eye level with Shirayuki and looked a lot like... Chrysalis? I asked mentally. The 'queen' only growled in anger rather than talking, if it could talk. Apple Bloom's expression changed from one of indifference to one of furious anger. "Bloom, Fuji Kujaku!" she shouted. This time, the blade in her grasp altered its shape into four hook-blades attached at the hilt. Apple Bloom took a leap toward the new changeling and swung diagonally. Chrysalis(?) screeched in agony before fading into the shadows like her comrades. The anger in Apple Bloom's eyes seemed to fade before they closed silently. She opened them and they had a bit of the light that was usually in them. She didn't look tired at all from that Zanpaktou release. In fact, she almost looked healthier than she had this morning. "Zowie!" yelped the filly, "What just happened? Tundra, what happened? Why are you white? Where did that armor come from? Did I really just summon a magic sword out of nowhere? What's going on?" "Woah, woah, slow down, girl," said Shirayuki, "One question at a time." "Sorry, this is all just so confusing," admitted Apple Bloom. She took a deep breath before asking, "What happened to you?" "Well, where to start..." the snowy alicorn muttered. That's a good question, I agreed, Just give it to her slowly. "In a sense," started Shirayuki, "This is my true form." "Your true form?" Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow, "What the hay does that mean?" "I'm a pony that was split in two long ago and now the two halves have come together again," the alicorn tried to explain. "I don't get it," said the filly. "It's a bit complicated. Even I'm not entirely sure how the whole 'me' thing works," admitted Shirayuki. "Okay..." sighed a still confused farmer girl, "Where did this magic sword come from?" She held up said sword still in its released state. "That sword is part of a power you now possess," answered the alicorn, "You activated its 'magic' when you called its name." "You mean... Ruri'iro Kujaku is this sword's name?" asked Apple Bloom now staring at the weapon she held. "That's right," confirmed Shirayuki, "And it seems that your sword's power enables you to absorb energy from the enemy." She raised her own katana up while adding, "Just as my sword can bend ice to its will." "That's kind of creepy," said the young farmer, "... but it's also kind of cool. But now a tougher question: what were those things we just fought?" "Actually, that's one of the easier ones to answer," replied the alicorn, "According to Princess Celestia, David has decided to create newer creatures of the shadows in order to remake the world again." "David?" the filly visibly shivered, "Not again." "I take it you've heard of him before," commented the snowy alicorn. "Heard of him?" Apple Bloom looked up at Shirayuki, "I was captured by him and nearly suffocated in a cavern filled with that inma -- iminap -- pulon... stuff. I think Firewall called it anti-magic." "That makes sense," nodded Shirayuki, "It's easier to pronounce and doesn't hide the substance's true nature." Apple Bloom nodded before a big yawn escaped from her mouth. I don't think any of us had noticed how late it was getting. "Why don't we help your siblings inside and then call it a night?" offered my other half, "I'm sure we could all use some proper sleep." The filly nodded in agreement. It took some rough teamwork to carry two ponies that had stronger muscles than either of us, but we managed to do so. We tried our best to avoid adding more damage to the already bruised farmer ponies. I remember hearing a suggestion to just bring down a few blankets instead of trying to carry them upstairs. Shirayuki wished the yellow filly good night as she found a long piece of furniture to rest on. Throughout the whole thing, I hadn't even noticed that Granny Smith was snoring in a wooden rocking chair. I guess Shirayuki and I were too tired to let the noise bother us. Whatever I slept on that night felt much more comfortable than dirt or roof tiles. --- A lot can happen in just two weeks. In the first week, I was pulled into a fan version of Equestria, earned my cutie mark, and found out I was actually half the soul of an old friend of the Princesses. Oh, I almost forgot about learning to fly, getting wrapped in overly gaudy dresses, and taking on a huge wolf creature with nothing but a sword and ice magic. My second week here was spent mostly in medical recovery. If you had told me a year ago that I was going to work in agriculture, I would have laughed at how ridiculous that sounded. Well, here I was doubling my efforts in apple bucking on Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom had to miss two days of school to help out while her older siblings recovered from those nasty wounds. Yeah, the show writers really underestimated the damage that an army of changelings or creatures that looked like them were capable of. Green cocoons and goo weren't even in their arsenal. Slash-and-burn craters and toppled trees went way beyond the simple "chase you and eat your love" image that I had known them for. On the bright side, Applejack and Big Macintosh recovered quickly and two days went by in a breeze. Sure, they weren't instantly healed as soon as their bandages were applied, but man. These ponies must have had super regeneration or something. On the third day, Big Mac was already up and clearing fallen debris on the orchard. Applejack was already surpassing her usual efforts to collect the harvest. She had said that tomorrow was market day and they were way behind their usual inventory. The sun move through the sky fairly rapidly. Before I knew it, it was already sunset and it was time to turn in for another day. Dinner that evening had corn soup as the main course. I wasn't complaining, since it tasted much better than hay fries in my honest opinion. I was glad that Granny Smith hadn't been outside when the changelings had ravaged the land the other day. I was certain that seeing all of what transpired would have broken her heart. I went to sleep tired that night. It was a good kind of tired instead of the falling unconscious from a battle kind of tired. --- ... Hearts and Hooves Day: the equivalent of the human world's Valentine's Day. While it was the source of many lovely couples and romance novels, this particular Hearts and Hooves Day had one more ingredient. For the last few days, I had been working on a little, secret project. It involved me taking guitar lessons from a certain 'background' pony, design choices from a filly test subject, and sworn secrecy by the test subject's close family. Said test subject was nervously waiting backstage with me. "I'm starting to have second thoughts about this," she told me. "Oh, I'm already on my fourth thoughts about this," I replied, "But I'm still going through with it." I flashed a disarming smile before continuing, "How about you?" Her look changed from one of cringing to one of determination in those amber eyes, "Yeah. Let's do this." --- Several Ponyville residents had come to see why there was a stage set up in the center of town. Suddenly, the sky seemed to dim to a dark, room's lighting. What some of the ponies might have noticed was me walking onto the stage to a stool on the left. (Oh, yeah. I was wearing an old stetson hat lent to me by a close friend.) I sat down on the stool holding a guitar before strumming a few notes. As I did this, the curtain opened up and a spotlight shined on the true star of today's attraction. Wearing a T-shirt, she started singing her solo. You're on the phone with your girlfriend, She's upset She's going off about something that you said She doesn't get your humor like I do I'm in the room. It's a typical Tuesday night I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like And she'll never know your story like I do I changed chords as Apple Bloom pointed a hoof toward her chest. But she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find That what you're lookin' for has been here the whole time If you could see that I'm the one who understands you Been here all along so why can't you see? You belong with me You belong with me A few smaller lights danced around the front of the stage before the main spotlight returned to Apple Bloom. Walking the streets with you in your worn out jeans I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be Laughing on the park bench thinking to myself Hey isn't this easy? And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town I haven't seen it in a while, since she brought you down You say you find I know you better than that Hey, whatcha doing with a girl like that? She wears makeup, I wear ribbons She's cheer captain and I'm on the sidelines Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find That what you're looking for has been here the whole time If you could see that I'm the one who understands you Been here all along so why can't you see? You belong with me Standing by, waiting at your back door All this time how could you not know baby? You belong with me You belong with me The spotlight turned in my direction as I strummed a guitar solo. After that, the light returned to a bobbing filly singer. Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams Think I know where you belong. Think I know it's with me. Her voice grew quiet for the next musical bridge. Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you? Been here all along so why can't you see? You belong with me Her voice rose again. Standing by, waiting at your back door All this time how could you not know baby? You belong with me You belong with me Have you ever thought just maybe You belong with me You belong with me As the echoes from the guitar and imaginary drum set faded, a huge cheer erupted from the crowd of ponies that had gathered. Apple Bloom appeared quite happy as she took a bow. She then pointed a polite hoof toward the guitarist on her right. I obliged by bowing my head and wings in the position I had used in my past two performances. This was fun, I thought in satisfaction, I'm glad we did this. Thank you, Taylor Swift wherever you are. --- "Fun?" I skeptically asked the librarian, "You're saying that's fun?" "Well, yeah," said Twilight with utmost sincerity, "and no pony knows makeovers like Rarity." Why me? I thought. Would you rather face hoards of shadow monsters? asked Shirayuki's mind. Yes,... Yes, I would, was my half-serious reply. One way or another, I was going to 'assist' the fashionesta pony at the start of the new month. I knew what my nightmares were going to consist of during that time: Art of the Dress in stereo... in 3D. I face hoofed at the thought while Twilight went back to studying whatever it is Twilight Sparkle studies.