Chapter 1

Birds chirping, wind howling, the sun being swarmed by clouds as a wall of black storm rises over the horizon, almost looking like it stretched across the world. Animals had gone into hiding to ride out the storm in safety. I was doing almost the same thing. I had decided to stay inside and sleep the storm away, that is, until I heard a violent knocking on my door. Startled by the loud banging, I jumped and faced the door. I approached the door slowly and gently proceeded to open it with caution. To my relief it was just Pinkie Pie and the rest of the gang, excluding Applejack. I looked at Pinkie with a questioned look,
“Is anything wrong everypony?”

Before anypony could spit out a letter, Pinkie Pie eagerly jumped up and down with a smile and replied,

“Not one teensy weensy thing is wrong! We are all headed to go help Applejack do some farmy stuff, wanna come with?!”

I glanced up at the wall of clouds and thought to myself whether I should go or not. I looked back at the group and said,

“Well, I don’t know, the storm is coming in soon.”

Pinkie Pie dropped to the ground and wrapped her hooves around my leg. She starred at me with big sad eyes as she softly cried,

“Oh please will you come with? It will be fun.”

I took another second to think and decided, why not.

“Okay Pinkie, I’ll tag along.”

She jumped up with joy and giggled loudly as she bounced away headed for Sweet Apple Acres. I looked at Twilight and asked,

“What are headed off to do?”

She looked at me and replied,

“Applejack asked us to help her bring in the farm equipment to keep it sheltered from the storm, probably just a few things.”

I nodded.

“Sounds easy enough.”

Nopony else knew about this, but I secretly had a crush on Applejack. Ever since I moved to Ponyville a year ago, she hadn't left my mind. Then I wondered, why would they need me? I turned to Twilight again,
“What does she need me there for?”

Twilight looked at me again,

“Well since Big Mac hurt his back during harvesting season a month ago she needs a stallions help hauling in the heavy equipment. Braeburn can’t make it here in time and you’re the only stallion she could think of.”

My heart was bursting with joy! Applejack wants me to help her! I couldn't hide the smile that spread across my face. Rarity noticed and looked at me,

“Why’re you smiling darling?”

I quickly cancelled the smile and nervously told her,

“Oh, it’s nothing, really.”

Rarity shrugged as we kept walking. We arrived at the entrance to a dirt pathway, Pinkie was already there, bouncing up and down. We all continued down the path and in the distance I could see Applejack pulling a small wagon of buckets they used to harvest the apples last month. She set them just inside the barn and wiped the sweat from her face, she turned to us and said,
“It’s about time y’all showed up! The storm is almost darn here!”

She looked at me and smiled,

“Glad you can make it Hysteria, we sure could’t haul most of this without your help.”

I smiled a bit and nodded, when on the inside I really wanted to hug her tightly.

“Anytime.”

I replied. Applejack turned to the rest of the mares,

“Alright y’all! Lets get this farm ready for the storm!”

One by one the carried in the smaller items while me and Applejack pulled in the larger equipment. Finally, me and Applejack pulled in the last of the equipment. Rainbow Dash came zooming into the barn. She called all the group together before she started talking.

“The storm is no more than 5 minutes away, there’s no use trying to get home, the storm is to big. Some other weather ponies and I were trying to hold it back but it was no use.”

Applejack sighed and dropped her head. She looked back up and looked at everypony.

“Well it looks like y’all are crashing here for the night. Me and Fluttershy will set up beds for everypony, Rarity and Hysteria, you two get as many candles as you can from inside.”

Rarity looks at Applejack with a somewhat disgusted look on her face.

“You’re gonna make me sleep here? On the floor?”

Applejack looks at Rarity,

“Well the house isn't big enough for the seven of us, but if you want to get all dirty and wet then go ahead and head on home.”

Rarity groaned and turned to head into the house.

‘Come on Hysteria, we don’t have all night.”

I followed close behind but before I exited the barn I glanced back at Applejack, I saw her smiling but quickly looked away, like as if she didn't want me to see. I walked out the doors catching up to Rarity, in the back of my mind I couldn't stop thinking of her eyes, and that smile, could it be true? Could my crush have a crush, on me? Rarity stepped into the dark house and shouted back at me.

“Hurry up lover boy!”

I blushed deeply and stuttered,

“W-What do you mean Rarity?”

At this point I was shaking in fear that she might know. She stopped and turned, facing me.

“Oh come on Darling it’s obvious you have a crush on Applejack. All of us know.”

I looked around as I tried to think of an excuse to get myself out of the moment, but nothing came up. I looked down and sighed.

“Yeah, I like her. But how does everypony know?”

Rarity flipped her hair as she opened a cabinet searching for candles.

“Pinkie Pie told us, there comes a time in a relationship with Pinkie Pie that you learn to trust her Pinkie senses.”

I looked up, but before I could ask she spoke out again.

“Even Applejack knows, why do you think she invited you?”

My heart skipped a beat, I couldn't explain how I felt.

“S-She does?”

Rarity Smiled and nodded.

“Of course darling! We never needed your help today, Big Mac isn't hurt. Applejack sent him to go help Braeburn for the weekend. This whole night was set up for us for Applejack and you.”

My heart was racing, I couldn't help but let my smile spread across my face. After gathering all the candles we started heading back. As we opened the door the wind hit us in the face with force. As we pushed our way through the wind and dust, Rarity shouted,

“Derpy was trying to get herself invited but she would've ruined the night for you both.”

I pushed open the barn door, holding it open for Rarity despite the heavy force the wind was exerting on the door. I let go and watched as the wind slammed the door shut. Rainbow Dash flew around, setting and lighting all the candles as Applejack and Fluttershy set out the last bed. Applejack stood in the middle of the barn.

“Alright y’all, we don’t have enough beds for each of us. So Rarity and Fluttershy, you two can share while Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight share the other.”

She looked at me with a smile.

“Me and Hysteria will share the other bed.”

I tried to hide my blush but I couldn't hide my smile. The moment was abruptly cut off with the voice of Rainbow Dash.
“I can sleep by myself thank you very much. I’ll just stack some hay and sleep there.”

Applejack sighed.

“If ya like. There's some hay in the loft.”

Rainbow Dash disappeared into the dark loft, but she came back out with arms full of hay. While the other ponies got situated with their beds, Applejack approached me while I was setting the pillows. She tapped my shoulder with her hoof, I turned and we almost touched noses we were so close. She blushed a bit and took a small step back.

“So, I heard you have some feelings for me?”

She said with shyness in her tone. I rubbed the back of my neck out of shyness.
“Well, yeah, kinda.”

She smiled and took a small step forward, only inches separate my nose from hers. As we inched closer to each other the barn fell silent and all the ponies watched us, Pinkie Pie had to cover her mouth to keep from squealing in happiness. Just before my lips met hers the candles all went out at once, almost like a breeze blew past all of them. Applejack groaned and shouted,
“Dash! Get the lights!”

No response was heard. After ten seconds she shouted again.

“Dash!”

But again there was no reply. But as fast as they flicked out they lit up again, everypony was okay, but where was Rainbow Dash? We all searched frantically but we couldn't find her anywhere. Rarity broke the silence.

“M-Maybe she went out to fight the storm?”

Twilight blurted out,

“Highly unlikely, Rainbow Dash may be cocky but she’s smart enough to know that she can’t fight a storm like that.”

Fluttershy quietly broke her silence.

“I sure hope she’s okay.”

We all nodded and returned to our beds. I laid on the bed as Applejack smiled and snuggled up to me with a smile. She removed her hat and placed it on my head. I smiled and rest my head against hers. Pinkie Pie broke out,

“I hope Rainbow Dash stops hiding soon.”

Twilight nodded in agreement before saying,

“She might have sped home, she might be fast enough to escape the storm. Besides, i’m sure she’s fine.”

We all just had to hope for the best. It was only about 10, the storm was on full blast and the rain was hitting the barn with such force that every drop made you jump. All of us were still wide awake, none of us could seem to get Rainbow Dash off our minds, but I still couldn't get Applejack out of mine. Fluttershy was crying silently on her bed while Rarity was trying to cheer her up, but nothing seemed to work.

“I’m just so scared of what happened”

Fluttershy said with the only breathe she had that wasn't full of tears. All of the sudden there was a bang just outside the barn, louder than the rain. Applejack got out of my arms.

“What in tar-nation?! That didn't sound like no storm to me.”

She looked at Twilight and gestured her hoof, telling her to follow her. I stood up and stopped Applejack.
“Do you need any help?”

She looked at me with a smile.

“You just sit here and relax sugarcube, i’ll be back in a second, ya hear?”

I nodded my head with a weak smile and laid back down, something didn't feel right. I watched as they disappeared out the barn door. I looked over at Pinkie Pie as she had discovered a lady bug and was playing with it and giggling. In the side of my vision I saw Rarity approaching. She laid next to me and turned my head.

“Everything will be alright Darling, i know what you’re thinking and trust me, she’ll be fine.”

I sighed and looked back at her.

“But what about Rainbow Dash? She’s gone and for all I know they could be gone by now too.”

She looked at me sadly but before she could reply, a sharp scream was heard over the pounding rain. We all stood up except Fluttershy, who starting crying even more. Me and Rarity looked at each other before she turned to Pinkie Pie and said,

“Stay with Fluttershy, we’ll be right back.”

Pinkie Pie bounced over to Fluttershy as me and Rarity approached the barn doors. I pushed them open against the strong wind and stepped outside, followed by Rarity. We looked around and shielded our eyes from the rain. It was almost pitch black, the only bit of light was from the lantern hanging on the porch of the house, but only very faintly could we see it. We walked towards the house but before we could make it I stopped and couldn't help but to shed a tear. Rarity noticed and asked me,

“Whats wrong?”

I told her with sadness in my tone,

“She’s gone! I don’t know what to do!”

She kissed my cheek and looked me in the eyes,

“She’ll be okay, we’ll find her.”

I tries to smile but I couldn't, I hope she was right. As we approached the house we noticed the door was wide open, we looked at each other and decided to investigate. As we entered the house I closed the door behind us, but not a sound could be heard in the house, it was complete, silence. We stayed together and searched the rooms one by one, as we approached Appleblooms room Rarity went ahead and looked in the room first. I saw her stop, not moving a muscle. My heart sank a bit as I nervously approached the door, that's when I saw it. I dropped to the floor and my eyes became oceans, it was true.

I sat there and cried over the bodies of Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and my beloved Applejack. Twilight had a gash spreading across her neck and Rainbow Dash had multiple stab wounds that were patterned across her chest. Applejack's body wasn't cut or stabbed at all, I could only assume her neck had been snapped. Her body did contain bruises and a small puddle of blood around her head. Rarity had to pull me out of the room and sat with me in the hallway. We both sat there crying it wasn't long before Rarity stood up and shouted,

“Pinkie and Fluttershy!”

She bolted down the hallway and busted through the back door. I followed as close as I could behind. We reached the barn and busted through the doors, it was empty. There wasn't a sign of the two anywhere. I stepped ahead of Rarity and looked around, I heard Rarity scream and collapse. I turned as quick as I could but all I saw was a flash and felt a throbbing in my head. I couldn't see, what happened...?

I awoke tied to a chair, my head still throbbing in pain. I looked around and realized I was still in the barn, but it wasn't until I looked up that I saw it. Across the beams that stretched the length of the barn they hung. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy’s bodies hung from the beams, I looked down and saw Pinkie Pie and Applejack’s bodies thrown and slightly covered in Hay. I heard a small squeak and noticed Rarity tied up behind me, back to back. We heard a scuffle in the shadows, we turned with fright in our eyes to see a dark figure appear from the dark. Rarity could barely speak but the words finally left her mouth.

“D-D-Derpy?!”

She stepped out of the shadows and revealed her grey coat and yellow mane. K knife was being held sideways between her teeth. She approached Rarity and said,

“You think its funny to insult people? To put others down to raise your own ego?”

Before Rarity could speak past her tears Derpy pressed the knife into her stomach. I listened as rarity let out a blood curdling scream. I closed my eyes and hoped it was a dream. With my eyes closed and tears rolling down my face I felt something slide across my cheek. I opened my eyes and looked up, only to see Derpy’s face close to mine. She was sliding her knife across my face, it was still covered in Rarity’s blood. I started twisting and trying to free my hooves, but it was no use.

I was enraged, I couldn't stop myself from screaming.

“You Bitch! How Could You!? What Did They Do To You!?”

She just smiled and looked into my eyes.

“You wouldn't understand, you’re just a liability.”

She held the knife in her mouth and licked the length of the blade, splitting her tongue and letting the blood flow over her lip. She smiled and held the knife to my throat. I closed my eyes and yelled,

“You’ll never get away with this!”

She whispered in my ear,

“Shhhh, Silence.”

I sat there waiting for it to end but before she pressed the blade deep in my throat Applejack tackled her to the side and the knife slid across the barn floor. I looked at Applejack in surprise, I thought she was dead! I struggled more to free my hooves as I watched Applejack and Derpy roll across the floor. The pain in my head was getting to me, my eye sigght was fading, but with the last of my strength I looked back at Applejack reaching for the knife. She got a hold of it and before I could see anything more, I was out.

I remember feeling a cold breeze, and a faint beeping, but I couldn't feel my body. Was I dead? I felt a warmth approach me, the feelings in my body were coming back. I tried with all my strength to open my eyes and finally I could see light. My eyes were blinded by the light, I shielded my eyes and when my vision slowly came back I was speechless. There she was, Applejack was standing by my bed, a bandage around her head. The light from the window was glowing behind her and a smile spread over her face.

“Hey there sugarcube you’re awake.”

I coughed a few times, and looked in her eyes.

“Where am I?”

She looked at me and smiled more.

“You’re in the hospital hun.”

I couldn't help but smile, and before I could say anything she kissed my lips, I got caught in the moment and my mind got clouded. I asked her about the others and a tear fell down her face. They couldn't be saved. I held my head to hers and I couldn't help but cry. I asked her about Rarity, she said she was in the other room being treated and that she’d more than likely recover. There was nothing I could do for the others, but all I can do is take another start, a new chapter, with her, Applejack.

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