Dark Secret
My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Pony POV Series Gaiden
Rise Of Tirek
Part 1 "Dark Secret"
By Wolfram-and-hart
After all the craziness of the Royal Weddin', you'd think we'd be able to relax for a while. It was a little less than a month ago, and things are finally settlin' down. Sure, there's still some rebuildin' to do from the battle, and integratin' the Changelings is takin' a lot of work, but it's nowhere near as bad as the aftermath of Discord's Day. And, yet here Ah am back in Canterlot.
Oh, there's no big threat to Equestria or anythin' like that goin' on. Just somethin' Ah need help with. Ah'm not one to get upset easy, but when somethin' happens and it's about my family... Well, y'all get the picture.
It was just this mornin' Ah went over to Twilight's and asked for a favor.
"Spike, this copy of Presto's Prestidigitations should be in the magical educational section, why is it in non-fiction?"
"I thought you said it was a biography, so I stuck it in with the others."
"No, this isn't his biography. You're thinking of Presto Chango: A Personal Transformation. This is a spell instruction."
"Uh, Twi, am Ah interruptin' anything?" Ah interjected as Spike took the book.
"Oh, hi, Applejack." Twilight smiled. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, um..." Ah look over to where Spike is rearrangin' books and pull Twilight closer so he can't hear. "Twi, you remember how you said that you and Pinkie talked with the Princesses about some... stuff that happened way before our time?"
Her eyes widened. "Yeah..."
"Well..." Ah straightened my hat to collect my thoughts. "Ah think Ah need to have a talk with 'em about somethin' like that now."
"WHAT?!" I clap a hoof over her mouth, but it still got Spike's attention.
"What, did AJ mention something on a checklist?" Spike asked without turning around.
"No! Everything's good." Twilight tried to cover. She turned to me and whispered urgently, "What happened, Applejack?"
"Ah found something that might hurt the Apple Family's name." Ah sighed. "If the princesses know so much about history and how things were back before there even was an Equestria, they might be my only chance for answers."
"Applejack, your family's been a pillar of Equestria for generations, there's nothing that could make anypony forget that!" Twi tried to tell me.
"Ah'm not so sure. Look, Ah just need you to give the princesses a call and ask if Ah can come talk with 'em about this."
"Of course. I'll ask Spike to send a letter and we'll catch the next train to-"
"No."
"Huh?"
"Ah said no. Ah don't want anypony else involved."
"But, Applejack, it's a friend's duty to be there when your friends need help."
"Ah know, but this time, Ah'd rather handle this by myself." She looked at me like Ah was nuts.
"Uh, Applejack, that might not be a good idea. When I first talked to Princess Celestia about stuff like this, it really freaked me out. And when Pinkie and I talked about something else with Princess Luna, Pinkie almost had a major meltdown. I think you could use some support with whatever this is about." She put a comforting hoof on my shoulder.
"Twi... Ah love ya like a sister, but this is real personal, and it's somethin' Ah gotta do for myself." Ah think it still hurt 'er feelin's, but she seemed to understand.
"All right, if you're sure." She nodded, and turned to Spike, who was perched on top of a ladder tryin' to shove a book onto a shelf.
"Come on, come on! Fit, darn ya!" Spike grunted as he tried to mash the book into place.
"Spike!"
"Just a second, Twilight, I gotta show this book who's boss!" He grunted pounded the book into place with his fist. "Ah, there we GO!"
The book popped out and nailed the poor kid right in the face, knockin' him off the ladder. Ah jumped just in time to catch him on my back.
"Thanks, Applejack." He smiled before glaring at the offending book. "I hope somepony dog-ears all your pages and spills coffee on you!"
"SPIKE!" Twilight gasped in horror. "Don't you ever say such a horrible thing again!"
"Sorry." Ah don't think he was all that sorry, but Ah wouldn't be too forgiving after a tumble like that either. "So, what did you need, Twi?"
"I need you to send a letter to the Princesses saying Applejack needs to see them as soon as possible," Twilight explained.
"On it." He ran and got a quill, scribbled out a quick letter and sent it off.
It took about an hour to get a response. Ah suppose it's understandable. With the state of Canterlot after the invasion, they must be runnin' themselves ragged.
"They say that they have some time later today." Twilight said as she read the letter. "If you get to the train station now, you can be there this afternoon."
"Great!" Ah headed out, but stopped at the door. "Uh, could you guys tell my family where Ah'm goin' so they don't worry?"
"Of course." Twilight smiled. "Spike, can you hold things down here while I run over to Sweet Apple Acres?"
"You got it." Spike saluted.
Ah said goodbye to 'em and went to the station. Got here in Canterlot on the train late this afternoon. Ah grabbed my saddlebags and just as Ah'm about to start trottin' to the castle, Ah notice a couple guards standin' next to a chariot and holdin' up a sign with my name on it.
"Uh, you fellers lookin' for me?"
"Yes, Ma'am." One of them nodded. "I'm Roadblock, and this is Beachhead. The Princess sent us to escort you to the castle. If you'll just climb aboard, we can be on our way."
"Well, thank ya kindly." Ah said as Ah climbed aboard. "But, uh, can we hurry? Ah really wanna get this over with."
"Skip the scenic route, right." The guard on my left, Roadblock, nodded. "Let's go, Beachhead."
They took off and we rushed through the streets. The city looked a might better than it had before, but there were still signs of the war everywhere. Nopony died, but Canterlot had its fair share of scars. Most of the bigger buildings were taking longer to fix, because the construction crews were spread thin all over the city.
As we went, lookin' around just put me on edge even more. There were Changelings everywhere helpin' rebuild things. Now, don't go thinkin' Ah'm a bigot or anythin' like that! It's just a little hard dealin' with the memories of Chrysalis in my head, and seein' them around just brings some of the bad stuff back up. Ah'm sure Ah'll get over it sooner or later... just now ain't the best time to have another problem to deal with.
We were only a few blocks from the castle when the sky started getting dark. Ah hope the meetin' doesn't last too long. Ah didn't exactly plan to stay the night.
...The Night That Never Ends...
... And now Ah wish Ah'd caught an earlier train or just waited 'til the mornin'.
By the time the chariot got to the castle gates, Luna's moon was risin' in the sky. Ah thanked the stallions and they sped off. Ah turned to walk up the steps...
"WHOA!"
"OW!"
"ACK!"
"AH!"
And nearly broke my neck trippin' over somethin'. Or, somepony.
Ah stood up from the tumble and dusted myself off, then noticed the unicorn Ah landed on.
"Landsakes! Ah'm so sorry, Ah didn't even see ya there!"
"It's all right." She coughed as she stood up.
"No, it ain't. It was plumb silly to just walk into somepony like that and-Wait, Moon Dancer?!" Ah recognized the white unicorn with a red mane right away. "Landsakes girl, I haven't seen ya since the weddin'!"
"Oh, hi, Applejack!" She smiled back at me and shook my hoof. "Yeah, uh... sorry we had to meet again like...."
Then Ah noticed somethin' rollin' down the stairs. It was a bottle of apple cider, and not the kind we give out back home in the summer. This was the hard stuff.
"Ah, darn it!" Moon Dancer grabbed the bottle off the ground, but most of the contents already poured out. "Oh well. I have more at home."
And judgin' by the smell on her breath, she's had more before this one.
"Yeah..."
She tosses the bottle into a trashcan and looks back at me. "So, what brings you back here, Applejack?"
"Just, uh, need to talk to the princesses about somethin'. Nothin' too important, of course, just a little family matter."
"Yeah... family." She smiles in a sad kind of way Granny does when she gets nostalgic about family members we lost.
"You okay there, Sugarcube?"
"Oh no, I'm fine! Better than fine! Great even!" She waved it off.
"You sure 'bout that?" It didn't take an Element of Honesty to see she was lyin' through her teeth.
"I..." She sighed in frustration. "The last month after everything that happened with that no-good, rotten, disgusting, HEARTLESS, EVIL BUCKING WITCH WHO DESERVES TO ROT IN TARTARUS... Uh, sorry. It's... it's has just been really hard getting over."
I tried not to react to her outburst, but my eyes still flickered to the trashcan. "So hard that you've needed a little pick me up?"
"Hey!" She gets right up in my face. "I can drink and not drink whenever I want!"
"Ah never meant to imply you couldn't."
"I...No, I'm sorry, Applejack." She backs up and wipes her blurry eyes. "This last week has just been... well, I read something that kinda made things a little harder."
"What?" Ah can't help feelin' an angry knot in my chest. "Have someponies been hasslin' you? Sendin' you notes about the weddin'? Cause if they did, I'll buck their sorry rumps clear to-"
"No, it's not that." She shook her head. "Just... you ever heard of Stan Auburn?"
"Stan Auburn... Stan Auburn..." Ah tried to think, but the name didn't ring a bell. "Can't say as Ah have."
"Well, he wrote this book about pre-Equestrian history and mythology," Moon Dancer looked like she's about to break down cryin'. "It even went back to the story of Dream Valley and the Battle of Midnight Castle."
Oh, horseapples.
"It... made me wonder about things. About what it means to be a pony... about what a pony might be capable of if... if... I'm sorry, I need to go!" She turned and galloped off as fast as her legs could take her.
Ah took a step to go after her, but... Ah couldn't. What could Ah have said? If she was talkin' about what I thought she was, Ah was just as lost as her. So, Ah just trotted up the steps and into the castle.
The sun was settin' and the last few rays shown through the huge windows as Ah made my way to the throne room. Even with the guards at every door, the place looked so big and empty. And dark.
Ah picked up my pace as Ah went. Ah didn't want to think about it until Ah had to. And Ah had visions of my nightmares from last night again. Ah never been that bothered by the dark before, least since Ah was a filly, but now... Ah was practically runnin' when Ah finally got to the throne room.
"A'm here to see the Princesses." Ah tried like heck to seem like Ah wasn't afraid some monster was chasin' me.
"ANNOUNCING, ABIGAIL JACQUELINE V, ELEMENT OF HONESTY!"
The guards opened the doors and Ah almost sprinted into the well-lit room. The Princesses were sittin' on their thrones, surrounded by ponies in fancy suits and guards on either side of 'em. Ah'd never say a bad thing about the Princesses, but they looked like Tartarus warmed over. Their manes seemed to flow a little slower and had a few less sparkles. Their regalia seemed dulled out. They both looked exhausted. Though, Princess Luna looked a might worse than her sister. Celestia had that look Ah'd seen on Big Mac's face or my own mirror after a long day of buckin' trees; but the way Luna looked brought me back to that Applebuck Season when Ah tried doin' all the harvestin' myself and got so dead-on-my hooves tired Ah almost wrecked half of Ponyville.
"Hello, Applejack." Princess Celestia smiled sweetly at me. "Forgive us; we're just finishing up here. Was there anything else, Mr. Bricklayer?"
"Now, Your Majesties," The unicorn in the black suit and hardhat went on, holding up a map with his magic. "Most of 3rd Street has been rebuilt, all that's left is to repave the road. So, I'd like permission to move the majority of Construction Team 6 to Lilac Blvd. to finish the school repairs."
"My guys just finished over on Duncan Street," another unicorn added. "We could join up with Bricklayer's team and help out too."
"That sounds good to me." Celestia smiled.
"Agreed. Thy workers shalt be reassigned to the school repairs." Luna nodded appreciatively before failing to stifle a yawn.
"And now, if you gentlecolts will excuse us, we have another engagement." Celestia stood from her throne.
"Yes, Your Highness." The ponies bowed and trotted out of the throne room.
"Now then, good evening, Applejack." Celestia descended from her throne with her sister by her side. "Twilight said you had an urgent matter you wished to speak to us about."
"We saw that your dreams have been in a state of unrest recently. Whatever it is must weigh heavily on thou." Luna nodded. "We hope we can be of assistance, Dame Applejack."
Ah had about a million different ways to ask what was on my mind, but now that Ah tried, Ah just couldn't spit it out. So, I did the next best thing.
"Do you two know what this is?" Ah practically tear open my saddlebags and pull it out.
"A book?"
Yeah, Ah caught a train to come all the way here for a book. It was an old one, and Ah mean old. The paper's all yellow, the ink's faded, and the cover is worn out and cracked. The stained red leather looked like an apple ripened past its prime, which seems pretty fitting. Ah was surprised as heck when Ah found out what it was and that it wasn't locked up in one of those fancy achieve places Twilight talks about.
The Princesses shared a confused look and magiced the book out of my mouth so they could get a better look. "Well, the cover certainly seems old but..."
Their eyes widened, and the magic aura around the book flickered, almost droppin' it.
Celestia turned to her guards and said in the kind of calm voice that ponies only use when they're a hair away from hysteria, "Guards. You are excused. We wish to speak with Miss Applejack in private."
The guards hesitated.
"I promise this is nothing serious or threatening to Equestria. It's just a very personal matter and we wish for privacy." Celestia looked at each stallion, leaving no room for argument.
The guards saluted and left, leavin' me alone with the princesses and that book.
"Where did you get this book?!" Princess Celestia breathlessly asked.
"Indeed!" Luna gasped as she stared at it. "If this is what we think it is, you've brought a priceless piece of pony history."
"Well... Ah guess it all started a few months back. One night, Granny Smith woke us all up with her bangin' and clangin' about the timber wolves howlin' and the Zap Apples comin' soon..."
---
Ah'll be the first to say that they're about the tastiest thing that ever had the word 'apple'attached to it, but danged if they ain't a bushel of trouble. Only getting one day to harvest is difficult enough, but then there's all the crazy things Granny Smith has to do to get the right flavor out of them. Between needing to yell at the jars and painting polka dots all over the kitchen, Ah'm startin' to wonder if Discord had a hoof in Zap Apple baking at some point.
Anyway, Granny asked me to run over to Golden Delicious' cabin. Seems some moths got into her best bunny suit, and she needs to be in her best cotton tail when she hops over the watering cans while singin' the alphabet... Yeah, Ah know.
Goldie's one of the few ponies in the family that knows more about the Apple history than Granny. Heck, she's once claimed to be older than Granny... but please don't tell nether of them Ah said that. It caused hooves to fly last time. She could probably tell if some pony she's never met was actually my fourth cousin twice removed by a fifth cousin. Too bad she lives out in the middle of nowhere, it makes for a heck of a long haul gettin' there.
When Ah finally got to her cabin, there was a note on the door sayin' she was runnin' an errand, so Ah just hunkered down on the porch. The place seemed mighty peaceful, but a bit too far out in the boonies for me. Ah took a good look at the cabin itself and it looked like it was falin' apart. If Ah didn't need to get back and prepare for the Zap Apples, Ah might've offered to help spruce it up a bit.
"Oh, hello there, dear." Goldie Delicious looked like she was just getting' home when Ah got there. "Can I help you with somethin'?"
"Hey, Goldie Delicious. It's me, Applejack. Granny Smith's granddaughter?" Ah know most relatives personally, but when dealin' with the old timers who don't see their younger kin much, Ah try to introduce myself.
"Oh, mercy me!" Goldie gave me a hug, which Ah had to be careful returnin' so Ah didn't squish the cats in her saddlebags. "Sorry Ah wasn't here to meet ya, but Scamp, Scarlet, Sheba, and Butternut had to go to the vet. Poor things needed a tick bath."
"Ah'm... sorry to hear that." A bit too much info there.
"Well, what brings ya here, young'un?"
"Oh, well, you see, Goldie Delicious, it's Zap Apple Season over at Sweet Apple Acres."
"Ooh-whee! Zap Apple Season! Can't wait to taste a batch of your Granny's Zap Apple jam! Mmm-mmm!" She looked almost as excited as Ah was.
"Yeah, but, uh she says you have a bunny suit and she needs it to..."
"Sing to the water," Goldie finished. "O' course, Ah got it in here somewhere... At least Ah think Ah do."
"Do ya need some help findin' it?"
"Well, that might be helpful, sure. Come on in!" She went to the door, and the second it opened, we were almost buried by an avalanche of junk and cats. "Oh, Ah am sorry 'bout this. Eh-heh. I wasn't exactly expectin' company. Sorry 'bout the mess."
Yeah, guess livin' by herself and never getting' visitors made her feel cleanin' wasn't a priority. Either that, or all her cats keep messin' things up. Ah think she had more cats in that cabin than the Flutters have critters in their cottage, and that's really sayin' something.
Ah followed her inside, making darn sure Ah looked where Ah was steppin' with all the cats around.
"Lemme see... Ah think it might be over here somewhere." She pushed a big stack of books out of the way and opened a beat up old wardrobe. "Applejack, be a dear and check the dresser over there."
"Sure thing, Goldie."
Ah pulled out the dresser drawers, but all Ah found was some sweaters and balls of yarn. When Ah finished, Ah tried the desk on the other side of the room. Didn't look like a place to store clothes, but you never know till you check.
Ah pulled open the top two drawers, but only found some papers and stuff. Then Ah tried the third drawer down and that book was inside it. Ah thought it might be some old family history book, and figured Ah'd ask about it.
"Dagnabbit! Ah know that bunny suit's here someplace! Ah just saw it last month while Ah was lookin' for my Sunday dress."
"Say, Goldie," Ah interrupted as Ah flipped the book open. "What's this here book? It looks awful old, even by our family's-"
"PUT THAT DOWN!" Before Ah could react, Goldie Delicious yanked the book out of my hooves and stuffed it back in the drawer. "That book ain't nothin' but a bunch of horseapples!"
Ah stared in shock, as she glared at me and pressed herself against the desk. She was shakin' like a leaf, but she looked madder than a rattlesnake. Ah was kinda worried she was about to have a stroke.
"Uh... sorry 'bout that. Ah was just..."
"NO!" She barked at me. "You need to leave now! Go on, get!"
"But-but, but Ah need to get that suit to..."
"GET THE BUCK OUT!"
Ah staggered back at how angry she was. And her dozens of cats hissin' and givin' me the stink eye for upsettin' their mama didn't help either. Ah left without any more argument. The second Ah got outside, the door slammed shut and Ah heard a bunch of locks bein' set.
Granny wasn't happy that Ah came back without the bunny suit, but when Ah explained, she came back with me the next day. Ah stayed back, hopin' if Goldie hadn't calmed down, maybe might be more obliged to talk if she saw Granny first.
She went ahead and knocked and we got answered by a yell through the door.
"Who's there?! What d'ya want?!"
So much for calmin' down.
"Hello, in there! Cousin Goldie! It's Granny Smith!" Granny yelled back. "My granddaughter came by yesterday to get my bunny suit, but she didn't bring it home with her! Ah'm just checkin' if she forgot it!"
It was quiet for a full minute, but the sound of the door unlocking came through. The door opened a crack. Ah hid behind Granny, and the door opened further.
"Come in." Goldie sounded like she really didn't want company, but she's the same ol' fashioned gal as Granny, she won't turn 'em away either.
Granny trotted in, me close behind.
"Been a dog's age since we met up, Cousin Goldie! How ya been?" Granny smiled.
"Fine. Fine. Ah'm fine." She sure as sugar didn't sound it. When she caught sight of me, she started shakin' like a leaf. "Look, Ah'm awful sorry 'bout yesterday, but Ah really need y'all to just find the dad gum bunny suit and go on home."
"O' course." Granny nodded, walkin' over to a closet. "Though, Ah gotta wonder what mah granddaughter did that got a bee in your bonnet."
"NONE OF YOUR DANG BUSINESS!"
Granny didn't even flinch. In fact, she got right up to Goldie, muzzle to muzzle.
"Now simmer down, Cousin Goldie! Ah know AJ wouldn't do nothin' to upset somepony on purpose! And you're not helpin' your case by yellin' like that!" She backed up and put a hoof on Goldie's shoulder. "So, hows about Ah put a pot of coffee on and let's talk 'bout this like family's supposed to?"
Granny's cousin just shook, her eyes getting' shinier as the seconds ticked by. She finally sighed and sat in a chair. "Ah don't have any coffee, but there's some tea in the right cupboard."
Granny put the kettle on and sent me to check the closet for the bunny suit. The darn thing was hung up with a sweater over it, probably why Goldie didn't see it before. When Ah got back, the ol' gals were sippin' tea and Granny's cousin looked a little better.
"Now then, why don't you tell us what's wrong?" Granny set her cup down and passed Goldie the sugar bowl.
"Ah've been keepin' the history of our family for as long as Ah can remember. We've had our run of bad Apples once in a while, but all in all, our family name's always been one of the oldest and most trusted in Equestria." She took a big swig of her tea. "Then, Ah found that danged journal."
"Journal?" Ah couldn't stop mahself from sayin'.
"Yeah..." Goldie sighed. "It's the journal of one of our oldest ancestors; Applejack I."
You coulda knocked me over with a leaf. Mah namesake's journal. If Ah wasn't so shocked, Ah'd have been jumpin' for joy at the idea of seein' the kind of mare she was.
"But, why's that so bad?" Granny asked. "Heavens to Bettsy, you gotta have close to a hundred ol' books like that here."
"Cause... cause this one showed me somethin' Ah never wanted to see." Goldie sounded like she was fixin' to cry. "Ah found a secret 'bout Applejack I, a secret that might destroy our whole family."
"Well, what was it?" Ah leaned forward.
"Ah can't say." She rested her head in her forlegs. "It's too awful. Ah just wanted to keep the secret safe. Ah wanted keep the truth from comin' out and preserve our family name."
"Now hold on a minute!" What she said hit me like a slap to the face "You can't just hide from the truth like that!"
"Ah can sure as heck try!"
"No, you can't." Ah grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face me. "Ah know, Ah tried! The day Discord got out, he made me embrace lyin' because he tricked me into thinkin' the truth was too awful to face. Ah needed a good friend to remind me how important honesty is, and how much friendship and family depend on it."
Goldie started shiverin' somethin' fierce. "Ah remember that day. That thing made me think Ah was a dog and Ah chased my babies all over the house. Took days to round 'em all up, and weeks before they trusted me enough to get near 'em again."
A couple of the cats padded up to her and nuzzled and purred at her legs. Ah guess they wanted to remind her they'd forgiven her.
"This isn't some little thing, child!" Goldie had lost any hint of control and began sobbin' like a foal. "It's the worst thing Ah could imagine! It's somethin' Ah never woulda believed anypony, especially an Apple, could be capable of! It'll ruin our family if it gets out!"
"You don't know that!"
"Yes, Ah do! For generations, the Apple Family's had a legacy of integrity and loyalty, all the way back to Applejack I! An Apple is supposed to be honest, trustworthy, and love family and friends above anythin' else! Ah was raised to believe that! Ah've grown old and grey believin' that! And... and... then Ah found that book, and Ah found out, it might all be based on a lie. That means that we've been a family of liars since the beginnin', and if we expose the lie, we become the descendants of a pony who disgraced what it means to be a pony."
Goldie looked me in the eye, almost like she was darin' me to say somethin'.
"So, you tell me, what the buck's the right thing to do when there ain't no choice but to destroy everything we love?"
Ah'm not ashamed to admit, Ah didn't know what to say. Ever since Discord's Day, Ah've tried to be true to my element. Heck, Ah almost went Nightmare tryin' to stay true to my Element. But this... Ah didn't know what to say.
Ah looked over to Granny for some hint of how to deal with this. She just stared back, like she was waitin' to see how Ah'd deal with it. Goldie Delicious sat back down, and Granny pulled her chair closer to comfort her. Ah was on my own.
Ah looked over to the desk. It suddenly seemed like a trap of Discord set up, and if Ah got to close, it'd turn me into a jackelope or somethin'. Ah trotted over and reached for the drawer. Ah yanked it open quick like pullin' off a bandage.
There it was. Ah picked up the book like Ah was handlin' a rotten Apple. Ah ran through my options, and, Ah'm ashamed to admit, Ah thought about just puttin' it back and forgettin' about it. If it really was my namesake's journal, it was ancient history. Why bring it up now? Then, Ah remembered what Ah promised myself a long time ago. A lie's a lie, and tryin' to deny it won't ever make it true. The truth can be cruel, but everypony has to face it.
"All this is assumin' whatever's in this book is the truth. A pony's thoughts ain't always shown from the clearest perspective. Could be taken outta context, could be we ain't seein' the whole picture, could be we got it all wrong. And... and if there is some awful truth in here..." Ah turned to my kin, the book still in my hooves. "Then our family needs to own up to it. If we're gonna be damned... then let's be damned for who we really are."
Granny gave me a proud smile, but Goldie Delicious just hung her head in defeat.
"Child... whatever you decide, Ah'll abide by it. But, if there's any chance Ah got it wrong, you'll let me know, won't ya?"
"Of course."
We hugged it out and eventually left with the journal after a few more hours. Ah set it aside to read later. The Zap Apples had sprouted, which didn't leave much time before they ripened and got their colors to harvest. I ended up settin' it aside on a shelf and forgot about it.
I didn't end up readin' it until a couple days after we got back from the Weddin'. Ah couldn't sleep one night, so Ah went for a book to read and found it again. Ah kinda wish Ah hadn't read it at night.
---
"Ah had a hard time the last few days, tryin' to make sense of it." Ah shivered. "Then, Ah remembered Twilight said she talked to y'all about how things ended up the way they were when you became princesses. She even said you knew my ancestor, so Ah thought maybe you could help me."
"Of course, Applejack." Celestia gave me a sympathetic look. "What is it in this journal that troubles you?"
"Well, the first part's no big deal, just the usual life story, but, towards the second part, she starts talkin' about Dream Valley bein' attacked by a buncha flyin' monsters."
The Princesses' eyes widened; they know what was comin'.
"It talks about ponies getting' swept up and taken to their boss... Tirek. That's where things get a little harder to understand. There's a lot of water damage and pages missin', and the only page that's still in good enough shape to read... Well, check page 414."
They turned to it and read aloud.
"They took me to the throne room, and then, I saw him.
The way he grinned at me still gives me the shivers even thinking about it.
'So kind of you to join us, my dear. I was nearly ready to give up hope of finding a fourth steed to pull my chariot, and you showed up and volunteered. Well, fear not. Lord Tirek rewards his faithful servants. When this is over and the world is reborn in the divine darkness, you and your three fellows will be remembered for all time to come for helping usher in the new age.'
His speech was cut short by the arrival of my friends. He merely laughed and unleashed his power source: The Rainbow of Darkness. I was engulfed by a writhing maelstrom of darkness. It's hard to describe what the experience feels like, except that there's a burning and an icy cold running through you at the same time. And then... then I started to like it.
All my life, I tried to be easy going, never held grudges and never had much reason to; but in that moment, I never felt so angry.
No, not just angry, furious!
I thought about my friends back in Dream Valley, and I hated them! I hated the bright, blinding sun! I hated the heat of the summer day under that unyielding ball of fire! I hated the screeching birds who sang the suns praises. I hated all the creatures that played and frolicked in the light. I thought back to my friends racing and laughing in the sun that very afternoon, and every hint of laughter was mocking me. I hated those ponies with a fire I didn't know possible. I hated everything!
But, deep under that hate, I felt a stronger instinct. I felt a presence of my master, and I needed, no I wanted to obey him. I can't say I loved him, but I felt as much devotion as someone like that could feel. And now I had the power to get rid of the things I hated. I was strong! I was powerful! I could serve my master!
I wanted to see Dream Valley in flames. I wanted Dream Castle reduced to rubble. I wanted to rip ponies to pieces. I wanted my master to bring darkness down on everything I had ever known... and I loved every minute of it."
Ah can't help shudderin' at hearin' it again.
"Ah'm hopin' against hope y'all can make sense of this. Twilight says you knew her. So, you'd know, right? Is it a mistake? Am Ah takin' it outta context?"
"Applejack, what the journal describes is a very complicated matter." Celestia explained. Luna just gazed at me with a blank look on her face. "It's a rather long story..."
"Ah don't care if it's a long story!" Maybe interruptin' a princess ain't the smartest thing to do, but Ah couldn't leave without answers. "Ah want to hear the story, the whole story. Ah'll stay as long a Ah need to, Ah'll take any oath of secrecy Ah need to, but Ah ain't leavin' until Ah know whether or not Ah'm named after a traitor!"
"Applejack..." Celestia starts to say somethin', but Luna puts a hoof on her shoulder.
"Sister, let me handle this." Ah was a little surprised that Luna had dropped her old timey way of talkin'.
"But Luna..."
"Tia." She spoke in a stern tone Ah'd never imagined bein' used to Celestia. "I wielded the Element of Honesty, the same as she. And if there is anyone who can talk about... about him, it's me. I think even you have to admit, between the two of us, I'm the one more qualified to tell this story."
"But, Luna, you're in no shape to deal with this by yourself! I know for a fact that there are parts of that history that I know are very painful to you." Celestia draped a wing on her sister. "I can't let you go through this alone, especially in your condition."
"It is not a matter of you letting me do anything. This is my burden to bear and share, just as yours were yours to share with Twilight Sparkle. I'm not asking, Celestia. Big sister or not, I do not need your permission to do this. I'm telling you that I will tell Applejack what she wants to know. By. Myself."
Boy howdy if there's any time Ah've ever felt like Ah really shouldn't be around, it was right then. If those guards hadn't been excused, Ah think even they'd skedaddle from seein' the royal sisters in a stare down. The reasonable part of my mind knew that nothing bad was gonna happen, but the crazy filly in me wanted to hightail it before somepony got sent to the moon.
Celestia bowed. "If that's your decision, I'll stand by it. But I'll be there if you need me later."
"And I'm eternally thankful for that." Luna hugged her sister fiercely.
"I'll announce that your court is canceled for the evening. You two go ahead." Celestia turned and made her way back to her throne.
"Follow me." Luna led me out the main door.
She took me down some long halls at a pretty slow pace. If she was half as tired as she looked, Ah can't rightly blame 'er for not movin' so fast. We climbed one of those spiral stairs until we finally got to a big door. She stuck her horn into the lock and it glowed blue until Ah heard a click. She pushed the door open and motioned for me to go inside.
"This is your room?"
"Indeed." The princess nods and yawns again. "Forgive me if it's in delight disarray. Normally, I sleep much of the day, but the recent attack has needed more of my attention than usual and I haven't had time to keep things neat."
"Couldn't you just have a maid or somethin' do it?"
"I could, but I like my room kept a certain way and I don't want somepony to come in and mess up the feng shui."
"Well, uh, after you, Princess."
"No, Applejack, after you. I insist." There was something funny about the way she said it and I couldn't help feelin' the hair on my neck stand up as I walked past her.
Ah also couldn't help jumpin' when she shut and locked the door after us. Ah know that Princess Luna ain't Nightmare Moon no more, and she wouldn't hurt anypony, but the way she was actin' had me really on edge. The fact that the room was pitch black wasn't helpin' either.
"OH! One moment, Applejack." I heard the princess' voice in the dark. "I don't usually have guests here, so I don't usually need lights."
The princess' horn glowed and a bunch of candles lit. The room weren't as grand as the throne room, but it had the same grand feeling you'd expect from the castle. There was one really tall window, and pretty cold breeze sent the half drawn curtains flappin'. There's a big bed in the corner with a huge canopy and thick blue curtains. Guess it makes sense if she sleeps durin' the day to want the light really blocked out from her bed. Ah'd rather not talk about the Princess of the Night's taste in decoratin'. Ah was already havin' bad dreams about Midnight Castle since Ah read the journal, and now Ah felt like Ah was in one of 'em. The place looked like it would give Dracula-Pony nightmares. Ah dunno what it was, but it was like Princess Luna was almost recharged a bit by the darkness.
She used her magic to shut and lock the window, and pulled the curtains closed, blocking out starry sky. Then she trotted to the middle of the room and raised her head. I flinched as a bolt of magic shot from her horn into the ceiling. A blue glow ran down the walls like water, and then across the floor until it met in the center and faded away, leavin' only a faint trace of sparkles.
"Soundproof enchantment, and see-through-vision proof," She explains. "The story I am about to divulge is confidential and deeply personal. I cannot let certan things said leave this room, even by accident."
"Ah understand."
"Applejack... what do you know of the story that ponies remember as the rescue at Midnight Castle?"
Ah gulp, tryin' to remember the story.
"Well, the story goes that once there was a group of ponies livin' in a place called Dream Valley. They lived in peace and harmony, until an evil monster called Tirek sent his servant, Scorpan to attack the ponies. Firefly, the bravest Pegasus in Dream Valley, went for help and found a human called um... Mag? No, Meg. No, wait, Megan, that's it.
"With Megan's help, the ponies got ahold of the powerful, magic Rainbow of Light and set off to defeat Tirek. When they arrived at his evil lair, Midnight Castle, Megan released the Rainbow of Light, it destroyed Tirek, and they all lived happily ever after."
"A bit abridged, but accurate. However, that was not the first time ponykind encountered the Master of Midnight Castle, and sadly it wasn't the last."
"Wha..."
"I know that you have seen much suffering and pain. I know that your experience with the Truth has given you a more broad understanding of the darker parts of Equestria. And after the harrowing events of the wedding, you've seen the horrors of war. However, before we begin I must stress one thing to you: you are asking to delve into brutality the world hasn't seen since the First Age..."
Princess Luna whirled around and stared into my eyes. Ah backed up at the haunted look in her eyes.
"There's a very long list of reasons that even millennia later, Tirek is still remembered as the face of evil in pony history. Even with everything that has occurred the past few years, we have been lucky. The Changeling Invasion, the Day of Chaos, and even my return as Nightmare Moon were met with minimal casualties. If Tirek had been involved, within days there could be thousands dead, or worse. I thank my Mother and Father, and even ahem, the Parents of others, for every day that passes that he remains imprisoned in Tartarus. I shudder to even think what he could do with Equestria today. And the worst part... The worst part is knowing the part I played in his exploits."
"Wha... Princess, you're a little stand offish at times, but you'd never..."
"I was not always as you know me now, Applejack." Luna interrupted, turning away so her mane hid her face. "My out of date manners at the Nightmare Night celebration are far from the worst aspect of the pony I used to be. Long before the words 'Nightmare Moon' were even conceived, I was everything that ponies feared and loathed about the night. I was dark, cold, distant, and gave little care to the fates of mortal beings unless they were part of my realm of the night. I was unfeeling, and in my arrogant indifference, I almost allowed that monster to destroy this world."
"W-Why are ya tellin' me this?"
"To let you know what to expect, and give you the option to walk away." She sighed. "You were correct in the throne room, Celestia and I did know your ancestor. If you simply wish me to say that Applejack I was no traitor and was always a faithful friend, I shall say she was, and we can be done with this right now. However, you said you wanted the whole story, and if that is what you still desire, I shall deliver.
"But by the time this story is done, I imagine you will lose a great deal of respect for me; and I do not wish to lose your friendship. And there is a much more dire reason: this is no campfire story where the frightened feeling goes away a cheap scare and a laugh. The pain, the suffering, the death, and the one who caused it were very much real. Knowing that it happened is painful enough without knowing the story in detail."
Can't say that Ah wasn't havin' second thoughts after hearin' that. The story Ah'd related may have been the cleaned up version that they tell foals, but it still gave me nightmares as a filly. Now here Ah was about to hear the truth behind the legend, and Ah was really tryin' not to just thank Luna for her time and go home.
But Ah couldn't. This was about my family, and Ah couldn't walk away from makin' sure the Apple name was cleared. Ah promised myself that I wouldn't be scared to face the truth, and it was time to really put it to the test.
"Ah appreciate it, Princess... but I gotta know."
She just looked at me for a long time and sighed. Ah think she dreaded telling me this story even more than Ah was scared to hear it.
"Then, I suggest we get comfortable." She led me over to a table in the corner. She sat in one of the big armchairs and pulled the other out for me with her magic.
"Heh. It's funny. Simple country gal spendin' the night with a princess. Bet that Sunny Days gal'll have a field day." Ah tried to joke and lighten the mood.
"Hmmm, I suppose she might at that." Luna smirked a little.
"So... where do we start, Princess?"
"The beginning of course, Abigail Jacqueline V. Not the reign of the Royal Sisters, not the age of Discord, not the first Hearth's Warming, not even when the three tribes split. We're going back to the true beginning."
End Of Part 1
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Good to see this one here, and happy third anniversary for the Pony POV series, Alex!
Luna´s carriage is a trophy from her victory against Tirek, right?
5021027
Yes.
5021019
:-) THanks.
The Apple Family is particularly embarassed about Mile-High Cirrius Apple, one of the few Pegasi Apples, who is also kin to the Doos. Mile-High has been touring as a popular singer, who is scandalous both in her highly-sexualized performances and in her promiscuous personal life. The bit where she swings through fake scenery, wearing a filmy dress and sitting on a wrecking ball, was just too much for most of the Apples. What's worse is that she has the classic Apple country accent -- sounds just like Applejack.
5021706
0-0
There IS a pegasus in the Apple family tree, but she's part of the Wonderbolt's flight crew.
5021730
Which one? Fritter?
No, she's an Earth Pony. So I don't have a clue really.
"Mile-High" Cirrus Apple is of course a parody of Miley Cyrus, done because I'd heard that Applejack's accent was directly modeled on Miley Cyrus', coupled with Miley's rather strange personal "re-invention" which is so strange (twerking simulated sex with backup dancers in teddy-bear costumes, swinging naked on a wrecking ball) that I rather think that Miley Cyrus is playing it as a parody (of Brittney Spears).
By the way, this story looks like it's going to be really good.
... And now darkness falls. A shadow of the past falls across a certain pony, one that's haunted all ponykind right from the beginning. And that's where we're going; right back to the beginning. Not the "Bang." Not the "Word." The true beginning. The next few months are going to be quite a ride, and I think we're all going to learn something in the process. About history. About family. About darkness. About right. About wrong. And, most of all, about power.
5021758 Thank you!
I like this so far.
5021040 How is the writing staff doing?
are there still a lot of problems???
5021752
She's mentioned by AJ's cousins during the wedding arc.
5021758
THANKS!
5021911
Should I include that in the description?
5021974
Hope you'll like what's to come.
Let's see, the history of Tirek from the Pony POV series, which will probably explain how he went from The Night That Never Ends, to Magic Thief, and told by Luna to Applejack, Honesty to Honesty, no no half truth, no lies, no softening the blow. THIS IS GOING TO BE GLORIOUS!
Continue please.
5021706
That is totally going into my headcanon. BECAUSE THAT IS F
ING GENIUS!
5025582 Thanks! Hope it lives up to your expectations!
5026595
Well, so far, Pony POV has never dissapointed, even the parts with previous generations of MLP which, I'll be blunt, I've never seen, but from the way things have been done, it's like a spiderweb, everything is interconnected somehow and there's more explanation than "A wizard did it" and when it is hat, there's a why, and sometimes if we're lucky, a how. Also a when usually i find. I ramble way too much.
5023231 Nah. It's already covered sort of in story. I just really like that line.
5025582
I also hope things work out here.
moar plz
How'd I miss that?
I guess you didn't want him to speak in rhyme ... especially as that's a Zebra thing in the Ponyverse.
It would be just like him, in one of his creative moods, wouldn't it?
Might want to fix that, btw.
5989830
Thank you. Edited. I was unaware of that change in the html.
So what did you think of the chapter?
Haven't read this yet, but: is there a particular reason that the "episode" numbers for the series seem to stop here (after Episode 215)?
I gotta comment on the dialogue between Applejack, Goldie Delicious and Granny Smith concerning the book.
I'm ashamed to admit, but I at one time was in goldie delicious' position. There were..fundamental truths in history that I ignored or brushed off, because I did not want to destroy the image and heroes I looked up to. But then...
This right here...when I read it the first time, was when I told myself: I have to do this. I must know the truth about *such and such subject* and whatever I will learn, I will face it and accept it, no matter how much it will destroy my image and preconceived notions.
This was admittedly one of the harshest lessons I learned, and it hurt when I put it to practice, but I have to thank Wolf-and-hart for...reminding me of what it means to be honest with others...and with yourself.
6754036
Basically the system admin became convinced that the entire pony pov series is a SINGLE story, instead of a series of chained together and interlinking stories. So I had to remove the episode counter.
9146666 Wow. Just wow, I never imagined I could have such an impact on someone. I don't know what to say except I'm glad I could help you with something that deep and personal. I hope things work out for whatever hard truths you had to deal with.