Ambush
"I've never seen apples like these before," Fluttershy said as she gazed up at the colorful apples dangling from the trees.
"Sweet Apple Acres grows apples of every flavor," Shining Armor explained. "Caramel, chocolate, marshmallow…"
"Chamomile?" Rarity asked.
"Butterscotch?" Fluttershy asked.
"Apple pie?"
The older ponies looked down at Sweetie Belle strangely.
"It was the first thing I could think of," she shrugged.
"They look so juicy," Fluttershy whispered, her eyes fixating specifically on a blue and yellow striped apple and her stomach growling in response. "You don't suppose any pony would mind if we…?"
Shining Armor glanced around. "Strange. The Apple family has tended this orchard for generations. They should be here." He hung his head. "My guess is that Discord either captured them or they ran to avoid capture."
Fluttershy looked at him worriedly. "Why would he want to capture them?"
"Before I was banished, Discord bragged about making every pony his slave, not because he needed any, but for his own amusement. He even showed me my sister in chains, claiming her as his own personal fortuneteller."
"Fortuneteller?"
"My sister Twilight can conjure the spirit of Starswirl and see the future. He forced her to tell him where to find the Chaos Amulet. You know, what you saw around his neck? No doubt that's how he found you."
He shook his head sadly. "If that's what he's doing to Twilight, who knows what he's making other ponies do?" He looked at Fluttershy and then up at the apple tree. "I don't think there's any harm in taking a few apples. Do you want me to get them for you?"
"No thanks," Fluttershy said, opening her wings. "I'm good."
She floated up and grabbed the apple that had captured her interest. When she tried to pluck it off the branch however, it wouldn't budge, as if something was holding it back. Determined to have the apple, Fluttershy pulled at it with all her might. She shrieked when a yellow head with amber eyes popped out. It was the head of a filly, wearing a green helmet covered in leaves and blue and yellow apples. In the brief moment she saw the filly, Fluttershy could see a strand of red hair dangling from the helmet.
For it was a brief moment, as the start made her wings close up on instinct and she fell back to the ground. The others rushed to catch her when they were suddenly brought up and enclosed in a net, which ensnared Fluttershy as she fell.
"What in the world?!" Rarity exclaimed.
Around them, ponies of all ages, including foals, wearing leaf-apple helmets and camouflage suits leapt out of the trees. Before they knew it, they were surrounded by weapons of all kinds: knives, swords, spears, rifles, clubs, pitchforks, even frying pans! That last one was held by an elderly green mare.
"Alright, ya varmints!" she hollered in a country accent. "State yerr name and business!"
"Who are you?" Shining Armor demanded.
"We're the Resistance!" a brown, pink-haired filly declared.
"Ponies of the Land of Sweets united against the Chaos King!" exclaimed the yellow filly that had frightened Fluttershy earlier.
"You've got us all wrong!" the nutcracker insisted. "We're on your side! Who's your leader?"
"That would be me."
Every pony turned to the rough, country, female voice. Leaning against a tree was an orange mare in black, wearing a suit, combat boots, kerchief and Stetson of that color. She lifted her head to reveal her freckled face and green eyes, as well as the piece of wheat she was chewing on. Her straw-colored mane draped down her shoulder in a long ponytail. She looked like a cross between an outlaw from the old west and a femme fatale: pretty, but tough and dangerous.
She spat out the wheat and sashayed over to the prisoners.
"Well, well, well," she smirked up at them. "What have we bagged ourselves here?"
"A couple of no-good trespassers!" the old mare howled.
The others shouted in response. Fluttershy shrieked as the yellow filly poked her with a pitchfork.
"And thieves too!" the filly accused. "This one here was tryin' to steal our crop!"
"I didn't know!" Fluttershy insisted. "The apples looked so delicious and…"
"Looks like they're fillynappers too!" a yellow mare with pink and blue hair said, pointing her club at Sweetie Belle.
"Oh, goody!" the yellow filly said excitedly, looking at the brown filly next to her. "That means you and I get another playmate, Babs!"
"What?" the young doll said. "No, they didn't fillynap me! She's my sister!"
"I reckon they're spies too!" the elderly mare claimed.
"I think you're right, Granny Smith!" the brown filly, Babs, nodded, poking her spear at Sweetie Belle. "Discord will get any pony to do his dirty work! Even fillies!"
"We're not spies!" Rarity huffed. "How dare you?!"
"Hmm," the ringleader said, rubbing her chin. "Two mares, a stallion and a filly travelin' on the gingerbread road in these times is mighty suspicious… What do y'all suppose we do with 'em?"
"Let's just shoot 'em!" a pale, greasy stallion shouted excitedly.
"Nah, too messy, Turnip Truck. We might get blood on the trees."
"We could drown 'em in the river!" the yellow mare offered.
"Not a bad idea, Bon-Bon, but their bodies could float upstream. We can't risk Discord's fellas findin' clues as to where we are."
"Can we at least keep the filly, sis?" the yellow filly begged.
Their leader, who was apparently the filly's sister, shrugged. "It'd be a crime to shoot a filly. Of course ya can keep her, Applebloom."
"Hey, Applejack!" a yellow, brunette stallion exclaimed, pointing his rifle at Rarity. "This one's a doll!"
"Braeburn!" the leader, Applejack, cried. "What have I told ya about flirtin' with the prisoners?"
"No! I mean she's a ragdoll! A toy!"
Applebloom squinted at Sweetie Belle. "Hey! This one's a doll too!"
"And this one's made of wood!" the stallion called Turnip Truck declared, pointing at Shining Armor. "I think he's a toy soldier of some kind!"
"Toys, huh?" Applejack said, crossing her hooves. "Well, I must say that's a new one. Haven't seen toys around these parts for a while. Didn't think Discord would use them as spies."
"We're not spies!" the nutcracker repeated.
He looked among the ponies and gasped when he saw a familiar face.
"Big Macintosh? Is that you? It's me, Shining Armor! We worked in the palace together!"
The burly, red stallion tilted his head at him. Some of the Resistance members lowered their weapons.
"Did he say 'Shinin' Armor?'" Applebloom questioned.
Applejack threw her head back with a hearty laugh. "Spies will say anythin' these days! The one we caught last week said she was lookin' for her sister! The fact that she escaped only proved she was a spy!"
She approached the nutcracker. "Cap'n Shinin' Armor was destroyed by Discord. That varmint may be evil, but he's no idiot. He would've made sure there was nothin' left of his adversary!"
"I don't know, coz," Braeburn said skeptically. "There were rumors that the cap'n wasn't destroyed, but banished."
"I heard he was turned to wood!" Turnip Truck declared.
"I heard he was turned into a doll of some sort!" Applebloom exclaimed.
"Yes, I was!" Shining Armor said frantically. "And I was banished too! I came back to destroy the Chaos King!"
"Then what are they here for?" Applejack asked, tilting her head toward the ladies.
"They're my, err, companions. They're here to help too! I know you're fighting for the same cause, so if you'll cut us down and join us, we can defeat the Chaos King and end his reign of terror!"
There was a murmur among the Resistance. Applejack saw the uncertainty in her followers and sighed.
"The way I see it, there's only one way to clear up this whole mess." She turned to her brother. "Big Mac? You knew Shinin' Armor better than any of us. Is this him?"
Big Macintosh looked up at the nutcracker and brought his face closer to get a better view of him. After a minute of scrutinizing, he smiled and replied:
"Eeyup!"
The Resistance gasped and dropped their weapons with a unified bow. Applejack wore an astonished expression on her face. She knew her brother was rarely ever mistaken and his decree made heat rush to her cheeks in embarrassment.
"Oh, well, uh…" she coughed. "Right then. Boys, cut 'em loose."
Two stallions nodded and one of them cut the rope with a knife. The four companions shrieked as they dropped to the ground. Applejack held out her hoof to help the nutcracker up.
"Apologies, Cap'n," she said softly. "We didn't mean to intimidate ya, but ya never know who ya can trust these days."
Shining Armor smiled. "Perfectly understandable. I would've done the same."
"I'm just sorry we hadn't recognized ya earlier."
"Too bad you realized it too late!" a raspy voice exclaimed.
Every pony turned and gasped, seeing that an army of Diamond Dogs had appeared out of nowhere. Applejack smiled smugly at the source of the voice.
"Rover," she smirked. "It's been a while, partner."
"Applejack," Rover growled. "Don't think I've forgotten what you did to my backside!"
"Oh, that? That was a Hearth's Warmin' gift. How'd ya like another one for New Year's?"
That was enough to tick the gray dog off. "That does it!"
He brought out a silver whistle and blew it. "Diamond Dogs! Attack!"
The canine army lunged forward while the Resistance members picked up their weapons. Applejack turned to the nutcracker.
"We'll hold 'em off as long as we can. You and yerr friends get outta here!"
"But…" Shining Armor started to say.
"Don't worry about us. This isn't our first battle. You have one of yerr own to get to!"
He looked between her and his companions and nodded. "We'll never forget this!"
"Good luck with Discord!" Applejack called as the four ponies hurried off. She faced forward. "Ponies, for freedom!"
The Resistance members cheered as they charged and met the Diamond Dogs with fire in their blood. Applejack's first move was kicking Rover in the gut, Applebloom poked Spot's knees with her pitchfork and Granny Smith started whacking Fido's face with her frying pan. Meanwhile, the nutcracker and his companions crept away, hoping the fracas would be enough to distract the dogs, for no doubt they were after Fluttershy again.
However, they did not go unnoticed. Once Rover had recovered from Applejack's blow, his jaw dropped when he saw the four escaping.
"The girl!" he exclaimed. "They're getting away with the girl! Come on!"
He gestured for Fido and Spot to follow him. After one had thrown Granny Smith over his head and the other kicked Applebloom aside, they chased after the escapees. Fluttershy and the dolls squealed when the three Diamond Dogs leaped out and surrounded them.
"Fido!" Rover ordered. "Grab the girl! But remember what the boss said!"
Fido nodded and chuckled as he advanced on Fluttershy. Shining Armor held his hoof protectively in front of her and drew his sword.
"Not a chance, Fido!"
"Ignore him!" Rover exclaimed, waving him off. "I'll take care of him! Spot, tear the dollies apart!"
The three dogs laughed as they prepared to pounce.
"On my signal," Shining Armor whispered to the others.
He waited for the dogs to lunge forward before shouting:
"Duck!"
They crouched down, making the Diamond Dogs collide into each other. The four companions scrambled off in different directions before they could fall on them. The dogs groaned as they attempted to rise. When Rover saw that their targets had fled, he slapped his compatriots.
"Get them, you fools!"
Meanwhile, the battle between the freedom fighters and the Diamond Dogs was still going on. Applejack found herself pressed up against another tree with five Diamond Dogs closing in on her. This, however, did not wipe the smug expression off her face.
"Y'all are messin' with the wrong mare."
She rose onto her back legs and drew two pistols from her belt.
"Y'all hungry for lead?"
She fired the pistol in her right hoof and shot a dog in his foot. She couldn't shoot them properly with all their armor on, but they had enough weak spots for her to work with. She fired around the circle with both pistols and moved on to another group. She kept firing until she pulled both triggers and only clicks could be heard.
The Diamond Dogs smiled and closed in on her, but Applejack was unfazed by this setback.
"Fine," she said, sliding her guns back in their holsters. "We'll just do this the old fashioned way then."
Her grin widened as she pulled out a whip. "Say hello to Betsy, fellas!"
On the other side of the orchard, Sweetie Belle was running from Spot. She yelped when he grabbed her back hoof and brought her up to his face.
"Got you now, dolly!"
His laughter was short-lived when a bright pink apple hit him in the back of the head, rendering him unconscious. He fell and loosened his hold on Sweetie Belle. The unicorn doll looked up and saw Applebloom in a tree with a slingshot.
"We fillies gotta stick together!" she declared, saluting.
Sweetie Belle saluted back before running off. "Thanks, partner!"
Meanwhile, Fluttershy was being pursued by Rover. She screamed when two more Diamond Dogs appeared in her path.
"Nowhere to run now, pretty pony!"
She spun around to face Rover and quivered in fear.
"The boss is so anxious to see you again!" he cackled. "Take her, boys!"
The two dogs each snatched one of her forelegs. Fluttershy's necklace then started pulsing and a wave of pink energy was released. The Diamond Dogs squealed as they were knocked backwards into the snow.
Fluttershy was once again stunned at her necklace's magic, but didn't think much on it as she was more focused on escaping. She headed towards the forest, hoping she would be safe there when another dog obstructed her path. He was about to grab her when his helmet was knocked off. The pony responsible for it cracked her whip again, slashing him across the nose. The dog whined like a puppy as he ran off, covering his bloody nose.
"Get to the forest," Applejack whispered to Fluttershy. "I'll make sure they don't follow you!"
The pegasus nodded and flapped her wings hard as she flew towards the pine trees. Applejack turned to face an incoming pack of dogs and stretched her whip readily.
"Bring it on, pups!"
It looked like the Resistance was going to win the battle, but they were greatly outnumbered by the Diamond Dogs. Spot shook the tree Applebloom was in hard enough bring her down. Applejack spun around at the sound of her sister's scream. The dogs took advantage of her distraction and pounced. Applejack managed to buck a few of them off with her strength, but she was overpowered.
Suddenly, a feminine voice cried out, "Off with you, ruffians!"
The Diamond Dogs screamed as they were slapped with four blue slippers. They scrambled off Applejack, who looked up in amazement at her savior. Rarity winked as she continued beating the canines.
"Never mess with a lady!"
Applejack nodded in approval and cracked her whip. "You go join yerr friends in the woods. I've got them."
Rarity called for her sister and the two dolls ran into the bushes. Applejack was about to be subdued again when Shining Armor appeared at her side and fought off half the pack with his sword.
"There's too many of them!" he declared. "Your troops will have to retreat!"
"No!" Applejack insisted, wrapping her whip around a dog's paw. "We can take 'em! Y'all just go and get outta here!"
"You're outnumbered! You'll never defeat them on your own!"
Once their attackers were down, Applejack grabbed Shining Armor's hoof and hastened him to the forest. She turned back when she heard screams and her jaw dropped. All her comrades had been captured! Some were struggling in the grips of the Diamond Dogs while others were already tied up. Her sister was kicking in Spot's grasp, but the dog, though small, was stronger.
"Applebloom!" Applejack cried, rushing to her sister's aid.
Shining Armor held her back. "Don't! We gotta get outta here!"
"But they have my sister! I can't just stand here and do nothin'!"
"You'll have to! If you try and save her now, you'll get captured too, and there'll be no saving either of you!"
Applejack looked at him for a moment and then gave a solemn, but understanding nod.
"Now let's go!" the nutcracker said.
He pulled the Resistance leader into the bushes where Fluttershy and the dolls were already hiding. Applejack peered over the bush and sniffed as she watched the Diamond Dogs bind her sister and throw her with the others.
"Oh, Applebloom…" she sobbed. "I knew I shouldn't've let her fight! I knew she would get hurt! I…I…"
She trailed off as Shining Armor put an assuring hoof on her shoulder.
"The only way to save your sister and the rest of your family and friends now is if we defeat the Chaos King. Then every pony will be free."
Applejack nodded with a determined look in her eye. "Count me in, then. Come on, we should move deeper into the wood before they find us."
The five ponies crouched down and slowly made their way through the trees.
"No use taking the gingerbread path now," Shining Armor whispered. "Discord will be expecting us to be on it."
"It was a doggone stupid thing to do in the first place!" Applejack snorted. "But I can take ya to the palace. I know this forest like the back off my hoof! I can sneak us through so that Discord won't see us comin' when we reach the palace! Besides," she said, patting her belt, "you'll need the extra defense."
She lifted her head and listened for danger. "Okay, I think it's safe to walk now."
The five stood up and brushed the snow off their clothes.
"Finally!" Rarity heaved. "Crawling on the ground is unbecoming for a lady!"
"Let's see," Applejack said, glancing at their surroundings. "The Sugar Plum Palace is up north, which should be…" She paused and pointed in one direction. "That way!"
"How do you know?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. North would be in between."
The others watched in awe as they followed the Resistance leader.
"I like her," Sweetie Belle whispered to her sister.
"How did those Diamond Dogs get here so fast, anyway?" Fluttershy inquired. "I thought you said it was a day's journey from here to the palace."
"It is," Applejack explained. "But in order for those canine crooks to act quickly, Discord gave them the power to teleport to different parts of the land. It's in their collars."
"I didn't see any of them teleport," Sweetie Belle declared.
"The can only teleport far distances. Discord can't give his servants too much power."
Applejack paused and spun around. "Sorry, I'm afraid I didn't catch all yerr names."
"I'm Sweetie Belle!" the little doll piped. "And this is my sister, Rarity!"
"And I'm Fluttershy," the pegasus waved shyly.
"Well, I'm Applejack," the Resistance leader greeted, shaking her hoof, "in case ya didn't hear from the others. Now, what I would like to know is why the Diamond Dogs were after y'all. I mean I know they weren't after the cap'n here. I thought they were at first, but they seemed a lot more interested in this here pegasus mare. Mind tellin' me what that was all about?"
"It's a long story," Shining Armor said.
Applejack shrugged. "We've got a long journey ahead of us. Ya might as well start talkin'."
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Love it! Can't wait for more! ^_^
Are all boomsticks named Betsy?
5417424 Err, it was a whip.
5417499 Huh. How'd I miss that?
5417522 P.S. MOAR!!!!!
Holy cow, I liked how Applejack was portrayed here. This is why nopony messes with Applejack!
The story was sooooo good!
I love how Applejack was portrayed here. It was perfect! 
She reminds me of a mix of Indiana Jones and the Lone Ranger! 
Please add more Fluttercord scenes! 
Fluttershy was hardly in this chapter at all! Overall really good chapter! 
UPDATE
you did update it
I LOVE how Rainbow, Spike and Twilight are on the opposing side. Btw are they gonna join the Resistance at some point? I hope so.
How this is going so far.
My guess is that they'll meet Pinkie on the way to/in the Sugar Plum Palace.
When i read the part about Apple jack:
gifsec.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/GIF-Watch-out-we-got-a-bad-ass-over-here-GIFS.gif
Hey Disney quick question even if you don't finish this before tomorrow can you still finish it for us
I
IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would have laughed if I wasn't trying to stay up.
Please, for the love of Celestia, have the next chapter contain generous amounts of Fluttercord... *crosses fingers*
SPIES!!!
Sorry
, I thought of the board game Resistance. Couldn't help it!
I thought of Pinkie and Rainbow's prank from Griffin the Brush Off when I read that part.
Did you mean to say “THEM” instead of “the”?