Apples in the Moonlight: Crackshipping Applejack and Luna

by bahatumay

Tai̴nted

That evening, Luna was completing paperwork at her desk when one of her night guards entered and bowed deeply. Luna finished writing out her sentence before looking over at him. “Yes?”

“You have a visitor,” he said, finally raising his head.

Luna raised an eyebrow, and glanced back over at the large stack of paperwork behind her. Really, it seemed to multiply every time she looked away. “Now?”

“You’ve instructed us to never bar her entry, your highness.”

Luna’s ears pricked up, and she set her quill down. Only a few ponies had earned that high distinction from her. “Then let her enter,” she said.

He bowed and walked backwards, and a mare stepped into the space of the doorway, her details obscured by the brighter lights in the hallway behind her. Still, even cloaked in shadow, her long tail and a large hat on her head were visible.

Luna’s heart nearly skipped a beat. “Applejack?” A smile spread across her face. “Please, come in! How goes your evening?”

“Oh, it’s going quite well; but my name's not Applejack.” She stepped forward into the light and raised her hat.

Luna gasped. Her coat was darker, now a burnt orange to go along with the faded, dirty yellow of her mane, which now looked longer than it had before. It was no longer bound, but rather flowed freely around her shoulders, in stark contrast with her tail, which had been braided tightly and was held together at the end with a thin chain attached to a heavy, spiked ball. The pupils of Applejack’s eyes were slitted, and the cruel smile playing at her lips revealed little fangs where teeth should be.

Applejack had been possessed of the Nig̴h̕t̴m͏are.

“How is this possible?” Luna whispered, horrified.

“You must be more careful with where you put your things,” Nightmarejack grinned. “Some innocent pony might… prick themselves by accident.” She made a little motion with her hoof without breaking eye contact.

“No,” Luna whispered again. The desk in her old room suddenly sprang to the front of her mind. The statue she'd used to trap the tendrils of darkness that had sought her out before willfully submitting to their pull.

“Oh, yes,” Nightmarejack grinned. “And you know how painful it is the first time. Especially for an unwilling host.”

“Are you here to torment me?” Luna roared her challenge.

Nightmarejack recoiled slightly, raising an eyebrow; she was more curious than frightened. “Oh, so it’s true, then,” she murmured. “You do care for the earth pony. Interesting. Quite interesting…” She began to walk forwards. “Nothing of the sort, actually.”

“Release her!” Luna ordered.

Nightmarejack shook her head, a half-smile playing at her lips. “You know it doesn’t work that way, Luna,” she said. “I’m going to help her fulfill her desires.” Her tongue flicked across the front of her fangs. “Her deepest, darkest, most hidden desires.”

Earth ponies are known for being strong, and they’re also known for being fast. The Nigh͠tm̡a̶re had enhanced her speed; she had run but she had almost seemed to have teleported right in front of Luna. “And as it turns out, her darkest desires were for you,” Nightmarejack whispered. She brought a hoof up and reached out for Luna’s chin.

Luna jerked her head away and took a step back. “You mock our love,” she seethed.

“Oh, I don’t know if it’s love,” Nightmarejack said, slowly placing her hoof back on the ground. “It’s pretty one-sided, isn’t it? You, the Princess of the Night, able to choose any mare or stallion you could ever desire; and you choose a farming mare from a tiny town? Tell me, was it pity or desperation that caused you to choose her?”

“You are trying to get a rise out of us!” Luna roared.

Nightmarejack frowned. “The formal ‘you’? Now, Luna, I thought we were closer than that.”

Luna ground her teeth together.

Nightmarejack trotted off the raised dais and walked to the center of the bedroom. Now facing away from Luna, she stomped her hooves. Nothing happened at first; but then, plants started to grow. Thick brown vines began forcing their way out of the cracks in the stone floor. “See what you've done, Luna?” Nightmarejack whispered. “Do you like them? Applejack has always wanted to do something… big… for you. She’s worried that she doesn’t quite deserve your attention.”

They weren't brown vines, Luna realized. They were roots.

She was growing an enormous apple tree around Canterlot castle.

“Just a little ol’ farmpony from a little town,” Nightmarejack finished.

Luna stomped. “Desist!” she ordered.

Nightmarejack simpered. “But, Luna, aren’t you proud of me?”

Luna shook her head, lit her horn, and charged.

But as she ran, deep down inside, she knew she couldn't. How could she fight the one she loved?

Luna closed her eyes… and the light around her horn faded as she skidded to a stop, inches away from her.

Nightmarejack laughed as she reached up and caressed Luna’s cheek. Luna flinched, but didn’t pull away. “Love,” Nightmarejack scoffed. “It makes ponies weak.”

“It makes ponies strong.”

The new voice made Nightmarejack spin around and take a step back. Celestia stood there in the doorway to Luna’s room, eyes narrowed, mane and tail waving in the wind only she could feel.

Nightmarejack snorted and pawed at the ground, ears pinned back, tossing her head as if preparing to charge. Celestia lit her horn and fired a pure blast of energy.

“No!”

The golden energy beam was deflected off a midnight blue shield, exploding harmlessly against the stone wall. Luna stood to the side, horn glowing.

“Luna…?” Celestia asked, stunned.

Luna stood resolute, even if her voice shook slightly. “I will not allow Applejack to come to harm.”

The two sisters looked at each other in a silent standoff, until the sound of slow, sarcastic stomping made them both look.

Nightmarejack was stomping with a single hoof. “Well, now. Ain't that precious,” she whispered. “The two sisters disagree. What happens now, I wonder?” A devious smile curled her lips. “Do they fight like mad over little old me? Or maybe they'll settle this like grown ponies, with words instead of powerful magical artifacts. Does Luna submit, go face-down flank-up like she always does? Or will Celestia yield to the sister she’s never considered her equal?”

Luna’s hackles rose, and even Celestia's face contorted in rage for a split second.

Nightmarejack stepped in front of Luna and faced Celestia. “It really doesn’t matter,” she said. “See, Applejack’s deepest desire was to do something worthy of Luna; but her darkest desire was a night filled with… passion.” As a demonstration, she lifted her tail out of the way, giving Luna an eyeful.

But Luna quickly refocused her attention with Nightmarejack’s next sentence.

“And if I need to get you out of the way to fulfill that, so be it.”

“No!” Luna spun around, and now there formed a three-way standoff.

Nightmarejack’s eyes flicked back and forth between the calm but angry Celestia, and the heaving and conflicted Luna. She smiled at this new development, and her fangs glinted in the light.

And then…

“There is a third option,” Luna whispered, closing her eyes.

Celestia realized what Luna was going to do instantly. “Luna, no!” she cried.

Luna continued. “I will offer myself-”

“I won’t allow it!”

Nightmarejack growled and stomped her hoof. Roots exploded out of the ground, wrapping themselves around Celestia. Her eyes widened. She lit her horn and shredded a wide swatch with a powerful blast, but there were too many roots; they came from behind and wrapped themselves around her horn and wings. In seconds, she was encased in a tree root, with only her face and hindquarters exposed. She struggled, but it was no use; the thick wood bound her horn back at an awkward angle and she couldn't see where to cast her magic.

Nightmarejack smiled and turned back to Luna. “Willing hosts were always a weakness of mine.” She tapped a hoof on the ground. “You know what to do.”

“Don't do it!” Celestia cried desperately. “Please, Luna! We can find another way!” Even so, she knew it was hopeless. This had always been Luna's fatal flaw: she was loyal and strong and experienced, but she placed too much importance on winning the short-term victory. She wanted Applejack safe, and would give up anything and everything for that.

Luna ignored her. She removed her crown and necklace, and knelt down in front of Nightmarejack, bowing her head to the ground. Nightmarejack smirked and leaned over and bit the tip of her horn. Luna winced and grit her teeth, but made no sound. Nightmarejack almost looked disappointed, but didn't remove her teeth and bite again. The fur on Applejack's hind legs began to lighten, crawling upwards as the darknès̀s left her. The tip of Luna's horn began to darken.

Now Luna began to squirm and grimace in pain as the taint began to claim her again. Nightmarejack held tightly onto her horn even as she began to shrink. Her tail began to unravel and her fur began to lighten even brighter, and the spiked ball holding her tail in place fell and disintegrated.

It was over in a matter of seconds. Applejack collapsed as the taint left her body completely. Now weak, but in control of her own facilities again, she twitched. She groaned and her eyes flickered open, only to widen in horror as she took in the sight.

It had not been a dream after all.

Luna writhed in pain as the taint reclaimed her. Applejack gasped as Luna's fur and mane grew darker, the darkness spreading like an ink stain down her body, and even as she tossed her head from side to side as if trying to shake it out, her legs seemed to grow longer and her body leaner. Her mouth was open and she was panting, and her teeth visibly sharpened. She looked up, glaring through slitted pupils at-

She roared and tossed her head wildly, and when she looked up again, it was with Luna's eye. Her whole body shook with the effort needed to speak. “Run,” she managed to choke out before she screamed and shuddered and collapsed to the flagstones.

And when the alicorn raised her head again, Luna was there no longer.

Comments

[Aatxe360]

...And Nightmarejack's reign was a short one.

[p61blkwidow]

wow this is getting really intense! you have crafted such a masterful story! here is hoping applejacks love can overcome the nightmare!such a outstanding story! thank you!!

[Random Order]

[Drakath2812]

MOAR
that is if you want to