Killer of Six

by Opium4TmassS

Applejack

Twilight wondered if that was the same cleric she saw earlier as she parked into Applejack's Cannery. Standing on top its Swali tower as it chanted into the storm. The symbols that had been painted on him were now just a colorful blur of streaks, by the constant rain washing the paint down its body.

The cannery stood in the middle of the shanty town that the changelings lived their lives. A patchwork of scavenged metals, paper, pipes, just about anything they could get their claws on. Overshadowed by the rising towers and skyscrapers that they have made for the ponies of Equestria that encircled their homes.

Twilight Sparkle had to flash her sirens as she parked her car to keep the vagrants that started to surround her away. Jobless and homeless they were looking for a handout. Mostly they were old or decrepit changelings, but she did see a few ponies in the group as well. "Get out of here!" she yelled at them while shooing them off as she got out of the her vehicle into the rain.

Twilight Sparkle started to shiver as left her vehicle. Wrapped up her coat around her to help keep herself warm, as she hurried in. Ignoring the homeless ponies and changelings moving away from her.

The humidity hit Twilight hard as she stepped in, Already feeling a film of sticky sweat coat her body. Along with the mass of bodies pressed into the cannery. Laboring through the day in masses, the changelings did the manual menial labor to keep the company going under dull fluorescent lights giving everything a dull yellowish ting. The smell of sweat from too many bodies in a small area mixing with the thunderous odor of apples almost overpowered Twilight as she walked further into the cannery looking for her next target to retire.

"Hello? Can you help me?" she asked an unresponsive changeling walking past her. "I'm looking for Applejack do you know where she is?"

The changeling muttered something in its language as it wandered away. Unsure if it didn't hear her, didn't understand, or just was ignoring Twilight. As she moved further into the building. The main canning room opened into a huge area filled with machines in a continuous process of motion. Huge vats filled for the cooking and cooling of apples were attached to the walls along the room., with changelings running around in their daily duties, while conveyor belts moved an infinite amount of apples and containers to other various machines. In an area so thick with haze Twilight could see individual water vapors floating in the air.

It was a sea of black bodies with wings with no sign of any ponies around. Twilight Sparkle carefully made her way through the press of changelings, occasionally asking one or two of them if they had seen Applejack. Only getting a explanation in a language she couldn't understand.

"Applejack!" she almost yelled at another changeling. Noticing that it wasn't wearing the required necklace around his or her neck. Honestly she could never really tell them apart from one another. "Have you seen Applejack?"

"Appul..jak?" the changeling said in a broken Equestrian.

"Yes Applejack! Do you know where your boss is?"

The changeling went back to its normal language, but did point to walkway at the other end of the canning room. Squinting, Twilight could make out a pony standing on the walkway talking to a small group of changelings. On a catwalk overlooking large windows showing the storm raging on outside. But was too far away to make a definite match.

Making her way there was slow and arduous. Having to step around the constant flow of changelings and equipment, everything was filmy and smelled like spoiled apples. Finally getting close to a stairwell that would take her up to the walkway. She could make out her silhouette. When lights from outside turned themselves on, flooding the room as ponies dressed in black body armor, carrying riot shields, poured from the entrances and exits.

"No! No! No!" said Twilight Sparkle, seeing an immigration bust going on. Fearing that she might lose Applejack in the chaos just starting. "Applejack!" she yelled as she drew her weapon.

Finally catching her attention. She saw her target stare at her, then star at Celestia's security forces rounding up her changeling workers. Pushing the changelings around her away Applejack sped on the walkway.

Teargas canisters started to roll across spewing white gas across the floor that immediately made Twilights eyes water and phlegm pour from her nose uncontrollable she race the stars to get away from it.

The bust was clumsily acted upon. Intended to catch unregistered changelings off guard before they had a chance to morph into somepony else. Even so they usually caught only a tenth of their targets in sweeps like these. Twilight Sparkle shook her head to clear her thoughts. Let immigration worry about their job, she had her hooves full with this one as she followed Applejack's trail across the walkway.

Her mind was unfocused, unable to hold onto a single thought as she ran out of the cannery she had created by herself. All she knew was that she had to run, had to get away before she was retired. Plans formed in her head, then broke apart as the reality of the situation she was in, told her this would never work. She felt the pain in her heart over the loss of two good friends of hers, and soon knew it would only be a matter of time for her. All she could do was run. Run from Celestia's officer that was chasing her.

Twilight held a part of her coat over her nose and mouth, to help with the noxious gasses. It didn't prevent all the tear gas from hitting her. But it helped a little as she took to the stairs two at a time. Following the artificial on the walkway.

Gun in her hoof she spied Applejack a little farther ahead of her heading to a door that opened towards the outside. Locking her sights on her target she double-taped the trigger. Both rounds hit her target. Twilight Sparkle watched Applejack fall onto the grated path suspended in the air.

She could tell she was still breathing as she approached the pony . Chest rising and falling rhythmically she saw a small stream of blood trail from the body to one of the grates, dripping downwards to the floor below. Slowly she pulled the trigger then stopped. Something was wrong, she could feel it.

Walking over to Applejack she kicked the body over to face her. Their was a shimmer around the body. "Dammitt." Thought Twilight angrily. "Another changeling." Twilight Sparkle continued on, following the pathway.

Hi-definition billboards lit her roof in thousands of different colors. From different advertisements that sold a pony anything it could ever want it its quest for consistent happiness in its life. Along with a flow of floaters continuously coming and going, using her rooftop as a small base for unmanned fueling and restoring. It was easy to get lost here. Easy to lose your footing as well. Especially with the heavy rain.

The noise from the vent Applejack hid behind was loud, but she could still hear the door that led to the roof being opened. involuntarily cringing from the creak of it being opened. She could hear the splashing of hooves on puddles as her hunter hunted. Cautiously, silently, she started to creep away from the noise. Praying to whomever is in the sky that watches little artificials like her, to make out of this safely.

The coolness of the rain rejuvenated her from the heat, and chaos going on inside. She saw another chopper slowly descend near the cannery. They weren't taking any chances with letting one of the changelings escaping in this, she noted. Her ears she perked up watching the shadows, observing the roof, looking for anyplace this pony might be hiding.

Twilight Sparkle went from cover to cover searching. Letting the rain cover her movements as best it could. Senses perked up of any deviations that might give her target away. She quelled the frustration growing inside of her as to where Applejack might be hiding.

Applejack bit her lip hard to keep herself from screaming, the pain bringing her back to the hear and now. "Think! Think!" she told herself trying to find a solution when the tower she was leaning on began to shake as something collided with it. Looking up she spied the shaking of a docking floater fasting itself onto a small tower attached to her roof for recharging. She had rented out the space to a company since it was away from Ponyville and a safe area for docking. and plus being attached to her roof helped to prevent thieves from stealing anything valuable. The picture of Rarity flashed on the screen of the floater for a few moments showing the world just how beautiful she was. But to Applejack she saw something she desperately needed. A way out. Cautiously she gripped the small maintenance ladder and began to climb as fast as she could.

Twilight heard the sound of the docking floater, and looked up herself, spying the dark figure of Applejack climbing. Too far away for a shot. she ran as fast as she could to get their, flapping her wings for small hops to shave distance instead of going around the obstacles. She could see her just at the top, starting to pull herself up when she got close. landing onto the beam she began to run again after her.

The beam was long narrow and dangerous in the wet slick rain. making Applejack almost slip off a few times. But she could see it just ahead of her. Using the last ounce of her strength to speed herself up as she heard the floater starting to uncouple itself from the recharging station. The machine started to float downward as it did a short diagnostic on itself to make sure everything was functioning properly. Looking back she could spy the pony gaining ground, soon she would be close enough. With a small prayer. she gathered herself and leaped.

The words "Don't." formed on the lips of Twilight Sparkle before stopping. As she watched Applejack jump into the air towards the small blimp. To Twilight she almost seemed like she was flying, with her limbs outstretched in front of her. She brought her gun out in front of her, lined up the shot then took it, hitting Applejack. Watching as everything went wrong for her then on.

The pony started to lose form, tumbling and rolling before hitting the floater in the giant screen, showing the image of Rarity. The sparks from the monitor ignited the gases of the floater causing it to explode. Red hot metals, plastic, and fibers of thousand of different parts showered the building, and ground. As the flaming piece of machinery fell in a fiery piece to crash on the ground.

Extending her wings Twilight glided herself towards the burning mass. But altered her flight when she saw Luna standing next to something that was pony shaped lying on the ground still smoking. Landing next to Luna she kneeled close to Applejack holding her scarred hoof in hers. Words were trying to be formed on her lips, but no sound came forth. She could almost make out her asking why. "Rest." she said to the burning pony. "It's over." Almost in agreement Applejack stiffened, let out a small breath then finally stopped moving.

The quick hooves of Luna prevented her from hitting the ground again. She was prepared for this one, but still it hurt. The intense pain and nausea of this sensation. The feeling like someone was ripping out her heart. She turned her face away from Luna as she started to dry heave. Chest and stomach contorting into one giant ball of pain, for a few moments before easing up as if the event never happened.

"I'll be okay." she told Luna, silently watching her. "I still have two left." she said as she started to leave Luna and her piercing gaze that followed her back to her car.