Episode 9: No Turning Back
Episode 9: No Turning Back
The reflection of moonlight off of Rarity’s dress and crystalline rapier seemed to bathe the alley in a flickering glow of blood. She could still feel the wound that had pierced her shoulder, yet it seemed the dress had halted the flow of blood and dulled the pain, though perhaps that could also be attributed to the sense of calm that’d overcome her with this new, manifested form. Much as Rainbow Dash had been she realized she was ‘ponied up’ in a sense, the ears and tail still present, but the energy of that form felt different, combined with something else stemming from her current attire and the weapon she held.
Just as she had told Rainbow Dash before this power felt different than the energies of harmony, although in a way she couldn’t put her finger on despite being draped in it presently.
Regardless Rarity was perfectly happy to ignore any unease she might feel in favor of focusing upon how much she sorely wished to teach this Hollow a lesson in what a mistake it had made in targeting her little sister.
Nearby Twilight still held Sweetie Belle, slowly backing away with unsure eyes.
“R-Rarity? Are you okay?” Twilight asked, while Sweetie Belle was still too distraught and trying to control her crying to say much of anything.
“Why, I feel fine, Twilight. Rather energetic, actually. In fact, I do believe I shall dispatch this Hollow myself, if it’s the same to the rest of you.”
Screwloose’s face held a look of accepting understanding as she hefted her bazooka, “I’m no kill stealer. You’re feeling the groove, then go for it. I won’t step in unless I have to.”
The Hollow, despite looking a tad taken aback at Rarity’s new form, seemed to slowly regain its confidence a it chuckled, it’s spiky urchin body shaking, “So you sprouted a dress and a dainty little sword? So what? You’re still just a human. I bet you couldn’t even dodge this!”
Two of its remaining tentacles whipped around and aimed at Rarity like spears, thrusting out at her at top speed. Rarity wasn’t certain how or why, but the Hollow’s attack was something she could see coming. It wasn’t as if time had slowed, so much as it felt like her instincts were sharper, allowing her to act without needing to go through the bothersome steps of thinking it all through. Her body just knew what to do.
Which wasn’t dodging at all. Instead she felt a spark of power flow from her core and into her rapier as she raised it in a rather unusual slashing maneuver for a traditionally thrusting weapon. As if responding to her thought and will the the rapier’s blade extended and expanded with a growth of blood red crystals that formed a new, curved edge around it; changing it momentarily into a curved scimitar just long enough to sever both oncoming tentacles in a wake of light like a splash of blood.
The second the move was ended the crystal formation vanished, returning the sword to a rapier state. Rarity blinked, feeling that the crystal formation, even her dress, was formed from the blood inside her own body. She could practically feel the sword and dress pulsing with her own heartbeat. Instinctively she knew that both would respond to her creative impulses, though to what extent she wasn’t certain.
The Hollow, floating back, growled, “Okay, getting to the end of my patience here. Let’s see you cut down all of these!”
The dozens upon dozens of spikes that surrounded the bulbous Hollow now also extended, flying out like smaller, sharp needle-like tentacles. They flashed around and rocketed towards Rarity, coming in from almost as many directions as there were spearing tentacle tips. To this Rarity knelt down and placed her left hand on the ground, and she saw the tips of the fringes of her dress suddenly grow shards of red crystal that then went into the ground, and with a thought she send energy through those crystals into the alley street.
Crimson slabs of crystal rose like a shell around her, blocking off most of the incoming tentacles, most lodging into the crystal. A few tried to get around the shell, which wasn’t entirely complete, but Rarity didn’t waste a second, mentally forcing the shell to extend higher and force the tentacles up, while opening up a space for her to charge through. She felt faster, her body lighter than normal, and she crossed the distance between herself and the surprised Hollow much faster than she expected.
“Shitshitshit!” The Hollow tried to pry its tentacles free and back away, but they were stuck fast to the crystal shell Rarity had made, and it only had its one last remaining larger tentacle to try and slap Rarity away as she charged in. She side stepped, then thrust with her rapier, but the Hollow snapped back it’s tentacle to take the absorb the blow. Rarity’s rapier pierced into the tentacle, but didn’t reach the Hollow’s main body.
“Hah! Got you!” the Hollow cried in satisfaction, opening its mouth so its hidden, final tentacle could emergy from its mouth, poised to spear Rarity through the chest.
Sweetie Belle shouted for her sister, and Twilight held the girl tight, eyes wide and fearful behind her glasses. Even Screwloose began to raise her bazooka to intervene, but Rarity just smiled.
“Actually, darling, I think I have you,” she said, and sent her power through the rapier, and into the Hollow’s body, her instincts and creative imagination guiding the power. Suddenly the Hollow convulsed as red, jagged crystals began to erupt from its body, starting at the tentacle near where the rapier had pierced through, but rapidly spreading up its bulbous, sea urchin form. Doing so wasn’t easy, as Rarity could feel the power within her being pushed against by the Hollow’s own spiritual energy, but she had come too far to stop, and pressed on even as doing so drained her rapidly.
“Grrrah! N-no! Stop!”
But it was far too late for that. Rarity, even if she’d wanted to, which she wasn’t entirely certain she did, couldn’t seem to stop her power now. Exhausting her, the power surged into the Hollow’s body, crystals tearing upwards and out of its spiritual flesh, until finally the last jagged crystal split its mask in half. With a final wail the Hollow’s body dissipated into ash, and was gone.
The crystal shell also vanished, breaking like glass and then the shards vanishing into motes of light. Rarity slowly turned around, looking towards her sister, “Sweetie Belle, you are alright, aren’t you...dar...ling...”
She trailed off as exhaustion like she’d never known overwhelmed her senses, making the world spin. The red dress and rapier both vanished into motes of light just as the crystals had and Rarity was left with just her normal, bloody red dress and a ragged hole in her shoulder that looked only half healed.
“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle cried, prying free of Twilight to run to her sister, who had sunk to her knees. Screwloose muttered something under her breath and stepped forward too.
Twilight rose to join them, but Rarity saw a shape emerged from the shadows behind Twilight, the last of the lesser Hollows that had hid itself just as Rarity had transformed earlier. She tired to shout a warning, but Twilight was already turning around to see the last Hollow leaping for her, mouth open wide. Screwloose tried to turn, but it was clear she wouldn't be fast enough.
At the last second there was a bolt of blue light that streaked across from somewhere behind Rarity. The cobalt bolt of light, looking for all the world like an arrow, smashed into the last Hollow’s face and blasted it part, its body vanishing into white ash. Twilight, breathing hard, just stood there stunned, while Rarity tried to look behind her to see who had fired that arrow... but she saw nothing. The alley was empty, though she thought she saw just the slight stirring of a puddle that suggested someone had run by swiftly.
Who had done that?
The question would have to wait, because Rarity’s exhaustion and blood loss caught up with her and she fell unconscious.
----------
“Eat me?” the hulking shark Hollow echoed with incredulous disbelief soaking its tone. “I don’t know what you’re supposed to be, a phantom or weird clone or what, but the only eating being done around here is by me, cutie.”
“Aww, you think I’m cute?” asked the being that called herself Pinkamina in a sugary sweet voice that dripped with a flavor of imminent violence, “Maybe if you’re really nice and really lucky I’ll make things quick. Not painless, but quick.”
As Pinkamina began a slow, bouncy walk towards the Hollow, Pinkie Pie stood up on unsteady legs, blinking at the back of her strange new double. She could feel Pinkamina, as if some invisible tether linked them together. She could feel Pinkamena's thoughts as if they were muffled echoes of her own mind’s thoughts, as if they were separated only by the thinnest bubble. The thoughts of Pinkamina confused and even scared Pinkie Pie, because there was little to them other than violence and hunger coated by a mad amusement at everything around her. The only reason she felt any comfort at all in the situation was that among Pinkamena's thoughts was one they both shared with utmost intensity; that they would protect their family.
“Y...you’ll be careful, right, Miss Pinkamena?” Pinkie Pie found herself asking, “I, uh, I like making new friends, and... and that’s what we are, right? So you’ll be careful and not get hurt by the Hollow?”
Pinkamina paused, lowering her head for a second, her shoulders shaking in a high pitched giggle, “Don’t be silly Pinkie Pie. I’d never be hurt by a second rate Hollow like this. Just sit back and let me take care of everything. It's what you made me for, isn’t it?”
Pinkie Pie didn’t know how to answer that, but she did feel an odd familiarity with this unnerving doppelganger, as if she’d known Pinkamena for a long time. The sensation passed, but it left Pinkie Pie feeling even more confused than she already had been.
Nearby Rainbow Dash dusted herself off and spread her wings, “I don’t know what’s going on her, Pinks, but if this creepy new you is on our side, then I’m not going to question it.”
She shot up into the air and rocketed towards the Hollow, passing by Pinkamena who gave the other girl a hungry look, licking her lips. “She’s a yummy looking one, too.”
Pinkamena had just started to pass Maud as well, who was giving the copy of her sister a strange look. Pinkamena just smiled her wide, tooth filled grin, not even slowing her walk as she said, “Stand back, Maud. Your sis has got this.”
“You’re not my sister,” Maud said in flat reply, to which Pinkamena only giggled more.
“I’ve always been your sister, silly. Always and forever. You’ll learn.”
Rainbow Dash reached the Hollow first, her speed seeming to increase the longer she fought. With a grunt the shark Hollow swung through the air, trying to tag the girl out of the air, but she wove around the attacks with swift twists of her wings, and delivered a punch straight to the Hollow’s chest, just below the open hole it had there. Electricity jolted up its body, but the Hollow growled through the pain and smashed down with both fists, nearly clipping Rainbow Dash as it cratered the ground.
“Dang it, this jerk is tough,” muttered Rainbow Dash, flying back to avoid another swing from the Hollow.
Below her Pinkamena just laughed, saying, “Why don’t you take five, blueberry? I’ve got this.”
Rainbow Dash’s jaw twitched, “Like I’d just let you hog all the fun!”
“You’d better, otherwise I’ll be tempted to eat you along with the Hollow here,” warned Pinkamena in a voice that was suddenly cold as deep winter.
There was a sharp look in Rainbow Dash’s eyes as she landed next to Pinkamena, as if forgetting the Hollow was even there, and stabbed a finger to Pinkamena’s chest, “LIsten here, buddy, I don’t know just who or what you are, but if you’re going to roll with me then there’s one rule; don’t tell me what to do!”
Pinkamena’s response was to lean in, eyes fixed on Rainbow Dash’s, then lollled out her tongue, three times longer than any normal human tonge had a right to be, and licked the other girl’s face from neck to check.
“Gwwwaaah!” Rainbow Dash was instantly and immediately a good fifty feet up and away, wiping at her face from what seemed to be far too much drool, while Pinkamena chortled below her.
“Now be a good girl and stay out of my way, otherwise I’ll take an actual bite, next time,” warned Pinkamena while Rainbow Dash was still trying to clean herself off.
Watching all this unfold with a dumbfounded look in its eyes the Hollow snorted, grinning its own grin filled with sharp shark’s teeth, crossing its heavily muscled arms as Pinkamena began to walk closer, “Right, so clearly you're insane. Or the other pink one is insane. In fact from what I’ve seen of this family, you’re all insane. On any other day I’d leave nutcases like you to stew in your own juices, but a job's a job. Kindly die now, please?”
It raised one might fist and with a howl brought the first down straight at Pinkamena’s head. Before it connected Pinkamena's smile went even wider, wide to a physically impossible range as it seemed her entire mouth expanded like an inflatable balloon. In a split second a horror show of a mouth, wide as a door and filed with crooked, razor sharp teeth caught the Hollow’s fist and bite down hard. A sound like a bear trap snapping shut was followed by the noise of tearing flesh, and the Hollow screamed in agony as the entire front half of its fist was bitten cleanly off.
As the Hollow clutched at its bleeding stump of a hand, Pinkamena chewed with wet crunching noises, her cheeks like those of a cartoonish chipmunk, and after a second swallowed the Hollow’s flesh with a burb.
“Ah, kind of bland for a first meal, but there’s many more bites to go. At least you’ll fill me up.”
“Grrrraah! What the hell are you!? What did you just do to me!?”
“I told you, silly, I’m going to eat you. Now quit being such a big baby about it and get in my belly!” Pinkamena said happily as she raised one arm above her head, which suddenly started to convulse and shift until it expanded to nearly four times its length, a writhing pink limb that then split in multiple places to reveal dozens of tiny, saw toothed mouths all biting hungirly..
She whipped the tendril at the Hollow, and it raised an arm to block the blow. Even as the whip-like arm was blocked the many mouths along its length bit small chunks out of the Hollow, causing it to roar in pain, but also anger.
“Damned bitch! Get your weird mouths offa me!” the Hollow bellowed as he lunged forward with a hefty kick that caught Pinkamena in the gut and sent the strange doppelganger flying through the air.
Pinkie Pie felt Pinkamena's pain as if it were her own, doubling over and holding her stomach as Pinkamena laughed at the pain and spun in the air, landing lightly a few dozen feet away. Pinkamena was obviously hurt, a bit of blood dripping from her mouth, but didn’t seem to mind as she licked her lips.
“Oooo, this is fun. I love it if the food fights back. Adds so much to the flavor.”
“Okay, no. I’m the one eating you, girl,” the Hollow said, opening its own mouth wide, shark teeth glinting in the moonlight, “Let’s see who's got the bigger mouth here!”
“Happily,” said Pinkamena, bracing herself and smiling wide as the Hollow started to charge. The Hollow lowered its head, mouth opening like a black cavern rimmed in teeth like massive spearheads, and Pinkamena made no motion to dodge or move out of the way.
As the Hollow’s mouth snapped shut, Pinkamena actually leapt gleefully inside the shark like maw. The instant she did the Hollow make a choking noise, as if Pinkamena had gotten lodged inside, and then he began to shake and twist like he was having a seizure. A scream tore itself from his throat an instant before Pinkamena did the same, massive mouth biting a hole through the Hollow’s neck from the inside, blood pouring out in a torrent.
Pinkie Pie stood in mute horror, watching this scene. Even if the Hollow had been threatening her family, this was far beyond anything she had ever wanted to see done to it. The Hollow was on its knees, coughing and writhing, and Pinkamina, coated head to toe in its blood, turned around to grip its face in her hands, yellow eyes filled with glowing hunger.
“Bon appetit,” Pinkamena said, her mouth once more widening, becoming large enough that it could engulf the Hollow’s entire head.
Then Pinkie Pie shouted, “Wait! Stop!”
Pinkamena did so, but only glanced back with one eye at Pinkie Pie, who was shaking, holding herself.
“This isn’t what I wanted. Just stop. He’s beaten. He can’t fight back. Just... stop...”
Pinkamena sighed, “Don’t be naive. This thing would’ve killed our family without a second thought. It's just a monster.”
Pinkamena turned back to the Hollow, which tried to raise an arm in defense but she bit it cleanly off and spat the appendage out. The Hollow’s cries of anguish hit Pinkie Pie like a truck, and suddenly she found herself moving, walking up beside her double and putting a firm hand on her shoulder.
“I said stop. Go back. Back to wherever you came from!”
She felt a pull on that tether that linked her to Pinkamina, a pull that came from herself, and Pinkamena halted, through her body shook as if trying to resist. Pinkie Pie could feel Pinkamena resisting, as if there was a tug of war between them.
“You’re making a mistake,” said Pinkamena with anger seeping through her voice, “You need me. You can’t do anything useful without me. You know it, deep down!”
Pinkie Pie gulped, forcing down her fear, “Thank you for the help, but you can go back now. Go. Now.”
She pulled hard on the tether inside her, and felt Pinkamena slipping. It was exhausting, but bit by bit Pinkamina felt as if she was slipping further and further inside Pinkie Pie. She saw Pinkamena's form begin to dissolve into pink mist, and the doppleganger growled, “You’ll need me again, soon. And you won’t always be able to put me back.”
“That’s okay, maybe eventually we’ll figure out how to be friends, but bye bye for now,” said Pinkie Pie as Pinkamena's body fully transformed into mist that seemed to seep back into Pinkie Pie’s body.
Abruptly she realized she herself had been glowing this entire time, ‘ponied up’ with ears and the extra length of tail, but these too vanished as Pinkamina was put... back in the cage, so to speak.
The Hollow, with one missing arm, and the other arm without a hand, a gaping wound in its neck, just looked at her with narrow yellow eyes. It somehow managed to talk, despite its wounds.
“She’s right, you know. You are pretty damned foolish to get rid of the one thing that was protecting you from me.”
“Well, not exactly,” said Pinkie Pie, laughing, “I mean, you haven’t forgotten them have you?” She pointed behind the Hollow, who with wide eyes turned around.
Screwball had emerged from the hole her body had put in the house and now stalked out of the rubble, massive spiked club in hand. Maud had used the distraction Pinkamina had provided to acquire the refrigerator door once again and was also making slow, steady steps towards the Hollow. Rainbow Dash landed next to Maud, wings shimmering with lightning, the look in the girl’s eyes communicating a ready desire to pummel.
The Hollow audibly gulped and said to Pinkie Pie, “You know what, think I’m just going to call this a draw. Heheh, no hard feelings?”
Pinkie Pie just grinned, “Sure, but I think you ought to run pretty fast. Maudie can really get some distance with that fridge door.”
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With a loud shriek the Hollow with a shape akin to a humanoid salamander was crushed flat under the impact of Applejack’s right boot as she landed hard from a leap that had boosted her over twenty feet high, then smashed down with the extra momentum gained from more golden energy thrusting from the grooves along the back of the boots.
The impact created a small crater where she stood, the Hollow twitching underneath her for a second before it burst into motes of ash. She looked up at the other Hollows that were trying to surround her, and just kept grinning.
“Come on then ya dang snot-nosed varmints! I’ll boot all y’all offa my farm!”
One Hollow charged in, scrabbling forward on many beetle-like legs, howling as it thrust a large horn on its head at the girl’s chest. Applejack kicked straight up, shattering the horn, and then flung herself into a follow-up roundhouse with her other foot, the golden metal of her new boot’s heel crunching into the Hollow’s face, shattering its mask and blowing it back into the crowd of other Hollows. Applejack’s heart pounded like a hooves of a thoroughbred horse at full gallop, and she felt utterly elated. She knew she was glowing, pony ears and tail forming on her body the same time the boots had. The energy surged through her veins, filling her with a unrelenting sense of confidence.
It almost cost her as her focus on the Hollows in front of her caused her to ignore the ones slipping in behind her back, but just as Applejack turned to see them coming for her there were flickers of black as both Sunset and Clover appeared, swords cleaving into the Hollows that had nearly pounced Applejack from behind. As the Hollows vanished into dust Fluttershy stumbled her way through the throng, hands half raised as if unsure what to do with herself.
“Be cautious,” snapped Clover, swinging her Zanpaktou around and slashing through another Hollow, “Even if you feel invincible I assure you you’re not!”
“She’s right AJ,” said Sunset, holding off one Hollow’s snapping jaws with her Zanpaktou, grunting as she pushed off then cut hard vertically, splitting the Hollow’s chest, “We need to stick together on this!”
“Y-yes, stick together,” said Fluttershy, making a small ‘eep!’ noise as a Hollow lunged at her, only to be met by Sunset’s cleaving blade. The girls gathered together, forming a tight circle, back to back.
Applejack looked around her and saw that her friends had good reason to caution her. They were still surrounded by a thick pack of Hollows, encircling them entirely at this point with a wall of bone masks, gnashing teeth, and flexing claws. In the back of it all, watching impassively, was the large fur covered Hollow with the pseudopod on its head. Applejack narrowed her eye.
“I’m bettin’ if we take out the big fella these other critters’ll scatter like the rats they are,” she said with firm belief.
“That may be difficult,” said Clover, voice tight with equal measures of focus and concern, “I think I know that Hollow. I’ve read reports, at any rate. The tendril on its head, it's a lure that can take the shape of whatever he wants. If this is the same Hollow in the reports, he’s called Grand Fisher, and he’s as strong as a Hollow gets without evolving.”
“Oh? My reputation precedes me? I didn’t know I’d become so well known among Soul Reapers,” said the large, hairy Hollow, Grand Fisher, “I mean, sure I’ve killed a few of your kind and evaded those sent to hunt me for, what, fifty years now? I was starting to feel like I wasn’t gaining any infamy at all.”
“Well by the end of tonight ain’t nobody gonna remember yer ugly mug!” shouted Applejack, “Ya made the worst mistake o’ yer sorry unlife tryin’ ta go after my kin!”
Grand Fisher rumbled a loud laugh that shook his whole body, “Ah, but Applejack, you’re acting as if this is the first time I’ve ever done that.”
Applejack’s eyes blinked in bafflement, “What’re ya talkin’ ‘bout?”
Sunset tensed as the Hollows encircling them drew closer, “Guys, we don’t really have time to be chatting.”
“I wanna know what he’s goin’ on ‘bout!” snapped Applejack, “What’d ya mean by what ya just said, Hollow!?”
“Its interesting,” said Grand Fisher, “I didn’t know any of the other girls on our target list, but when I sniffed your soul out, it didn’t take me long to remember I’d caught your scent before, Applejack. I never forget a soul, you see, especially one I want to devour. It must have been some time ago. Eight years, perhaps? Yes, eight. That’s when I first smelled you, my tasty little soul.”
Applejack felt like she’d just had the blood in her body replaced by ice water as her eyes snapped wide. Eight years ago!? But that was...
“I see by your look you remember it now too,” chuckled Grand Fisher, “Of course who would forget the day their parents died?”
Applejack barely felt herself move. Her body was consumed by shaking fury. She charged straight into, then through the ranks of Hollows. Golden light blasted from each of her steps, the grooves thrusting out jets of gold fire that increased the speed and impact of her steps like she was a freight train tearing through brick walls. She felt the hits as Hollows tried to converge on her, claws slashing, teeth snapping, but she broke through all of them on sheer momentum, ignoring pain as cuts laced her body.
She barely heard Sunset shouting for her to stop, and didn’t see it as both Sunset and Clover chased in her wake, Zanpaktou flashing to try and cut by the Hollows that were swarming into their path. Some part of Applejack knew she was being a fool, making a terrible mistake to rush forward like this, but that voice was drowned out by the pure rage that drove her legs forward, and the memories of eight years past.
”Hey ma! Watch this! I can knock them apples right outta the tree with one good kick!”
“Heh, now AJ don’t ya go gettin’ yerself hurt like that. We can pick apples just fine wit our hands, girl.”
“Aww, but this is way more fun, ma!”
“Listen ta yer mother, little hayseed, an’ do yer work proper like.”
“Okay pa, but I bet I could kick apples outta every apple tree in the whole orchard if ya let me.”
NO! She forced the memories back, pushed the tide of sounds and images away of that afternoon in the orchard, when the sun was just starting to set and the word for the day was nearly done, her mother and father both smiling at her antics trying to kick apples out of the orchard trees. That had been the good memories of that day, but it wasn’t long after that... No, no more thinking!
The only thing she wanted to do was kick in Grand Fisher’s face for even mentioning that he might had anything to do with that day!
She broke through the line of Hollows, blasting several back like bowling pins as she charged ahead, making a direct line straight for Grand Fisher’s grinning face. All she could see ahead of her was his smug Hollow mask, and felt as if her legs would burst from the need to kick straight through all of his grinning teeth.
Then there was someone standing between him and her, a face that made Applejack stop in her tracks in a skidding cloud of dust as a voice she hadn’t heard in a long time penetrated her skull.
“What’d ya think yer doin’ little AJ?” said her mother, kindly but sternly, “Gettin’ caught up in a scuffle when ya ought ta be lookin’ after yer brother an’ gran.”
Sweet Cider looked exactly as Applejack remembered her mother. Taller than Applejack, but with the bright, apple red skin like Big Mac's. Her mother's eyes were the same brilliant green like Applejack's, though, and her hair the same honey blonde shade, cut neat and short so it didn’t get in the way of farm-work. She was even wearing the same red and white checkered shirt and dirty denim blue jeans she had eight years ago, plain brown work boots almost reaching her knees. The only thing missing was her mother’s stetson, but then again Applejack knew that was sitting on her head at that moment.
She also knew this couldn’t be her mother. Clover had already said this Grand Fisher used his lure to impersonate others. Applejack knew that, but even so the instinct to stop, the pure shock of seeing a face she hadn’t seen in so long, it froze her in place as memory assaulted her once more.
”Welp, suns down, girls, I’m thinkin’ its time fer supper if my nose ain’t decivin’ me,” her father said, stretching his broad, light yellow shoulders and wiping some of his cherry red locks from his brow.
Applejack jumped down from the tree she’d been hanging from, tossing the last apple to the bucket below, “Yes! I’m stavrin’!”
Nearby her mother heaved up the freshly loaded bucket of apples, smiling, “Here’s hopin’ ma’s cooked up some fritters. She’s been promisn’ it all week an’ I’m gettin’ a serious hankerin’ in my sweet tooth.”
Applejack’s father grinned, “Ya always got a hankerin’ there, hun. Maybe I can satisfy it later tonight.”
Applejack didn’t understand why he waggled his eyebrow or why her mother laughed and gave his shoulder a slap saying, “Really, Hard Nail, not in front o’ AJ! You’ll git her askin’ awkward questions!”
Her father bellowed out a laugh, his rich bell laugh that always made Applejack feel safe, and all three of them began to walk back towards the distant farmhouse. Only something felt off to little Applejack. The shadows somehow seemed darker around the trees, and she felt suddenly rather chilled to her bones, even in the summer heat.
No, I don’t want to remember this. Stop making me remember!
Applejack turned around, peering into the growing darkness in the orchard, and felt as if something was watching her back. She heard her mother calling for her, but she was frozen in place. She saw yellow eyes glowing in the dark, and couldn’t move. Then something in that darkness moved towards her, but before it reached her she felt herself being picked up, wrapped up in the warm arms of her mother.
She heard her father shouting, “What n’ tarnation’ is it!?”
Her mother also shouting, “Dunno, just run fer it!”
Everything was confusion as trees flew by, her mother’s ragged breathing filling Applejack’s ears, and the soft whispers of comforting words from her, but all drowned out by the much louder noise of a unearthly, monstrous howl.
It was my fault. If I hadn’t frozen up. If I’d just kept following my parents, maybe we would have just gone to the farmhouse with nothing happening. I couldn’t even tell Granny or Big Mac what had happened. I never knew. I was a kid. I was terrified. The police later said it had to have been wild dogs, or maybe a rare wolf come down from the mountains. I never knew...
Applejack felt the world spin as something struck her mother from behind, and she was dumped hard on the ground. She heard the scream from her mother’s lips and was frozen solid, only until her father’s hands gripped her and hauled her to her feet.
“Run!” he roared at her, “Git ta the house, now!”
And she could only obey and run, even as he ran back for her mother. She didn’t look back, only hearing the howls, and only seeing her own tears of terror blocking her vision. It was the last time she ever saw either of her parents.
Until now, with the image of Sweet Cider looking down on her with sad eyes, “Why didn’t ya run faster, AJ? I wouldn’ve died if you’d just run faster.”
Applejack clenched her jaw, tears brimming in her eyes, but she felt as if the heat of fury was so strong inside her that those tears would get burned away to steam. Her whole body shook as she spoke in a low tone entirely too calm sounding to give truth to the blazing anger inside her.
“How. Dare. You.”
Her foot came up like an executioner's axe, and smashed down with the force of a meteor. The false image of her mother was torn apart, ripped to shreds by Applejack’s heel, half the pseudopod being torn off along with it as she smashed the ground in a blast of rock and dirt that cratered the ground.
Grand Fisher howled, gripping his torn off pseudopod, growling, “I take it I struck a nerve? Heh, you’re lucky, actually. Soul Reapers showed up that night before I could finish off you and the rest of your family. I only got your parents. Well, half of them.”
“...Half?” Applejack’s voice trembled with anger.
“Oh, you can learn the truth yourself, after I take your soul to Hueco Mundo. It’ll be like a family reunion! You should be grateful!” Grand Fisher said as he raised one massive, long fingered claw and smashed it down towards Applejack.
She spun and kicked, golden light propelling her boot faster than ever to clash with Grand Fisher’s claw. Clover hadn’t been lying, the Hollow was powerful. Much stronger than any of the small fry Hollow she’d crushed that night. When her boot impacted on the claw the result was like a blast of force that nearly blew her hat off as the metallic boot grinded against the claw with a shower of orange sparks. The two were both knocked back, and Applejack snarled under her breath.
“I don’t care what ya think yer knowin’! I ain’t listenin’ ta a thing ya got ta say anymore! Ya hurt my family. Ye profane my ma and pa’s memory! Yer dust, Hollow.”
She was dimly aware of Sunset and Clover fighting among the lesser Hollows behind her, Fluttershy keeping between the two and trying to stay out of their way, but that felt like little more than a backdrop to her facing down Grand Fisher. Even if there were no other Hollows, allowing for Sunset and Clover to help, she would have told them to stay back. This wasn’t just a matter of survival anymore. This battle was for the pride of her own family and the memory of her mother and father!
She clenched her fists and stared into Grand Fisher’s amused gaze, her anger boiling over until she couldn’t feel a single iota of her pain beyond that which was inside her heart at remembering the loss of her parents. It felt as if the metallic boots covering her legs were vibrating with that rage, the energy building up inside them until the ground shook beneath her.
“So much ire, and all of it pointless,” said Grand Fisher, “Your parents were neck deep in our world before I ever showed up. If not me it would have been the Soul Reapers that took them from you. If you want revenge, look towards the Soul Society, not I.”
“Shut yer mouth!” Applejack roared, golden light flowing from the grooves of her boots and propelling her forward like a missile.
Grand Fisher jumped into the air, launching itself over twenty feet high as Applejack passed underneath, her momentum carrying her along a fair distance before she could halt herself by digging her heels into the ground. Grand Fisher’s laughter continued to echo as he fell towards her, seeking to crush her with his sheer size and weight. Applejack jumped back, barely avoiding the crush, but the Hollow’s claws flashed out and tore at her, cutting both cloth and flesh shallowly. Applejack ignored the pain and blood, ducking in and kicking hard from the hip. Her blow connected solidly with Grand Fisher’s hide, but even the strength of Applejack’s new boots only managed to knock the Hollow back slightly.
Applejack heard her teeth grinding as she pressed in harder, kicking again and again at the Hollow. Grand Fisher’s claws moved quickly, each time intercepting her boots with a clash of sparks, a jolt of force at the last hefty kick blasting back both of them. Applejack, a deep guttural growl in her throat, leaped straight back into the attack even as Grand Fisher said, “I only enjoy eating unusual souls. Special souls. Your parents were such souls, and I could smell the taint of Soul Society on them that night. Especially your mother. She all but smelled like a-”
“I told ya ta shut yer filthy mouth!”
Applejack kicked with her left leg, hard, and instinct guided her to do so before she actually got to striking range at Grand Fisher. The reason why became apparent as a blast of golden light flew from her foot and stampeded towards the Hollow like a crashing wave. He crossed his claws before him and the blast hit him full on in a small explosion of gold fire. When the dust settled Grand Fisher was still there, but his claws were burned and scorched, twitching in pain. Applejack suddenly felt rather tired, as if she’d just run a marathon with a sack of rocks strapped to her back.
Applejack, labored breaths heaving in and out as she stood there glaring, wiped sweat off her brow and retrieved her stetson, which had fallen off when she’d launched that blast. Affixing the hat back on her head she readied herself to charge in once more, except that Grand Fisher jumped back again, putting distance between them and turning so that it faced not only her, but Sunset, Clover, and Fluttershy.
Sunset’s body was bruised up and battered, as was Clover, though not to the same degree. Applejack blinked at the pair, realizing that the two had thinned the herd of lesser Hollows by more than half and the remainder were keeping back, as if afraid to keep tangling with the Soul Reapers. Fluttershy stood beside them, swaying slightly, and Applejack saw a faint trail of blood on her scalp from a nasty cut she’d gotten somewhere during the fight.
“I am no fool,” said Grand Fisher, “I haven’t survived as long as I have by pressing a fight I no longer have the advantage in. Believe me or don’t believe me, but I tell you that while it may have been my hand that killed your mother and father, it wasn’t just me that led to the events that night. Ask your Soul Reaper friend there, if you dare. Ask her about what the Twelfth Division actually does.”
“Don’t you be talkin’ like yer gettin’ away! Yer not!” Applejack shouted, feet pounding as she ran towards the Hollow.
“Damn straight he’s not,” said Sunset, also joining Applejack in the charge. Clove hesitated, looking to Fluttershy and the remaining lesser Hollows, clearly not willing to leave the other girl undefended.
It didn’t matter either way, however, as Grand Fisher made another mighty leap, moving faster than either Sunset or Applejack could match as it jumped again and again, covering dozens of yards with each jump. Applejack felt tears of frustration falling down her cheeks as the target of her rage, her parent's murder, was getting away.
“NO! Get back here you murderin’ bastard!”
Grand Fisher’s dark laughter was all that stayed behind of the Hollow, with a few parting words as his form vanished towards the distant Everfree Forest, “Don’t worry, Applejack, we will meet again. I still want to taste your soul, just like I did your mother’s.”
She kept running, feet impacting the ground with tiny craters as she went, unwilling to give up the chase. She’d catch him! Catch him and tear him to pieces with her bare hands if she had to! She’d... She’d...
“Applejack!”
A hand on her shoulder. Applejack didn’t even think as rage took her and she turned, kicking hard.
“Whoa!” Sunset dove aside, just managing to not get booted, “Applejack, calm down!”
Applejack stood there, chest heaving, eyes glazed with anger and unfocused, until gradually she blinked them to clarity and only after she realized that Grand Fisher was gone and she was alone at the edge of the Everfree Forest with Sunset did the full impact of her exhaustion hit her. In seconds Applejack collapsed to her knees, tears falling from her eyes.
“I...I couldn’t... Sunset ya heard him, he said he’s the one who... who took ‘em from us. Eight years I’ve had ta look at Big Mac, Granny... Applebloom, look at ‘em and remember what we all lost ‘cause o’ me.”
Sunset was there in front of her, kneeling down, hands on Applejack’s shoulders, “Listen to me, you are not at fault for whatever happened back then. That Hollow’s responsible, plain and simple, and that’s assuming he wasn’t lying through his teeth. So don’t you dare blame yourself, AJ. Don’t.”
Applejack was shaking, suddenly feeling every burning bit of pain from the cuts on her midriff and chest, and the sudden cold of the night. “I still let the bastard git away. I shoulda tried harder, fought harder...”
“You did everything you could,” Sunset said, slipping in to hug Applejack close, then pulled back to look her in the eyes, “But I need you standing, AJ. Fluttershy and Clover are still back there, and so’s your family. There were still some Hollows left.”
Suddenly Applejack surged to her feet, wiping her tears away and glaring at the mention of more Hollows, and said with heated sureness, “Not fer long.”
----------
Things were quiet for a time inside the main living room of the Apple family’s farmhouse. Fluttershy steadied her breath, trying to calm herself and keep her hands from wanting to shake as she worked on cleaning and bandaging Applejack’s wounds. The claw marks on the other girl’s midriff were thankfully shallow, but still looked painful and Fluttershy gave her friend a worried look.
Applejack was sitting on the couch, every inch of her body tense, and with a sunken look to her eyes as if she’d skipped several days of sleep. Granny Smith was in her rocking chair, a set to her jaw as if the old woman was ready to chew rocks. Bic Mac remained standing by the window, his eyes peering into the night as if he still expected trouble. Or perhaps he was worrying about Applebloom, who was still out camping.
Sunset and Clover stood off to the side, Sunset looking at Applejack with the same kind of concern Fluttershy was feeling, and Clover’s own eyes closed, as if in deep thought.
Finishing the bandaging as best she could Fluttershy said, “You should be okay, but you’ll need a few days for these to heal properly.”
Applejack barely responded, just giving a faint nod and a mumble of thanks, still stiff as iron, fists clenched tightly. Even now, after those metallic gold and white boots had faded and Applejack appeared normal again there was still an air of anger and violence about her that made Fluttershy nervous. The few remaining Hollows that had been around after the big hairy one had fled had been rapidly destroyed, and Fluttershy had been almost scared of her friend. Almost, but that fear was a minor thing next to her sympathy for and want to help Applejack. Fluttershy had heard most of what Grand Fisher had said, and it just left her wanting to hug her friend tightly. Of course with those wounds hugs would have to wait, but it was the thought that counted.
Looking around the quiet, tense room Fluttershy sighed and said, “Should we try to contact the other girls and make sure they’re okay?”
She hadn’t forgotten she had other friends out there tonight, fighting for the safety of their families. Fluttershy was starting to think if her worries piled any higher she’d get crushed under the weight of them all. It didn’t help that she felt rather unhelpful during this crisis.
“There’s others been attack this night?” Granny Smith asked, voice tight with anger, “More o’ them monsters threatin’ good, decent folk?”
Bic Mac also looked like he was ready to grab the nearest blunt object to go wallop some Hollows.
“Checking in with them isn’t a bad idea,” said Sunset, “Fluttershy, Applejack, you both still got your cell phones, right?”
Fluttershy pulled out hers, but Applejack gave a small grunt and said, “Think my cell phone got smashed up, Sunset. Fluttershy’ll have ta make the calls.” She then rubbed her face with a hand and looked to Granny Smith, “And ta answer yer question, Granny, some of my friend’s also had their families targeted by the Hollows. We all had ta split up so we could protect y’all.”
Granny Smith’s nod was a grim one, “Ya done good, child. Wish ta high heaven ya didn’t haffta git yerself involved in this messy business, but now what’s done is done, I’m glad yer your ma’s daughter through an’ through.”
Those words made Applejack shudder, and Fluttershy almost paused in dialing for Rarity. There was a look in Applejack’s eyes that made the otherwise proud and strong girl seem so helpless.
‘I’ll, uh, go into the kitchen,” Fluttershy said, feeling like if she got on the phone here she’d be interrupting.
“Yeah, in fact, Sunset, Clover, ya’ll mind joining her there?” asked Applejack, “I’m thinkin’ me, Granny, an’ Big Mac got some family talkin’ ta do.”
There weren’t any objections and soon Fluttershy, Clover, and Sunset were standing in the kitchen, the door firmly closed. Clover looked at the door with a thoughtful look, and one somewhat shadowed by a trace of guilt. “I hope she isn’t taking Grand Fisher’s words to heart. He was trying to confuse her. Make her more angry so she’d make mistakes.”
“Clover, don’t take this the wrong way,” said Sunset, arms crossed, her own expression pensive, “But was there anything to what that Hollow was going on about? With AJ’s parents being... I don’t know, connected to Soul Society somehow? He even mentioned your Twelfth Division.”
Clover sighed heavily, “Grand Fisher is a Hollow the Soul Society has hunted for over fifty years, Sunset. He’s had plenty of time to learn about us and use that information however he wants. I... I don’t know anything about what happened to Applejack’s parents eight years ago. I haven’t read every record of the Twelfth Divisions’ research, true, and I’ll admit there have been projects that took place here in the world of the living, but I’m sure Grand Fisher was just trying to rattle Applejack.”
She paused, gray face frowning, and she brushed a hand through her green locks, “If it’ll make you feel better I’ll look into it when I return to Soul Society to deliver an update on what’s been happening. If there are any records concerning Applejack’s parents, I’ll find them.”
By now Fluttershy had dialed Rarity, and was happy to hear an answer, even if it was Twilight Sparkle’s voice that answered instead of Rarity. It didn’t take Fluttershy long to get brought up to speed on what had happened at Rarity’s house, and while Rarity was unconscious she was alive and safe, as was all of her family. Another dial later and a similar story was garnered from Pinkie Pie, who Fluttershy noticed sounded more exhausted than she’d ever heard the party girl be.
It’d been a long, rough night, but Fluttershy sighed with relief at knowing her friends were all okay. Tired, battered, and in some cases dealing with some serious inner baggage, but alive and able to see another day.
She just wished there’d been something more she could have done to help.
----------
The mesas of dark stone amid an ocean of bleached sand was more empty than it’d been before, many of the Hollows that had gathered there dispersing now that the more potent Hollows controlling them had been reduced in number.
Grand Fisher seethed, sitting upon his rock. He glanced up as his last remaining comrade, the shark shaped Hollow, dragged itself to the meeting spot. The shark Hollow was a mess, with a missing arm, another hand mangled, and its throat still dripping blood despite healing as the Hollow bit into the corpse of a lesser Hollow it’d captured on the way there. Chewing down the unfortunate lesser Hollow, still trying to heal its wound, the shark Hollow spat and looked about at seeing just Grand Fisher there.
“And then there were two, huh? No offense, Fisher, but I think your plan to get at those girls through their families blew up in our faces.”
“Do tell. You failed to capture your target, despite all your bluster?” Grand Fisher commented dryly.
“Oh, I’m sorry, do you have your target stuffed in your back pocket!?” snarled the shark, “Looks to me like you failed just a hard as I did. At least like me you knew when to cut and run, so don’t go acting all high and mighty.”
“My retreat was a strategic choice. You look like you were forced to run after being torn to shreds by... what, a few little girls? I had an actual Soul Reaper to deal with.”
The shark Hollow glanced away, and Grand Fisher thought he saw the other Hollow shiver, “Little girl... yeah, right. That thing wasn’t any girl. It was a damned monster. And this is coming from another soul sucking monster. Going to guess your ‘little girl’ also turned out to be more than she seemed. My take on this situation; it's time to cut our losses and run.”
“And defy the will of Las Noches?” asked Grand Fisher, “You are a fool if you think there’s anywhere in Hueco Mundo we could run to escape their wrath for failing.”
The shark Hollow growled, kicking the sand before him in frustrated anger, “In case you hadn’t noticed we’ve already failed! Several times! We’re down to half our numbers, and those girls have only gotten stronger! Far as I’m concerned if the damned Arrancar want them so badly, they can do the job themselves!”
“As it so happens,” said a voice above the two Hollows, “That is exactly what we intend.”
Grand Fisher felt a cold fear break out inside the place where his soul had once been and looked behind him to see a figure standing atop one of the mesas. It was an old man, with wispy white hair encircling a bald top. White horns like those of a ram curled from the old man’s temples, and a fragment of bone like a ram’s lower jaw bones jutted from either side of his chin. The old man was wearing a white vest tucked into loose white pants, a pair of black colored shoes on his feet. Despite having a somewhat human appearance the old man had a clear Hollow’s hole at the base of his throat. Tucked into the black sash belted around his waist was a brown hilted blade, very much like a Zanpaktou. Finally, upon the man’s forehead was a number tattooed in black; eight.
Grand Fisher didn’t blink, but the old man vanished and appeared between him and the shark Hollow with a buzz of noise the only indication the man had even moved. Grand Fisher tried not to sound terrified as he said, “Grogar, its... good to see you.”
“Is it? Hmm, I wonder. Normally underlings are only happy to see their superiors when they have good news to report. Do you have good news to report?” asked the old man, Grogar, clasping his hands behind his back and calmly gazing at Grand Fisher.
The shark Hollow was slowly backing away, trembling in the presence of this man. “We did everything we could, but the souls you want aren’t normal!”
“Of course they’re not,” said Grogar, “We wouldn’t have wanted them otherwise. Unfortunately your bungling of the task has made matters more complicated. We’d hoped using such weak Hollows might allow us to garner what we wanted without drawing Soul Society’s attention. It's too late for that now, and so we’ll have to try a different approach. Consider yourselves lucky I remain in charge of this affair. Others among my peers might have killed you two outright for your failure.”
Grogar then smiled, a thin smile without any warmth, “As it happens I have better uses for the two of you. An experiment, you might say.”
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One note- When Applejack smashes Grand Fisher's lure, you wrote "head" instead of, presumably, "foot".
I'm seriously enjoying this story so far- even got me re-watching Bleach proper. I do hope you continue the story fully, because I love both well done crossovers and interesting For Want of a Nail fics, and this is both, using the crossover as the FWoaN instigation.
man what a simply stunning story! i can not wait to see pinkie control or work with pinkamena, and to see what happens with fluttershy. this is so outstanding, once again congrats to you!
So most of the human six's families are at tied to, if not Quicy?
Also I have not seen all of the anime or read any of the manga but the claim by the soul society where the Quiny didn't just stop a hollow but eradicated it upsetting the life/rebirth cycle, was there ever actually ANY proof? As it explination the society gave sounded more like a jealous rant trying to justify their need to kill.
So, the only one who hasn't awakened yet is Fluttershy.
It also looks like the Quincy's are stepping in a bit with regards to Twilight at least...
I wonder what exactly AJ's parents have to do with Division 12?
Also, PINKAMENA IS AMAZING!!!!
Grogar is a great choice for replacing Szayel Aporro Granz, though I was actually wondering if you were going to use him in Barragan's place instead.
Makes me wonder if Tirek is going to be rocking it as the new Yami,
Damn, Pinkamena is terrifying.
Also, I'm glad to see you're condensing the story significantly relative to the anime. I was never going to be too disappointed if this goes unfinished, but now I'm actually confident you'll be able to.
Pinkamena is exactly as I was expecting: Scary!
Ol' Grand Fisher is in this story, eh? As a reader of the Bleach manga, I already know what is going to happen to him, and with such premises, it will bring something great!
Only left is Fluttershy, but I think that she'll be something like Orihime.
Another enjoyable chapter. Great job.
7188081
I do intend to finish this story, though I'll admit I've got, like, four other stories I'm also working on so the update "schedule" will likely get wonky over time.
Thanks for catching the mistake, it's fixed now.
7188174
Thank you, glad you're enjoying it.
7188271
Hmm, you know I don't t think it was ever actually confirmed specifically in the manga whether Quincy powers actually destroyed Hollows or if that was just something the Soul Society claimed.
7188333
Oh, no worries, Fluttershy's time will come.
7188402
One thing I will say about the Espada in this story is that I might not go with the whole bit where Yami was actually the 0 Espada as opposed to the 10th. I feel like that was a ranking that came up specifically because Yami was unique, being realtively weak when not transformed, but becoming ludicrously strong when going Resserecion. In this story I'm more likely to just keep the Espada ranks as a straight 10-1 system where the 10th actually is the weakest. Not sure yet.
7188501
I'm definitely going to try to move things a bit quicker than the anime/manga did, but at the same time this will probably end up being a pretty long story.
7188874
I had hoped I'd managed to make Pinkamena appropriately creepy, and judging from yours and others comments I managed to hit the mark.
7190906
Glad you liked it, I'll try to keep it up.
So is Pinkamena suppose to be EQG Gluttony then?
Whoa. Pinkamena is EVIL!! She sorta reminds me of Hollow Ichigo. As for Grand Fisher and Applejack's past involvement? I found it very interesting. I just wonder what this all means for Applejack and her family. Why were they attacked? And what does SS have to do with it; namely the 12th???
>Pinkamina is a deranged Parasyte-esque nightmare
>Grand Fisher killed AJ''s parents
Well, yes, shit just got super-real.
Pinkamena is disconcerting
I'll take Knife nut Yandere Pinkamena over this one any day 
I'm adding Pinkie to the same category Rarity is in; Potentially Self-destructive Abilities. AJ's and RD's seem mostly safe in comparison so far. I just wonder who shot that arrow, since Shining said he wasn't having Twilight followed. Actually... would that make Celestia and Luna quincy too? They are close to Cadence, and Cadence is apparently one... Questions for later.
distraught and trying to control her crying
it’s spiky urchin body shaking
and with a thought she send energy through
but the Hollow snapped back it’s tentacle to
take theabsorb the blowLIsten here, buddy, I don’t
then lollled out her tongue
longer than any normal human tonge had
It raised one might fist and with a howl
the Hollow’s fist and bite down hard
toothed mouths all biting hungirly..
and Pinkamina, coated head
and Pinkamena halted, through her body shook as if trying to resist
“Its interesting,” said Grand Fisher
"Yes! I’m stavrin’!”
Clove hesitated, looking to Fluttershy
you failed just a hard as I did
Grogar, its... good to see you
without drawing Soul Society’s attention
1. Extra spacing.
2. Its.
3. Sent.
4. Its, Extra Take The.
5. Extra capitalisation.
6. Lolled.
7. Tongue.
8. Mighty.
9. Bit.
10. Hungrily, Extra fullstop at the end.
11. Pinkamena.
12. Though.
13. It's.
14. Starvin.
15. Clover.
16. As.
17. It's.
18. Without drawing the Soul Society's attention.
Pinkamena is awesome. Grand Fisher, no matter the universe, is a dick.
7484933 And of course, in both versions, is the cause of lost parents before the story begins.
When Grand Fisher starts taunting Applejack, play this video and read on.
You're all welcome.
She is, juts her darker side. In fact Pinkie is probably part hollow.
My best guess? Someone from the Sparkle family. They're definitely involved.
Half-truths, yes, but I feel that there's something real in those words. The "family reunion" line was... I don't like what it implies.
Seems like the pasts and backgrounds of some our girls are more complicated than I thought.
Don't like Pinkamena. She's too... volatile.
So, it seems Canterlot is essentially a quincy town. It's heavily implied that both the Apple family and the Sparkle family are quincy lineages (the latter, apparently, very actively). So... Things may blow up a tad, soon-ish.
People say don’t fuck with Sunset or Twilight or Fluttershy. Just don’t mess with any of them, and you'll be good.
Pinkie's Hollow side reminded me of a appetite demon from Toriko and Rarity's power from Deadman Wonderland