Genetic Dead End

by peacevic

Chapter 4

Genetic Dead End ch. 4

Applejack groaned as she saw Rarity stop to brush a bit of dirt off for the third time.

It didn't go unnoticed. "Well, excuse me for always wanting to look my best."

"I'm not sure if ya were payin' attention back there," Applejack snarled, "but we kinda have more important things ta worry about. Like preventin' the murder of everypony in town."

Rarity's eyes flashed with anger. "I am aware of that, Applejack. I would think that by now you'd have realized I am not so self-absorbed."

"Then how about ya quit your fussin' so we can find this altar we're looking for?"

"Snapping at me isn't going to help us in the slightest," Rarity countered. She looked around, then stomped in frustration. "We're almost to the edge of town. We must have missed it."

"Probably too busy lookin' at yer hooves," Applejack muttered.

"Oh, hush."

"So what do ya want ta do, turn around and hope we find it on the second time through?"

Rarity frowned uncertainly. "Well... if we haven't actually passed it, then we'll just be wasting time if we do that."

"We're wastin' time now," Applejack rejoined.

Rarity started pacing. "I know, I now..."

Applejack didn't know all that much about magic, except for what she'd seen her friends use, and none of them had ever even thought to use necromancy. Thus, despite the fact that lately she'd rather buck a manticore in the face, she had to depend on Rarity to handle the know-how department. So she just stood there and watched as the other mare thought.

"When that first surge hit..." Rarity mused after a while. "I could feel it. So could Twilight, Trixie, that Peacevic lout, and his unicorn friend."

"Everypony with a horn, basically."

Rarity nodded. "That's it exactly. So I should be able to pick up the trace again, with a bit of luck."

"Best get to it, then," Applejack urged.

The farm pony watched as Rarity scrunched her face up in concentration. Applejack knew something about focus, a necessity if she wanted to buck a tree just hard enough to shake the apples out of it, but she couldn't begin to fathom drawing magic from a horn. Or maybe she could, if it was like throwing that rope around in the comic book world. In any case, Rarity wasn't Twilight. It took a while for the fashionista to work her way through the spell.

So once again Applejack had to wait several agonizing seconds for Rarity's horn to light up.

"We set?" She asked when it finally did.

"Indeed we are," Rarity affirmed. "This spell should make my horn glow brighter when it's facing anything attuned to that dreadful energy, such as this shrine we're supposed to find."

"Provided ya did it right..."

"I may have been the Element of Generosity, Applejack, but even my giving nature has its limits," Rarity said, glowering as she did.

Applejack snorted. "I'm shakin'. Come on, your nightlight's pointin' back inta town."

Rarity gave a 'hmmph!', but led the way all the same, though she had to stop a few times to reorient herself in the direction that set off the brightest glow. Before too long the pair was standing in front of a certain bakery.

"Sugarcube Corner? Why would these cultists hide an altar here? And how'd they manage it, anyway?"

"Well Mr. and Mrs. Cake have been at the festival all day, so it's not like they would have run much of a risk of being caught while they set up." Rarity tugged at the door, but it didn't budge. "Darn, it's locked. Those nasty necromancers must have stolen the keys and closed it up again after they were done."

The unicorn hurriedly looked around, found a rock, and picked it up with here magic, prompting Applejack to cry out, "What do ya think yer doing?!"

"We don't have time to go and find the Cakes."

"Ya just don't care what ya break, huh?" Applejack scoffed.

"There is no time for- actually, you know what?" Rarity smashed the rock through a window. "Fine. Let's do this now."

"What ya said was rude and hurtful, and it not only belittled my profession, but the struggles my family went through as well. And ya don't even regret it, do ya?"

"Of course I regret it! I regretted it as soon as I said it!" Rarity shouted.

Applejack stomped forward until they were face to face. "Then why won't ya just apologize?!"

"I shouldn't have to apologize!" Rarity countered, not retreating an inch. "You should know I didn't mean it, and that I felt bad for saying it!"

The two of them stayed like that, locked in their confrontation...

Until, nearly as one, they both started laughing at the absurdity of it all.

"Ya know," Applejack forced out between giggles, "sometimes I think our sisters have better conflict-resolution skills than we do."

"This certainly has been one of our sillier disagreements," Rarity agreed, wiping a tear away.

"I'm sorry for being so bullheaded about the whole thing."

"And I'm sorry for being so insensitive," Rarity said. "I really didn't mean to hurt you so."

"I know." Applejack wrapped her friend in quick hug. Then they both turned their attention to the Corner, and the altar inside.