PONYVERSE

by TopWanted

Standoff

Standoff

<___|=o

Applejack dashed into the orchard, trying to get as much distance between Rainbow and the house as she could. She didn’t want this fight hurting anypony. Rainbow didn’t seem to think similarly. Her weighted chain shot from beneath her robe and exploded into the patio sending splinters flying where she had just been. “You can’t keep running forever!”

But Applejack didn’t care, she did keep running, deeper and deeper into the apple orchard. Rainbow was an expert tracker, she would need to find some place to hide in the next thirty seconds or she would catch her trail. Already, she heard the sound of wings flapping above the treeline. A small shadow passing over her and obscuring the sun.

Applejack skidded to a halt and backtracked. Maybe she hadn’t seen her. But her hopes were in vain. Rainbow’s weighted chain came crashing down in front of her, hitting a tree and causing a massive branch to nearly fall on her head. She tried to backtrack again but Rainbow had already landed behind her, grasping her chain with both hooves. “You need to answer for your crimes, Applejack!”

She had had just about enough of this. “What crimes?! Abandoning a lord Ah had no loyalty to in the first place?”

“Your vows should carry over to the son of the previous-”

“Ah don’t care!” Several birds went flying from the trees as her voice echoed through the orchard. “There’s only one vow in mah life Ah give a damn about and that’s family. And right now Ah need to make sure that family stays alive.”

Rainbow frowned. “Are you talking about Apple Bloom or them?”

Applejack paused. Who was she talking about? For such a long time she had struggled with the idea of allies she could trust. On her world, in the end, even her Rainbow had abandoned her. But the others, Rarity, Flutterbat, Pinkie, Mare Do-Well, and Dash, they hadn’t abandoned her. And she hadn’t abandoned them. “Ah’m talkin’ about both.”

Rainbow’s face became sour and she clenched her teeth. “So I just meant nothing to you.” Applejack’s eyes widened but before she could say anything Rainbow yelled and pulled on her chain. The weighted end erupted from the ground behind AJ and flew toward the back of her head. She turned just in time for the weight to slam into her forehead. Everything went black.

When Applejack came to she was sitting propped up by a tree. The first thing she felt was an immense pain in her head. She winced and reached for it only to find a chain restricting her movements. She pulled one arm and felt the other get pulled back. She had been chained around a large apple tree, her sword sitting a little out of reach.

“This is the farm you were born on, right?” Applejack noticed Rainbow standing a few hooves away, her back to her as she looked out on the placid scene of the acres of green and red. They seemed to be on a small hill somewhere in the middle of the rustic setting, the only occupant of it being this tree.

She stopped struggling. “More or less.” Rainbow was silent. “So what now? Are you gonna knock me out again? Drag me back home through whatever means you used to get here?” She remained silent and that made her nervous. “Rainbow?”

“…that was the plan at first.” She turned her head so AJ could see her expression. “I never wanted you to get punished. I just wanted you home again.” She grit her teeth and glared at the ground. “But I have a loyalty to the House of Nijina! My father had it and it was passed on to me. If you value family so much then why could you never understand that?”

Applejack hung her head. “Ah don’t believe in a loyalty like that. Where Ah was born, we put our trust in those ponies that earned it. Your father was one of those ponies to me. You were one of those ponies to me.” Rainbow didn’t turn around but she thought she saw a smile on her face for a brief moment.

A large explosion sounded in town making both mares turn to face it. Smoke began to billow up from past the trees and they could hear screams in the distance. “What’s going on?” Applejack asked.

“Probably another fight taken out of control.”

“So there are more here than just you.”

Rainbow nodded. “Five others. I get the feeling we were all chosen to fight each one of you.”

Applejack struggled against her bonds. “Then Ah need to get there and help them!”

Rainbow glared at her. “You’re not going anywhere. That chain is tougher than steel. You’d have better luck breaking the tree than the chains.”

Applejack struggled more and more the pain in her chest returning and her arms strained to the limit. Still, by some miracle of strength, she felt she could go further. She had survived pulling on a dragon, and though her muscles hadn’t healed completely yet, she felt a newfound strength inside her.

The tree creaked against the pull of the chains, but Rainbow’s eyes widened when she heard a metallic snap. “What?!”

Applejack pulled harder, pushing her body farther away from the trunk and hearing more metallic snaps behind her. “That’s what you never understood about apple trees,” she grunted. One last pull and the chains snapped sending her body rolling and letting her grab her sword before Rainbow could react. “They’re a whole lot stronger than you think!”

Rainbow didn’t waist any time either as she drew her wakazashi. They bit down on their blades and ran at each other, sparks flying as they clashed. They stepped with agility and grace, Applejack trying to get her footing inside Rainbow’s perimeter and Rainbow attempting the same. With each parry, Rainbow would spin and try to break her defense but Applejack wouldn’t let her. The sound of metal on metal filled the air as leaves tumbled to the ground around them.

Two swordsmares of equal skill dueled with speed and dexterity above an orchard of spring trees. No words accompanied their fight, simply the sound of metal and wind.

Rainbow sliced high which made Applejack throw her head back to dodge. As she did she caught sight of the red fruit in the tree above them. A story she’d heard before filling her head. Two sisters. An apple tree. Death. The distraction was slight but it gave Rainbow enough of an opening. She swept with her leg and knocked Applejack off balance. She fell on her back, dropping her sword and letting her Stetson fall to the side of her head.

Rainbow stood over her and pointed her sword down at her head. “It’s over, Applejack. Just give up.”

Applejack looked her straight in the eye. She was determined. “This isn’t going to end like that,” she muttered.

“Just give up!”

“Ah won’t! Ah’ll never give up! Ah won’t abandon mah ideals just for you, Rainbow. Even for mah sister.”

“What does Apple Bloom have to do with this?”

“Ah mean you!”

Rainbow froze. Applejack could see the sword in her mouth trembling as she looked torn between decision. “I’m not your sister.”

“And who says that? Sombra? We make our own families, Rainbow. And Ah’ve always considered you mine.” She felt a drop of rain hit her cheek but then realized it wasn’t cloudy enough. She looked at Rainbow and saw tears well up and fall from her eyes.

“Why wouldn’t you ever listen? I could help you. I wanted to help you. So much. But you never listen!”

Applejack closed her eyes and opened them again, blinking away her own tears. “Because Ah’m stubborn and a world class fool.”

Rainbow grit her teeth against her blade handle and let out a cry before plunging it down. Applejack didn’t look away as the sword buried itself next to her head. Rainbow looked down at her. “I… can be pretty stubborn too.”

She fell on her and began to bawl into her chest. It was then that all the pain returned like a freight train, and the weight of Rainbow on top of her felt like a lead brick on her sternum. Still she held her close and undid her mane, brushing it back like she had received the night before.

She didn’t say anything until Rainbow was done. The mare slid off of her and sat by the tree, rubbing a hoof through her mane. Applejack still felt pain all over but the smoke in the distance was getting worse. “Ah need to go. They need me.”

Rainbow grabbed her arm before she could leave. “Wait. There’s something you should know. About his plan.”

~`(\/)’~

“We need to just talk about this!” Rarity shouted as Applejack charged her again. She didn’t try to teleport this time, simply holding up her hooves and erecting a small concentrated barrier. She still hit with both her hooves, her barrier barely holding up against the force of her buck and whatever anti-magic material her boots were made with.

Applejack pushed off, correcting herself in a midair back flip and firing off two bolts from her shouldered crossbow before she hit the ground. Rarity had to move her already numb arms pretty quickly to block them again.

Keep it up. I really think you’re getting through to her. The voice was being a wise ass now, huh? Just destroy her. You have the power, all you have to do is use it.

“Just because I’m powerful doesn’t give me carte blanche to kill somepony,” she hissed at herself.

“Ah’m not lettin’ you plan anything!” Applejack yelled. “You think Ah care that you sent me here? To the Castle of the Two Sisters? All Ah think of this place now is how Ah’m gonna burn it down one day!”

Rarity hadn’t meant to teleport them here. Every ancient stone and banner hanging from the walls filled her with memories she’d rather leave alone. “Did you have a part in this?” she muttered.

You’d think. No, this was all you. Maybe you’ve got some issues to get through, darling.

“Stop talkin’ and fight me!” To demonstrate her point Applejack punched a wall and let it crumble away.

“Applejack,” Rarity lifted her arms in a form of peace. “I don’t want to fight you.”

“That never stopped you before!”

“I’m not Nightmare Moon!” Yes, you are. “I never wanted to do those things!” Maybe a little bit of it. “I never wanted to hurt Fluttershy!”

That last one made Applejack pause for a moment. “So… you’re sayin’ Ah’m responsible?”

“What?”

“You’re sayin’ it’s mah fault!”

“No, that’s not what I-” She couldn’t finish as Applejack was before her in two quick steps. She spun and delivered a hard buck directly to her head and sent her flying upward. Rarity crashed through the ceiling and sprawled onto the floor of a once lavish bedroom. She struggled to her hooves, clutching her jaw in pain.

That mare’s hits aren’t messing around. You need to do something now.

Rarity shook her head. “No. Didn’t you see her face?” The moment she mentioned Fluttershy she could see it in AJ’s eyes. A tragically heartbreaking, soul shattered look. It was the same look she saw in the mirror all those days she was trapped in this body back home, forced to deal with the fallout of her darker self. “She’s… confused. She’s all alone back home. I need to help her.”

She heard the voice scoff. How do you plan to do that? That mare is so far gone she’s probably seeing nothing but red.

Rarity dug her hooves into the floor with determination. “I don’t care. All I have to do is make her see me.”

The voice was silent for a moment. Why does it feel so much different now?

“What are you talking about?”

Your weak heart beats stronger every second. After everything we’ve been through, why are you still fighting?

“RARITY!!” Applejack shouted from below. “AH’M COMIN’ FOR YOU!!”

Rarity set her eyes in determination and saw a mirror in the room. She looked into it, into her own eyes. “Because I’ve found something to fight for.”

The voice sighed. What did I get myself into with you? There was a slight rustling sound behind her and Rarity turned in surprise, a smile spreading across her face. Don’t say I never did you any favors.

Applejack waited below for Rarity to respond but after a few seconds she gave up. She pointed her cross bow up and began to unload into the ceiling. The magic infused bolts shot straight through the stone and exploded out of the roof of the castle. She continued to unload until she was sure she’d gotten every inch of the ceiling. “Ah know you’re still there, Rarity! Get out here and fight!”

A moment of silence. Then the ceiling exploded above her. Applejack slid back to avoid the raining debris as a large figure landed in the dust before her. It spread its massive black wings sending the dust scattering and revealing her.

Applejack stared in bafflement before her anger returned. “So you’re finally showin’ your true colors?”

Rarity flared her new wings and stood Applejack down. “No. I’m showing you how I’m in control.”

She was definitely faster with the wings as she was on Applejack in under a second, grabbing her and holding tight before flying up through the crumbling ceiling and piercing the roof of the castle. Applejack shouted and struggled, kicking and flailing as hard as she could. It hurt but Rarity kept on going into the sky.

“Put me down!” Applejack screamed, landing a punch on her already tender cheek. But Rarity remained strong, climbing higher in the sky.

“No more magic. No more tricks. No more surprises.” She stopped just below the cloud layer, still trying to stop Applejack from struggling in her arms. “This is where we talk, Applejack!”

“No!”

“It needs to happen!”

“LET GO!” She got both her front hooves free and began to wail on her again. Rarity endured each blow as best as she could. The new strength she’d gotten was useful but the mare’s blows were pretty hard too. “AH HATE YOU! AH HATE YOU!”

Rarity’s horn began to glow and Applejack held up her hooves to block an attack. But instead she just pulled her tighter to her and rested her forehead on Applejack’s. “It hurts, doesn’t it?” Applejack struggled but her hold was much tighter now and she had no wiggle room. “That moment playing out in your mind over and over again.” Applejack began to make sounds like grunts but they could also be whimpers. “I wish I could say it goes away, but it doesn’t. Not yet at least.”

“Just stop…”

“There’s something I want you to hear.”

“Please…”

“Something I wanted to hear for so long, but no one would say.”

Applejack beat feebly on her chest. Her voice was weak and small, as if trying to hold something back in her throat. “Don’t…”

“It’s not your fault.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Rarity heard a small hiccup. Applejack’s hooves dropped and she began to hang limply from her. She let out a wail as her tears began to flow. Rarity held her a little closer and buried her face in her mane, her own tears mixing in.

“Ah didn’t want… Ah never would have…” She continued to cry as she tried to get a sentence out but she couldn’t. They stayed like that until her tears were gone.

When Applejack finally seemed done she tapped Rarity’s chest and she loosened her grip. She looked up at her with big green eyes, red from the crying. “It’s really you, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah’m… Ah’m so sorry.”

Rarity simply smiled, though her face was beginning to swell and it gave her a funny look. Applejack tried to hold back a laugh but Rarity laughed first and they both shared it.

This feels wrong.

“That’s only because it’s right,” Rarity muttered to herself.

No, came the voice. Something else. Rarity, look.

She looked down and saw two sights. One a massive plume of smoke in town, and the other was a massive electrical storm building directly over a single spot in the Everfree below.

“What is that?”

Applejack caught sight of the smoke first. “Oh no. Ah need to go back. She probably set that fire. Ah need to help put it out!”

Rarity looked between the strange electrical storm and the smoke, then nodded. “Let’s go help.” They flew off in the direction of the fire.

@#$%^&*&^%$#@

Ditzy went flying, hitting the ground hard then rolling to a halt. She looked up weakly in shock and horror. “Noteworthy!”

He began to struggle to his hooves, pulses of electrical magic crawling across his form. They were so prevalent and arced so far that some even leapt into the sky, pulling in clouds and creating lightning above. He narrowed his sights on her, Ditzy still standing between him and the altar. “MoVe!" he shouted, that voice like shattered glass.

Ditzy trembled as she stood but set herself against him. She looked into his one giant yellow eye. “I know you’re still in there, Noteworthy. I’m not moving from this spot.” Her voice was trembling as well.

Noteworthy grimaced and shook his head violently as he seemed to hear something she couldn’t. “Won’t… fight…” He threw his head back and let out a roar like the sound of metal scraping against metal. Ditzy drew back her ears and clamped them shut, the sound almost unbearable. Whatever it was, it was killing him. She needed to do something.

“STOP!” With magic, her voice barely got over the dinn. The roar stopped and Noteworthy stared at her in a pained, puzzled expression. “Stop it. I’ll fight. If that’s what it takes for this to be over.”

Noteworthy contorted his face in pain and held up a hoof. “Ditzy… no! I’m not going to… fight!”

She took a deep breath and stood tall, giving him her bravest face. “If it stops you from killing yourself, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Whispers. Even she could hear them now. In the trees and rocks, coming from seemingly everywhere and nowhere at once. They simply stated one word in repeat. FiGHt FighT fiGhT fIGht FIgHt!!!!

Comments

[Mal Masque]

Ow, my heart... Reunions and reconciliation are heartwarming... I doubt that'll happen for the others, but I do not doubt that whatever you have planned will be wondrous.