Responsibility

by Silbern

Act I: Power of Friendship PT.1

Uriel struggled to get up which caused Applejack to gasp in shock. His vision instantly went unfocused or just blurry as his weight gave out and his form crumpled back onto the ground. The farm Mare watched but she only knew some very basic first aid and she didn't have any supplies on hoof. She watched in pain as Uriel attempted to stand back up.

“You have to get out of here, AJ.” Uriel spoke with a pleading tone. His form weakened and his teeth gritted in anticipation of the fall only to be caught. He opened one eye to spot the orange mare beside him using herself as a sort of crutch to lean his weight against. “Please, Applejack.”

The Mare however only huffed at his pleas. “Ah ain't goin' anywhere without you.” her voice held strong as she began to feel the wetness against her sides. She knew it wasn't sweat. “We need to get ya out of this darn bubble. Can you walk?” she asked as the stallion tried his best at a slow hobble, each movement eliciting a groan of pain. She winced but not because of her own bodily harm. The small trickle that she felt running down her sides has increased at an alarming rate for every few hoof steps that they make towards the barrier wall.

Uriel is dying.

The Alicorn started to fall until the strong mare beside him picked up the slack. At first Applejack did the act without breaking much of a sweat but Uriel was heavy. When he could no longer carry himself, AJ found herself struggling to keep both Ponies up. A feat that was starting to feel akin to bucking apple trees all day long. AJ grunted as she shifted the motionless Uriel for easier balance upon her back, ignoring the one hoof that was dragging along the ground.

---

“Explain yourself, Chrysalis!” Celestia was fuming as her raged was directed towards the Changeling ruler who stood inside the red barrier.

“Calm yourself, Princess. If you want my help, I'll want a deal.” Chrysalis waved away any sort of anger or resentment with her hoof. “I'll get you inside if you grant me two things.”

“We're wasting time with her!” Rainbow Dash shouted as Twilight raised her hoof to gain silence. The flier groaned before crossing her legs over her chest and glaring daggers at the creature on the other side.

“Why are you helping us?” Twilight asked just before Rainbow Dash lost her cool again.

“We don't have time for this!” Dash shouted. “Applejack and Uriel are trapped inside with Discord of all things.”

“Uriel is dying.” Chrysalis calmly announced as all eyes were drawn back to her. Celestia and Luna stood motionless as the news hit them even harder then watching the video displayed upon the barrier. “I'm your only chance to get inside before he dies of blood loss. The more you talk about it the less time you have. My first condition is simple, immunity for all Changelings in Equestria from this crime.”

Celestia stood patiently as she fully expected the plea for immunity.

“Second.” Chrysalis paused for a moment. “ I am to be wedded to Uriel.”

---

“Where are you heading off too?” the inquisitive Discord asked as he stood only a few meters behind the Mare. He purred for a second as he watched the poor girl turn to face him. She bore the weight of the unconscious Alicorn well but he could see the stress starting to get to her legs. “How about I help you lighten the load a lil' bit, hm?”

“Back off!” Applejack protested against Discord's initial movement towards her. “Come near 'im and it'll be the last thing ya ever do, Discord!” She bared her teeth against him as she tore up some grass underneath her hooves. The response she was given however was but a simple laughter that made her cringe.

“Oh please!” Discord said between small fits of laughter. “You have loss, Applejack. Your friends can't break through the barrier and without them your magic of petty friendship is useless. I've won, I always will. Now give me my son.”

“Yer son?” she stared at him with much disbelief. “You're crazy as you are evil. You'll have to fight me to get 'im!” her voice was now trying to mock the figure of chaos. She spat on the ground before slowly raising the limp body of Uriel to the ground. She gave him one smile as her hoof brushed a few strands of his flowing mane, her lips touching gently on one of his bloody cheeks. Her resolve stronger then ever, her attention was now focused on the angry being before her. “Let's tango, big boy.” she taunted as her hoof pushed her stetson hat forward, her intense eyes glaring.

---

Celestia was speechless once more as the request was one she never have thought of but soon begun to know why. The damn Changeling was crafty as the Princess grit her teeth before answering “You want connection to royal blood?”

“Very astute of you, Celestia” Chrysalis applauded before tapping on the dome wall. “What is your choice?”

Luna was quiet for a moment until tapping her sister's side. “You know that Uriel will never agree to this. He is quite infatuated with Ms. Applejack.” Luna whispered which received a nod in acknowledgement. Luna was about to say more until a blue puff of fire dropped a scroll at her hoofs. Luna eagerly brought the piece of parchment to her face and read the contents. “Sister!”

Celestia was staring Chrysalis down in hopes to find a chink in her armour before turning to the disturbance.

“Shining Armour is committing his unit to to the depths of hell! He ordered artillery fire on his own coordinates.” Luna read off the report as Twilight's jaw went slack from the news.

“We have to help him!” Twilight ran to the Princesses side with haste. Her look of terror was easily displayed across her face. “We can't just let him die, Celestia!”

The Princess's eyes darted from Twilight to Chrysalis as she knew the choice was already made inside her mind. Chrysalis seemed to have noticed the slight change in expression as she herself has smiled. “You have a deal, Chrysalis. Now let the girls into this cursed dome. I will discuss details with you later.”

Chrysalis smiled deviously as she hit the dirt beneath her in cheer. “Good to see you coming to your senses. Hurry, before Discord notices any disruption in his precious shield.”

“What are we going to do about Shining?” Twilight asked in worry as she waited impatiently.

“Luna and I shall go and provide support to Shining Armour and his troops. You, Twilight Sparkle, must rescue Uriel and Applejack. Discord must be defeated by any means possible.” Celestia spoke as she brushed her hoof against Twilight's face. “I beg of you, Twilight. Bring Uriel back to me.”

---

Shining Armour swung his sword to parry against an attack before quickly pulling his blade back and thrusting. The red, ghastly creature reacted to the thrust and quickly disappeared in the wind like smoke. They all did that. Every time Shining scored a killing blow, they simply faded from view as if never existing. It was less then satisfying as their blades and projectile weapons inflicted very real damage. A scream behind him sounded out that another one of his Ponies had lost their lives to the horde. All Shining could do was defend.

“Captain!” a familiar voice called out as the unicorn corporal came into his field of view. The pony was now tattered and beaten but unlike most of his comrades, still alive. “Artillery orders have been denied!”

Shining could only chuckle at news. The few of the ponies that have survived thus far had regrouped on their Captain as they waited for word of reinforcements. A notion that was dashed as Shining watched their faces dip to the ground besides Night Wail. The bat pony simply chuckled before retrieving a flask from one of his pouches. The Captain raised an eyebrow until a smirk grazed his own expression.

“A fitting end if I've ever dreamt of one, eh?” Night Wail suggested before taking a swig and passing it to the pony beside him. The flask made it around the hoof full of ponies before coming back to the Captain, the signaller Unicorn holding it out for him.

Shining Armour held the flask for a moment to examine it before he raised it as a salute.

“To Princess and Country!”

---

Applejack crashed into the dirt as her eyes screwed shut in pain. Discord stood above her as he pumped a few punches into the air before showing off to a non-existent crowd. The pony stirred as she spat out some blood and possibly a tooth, it was hard to tell. She had to struggle for a moment before being able to stand on all four hooves. A feat that she was finding to be a daunting task everytime Discord managed to throw her off balance.

“Just give up, Applejack. You lose.” Discord suggested as he stood a few feet away, a smug grin on his face. “Go back to your farm where you belong.” Discord was about to kick her back down until he found his leg stuck to the ground. Both AJ and Discord gazed down at the interruption to find a weak red aura surrounding Discords ankle. They turned to see a struggling Uriel crawling at a painful speed. “Don't either of you know when to quit?” Discord asked as he shook his head in disbelief.

AJ abandoned her fight to get to Uriels side to stop him from moving. “Stay put, Suger!” she pleaded as her fore hoofs attempted to stop him.

“If I'm going to die, I'm bringing you with me, Discord.” Uriel cursed with a trail of blood coming from the edges of his mouth. Each inch he dragged his body along was followed with a grunt of pain but his hatred was the only thing propelling him forward anymore. The edges of his vision has blackened but he didn't care. “Hell has a dinner date for two.”

Discord could only laugh at the pathetic attempt to stop him. He easily dispelled the foal level spell before closing the distance to the two ponies. “You have been a particular necessity, Uriel, but no longer.” he spoke before narrowing his eyes and opening his claw to reach down. “It's time to meet your real father.” Discord reached down with sudden speed.

Applejack witness the oncoming attack and closed her eyes waiting for the imminent result, her body already spent. She did the only thing she could as her for legs wrapped around his neck in a tight embrace.

“What the?”

Discord's voice caught Applejack and Uriel by surprise until they fully grasped onto the situation. Much like the red, ghost like creatures that had been the army to dread, a blue hand had interlocked claw and fingers to halt the chaotic being's approach. The area was quiet for a moment as AJ followed the blue limb until it lead her sight back to Uriel. Slowly she witnessed what she suspected was another human appearing from within Uriels very body. It wasn't alone as another hand soon joined the first but from another individual.

“On your feet, lad. The King is not done with you quite yet.” Uriel gazed up with a slight wobble of his head before realizing who stood before him with a hand out. Uriel groaned in pain as he raised a hoof to the man who pulled him onto all four hooves.

“Thanks, Sergeant.” Uriel muttered before coughing. His stared for a moment as the memories flooded his mind in such haste that he had to hold a hoof to his side. Passchendaele, Vimy Ridge and the Somme suddenly filled his vision. If he had anything in his stomach to throw up he would have.

“Easy, Lad.” The Sergeant said with a slight chuckle before turning to discord. “Now then, I still have one last fight in me before my last sleep. He seems weaker then German artillery and I survived through that!” The ghastly man taunted before rolling up his sleeves of his uniform.

“No!” Discord shouted and as he attempted to move until he found that the hold of the man in the long trench coat and iron cross simply held him in spot. The other held on to his lion paw with ease, grinning like a mad man with aviator sun glasses donned on the bridge of his nose. “You're under my control!”

“What's going on, Uriel?” Applejack asked as she stood beside him in awe and confusion.

“A little power of friendship, I think.” Uriel responded as they watched the struggling Discord try to free himself.

Comments

[MLPFanForever]

Sweet! I need more!

[Silbern]

2248029 hehehe no worries! More is on the way!