Chapter 35: Jaded Hellfire (Last Edited: 11/11/2022)
September 6, 2020
Ponyville Gem Mines
Spike and the Mane Six stood in silent horror as Jack yanked the rose from the Diamond Dog Commander's throat, unleashing a gush of blood. The dog fell to the floor convulsing violently, and in less than two minutes, the light left his eyes as he lay still in a pool of his own blood.
"J-Jack?" Fluttershy called nervously.
Turning around and locking his jade eyes on his adoptive mother, the human said, "Jack's not here right now."
"Seriously?!" Twilight asked in astonishment. "Your joking?! Do you have any idea what you just did?!"
"What the hay were you thinking, Jack?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "I thought you were cool!"
Jack's eyes briefly switched to emerald. "Run! This isn't the Jack you know!" he shouted before his eyes flickered back to jade.
"Wh-What do you mean, Jackie?" Pinkie Pie stammered, trying not to look at the dead Diamond Dog. "We-we can see you right there."
Before anyone else could speak, they were interrupted by a rumbling sound. Stalactites began to rain from the ceiling as Jack's body was enveloped by a woody trunk growing from the floor. As the trunk rose, it pushed through the ground destabilizing the cave system.
"We need to get out of here!" Twilight shouted.
"What about Jack?" asked Spike.
Before Twilight could answer, a massive slab of stone fell between them and Jack.
"There's no time!"
As Spike and the girls turned to retreat to the surface, they noticed that Rarity wasn't moving. The shock of what she'd just witnessed had been too much for her, and she simply stood in place staring at the dead Diamond Dog, whose blood plastered her face.
"Come on, Rarity!" Spike shouted. "We need to go!"
Seeing that Rarity wasn't responding, the Mane Six rushed to her aid. With Rainbow Dashe's help, Applejack lifted Rarity onto her back, and they ran into the caves.
They retraced their steps as quickly as they could, narrowly avoiding terrified Diamond Dogs and falling chunks of stone. When they reached the surface, they found things weren't much better. Packs of Diamond Dogs poured from several holes in the ground, literally crawling over each other to escape the collapsing tunnels. Pillars of rock collapsed as the ground beneath them shook like a car with bad suspension. Roughly seven hundred yards from where they had emerged stood a two-hundred-foot-tall tree surrounded by a jade aura.
"Jack!" Fluttershy shouted, pushing off the ground in his direction.
Seeing her friend about to attempt something foolish, Applejack grabbed Fluttershy's tail in her teeth. "Whoa Nelly, Fluttershy! What in tarnation do ya think yer doin'?"
"We need to save Jack!" Fluttershy exclaimed.
"We need to get out of here!" Twilight said. "Didn't you see what he did? He murdered that Diamond Dog! What if he kills us too?"
"Why would he kill us?" Spike asked. "It looked like he was protecting Rarity to me."
"That's right!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Jack's done nothing but help us since he got here. He saved you and the Crusaders from Morte, he helped us fight against the hydra when it attacked Ponyville, and even though I treated him like dirt when he first got here, he forgave me! Why would he do any of that if he were a bad guy?!"
"That's right, Jackie isn't a murderer!" Pinkie agreed.
"We all heard Applejack," Twilight continued. "That Diamond Dog was telling the truth when he said Jack killed his friend. Who was he protecting then?"
"Ah don' know Twi," said Applejack. "But Ah reckon we at least owe it tuh him tuh hear his side of the story. Ah know this is gonna sound strange, but whatever we saw in the cave wasn't Jack. When it said 'Jack ain't here,' that wasn't a lie."
"But that doesn't make any sense!" Twilight shouted. "Unless…"
"Unless what?" Spike asked.
"Some forms of magic are parasitic in nature," Twilight answered. "When used recklessly, these kinds of magic can take control over the user's mind, especially when the host is emotionally vulnerable."
"So then, what's the plan?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"If his mind has been corrupted by magic, we'll need to interrupt the spell," Twilight explained. "I think if Fluttershy could get close enough to use her stare, we might be able to snap him out of it."
"That's great and all, but…" Applejack said, pointing to where several long vines were bursting from Jack's tree. These vines whipped and weaved like the tentacles of some eldritch entity, plucking Diamond Dogs from the ground and flinging them into the sky. "Ah think it might be easier said than done."
"Right," Twilight murmured. "Here's the plan. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and I will split up and try to keep the vines occupied. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash will get Fluttershy close enough to use her stare."
"What about me?" asked Spike.
"Stay with Rarity!" called Twilight as she and the rest of the Mane Six charged toward Jack.
Halfway to Jack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy split off from the others to maintain the element of surprise for as long as possible.
Hoping to gain Jack's attention Twilight unleashed a burst of magic at a small hole in the tree containing his body. This seemed to do the trick, and the vine burst forth like vipers striking at a rat.
"Scatter!" cried Twilight.
Applejack ducked under a rock while Pinkie danced between the vines as if it were a ballet. Twilight furiously teleported away each time a vine came close to snagging her.
Once Rainbow Dash was sure the vines were properly occupied, she sprung into action. Within seconds she was approaching the sound barrier. "You might want to cover your ears," she said to Fluttershy.
"Cover my…?" Fluttershy began.
Before Fluttershy could finish her question, there was a burst of color, and they zoomed toward Jack trailing a rainbow behind them.
Jack’s Mind
Both Jack and his emerald counterpart were chained to a wall, helplessly watching through the eye-shaped windows.
"Let us go!" Emerald Jack shouted.
"I would, but I don't think that's what our host wants," Jade Jack said, running his fingers through Jack's curly blond locks. "Now, is it?" he asked.
Jack said nothing and simply continued staring.
"I can't say I blame you," Jade Jack laughed. "You killed Yuri's dog, ruined Mark's chances at love, broke Bryce's family apart, watched Chase die, and now… you've killed multiple people."
"Don't listen to him!" Emerald Jack shouted. "You've done so much good!"
"Such pointless words," Jade Jack scoffed. "He's practically mine already!" Lifting Jack's chin to stare him in the eye he said, "Just say the word, and I'll take full control. You'll be free of responsibility, free of guilt, even free of sin. Doesn't that sound nice?"
"He's lying!" Emerald Jack shouted.
"Why don't we let him think for himself?" Jade Jack asked. "He's a free thinker, after all. It's not like he needs to rely on others' advice to make decisions."
"Free thinking?!" Emerald Jack asked indignantly. "You're playing with his emotions. That's not free-thinking. That's manipulation! Come on, Jack, your ability to think critically has always been your best quality. This guy is selling more bullshit than a Nigerian prince!"
"What'll it be, Jack?" asked Jade Jack.
"I…" Jack started.
Ponyville Gem Mines
"We're coming in hot!" Rainbow Dash shouted as they approached Jack.
"Wh-what does that mean!" Fluttershy screamed.
"Brace for impact!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she slammed into the tree trunk beside Jack. "Oof, I'm gonna feel that in the morning!" she grunted.
"Are you alright?" Fluttershy asked in concern.
"I'll be fine," Rainbow Dash panted. "Hurry up and use the stare!"
Nodding, Fluttershy closed in until she was face to face with Jack. "Calm down," she soothingly said, unleashing her piercing gaze. "It's not your fault. Nopony's mad at you."
Jack’s Mind
"I…"
"Calm down."
"Fluttershy?" Jack asked.
"It's not your fault. Nopony's mad at you."
All at once, Jack's negative feelings were pushed to the back of his mind. Taking a deep breath, he looked his Jade counterpart in the eye with a stern glare. "I refuse," he said firmly.
"So be it," Jade Jack snarled. "You haven't heard the last of me," he said, fading away.
Ponyville Gem Mines
Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief as the jade left Jack's eyes. Unfortunately, the tree disappeared soon after, and she found herself and Jack in free fall.
"I've got you!" Rainbow Dash shouted, scooping her and Jack out of the sky.
"Thank you, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said.
"You know you can fly, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Oh…" Fluttershy chuckled in embarrassment. "Right."
When they reached the ground, they found Twilight and the others waiting for them.
"You did it!" Pinkie Pie shouted.
"That was right impressive, you two," Applejack complimented.
"Is he awake?" Twilight asked. "He has a lot to answer for."
"And answer he will…" announced a voice from behind them.
Turning, the Mane six found Captain Flash Sentry and a flight of Naval Air Ponies marching toward them.
"But for now, there are more important matters to attend to," Flash Sentry finished.
"More important?" Spike asked as he arrived with Rarity. "Rarity's dealing with shell shock, and you think there's something more important?!"
"Rest assured, your friend will receive the best care the E.U.P can offer, but it is urgent that Private Jager report to San Franciscolt immediately," Flash Sentry explained.
"He's in no condition to go anywhere!" Twilight argued. "Surely, you saw what happened. For all, we know it could start again any second. What could possibly be more important than studying this phenomenon?"
"San Franciscolt is under attack," Flash Sentry explained. "All reserve forces have been called up in defense of the city. Now hoof Private Jager over.”
Seeing no other option, Twilight nodded reluctantly and allowed Flash sentry's troops to take custody of Jack's unconscious body.
Sky on Route to San Franciscolt
Having been out of it for an hour and a half, Jack found himself waking to a pulsing headache. "Arrgh, what happened?" he groaned, rubbing his head. Opening his eyes and glancing around, he then asked, "And where am I?"
"To answer your second question, you're in Captain Flash Sentry's personal chariot en route to San Franciscolt," said a brown pegasus with a quiver and longbow strapped to his back. "As for the first question, I'd like to know that myself."
"And who are you?" Jack asked.
"Lieutenant Longbow," the pegasus answered. "I normally act as Captain Flash Sentry's secretary, but for this op, I'll be your CO."
"Op?" Jack asked. "What's going on here?"
"You mean you haven't been briefed?" Longbow asked, only just failing to suppress the look of surprise on his face.
Jack shook his head.
"Let's bring you up to speed then," Longbow said. "At approximately 15:12 this afternoon, a fire broke out in Downtown San Fransiscolt. As per protocol, the local fire brigade was called in almost immediately. However, the fireponies soon found that neither water nor sand had any effect on the flames. Shortly after, a deranged pony, calling himself Damned, was discovered using magic to set more flames. The local guard unit was sent to confront him, but they were almost completely wiped out."
"One unicorn did all that?" Jack asked.
“No, one earthpony did all that,” Longbow corrected. "By all known methods of magic, it should be impossible, but this one earthpony has spells so powerful that the Captains have agreed it warrants a joint operation by all four E.U.P branches."
"We'll be reaching the defensive perimeter in 5 minutes!" Flash Sentry called. "Captain Spitfire and a flight of Wonderbolts will be rendezvousing with us outside Shining Armor's dome!"
When the Captains had arrived with their elite teams, Shining Armor had set up a powerful barrier at the center of town. Three Arrows had been tasked with leading civilians into the safety of the dome, while Spitfire had been charged with patrolling the exterior of the dome. Initially, Spitfire was set to retrieve Jack, but Flash Sentry had insisted on being the one to do so.
Sure enough, Spitfire was there waiting for them when they reached the dome. "Took you long enough!" she shouted.
"Lay off me, Spitty," Flash Sentry scoffed. "I did the job, didn't I?"
"I thought I told you not to call me that!" Spitfire fumed.
"Oh, come on," Flash Sentry pouted. "Surely…"
"Incoming!!!!!" shouted Soarin, Spitfire's secretary.
Spitfire and Flash Sentry just barely dodged a massive fireball, but unfortunately, neither of them was the target. The fireball smashed into the chariot Jack and Longbow were in, knocking them out of the sky and into the redwood forest outside the city.
Once Spitfire regained her bearings, she asked Flash Sentry, "did you see where they landed?"
"No," Flash Sentry answered. "I'm afraid not."
"I'll send out a search flight!" Spitfire said frantically.
"No!" Flash Sentry said. "Let's find Shining Armor and Three Arrows. The Army and the Guard are better suited for the forest."
White Tail Woods
Longbow was the first to regain his senses. Spotting Jack in a pile of chariot wreckage, he moved to check on the human. "You ok, Jack?" he asked, shaking him lightly.
"I'm fine," Jack groaned. "Just had the wind knocked out of me."
"Good, I'm gonna find Captain Flash Sentry," Longbow said. "He should still be… ow!" he shouted as he attempted to open his wings.
"What's wrong?" Jack asked.
"I think I pulled a wing," Longbow winced. "You alright going on foot?"
"Sure…?" Jack said uncertainly. "Mind if I ask you something first?"
"Ask away."
"The other officers I've talked to tend to address me by my rank or my last name if I'm lucky," Jack noted. "Why are you so informal?"
"I may have overheard Captain Shining Armor and Captain Flash Sentry talking about you," Longbow answered. "You don't really want to be here, do you?"
"I don't, but why does that matter to you?"
"I never really wanted to join either," Longbow admitted. "My family have been Military Class for generations. I only signed on because my father kept pressuring me to follow the family tradition. I don't know exactly what was happening before Captain Flash Sentry picked you up, but it didn't look pleasant. I can see why the top brass are so interested in you, though. That was some serious power!"
"Honestly, I don't remember much about what happened today," Jack said. "I think I was supposed to help Rarity collect gemstones for a dress, but other than that, I'm drawing a blank."
San Fransicolt City Hall
The city center was crowded from all the ponies sheltering inside Shining Armor's dome. Scorch marks could be seen covering the buildings and streets from the battle between Damned and the Captains before securing the area for civilian shelter. The citizens murmured worriedly as Flash Sentry and Spitfire approached where Shining Armor was concentrating on his shield.
"Where's Private Jager?" Shining Armor asked.
"His chariot was shot down over the White Tail Woods," Spitfire reported. "We've come to request a search unit to find him."
"Lieutenant Sunrise Glow?" Shining armor requested.
"Sir!" Sunrise Glow exclaimed with a salute.
"I want you to find Captain Three Arrows and request his aid in searching for Private Jager," Shining Armor ordered.
"Yes, Sir!" Sunrise Glow shouted.
"How is this guy so powerful?" Shining Armor asked himself. "My magic ranks me in the top three unicorns of Equestria. I shouldn't need a joint operation for one earth pony. Smashing a hoof against the wall of a skyscraper whispered to himself, "No wonder Princess Celestia doesn't trust me with the Element's protection. What use am I, really?"
White Tail Woods
September 7, 2020
It was already getting dark when Jack and Longbow began their trek through the woods. As such, they soon set up camp for the night. When they woke up and continued their search for a way out, they found themselves in a far more intimate conversation than either had expected. While they had initially been discussing each other's military careers, they had now reached the topic of each other's family lives. Although Jack's origins were supposed to be privy, only to those on the Royal Court and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, Jack's lips had gotten dangerously loose as the conversation went on.
"So, what will you tell them when it's time for you to go back home?" Longbow asked.
"I don't really know," Jack admitted. "Fluttershy sees me like a son, I'm pretty much the only guy who hangs out with Spike regularly, and Apple Bloom has a crush on me. I know I can't just leave without saying goodbye, but I have no idea how to go about doing it. Apple Bloom and Spike don't even know I'll be leaving one day. I can't just up and disappear without telling them. I don't see Apple Bloom the way she sees me, but I don't want to break her heart."
"Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, too, right?" Longbow asked.
"I suppose I'll have to explain things to them as well, but it's not like they feel the same way as Apple Bloom."
"I'm starting to see why you weren't able to figure out that poor filly's feelings on your own," Longbow chuckled. "The most obvious signs and they go right over your head."
"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Jack dismissed.
"You'll find out for yourself eventually," Longbow chuckled. "I'll have to visit Ponyville next time I'm on leave. The antics you and those Crusader fillies get up to sound more fun than anything I've done in years!"
"You know, I'd like that," Jack said. In the short time he'd known Longbow, he'd already started considering him a friend. "Huh, we should be there by now. Are you sure we're going the right way?"
"I was following you," Longbow admitted.
"So we're lost then?" Jack asked.
"Seems like it," Longbow confirmed.
"Well, that's just typical," Jack muttered. He fished around his pocket for his phone, but the device was nowhere to be found. Unfortunate, as his compass app could have come in handy. Strangely the only object he seemed to have on him was his knife. "Could have sworn I grabbed my phone and gun before I left Fluttershy's. Did I drop them?"
"Well, well, well…" said a voice from behind them. "I must be losing my touch because you should be a pile of ash, human!"
Whipping their heads around, Jack and Longbow discovered the source of the voice to be an earth pony stallion. He had a red coat, black mane, red eyes, and his cutie mark was a flaming pentagram.
"What are you supposed to be?" Jack asked. "Pony Satan?"
"The name's Damned," the pony sneered. "Now die knowing you're nothing compared to the Element of Wrath!" he shouted, launching a stream of flames at Jack and Longbow.
With no time to dodge, Jack used his magic to strip the surrounding trees of their leaves and form a ball between himself and Damned's flames. As planned, the leaf ball blocked the attack.
"Good thinking, Jack!" Longbow exclaimed as the flaming leaves fluttered to the ground. "Keep him busy while I find a good position to shoot from!" he ordered, taking off into the woods.
"I'm disappointed!" Damned shouted with an unhinged grin. "I'm not surprised your friend ran away but, I thought humans were supposed to be some of the best fighters Equus had ever seen. What's the fun in killing you if you're just gonna put up a shield?!"
"You're with them, right!?" Jack asked. "The Elements of Chaos!?"
“Less talking, more FIGHTING!!!!” Damned roared as his mane ignited. "Blutknochen thinks you're hot shit, but to me, your nothing! Put up a fight or let my Hellfire burn you with the rest!”
"Alright, then take this!" Jack shouted, gathering the remaining leaves in the air and launching them from above like sleet.
Damned unleashed a spear of flames around his body, reducing Jack's attack to cinders. “Is that the best you have, bitch!? You really think you can beat my Hellfire with plants!?"
"Not really," Jack admitted.
A twinkle of light could be seen from a distance. With a thwack, Longbow unleashed an arrow from his bow.
Unfortunately, Damned intercepted the arrow with a fireball, which incinerated it and continued onto the trunk Longbow was hiding behind, lighting all nearby trees in its path. Longbow rolled away from the tree just in the nick of time as it lit up like an oil rig.
"Fuck on out of here, sideliner!" Damned shouted. "This is between me and the human!" No sooner had Damned finished shouting was he blasted in the face by an emerald beam. "Taking fucking cheap shots, are we?!" he growled, completely unphased. Unleashing a torrent of flames from his mouth, Damned formed a ball the size of Fluttershy's cottage. "Let's see how you like this!" he exclaimed, launching the ball towards Jack.
"Oh shit!" Jack yelled, scampering away from the fireball like an antelope from a lion.
The fireball hit the floor and exploded, unleashing a shockwave that knocked Jack fifty feet away headfirst into the trunk of a massive redwood.
Jack’s Mind
Memories of the day before came flooding into Jack's mind, Rarity being kidnapped, shooting the Diamond Dog soldier, and even being possessed by Jade Jack.
"How's about that deal?" Jade Jack asked.
"Where's…?" Jack began.
"The emerald stick in the mud?" Jade Jack asked. "Not here right now. No interruptions today," he reported with a smug grin."
"My answer is still no," Jack said firmly.
"You sure?" Jade Jack asked. "At your level, the Chaos of Nature isn't particularly useful against fire magic. With me in control, though…"
"No!" Jack repeated. "After what you did to my friends, it'll take way more than that for me to trust you."
"Suit yourself," Jade Jack scowled as he faded into the darkness.
Almost as soon as Jade Jack had left, Emerald Jack popped up in his place.
"Where were you?" Jack asked.
"Sorry about that," Emerald Jack panted. "He's able to block us from communicating when he wants to. The only reason he's letting us talk now is because you rejected his help, and he needs you alive. You rejected him pretty quickly. Am I safe to assume this means you have a plan?"
"Yes," Jack answered. "Remember that environmental history course back in our sophomore year?"
October 5, 2018
Coastal Carolina University: Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts
"However, California's firefighting policies had some unwanted effects on the redwood population," the professor explained as Jack took notes. "Redwoods require the heat from forest fires to reproduce. The sudden lack of burning meant that no new saplings were sprouting."
Jack raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Jager?" asked the professor.
"How can a tree require fire to reproduce?" he asked. "It seems like that would be counterproductive since they are made of wood."
"An excellent question!" the professor said excitedly. "Unlike most plants, redwoods are incredibly fire-resistant. While other plants are burned away, the redwoods survive with nothing more than scars on their trunks while their saplings thrive in the rich soil created from the burn."
Present Time
White Tail Woods
"Looks like Blutknochen was wrong about you, human," Damned scowled at Jack. "You're weak!"
Jack's eyes shot open, glowing brilliant emerald. "I wouldn't be so sure about that!" he shouted, plunging a fist deep into the redwood's bark.
With a crack, chunks of bark began peeling off the tree and attaching to Jack's body, forming a thick armor.
"You think tree bark is going to protect you from my Hellfire?!" Damned asked incredulously. "Die!" he scowled, unleashing a torrent of flame. The surrounding vegetation was soon replaced by a sea of flame.
Thinking he'd just roasted Jack alive, Damned began laughing like a crazed hyena. "That was it?! That's all the Chaos of Nature can do?!!"
To his shock, Jack burst through the flames clad in his redwood armor, brandishing his knife. Caught completely off guard, he winced as Jack plunged the blade into his shoulder, yanking it clean out soon after.
"Ahh, you bitch!!!" Damned screamed.
"Surrender!" Jack shouted as the flames subsided.
"Great work, Jack!" Longbow congratulated, rushing out of his hiding spot.
“SHOULD HAVE GONE FOR THE NECK!!!!!” Damned shrieked, launching a stream of fire at Longbow.
"NO!!!" Jack shouted, watching helplessly as Longbow lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Aiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrgh!” Longbow cried, as his flush was consumed by the flames.
It was at that moment that Three Arrows and Sunrise Glow arrived with a platoon of soldiers.
"You're not as pathetic as I thought, human," Damned muttered before his body burst into flame and disappeared into the sky like a solar flare.
"Are you ok?" Sunrise Glow asked Jack.
"Lo..Longbow," Jack muttered, weakly pointing to the lieutenant's charred form.
"Medic!" Three Arrows called.
Unknown Location
Later that Night
"Distant Flare!" Damned shouted, releasing a wave of flames from his mouth.
The flames congregated in the sky, forming an image of an alicorn.
"How was he?" Blutknochen asked.
"I never even used a fifth of my power against him, but I'll admit I was impressed," Damned reported. "I can't wait to fight him again," he said, grinning maniacally.
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10915706
Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing actually. I just haven't gotten around to editing it out.