Nevermoore

by TranscriptBrony

Chapter II: Sour Apples

Two weeks after freeze

"The snow ain't lettin' up sis..." Applebloom sadly delivered the news to Applejack. Her big sister was under the impression that surely the snow and ice would melt. Only problem was that the temperature stayed at 15 degrees and the sun only shined on Canterlot. That was how the spell worked, Applejack didn't get it. But the wasteland had taken some sanity from any and everypony.

"Ah know, Applebloom..." Applejack had been progressively losing hope about her survival let alone her family's. Big Mac was suffering from a bad cold which left her to look after her sister ang granny plus helping Big Mac fight disease. They had been held up in the farmhouse for a whole week and a half after realizing it was too risky outdoors. They were slowly but surely losing their food supply, apple's they had stored in the basement before the rest died in the cold. They were also now out of firewood.

Another reason to stay inside was that all law and respect was lost. Gangs of ruthless ponies wandered the lands looking for food, water, and "entertainment" as they called it. This usually meant that somepony died when found by one of the wandering gangs. "Fun" was had before their deaths though. Applejack knew they were out there somewhere, an Apple orchard would be a good place for one to hide.

It was true though. Upon Applejack's rare trips around their grounds she had found the "remains" of a gang's work. One pony she had found was still barely still alive, gasping for air, a tree branch in her chest cavity. Hell had indeed risen to the land, now called Nevermoore. She could only state as that mare died in fron of her. Ever since then, Applejack kept herself and her loved ones in the farmhouse.

It was a good plan, except for the looming loss of all supplies. This was a worry and Applebloom constantly advised Applejack to go get more supplies. All her sister did in her spare time was stare out the nearest window, hoping the snow and ice would just go away, hoping this Hell was all a dream. That was far from the truth.

A couple days passed and they were now out of firewood. Applejack had to go get more or else they would all freeze to death. She put on her old winter clothing and left to fetch some wood. It was still a constant 15 degrees outside and cloudy. Absolutely miserable conditions. She started her trot to the barn. She did reach it safely. Applejack nudged the door open and looked inside. She had not been in the barn sometime. In the middle of the floor was a corpse.

Poor soul had tried to seek refuge in the seemingly abandoned barn but froze to death in the process. Applejack just stared at the body then glared over to where the firewood was. Problem was there was none. It had been stolen! Applejack gasped in terror as she looked at that now empty corner of the barn. When had this happened? She walked over to investigate. There was surely drag marks in the little bit of snow on the floor and hoof marks. Who stole their wood?

There was a sudden bang outside. Applejack froze, whoever had done it was still there! Even though she was scared for her life she had to stop the thieves. She sneaked back outside the barn and looked around. All she saw was snow and ice. What had caused that noise though? Something then rushed up behind her and held her there.

"Hehe! Got her Browning! I gots an Apple farmer!"

"Hold her there Steamer, I'm comin'!"

A black colt turned the corner around the barn. When he did he stopped and smiled at the struggling Applejack. Another colt then turned the corner, this one was blue. Browning was a unicorn and the blue colt was a Pegasus. Steamer was a gray earth pony.

"Well now! What have we got 'ere eh?"

"One of them apple farmers boss!" Steamer sounded a bit dumb.

"Hmmm, now little mrs. do stop strugglin' we want no trouble from ya..." Browning just chuckled as he said this, the others chuckled with him.

"Get off my land ya bandits!" Applejack mustered all the fury she could into these words.

"Your land? Last I checked there was no law, meaning no boundaries. Anyways, who's got who captive right now?" Browning mocked Applejack. "Let's have some fun shall we?!"

"Ooo! We gonna buck 'er in the face boss?!"

"No....she needs a kickin' somewhere else. How 'bout yer heartstrings? Tell me little lady, why you out here in the cold anyways?" Browning edged a bit closer to her.

"Ah was trying to get firewood for my family, which you stole!"

"A fire you want huh? We as gentlecolts can give you and your family a nice big fire!"

Browning turns towards the farmhouse. His horn lit up in an orange hue and he shot a ball of magic at the house's base. Applejack stared on horror as she watched the farmhouse erupt in flames. She could hear their screams of terror as the flames engulfed every nook and cranny.

"There, now they're all nice 'n toasty! Haha!" Browning and the others began to laugh sadistically.

"NOOOOO!!!" Applejack cried out, her family was burning alive in front of her eyes! She mustered all her strength and broke free of Steamer's grasp. She sprinted towards the farmhouse.

"Hey! Get back 'ere!"

"Let 'er go Steamer, let's see if she burns with em...." Browning eagerly looked on to the raging fire.

Applejack arrived at what now had turned quickly into a pile of embers. Browning had used a explosion spell, anything hit by it erupted in flames and in seconds there was no escape. She frantically searched the embers for any signs of life.

"Applebloom?! Big Mac?! Granny?! Anyone??!!" Tears streamed down her face. They were all gone.

All Browning and company could see right now was embers and smoke. They stood there staring at the carnage they had caused waiting to see if Applejack would emerge. Applejack did. She walked slowly out of the smoke with tears streaming down her face, she had a fierce, angry look on her face. She was staring right at Browning.

Browning's partners both became uneased by this stare. Browning stood there laughing.

"Oh, is the little mare cryin' now? Is her precious family gone? Haha! Whatcha gonna do eh?!"

"Uh boss, I wouldn't do that...look out!"

Applejack began a sprint straight for Browning. She was screaming the entire way as she got closer.

"Isn't this cute?! She's angry! Haha!"

"Boss look out!!" Steamer screamed.

Applejack stopped in front of Browning, spun 180 degrees, and bucked him in the face. A loud crack was heard and Browning's skull split. His brains were obliterated and he fell to the ground stone dead. His blood pooled in the snow. The three standing ponies stared at his lifeless body. Applejack then gave the blue Pegasus a dark glare.

"You're next scum!" She screamed.

"Ahhh!"

The blue Pegasus began to run away. Applejack was hard on his hooves. They ran into the orchard. The Pegasus was so scared he forgot to use his wings, he just weaved through the trees. Applejack did not loose sight of him. Eventually the blue Pegasus shook off Applejack, but he kept on running. He accidentally ended up running into a dead end, which happened to be a cliff face. He turned around to change direction and screamed in terror.

There was a fierce looking Applejack with a lasso. She had found a near by supply shed. She spun it madly and threw it at the pegasus and it went around his neck. Applejack then pulled with all her light. There was a snap and the Pegasus fell down to the ground. The jerk forward had broken his neck.

She now had to track down Steamer. She returned to the barn and found his hoof prints in the snow. She followed them and found herself at the barn ors. She busted the doors open with a kick and looked inside. To her side was a pitchfork which she grabbed in her mouth. She began to slowly search the barn.

To her right came a crash and there stood Steamer frozen in fear. He had knocked over a shovel. Applejack thrust the pitchfork into the air. There was a sickening crunch and a squish sound. Applejack looked towards the wall. There Steamer was, hung on the wall by the pitchfork in his chest cavity. He was no longer moving. She had killed the thieves.

Applejack walked out of the barn and over to the pile of embers. Somewhere in there was her family's remains. For all she knew, she was the last Apple family member alive in the wasteland. She sat down next to the embers and had a moment of silence. After a while she stood back up.

"Ah swear, by the power of Celestia, that I will destroy all the gangs like that one! My family's deaths will not be in vain, ah swear it!"

She walked back into the barn. When she came back out she was wearing a winter long coat, a bandana, a backpack with survival supplies, and a lasso. Her spirit wasn't high, but her family was gone. She was going to destroy any gang that brought harm to anypony. She changed her hat to a black one and laid het old hat on the pile of Embers.

"Ah love you....rest in piece."

She then walked off into the distance the.brave the dangers of Nevermoore. Celestia help the gangs she crossed.

Comments

[Calen]

That felt so abrupt. So abrupt that I am suffering from whiplash.

[TranscriptBrony]

Chapters won't be coming too fast due to school and other things :/