Three Mares, Brain Injury, And A Dream

by Nyronus

Chapter 4 - "—and land among the stars."

Gladmane was having a wonderful day, no doubt, trotting through town. The air was crisp, and cool, and there was honestly a spring to his step! Bet he thought everything was going fine.

Or at least he would have, if he hadn’t run straight into the best Applejack there ever was.

“Oh, Gladmane, good to see you again, pardner!” She said, grinning.

Gladmane was not so cordial.

“Now listen here, Miss Applejack, I know we’ve had our differences, ahuhuh, but what you said to Ms. Cherry was unsociable! Why, I found her in the tavern late last night, bawling her eyes out!”

‘Applejack’ looked absolutely taken aback, and then folded, sweeping her hat off her head and bowing.

“S’what I wanted to talk to you about. I’m right sorry for what I did. Truth be told, I wasn’t ready to accept your apology, and acted plum the fool to Ms. Cherry. She was right to storm off. I already spoke to her this morning, and ah promise, I ain’t gonna be what comes between you and her anymore.” She looked up. “Can you forgive me, even though I didn’t have it in me to forgive you?”

Gladmane squinted. Then, in less than a second, his suspicious contempt turned into gracious beneficence.

Or at least it would have been if he could help himself from looking smug. Chrysalis wondered if his face was just stuck that way after so long.

“Well, if this will be the last grievance to come between us, I’ll be happy for it, ahuhuh!”

“Put er’ there.” Chrysalis extended a hoof, and Gladmane gladly shook it. They said their goodbyes and parted ways, and Chrysalis assumed Gladmane was off to have himself that fine day he imagined.

Or, at least he would have, if he hadn’t somehow found himself ankle deep in burned rubble, jacket smeared with a mixture of ash and snow, scant two hours later.

“Where… ahah! Hah! Found you.” He looked down at the cuff of his coat sleeve. “How… it don’t matter.” He quickly stuffed whatever he had found in his coat pocket, and turned to beat a hasty retreat.

Only to find ‘Applejack’ barring his way.

“Howdy, Gladmane,” Chrysalis said. “Now, what’re y’all doin’ out here?”

“What am I doing out here? What are you doing out here?!”

“Mornin’ walk.” Chrysalis said, projecting what she felt was a placid smile. A few moments of silence passed, Chrysalis secure in her disguise as foolproof. From Gladmane’s perspective, her expression occupied an uncomfortable position between ‘mild concussion’ and ‘arrogant, hungry toad.’ He was beginning to wonder if her vision was based on movement.

Perhaps that was why he snapped.

“I don’t know what y’all are planning, Applejack, but it ain’t gonna work!” He swept a hoof out angrily. “You got nothing!”

“Got nothing of what, Gladmane?”

“Evidence! You can’t pin this fire on me, and there’s nothing you can say to the yokels of this town that will convince them otherwise! This ain’t like last time, Applejack, I made sure of that, ahuhuh!”

Ah, motive ranting when nervous. Rookie mistake!

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gladmane?”

“Yes you do! You are out here, stalking me, harassing me, getting under my skin, but it ain’t gonna work!” His grin had become positively feral, and he was sweating like a—well, like a sweaty pony.

Chrysalis worked hard these days not to be racist!

“Just you see, Applejack.” Gladmane moved to stride past her. “I’m gonna own this town, in the end, and they’re gonna love me for it!”

Chrysalis waited for him to move past her, and then suddenly kicked a hoof across the snow.

“Ah, shucks.” She said, turning around. “I just remembered – one more thing! Before you go, Gladmane?”

“What?” He said, turning around, exhausted disgust clear on his face.

“Could you repeat all that, a little more loudly. For the sheriff, see?”

“For the sher—”

The crunching of snow cut Gladmane off. He whirled around to see Cherry Jubilee and the Sheriff step out from hiding. Gladmane’s eyes bulged out of his skull as he sucked in a breath. What was with ponies and their weird eyes?

“You can’t be here!” He croaked. “I saw you! In town!”

“And why was you so interested in where I was before you came here, Gladmane?” The sheriff rumbled.

“She set me up!” Gladmane wailed, pointing at ‘Applejack’, “She has a history with me! She ruined me out in Las Pegasus and now she’s finishing the job!”

“Right,” Cherry said. “She said that last night. Right now all I’m hearing is you saying this wasn’t gonna be like ‘last time.’ That us ‘yokels’ were gonna like it when you ran this town!”

“You’ve got nothing!” Gladmane staggered back.

“ ‘Cept that we all jus’ saw you pocket that cufflink, pardner. Awful suspicious, removin’ evidence from the scene of the crime like that, don’tcha think?”

Chrysalis didn’t even try to hide her predatory grin, this time. Gladmane glanced again at the cuff of his jacket. Right at the missing link.

Then he remembered the hoofshake they’d shared in town, and it all clicked into place.

“YOUUUU—” Gladmane swelled up. “CURRRR!”

And with that he charged her, wheezing with every prodigious step.

Right into Chrysalis’s outstretched hind-hooves as she put Applejack’s truly magnificent thighs to work.

Gladmane bounced and made a sound not unlike a deflating balloon as he sprawled out supine, utterly defeated. Ah, good, Chrysalis thought. She’d broken his mind and his body. Never go halfway with the smiting – if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing!

“Ugly business,” the sheriff said, shaking his head. He turned to Cherry Jubilee. “I’m sorry ‘bout this, Ms. Jubilee. We knew somethin’ was fishy, but we never s’pected Gladmane was behind the arson.”

“It’s alright.” Cherry said, her frown relaxing into a dopey smile. “I guess I should trust my new friend over here.”

Chrysalis beamed, utterly missing the discrepancy in what Cherry had said.

“How’d you manage all this?” The sheriff asked, trotting up to her.

“Simple, sheriff,” Chrysalis began. “I knew he was fishy after what happened in Las Pegasus, and he was acting all shifty-like, so I just had to give him means and motive to out himself. I saw that cuff had come off his jacket and put it in a place he could find it. From there, just spread some news evidence had been found at the fire, and told y’all to wait here, knew he’d come running. Then I confronted him, knowing he couldn’t resist gloating, just to be sure – never hurts to have even more proof than necessary, yeah?” See, Old, Worstest Applejack? Chrysalis didn’t even need to lie to get the job done!

She had left out she’d stolen the sheriff’s face to spread that news right in front of Gladmane, and that she’d snatched the cuff off his wrist this morning when she’d gone to apologize to him, but, meaningless details! Muhahahaha! MUAHAHAHAHA, SHE SAID!

Cackling was worth overdoing, too.

“Well, glad you did,” said the sheriff. “Plum shame. Alright.” He leaned down and – with a heave – hurled Gladmane over his shoulder, prompting another undignified rattling wheeze from the conpony. “Time to go.”

And with that, the sheriff carted Gladmane off. Chrysalis grinned at Cherry and said, “By now, the deputy ought’a be returnin’ to the office with your ol’ Calamity Mane boots Gladmane stole, not t’mention the aquifer charts he’d used to sabotage your ranch these past few months. Things’ll be right as rain once the groundwater source is undammed.”

Chrysalis had been thorough in her investigation. Just in case. Investigation is always worth overdoing!

“My hero,” Cherry said, breathless.

And then kissed Chrysalis on the cheek.

Gah! Infernal ponies! With their soft, warm, tender, cherry-scented lips! Chrysalis was so clearly disgusted by this her head was sent reeling, just like if she’d been bonked by the harmony hammer!

(don’tthinkaboutthatdon’tthinkaboutthatdon’tthinkaboutthat)

“Well, I think it’s time to go back and talk with little miss Diamond Tiara, don’t you think?” Cherry said, softly. Why did she have to say it with so much breath, right into her neck?! What was wrong with these ponies?!

“Uhmmrm?” Chrysalis replied, eloquently.

“Well, back when you were off sleuthing she told me a bit more about her plans. I’m out a partner, so maybe I could use the new business, don’t you think?”

Ah, right, of course! Chrysalis had stopped the villain and secured the little filly’s truly Hearth’s Warming wish! Muhahaha! Take that, Applejack! You’ve been replaced, utterly!

“That would be a wise course of action,” Chrysalis muttered. “Uh, sugarcube.”

Cherry giggled.

The two marched back to Cherry’s place to tell Diamond the good news. As soon as she laid eyes on them, Chrysalis noticed that she was oddly preoccupied staring at her hoof, and almost wondered if her disguise was failing until she remembered Cherry’s hoof was firmly wrapped around it. Well, that was rude, wasn’t it, Diamond? Here they were to deliver the good news, and all Diamond could do was stare!

It was cold out, and they’d been standing in the snow! It was only natural for Cherry to want to warm her hooves up like that! And the way the little filly stared while they were talking to her made Chrysalis uncomfortable for some reason!

Eventually Diamond did realize the significance of what Cherry was saying, and rushed off to the post office, leaving Cherry and Chrysalis alone.

“Well, now that we made that filly’s holiday,” Cherry said, locking the door behind Diamond Tiara. “You and me can talk.”

Why did Cherry have to say it like that? And look at Chrysalis like that? Chrysalis was starting to worry she was catching whatever disease Cherry had; her heart was pounding harder than a whole herd of buffalo.

Cherry walked up to Chrysalis, and ran her hoof down the fur of Chrysalis’s barrel. Deliberately. Chrysalis’s heart shot into her throat. She absolutely loved did not care for that.

She then sighed.

“Much as I like that strong back you’re wearing, if this goes much further, things are gonna get weird.” Cherry stepped back and breathed in deep as if to clear her head. “Alright. Doors are locked, blinds are drawn; you can drop the disguise, Chrysalis.”

“What?!” Chrysalis barked, flabbergasted. “I am not, nor have I ever…” Chrysalis hung her head. “... horseapples.”

Cherry laughed.

“How did you guess at such a thing?” Chrysalis-as-Applejack stretched herself upright. She would face her end with dignity.

… did it have to be the end, though? Cherry was just one mare, alone, locked and hidden in her house, all it would take is a quick lunge and a—

BONK!

Chrysalis staggered and Cherry giggled at her sudden disorientation. Oh, what was the point? With this infernal curse, she was less than useless. Her heart hadn’t really been in it, anyway – at this point she’d provoked the hammer just to calm herself down more than anything.

Just let it end.

“Why you looking so glum, girl?” Cherry asked, a note of concern in her amused question. “I knew it was you the whole time.”

“Conna turn mah in.” Chrysalis slurred. “Ta stone wit me.”

“Oh hush,” Cherry booped Chrysalis on the nose, causing her to skitter back like a startled cat. “I will do no such thing! You’re basically harmless. Why, the fact that we’re alone here when I confronted you, and all you’ve done is sulk like a bad puppy is more than proof of that!”

Cherry’s words went straight through Chrysalis like a knife. If Cherry only knew!

“I’m a monster, Cherry.” Chrysalis said, slowly regaining her composure. “A worthless, mad thing, unloved by her children and not to be trusted—”

BONK!

And that’s when Cherry grabbed a newspaper and whapped her.

“YOU IMBECieeeellllee ooohoohoo!” she cried. Chrysalis staggered, bonked in more ways than one. Cherry spat the newspaper out and drew up all-too-close to the thoroughly-disoriented changeling.

“Now, I don’t know where that came from. Or… uh, frankly, what’s going on with you.”

“S’hermeny hemmer.” Chrysalis provided, eloquently. “Shfine.”

“Uh, right.” Cherry straightened up. “Whatever is going on, do you wanna know what I saw? I saw a mare out of her depth do her best to help a filly and a mare in need. A tad jealous maybe, but she tried her best.”

“Wasn’t jealous.” Chrysalis muttered. “Hated his guts. Knew exactly what he was from the moment I saw him.”

“Because he reminded you of yourself?” Cherry finished the thought for her. Another knife, although this one didn’t sting Chrysalis as much.

“... yes.”

“Girl,” Cherry said.

Chrysalis, who had been looking at the ground, did not see the hug coming.

This one… it wasn’t like all the touches and whispers and strange, hungry stares Cherry had been giving before.

It felt… nice. Even Chrysalis had to admit that.

“There, there,” Cherry said, dabbing Chrysalis’s face with a handkercheif for no reason. “Alright. It’s fine.”

“How did you figure it out, anyway?” Chrysalis asked.

Cherry laughed.

“Oh, well, apparently your old buddy Discord knew something was up with the spell to put you in stone. Could tell right away you weren't with your buddies. So Applejack and her friends went around telling all their friends to be on the lookout.” Cherry gave a lopsided grin. “Plus, I already invited Applejack over for Hearth’s Warming, just the two of us, and she apparently was busy up to her britches in prep for a family get-together. Then, suddenly she shows up with a pair of changeling ears, and, well, it weren’t hard to figure!”

Chrysalis sighed. And she'd been doing so well, too! It was just her rotten luck that Cherry had been forewarned. All of that perfect acting, a waste! She conveniently ignored that bit about the ears, that must have been Cherry hallucinating, she decided.

She stepped back and let her disguise finally drop in a flurry of green fire, and frowned at Cherry.

“So what happens now, then?” she asked, dreading the answer. At least Cherry didn't scream, or anything. Chrysalis knew well how frightening her imperious stature was to... to...

... why was Cherry looking at her like that? Her pupils were dilated, and her face flush, breath coming heavy through her nostrils. It was almost predatory. Chrysalis could admire that if it didn't make her feel a little unsafe.

And a little... giddy?

“Well, like I said, I ain’t gonna turn you in, but, uh, before we go on… I do have one request.” Cherry stepped forward and ran her hoof across Chrysalis’s chest again. Why was Chrysalis suddenly so parched?

“Y-yes?”

“Be a friend to Diamond Tiara.” Cherry looked up, the aura she’d been giving off abating for a second. “She didn’t tell me much… but I can see she’s troubled. She needs somepony to look up to, somepony who’ll look out for her.”

What? Diamond Tiara, troubled? Absurd! She was a little filly of steel!

But… perhaps Cherry might be a slightly better judge of character than Chrysalis thought herself to be.

“Alright, I will.”

Cherry leaned in and nuzzled Chrysalis’s chest. It was… rather sweet. She studiously ignored the impulse to think about why she was doing that – or think about anything, really.

“Alright, now that that’s out of the way, by my count we’ve got about twenty minutes or so before Diamond Tiara gets back.” Cherry looked up, grinning, eyes half lidded as she placed both hooves on Chrysalis’s chest. “Perhaps we can get to know each other a little better?”

Something about Cherry's intonation inclined Chrysalis to think maybe, perhaps, there was a deeper meaning in what she'd said. Chrysalis was sharp about these things, picked up on these incredibly subtle cues.

The sashaying hips helped, too. She was jolted by Cherry giggling at her.

“I've never seen a red changeling before,” Cherry said, voice husky.

You know in retrospect staying in Dodge Junction for a while longer wouldn't be so bad, Chrysalis decided, very rapidly but obviously with the clear-headed strategy of a brilliant tactician. Yes, yes, this was, uh, the most effective, uh, method of revenge, somehow. Details.

And really, this was good! She could, uh, harvest love from Cherry, that was it! She had plenty, but she could always use more! That's what this was about! She'd take the love, and use it to wreak havoc on—

BONK!

~The End~

Comments

[Hobbestc]

This was ridiculously amazing.10/10 Best Applejack!

[Thought Prism]

I wasn't expecting Cherry to be unsubtly flirting with Chrysalis the whole time, but damn if it wasn't funny seeing the former queen be so oblivious to it.