Trailblazer The Rescuer

by Trailblazer Rocker

Plunged Into Darkness

"Let me go!!" the six heard AppleJack scream.

All six of them ran into the next room, and found Black Hole standing in front of AppleJack, and a coffin behind both of them. The room was lit with a countless amount of candles that had their own individual shoulder-height stands.

"You're too late, you little pests!" Black Hole yelled at them.

"What is THIS?" Twilight Sparkle questioned.

Black Hole let out some loud maniacal laughter. "Take a good look! Trailblazer, do you remember back at the castle how I didn't want to spoil this surprise?"

"Uh, yeah?" he wondered.

"Well, now is the time to be surprised!" Black Hole lifted a hoof in the air and pointed it at the coffin. "Do you see this coffin behind us? In this tomb sleeps the 2,000 year old treasure of Tethleon! From the depths, the most powerful witch in existance will rise back to life! It will possess AppleJack, and then I will have control of that power, and then everything will be MINE, the way I want it, and you will be finished."

Trailblazer recoiled. "P-... POSSESS her??"

"Trailblazer... I love you... Don't ever forget that..." said AppleJack, fearful that it was their final good-bye.

"Yes... Now, it is time... Arise! ARISE, MAIMTEAU!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Trailblazer ran at him, but Black Hole set up his force field. He ran into it hard, still it was just like running into a wall. Black Hole spread his force field to separate him from the other six so that he couldn't be stopped. While still using his unicorn magic, he lifted the lid off of the coffin, and it fell behind the casket. The candles in the room blew themselves out, and they lit themselves with black flickering flames. Many black waves of dark energy emanated from the coffin, and then grew into a shape of a tornado. A tall dark purple apparation of an ailcorn with black horns, a long flowing dark purple mane, faint dark purple eyes with menacing-looking pupils, and bat wings slowly emerged from the coffin. The spirit stopped when she was fully levitating over her casket.

All over Equestria, the skies began to turn pitch-black. A giant black cloud began to spread all over. None of the ponies questioned it's presence. They all saw the black sky, blocking out the sun, and plunging them into darkness. While Vinyl Scratch and the Wunderbolts were discussing their next show, they noticed the black sky instantly upon them. None of them knew what was going on.

"Huh? What? What's going on...?" Soarin' wondered.

"What's with the sky?" asked Vinyl Scratch.

The nomad herbal medicine group noticed the sky turning dark. They looked around and noticed that the entire area was black.

"R-Randy?" Santos wondered.

"The sky... It's..." but he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence from all of the awe, and all of the ponies didn't need to be reminded.

Out in Marehattan, Applebloom and Big Macintosh were in their aunt's garden, watering the flowers. They noticed that the area around them turned black too as they were watering.

"Big Mac, could ya move?" Applebloom demanded.

"I'm not in yer way..." he said.

Applebloom turned to see her brother in the planter, but way on the other side of it. She looked towards the sky to see that it was also pitch-black.

"...Brother...?" she asked, a bit afraid.

"The sky's turning dark..." he commented.

In Tethleon, the Rising Warriors were in their dojo to train themselves. StarBright was talking to a few of the ones that were on break, trying to warm up to one of the guys, and Mayor Dunnam was watching their progress.

"What... What's THIS?" barked Dunnam.

The trainees stopped and looked out the windows. They were darker than ever, pitch black.

"It's still daytime, isn't it?" asked Celestic.

"It is, but... Why is it so dark?" StarBright pondered.

They all walked outside to see the sky, pitch black.

"Is... Is this related to the treasure??" wondered Dunnam.

Back in the tomb, Mainteau, the Demon Witch, levitated above her coffin.

"Who... Is responsible for calling me back?" she asked slowly.

"It is I, Maimteau!" yelled Black Hole.

She Looked at him skeptically. "You...? Very well. Where is the vessel?"

"Right here! It is the caged mare that is lying down right in front of you!"

After saying that, all eyes were on AppleJack.

"Ahhhhhh... A find vessel indeed. Now, it is time..." The Demon Witch's apparition started to bear a typical ghost's tail, and started to envelope herself around AppleJack.

"No, NO, NO! NO!!" AppleJack started to rock her cage trying desperetly to escape. "HELP ME!"

Trailblazer and the other ponies continued to knock on the force field, trying to break it, but it remained intact. They could do nothing, except to watch helplessly. The room turned a pure white, and the silhouettes of the living beings became pitch black.

An earthquake began to rumble all over the world, terrifying all of the land. Flashes of lightning and claps of thunder crashed down and fell from the black skies. A big windstorm swept the world as it stormed. The cities all over were panicking at the worldwide tremor. Then, the storm subsided, and the tremors stopped. Every pony looked amongst each other, afraid, and confused.

"What... Happened?" wondered Mayor Dunnam.

"Something bad has happened for sure..." the blue pegasus said.

Black Hole lifted his force field, revealing the newly born Maimteau, the Demon Witch. She has taken AppleJack's physical form, and was now standing outside of the cage. Her size stayed the same before the possession, but the colors of her mane, tail, and body matched what Maimteau had. Black horns, a unicorn horn, and bat wings were now in place. Even her hat turned black as well.

Maimteau mumbled some small laughter. "Witness my rebirth."

"AppleJack..." Trailblazer was shuddering.

"Yes, very good, my witch queen. Now, destroy these foolish ponies," ordered Black Hole.

"Who are you that would command me?" she asked. "How can you consider yourself above my class?"

"Wh-WHAT??" Black Hole was confused. "I thought you were bound to obey the one who woke you!" He shook his head. "Enough of this nonsense! Now, do as I say, or I'll send you back into the depths!"

The Demon Witch's eyes glowed green. Black Hole's body began to melt away from the bottom. His legs dissolved into an indigo puddle, and his body started to melt too. The last of his head and neck melted away into a thick oily substance.

"It would have done you well if you knew your place, slave. No one commands me." Her eyes glowed orange, and then what was left of Black Hole burned in a fire and was incinerated into nothing. His matter was completely destroyed.

"My powers seem too weak in a body so unfamiliar... But they will grow with time."

"A... AppleJack..." Trailblazer was shivering. "What the hell kind of being got into you...? I can't..."

"My queen!" The Shadowcolts rose from the floor and into their room. "You have finally returned to us!"

"Aaahhhhh... My dear servants... It has been so long..." The Demon Witch seemed to have a soft side for them. "So, you are the ones truly responsible for reviving me, correct?"

"Ah, yes. You see, 2,000 years ago, we knew of your defeat with the Honor Mirror, so we thought of bringing you back. After some time passed, we spread a rumor that you were a mythical treasure, so that your tomb would be unlocked. It was only recently until I found a pony that wanted to unlock you. I told him the truth about what you are, and I made up a lie saying that he'd have control over you if you were awakened. This got that poor fellow more determined to unlock you, and so, he did. We've been working undercover as his, 'minions', and in doing so, we have found and revived you so you could rule once again like in the past."

Maimteau lifted a hoof to her mouth and smilied. "Hmm mm mm mmm... You have fulfilled your duties admirably."

"We am not worthy, Oh, Queen of Witchcraft," Dark Sun finished.

She took a step forward towards the six ponies. "And, who are these... Beings that stand before me?"

Trailblazer took a step backwards as she made eye contact with them.

"Hmmmm... They do not seem to hold power... Nevertheless, if you become my loyal servants, I will not harm you."

"This is bad... Really bad... VERY bad..." Trailblazer couldn't get a hold of himself. "I don't want to harm AppleJack, but the alternative is just as bad..."

"No!" yelled Rainbow Dash. "We're not coming on her side!"

Maimteau lifted her hoof back to her mouth. "I see... So you defy me. How... Amusing..." Then, her voice grew more intense. "Well, then, you wretched fools. You will learn your place in the netherworld!"

Trailblazer had a faint look of determination on his face from his fear. It then grew more determined, and he dug his hoof at the ground. "Fine... It's time to step up."

"You are foolish to defy me... Yesss, verrry foolish. And that foolishness, will have to be punished." the Demon Witch said.

"What have we gotten ourselves into?" asked Twilight, also somewhat afraid. "If we fall, the world is doomed..."

"I don't like the idea of attacking AppleJack either, but we have to do SOMETHING!" reasoned Rainbow Dash.

"We need to stand up for what's right," Trailblazer said, finally coming to his senses. "It's all or nothing, now, COME ON!"

Mainteau's eyes glowed red, and a lightning bolt struck him, shocking him briefly. He regained his control and charged her. She tried to fake him out, but he stopped before making contact. He then started to jump on her, harming her with each bounce. He hopped on her for 10 consecutive times until he lost his footing and bounced off of her, landing back on the ground. He then punched her and retreated. Retaliating, the Demon Witch got some dead shadowy hooves to rise from the ground underneath Pinkie Pie and dragged her under the floor. There were sounds of scuffle under them. Pinkie was then ejected from the ground and landed hard on the floor, taking some fall damage. This angered her and she ran towards her and circle-strafed her. Rainbow Dash began to fly around, distracting her at the same time. Fluttershy got airborne and did the same thing. Maimteau tried to attack with her unicorn magic, but she couldn't focus on all three at once. Twilight and Rarity began charging their duo-beam attack as Trailblazer rushed in. Pinkie Pie started to bounce on her justlike Trailblazer did a little bit ago. He attacked by continuously kicking her as Pinkie bounced. This angered Maimteau, and she released a wave of black energy that threw both of them backwards, giving her breathing room. Twilight and Rarity released their charged duo beam and struck her with a large laser. After taking that hit, she took to the air and chased after Fluttershy. She tried flying away, but Maimteau unleashed one of her lightning attacks and struck her with it. She was hurt and shocked from it and fell to the ground. Rainbow Dash noticed it and flew towards her to catch her. The Demon Witch chased after her and dove after both of them. With herself directly above them, she dove at a high speed and caught Rainbow Dash and caused her to run into Fluttershy. She then dove straight for the floor and crushed both of them. Fluttershy got incapacitated from the blow and unable to move. Rainbow Dash slowly got up and tried dragging her back to Twilight and Rarity, but she was limping. She, too, was badly hurt. Maimteau saw this as an opportunity and prepared to launch a beam at them. This was stopped by Pinkie and Trailblazer by getting kicked from both sides of her body, and her charge diminished. Rarity ran up to the two pegasi and helped carry Fluttershy back to their group. Pinkie and Trailblazer retreated as well. Maimteau stopped fighting and started to talk.

"Of course... Physical body, physical harm... I must confess that you six are quite powerful after all." She paused. "This body is too unfamiliar to me. Yes, too unfamiliar. Allow me to assume my true self."

After saying that, she started to grow back in size to her original height. She now looked more like a taller version of AppleJack, while still under the Demon Witch's control.

"Here, your attacks are like an infant to me. You are lucky... You will die knowing true terror."

Trailblazer ran up to her while Twilight charged a beam attack. He struck with an uppercut as Twilight's beam connected at the same time. Maimteau remained intact.

"Was that your idea of an attack? Laughable."

"You two try to attack. I'll guard Dash and Fluttershy!" Trailblazer commanded.

After taking that position, Twilight and Rarity charged their duo beam again. It grew into a fat powerful beam, and they fired away. She absorbed it and wasn't hurt by it at all. Maimteau laughed at them again.

"Fools... I am now invincible, and you are still vulnerable."

"Our, attacks aren't, working?" Twilight asked, afraid.

"I fear that this is the end..." Rarity squeaked.

Maimteau simply looked at them again and ceased to attack them. "I will ask you again. Will you serve me? If so, I will forgive you for this."

"If we're going to die..." Trailblazer said as he breathed heavily. "I want it to be a last stand, unwilling to give in..."

The Demon Witch chuckled at him. "Very well..."

All six of them fixed a sharp gaze at her, bracing themselves.

"Then you will all perish."