Home Sweet Home

by Wheller

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Nightcaller stood at the very edge of the Everfree forest, watch Fluttershy’s cottage intensely. The Paragon of Order had broken their hold over Applejack, which was most unfortunate, Applejack had been the most useful pony that they had influenced, and she displayed just the right amount of hostility, just the right amount of xenophobia, just the right amount of everything to sow chaos in the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

The Siblings Nightmare had every reason to want to keep the bearers in conflict with each other, the more of them at odds the better. That was self preservation; the Elements of Harmony were the only bit of magic that could be used to stamp them out forever. Harmony after all, was a synonym of order.

Truly speaking, as long as one of the bearers was at odds with the other, then they were fine. They only worked when they were all together, having five of them were useless. The only problem was who they still had under their influence. Rarity.

Influence was a fickle thing; it didn’t always give the results that were desired. The Siblings didn’t want to control them directly, that kind of defeated the purpose. They were chaos, controlling them directly would establish a hierarchy, a concept of order. Since they didn’t want to control them directly, what actually happened was up in the air. Some became angry, some began to doubt themselves, some became jealous of others, and some became passive all together.

Rarity was “suffering” from the last one, which was frankly the weakest of all. Somepony had to breathe in her direction and it would break their influence over her. This left the siblings with few options.

Nightcaller had observed Fluttershy while posing as a psychiatrist at the Royal Hospital, Fluttershy had been his patient; he had discovered quickly that Fluttershy was not suitable for their purposes. She was too unpredictable.

Oh how the irony stung. Fluttershy was too chaotic to be useful to their purposes. The Siblings Nightmare did not want somepony who had an equal chance of becoming either a homicidal psychopath or an individual suffering from an extreme case of agoraphobia... and in Fluttershy’s case, the former was more likely, considering what she had suffered from during her time at the Royal Hospital.

The Siblings were out of options, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash had become resistant to their influence, Applejack and Pinkie Pie had fallen to Overdrive’s control, and Rarity was useless. Fluttershy was their only option.

“Having fun brother?” Nightshadow asked as he appeared at his brother’s side.

“You are late,” Nightcaller said.

“You will like my reason why,” Nightshadow said. “And I am still here before Nightsinger.”

“Spill,” Nightcaller said.

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders broke the ashen ring in the caves in Whitetail Wood,” Nightshadow reported.

“Did they?” Nightcaller said, a sadistic grin appearing on his face. “Well, now that certainly is good news. Your tardiness is forgiven... Nightsinger on the other hoof...”

“I am here, brothers,” Nightsinger said, landing softly on the ground in front of them. “Forgive me, the other matter presented itself, I took time to investigate.”

“Very well,” Nightcaller said. “Are we ready?”

“Ready as ever,” Nightsinger said.

The Siblings Nightmare formed into the Black Smoke, howling and approaching Fluttershy’s cottage.

Ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka!

The Black Smoke smashed through Fluttershy’s chicken coup, ripping the chickens inside to pieces and tossing their bodies about everywhere. Finishing the task, the black smoke went away, back towards the Everfree forest.

Ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka!

Fluttershy opened her front door, shaking with fear at the loud noises that had just torn through the area. She looked around, her eyes widening in shock, the bodies of all her chickens lay, mostly dismembered, about the entirety of her front garden. Tears formed in the Pegasus mare’s eyes. She dropped to her knees and began to cry. After a few moments she looked up, anger had filled her eyes, and she let out a scream of rage.

...

Applejack had turned tail and ran from the Library, she was frightened, and she didn’t know what was happening to her.

Twilight and Rainbow had gone after her, but she was sure she had lost them at this point. Applejack was sitting in the cellar of a random house in town that she had ducked into, crying. She didn’t understand what was happening to her.

“Is everything all right Applejack?” said a voice that she had not heard in quite some time.

Applejack’s eyes snapped forward, and her mouth fell open in shock. Sitting before her was the spectral form of Monty Ulhan.

“Yer... yer dead!” Applejack said.

Monty said nothing. “You’ve been given the gift to be able to see me,” he finally added.

Applejack looked at him; she was confused as to what he meant. He simply pointed at his eyes; they too, were blood red. Just like her’s.

“Ah don’t want ‘em!” Applejack called out.

“That is most... unfortunate,” Monty said, “However, the times when you made choices for yourself are over. You will do what I tell you to do; otherwise I will murder all of your friends.”

“Monty Ulhan would never harm mah friends! ‘Cuz they’re his friends too!” Applejack snapped at him. “Ah don’ know who ya’ll are, but ya ain’t him!”

Monty said nothing, he formed into a cloud of grey smoke, and then reformed again, with a flash of light, Overdrive, the Paragon of Order was standing before her.

“Quite correct,” Overdrive said in his monotone, emotionless voice. “I, however, have no such reservation.”

Applejack began to tremble with fear, she backed herself up into the corner; the spectral Alicorn approached her.

“All right! Ah’ll do whatever ya want! Just don’t hurt mah friends!” Applejack cried out.

Overdrive allowed himself to smile. “Excellent.”

...

Vinyl Scratch and Scootaloo had run from the caves in Whitetail Wood all the way to Ponyville, not stopping until they reached the Library, throwing open the door and slamming it behind them.

Vinyl and Scootaloo were breathing hard, slumping down to the ground in exhaustion.

“Scootaloo...” Vinyl managed between pants. “Those caves... you can’t... ever go there... they’re not... safe... not anymore.”

“I don’t understand,” Scootaloo said.

Vinyl didn’t either to be perfectly honest, she didn’t know what those caves were about, but she did know that the ashen ring was able to keep the Siblings Nightmare out, which had to mean that there was something being kept in those caves that they wanted. What it was, and who had put it there was anypony’s guess.

They heard loud groaning from another room, and out trotted Princess Luna, finally awake from after her escape from the Canterlot dungeons. Luna blinked and looked at the two mares before her.

“Hey... it’s you! The Pips Domino fan!” Luna said, having forgotten Vinyl’s name in the confusion.

“Vinyl Scratch,” Vinyl said. “This little pipsqueak here is Scootaloo,” Vinyl added with a grin, playfully ruffling Scootaloo’s mane.

“Where is Twilight Sparkle?”

...

Big Macintosh and Elliot Southerland hadn’t moved from their spot the entire night, save Elliot tea run. His tea cup sat full on a table cold from a night of not being touched.

The door opened, and a very tired looking unicorn surgeon walked towards them.

“Doctor?” Big Macintosh asked him.

“It’s Mister, actually, surgeons are called ‘mister’ comes from a time long ago when surgeries were performed by barbers,” the Surgeon said. “I’m Mister Yorrick; I’ve come to talk to you about Apple Bloom.”

Big Macintosh’s eyes widened. “Is she okay?”

Mister Yorrick sighed, “Well we’re doing everything we can... but I’m not going to lie to her, her injuries were... extensive. There is a good chance that she might never walk again... there is another matter, a child brought in with extensive injuries... requires us to notify the police and social services about the possibility of abuse... the police are already here, and they’re going to want to talk to you...”

“Ah’ll talk ta them,” Big Macintosh said. Almost on cue, two earth ponies clad in coats walked around the corner towards the draught pony and his kangaroo companion.

“I’m DS Lucky,” the blue coated, black maned earth pony stallion said. “This is DC Banana Crème,” he added, gesturing towards the unicorn mare with a yellow coated, and crème coloured mane.

“Ah’m Big Macintosh,” Big Macintosh said plainly. “This is mah friend Elliot,” he added, gesturing towards the kangaroo beside him.

“Right... well mister Macintosh, where exactly do you and your sister reside?”

“Sweet Apple Acres, it’s an Apple farm in Ponyville,” Big Macintosh said.

“Lucky? Isn’t that where we were this morning?” Banana Crème asked.

“Why were ya at Sweet Apple Acres?” Big Macintosh asked.

“This mare by the name of Applejack had climbed up on top of the barn, she was ready to jump off... because...” Lucky said. His voice trailed off. “Because she had hurt her sister...”

Lucky and Banana Crème looked at each other, realising the connection.

“Thank you Mister Macintosh, you’ve been a great help!” Lucky said, the detective ponies turned and walked away, leaving Big Macintosh and Elliot Southerland standing there confused.

“Wait! Wha’ happen ta Applejack!” Big Macintosh called out after them.

Comments

[Professor Donger]

this story is interesting even though i have no idea whats going on XD

[Fallen Knight]

4893

"Chronology notes:
Stop! You are reading the Ninth story in the series started by The Kindness of Strangers!"

Warning at chapter 1, just go to Whellers profile and start from the first story :)

[Wheller]

I bolded the chronology notes. I don't know how they could be any more clear and visible >.<

[DreadedCandiru2]

As I said elsewhere, Applejack doesn't like the price she had to pay for her resurrection; she'd probably rather have had her suicide attempts succeed or trade places with Apple Bloom than join Pinkamena in working for Overdrive. That being said, Psychoshy might present the trio with a spot of bother; if THEY think that she's too chaotic, their recruiting her could backfire.

[Starcat5]

Oh boy... First, the Chaos Sibs are idiots, since Harmony is a Balance between Chaos and Order. Chaos begets change, without which, life cannot exist. Order creates a framework for life to exist IN. ...I take it back. It is Overdrive that is the idiot for not realizing that HE is just as vulnerable to the elements as the Sibs are.

Second, Fluttershy is ALREADY suffering from an extreme case of agoraphobia. ...wait, that DOES mean "A fear of hights", right?

[Qub3d]

17526

Agoraphobia is fear of open spaces in general, actually. Those with severe cases have been known to not leave their homes for decades.