Harmony's Savior (Sequel to Love on the Orchard)

“Well this cave system spans for a few miles but I’m sure I can get us out no problem.”

I spoke up

“Well the castle should be right above us but the problem is Queen Chrysalis is taking over as we speak. Avari can that teleport of yours take more then one pony and if so how far can it take us?”

She had a smile of confidence and said.

“Honey you just tell me where you wanna go and I can take us there.”

“Dad there is somewhere I want to show you and when you see it you’ll know it.”

He nodded and motioned me to his side while Avari flared her wings and gently blanketed us with them.

“Okay so this might feel weird for all you first timers so get ready.”

“Dad what does she mean by feel weird?”

Before he had a chance to speak the cave walls began to crack with green electricity bouncing off the walls. With a bright flash the Queen of the changlings appeared before us.

“So you thought you could escape with your father did you?”

I could feel my father’s intensity as he stood brushing off Avari’s wing from around his shoulders.

“Avari get my son out of here now!”

His voice was calm yet strong. He stood before the Queen and five of her personal guard the aura of silent confidence emanating from him was powerful.

“Dad don’t fight her please we can make it out of here together!!!!”

“Get back to her Lil buddy. Get back to Applejack she needs you more then ever right now.”

“D…Dad how do you know about Applejack and I?”

He turned and smiled to me before Avari’s shadow teleport took effect and said.

“Luna told me everything. I love you son.”

“DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

That was the last word I could speak before I appeared back at Sweet Apple Acres. I was only able to see him for a few short moments and then he was taken from me again by her. I fell to tears and rage when I reached the ground after Avari and I appeared at the farm ground.

“Damn….I could have been there with him fighting her. I could have saved him. CELESTIA DAMN IT I LOST HIM AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Avari walked over to me placing a hoof on my head to try and calm me.

Tears streamed down my face but I knew what I had to do and nothing was going to stop me. I knew however that I could not do it alone. I began to make my way over to the house where my angel was awaiting my return. I turned my head and asked Avari what she was planning.

“Avari what are you going to do now?”

“I don’t really know to be honest. I have no where to go really….”

It took her a few moments to realize it but I walked over to her and embraced her tightly.

“W..why are you..?”

“You do have a place to go.”

I reached into my pocket and reviled a key to her which I placed in her hoof.

“What is this for?”

“This is the key to my personal chambers at the Earthstrider barracks. It is a few miles east of the castle near a cliff. This key will get you into my room there. Feel free to use that room as much as you like and that barracks is far enough away from the castle that not even Chrysalis knows about it.”

“It’s like you two are the same being.”

“He raised me to be honourable and to help those in need. I love my father and so I will always follow in his foot steps.”

My father’s kindness still found its way through my anger to lend a hand to another pony. My anger finally faded but the tears still remained. I was only with him for a short while and then he had to leave again to protect me. I should have done something I just should’ve.

“Be safe Avari. I will come find you when it is time to take back the castle. Until then may Luna’s light shine upon you.”

Before I was able to to turn around to leave for the house Avari grabbed me and pulled me into an embrace.

“Thank you Rio. This means a lot to me.”

I smiled through my tears and told her.

“Always happy to help out.”

With the same puff of black smoke that brought us here together became her means of teleporting to the Earthstrider barracks. When her figure vanished from my sight I began making my way once again to the Apple family home stopping by the Cutie Mark Crusader’s clubhouse to find Applebloom sleeping there with her close friends Sweetiebell and Scootaloo.

On other circumstances I’d just let them sleep but tonight was a bit of a cold night. It reminded me of one of the first nights I ever spent here. I was pretty banged up that night. I chuckled lightly at the memory though it was painful it was also a happy memory. The wind had picked up slightly and I gathered the three sleeping fillies and brought them all into the house.

Thankfully Appleblooms bed was big enough to fit all three of them. When I finished wrapping them up in the bed sheet making sure that they’d be nice and warm I only made it half way out the door when I heard Appleblooms sleepy voice calling. She let out an adorable yawn before speaking.

“Rio is that you?”

“Hey Applebloom. Ya its me. Everything alright?”

“No….I missed you so much. It has been three weeks since ya’ll came back I was worried sick and so was Applejack.”

My eyes widen with shock.

“Three weeks. No that can’t be. Applebloom are you sure?’

“Yea three weeks.”

I couldn’t believe it had been that long. It only felt like hours being held in that prison. I had to keep a smile through my shock and thankfully the darkness in her room helped with keeping my expression masked.

“I’m sorry Applebloom but I’m here now and everything will be okay.”

“Promise Rio?”

I walked over and kissed her forehead to reassure her.

“You have my word little Applebloom.”

She wrapped her little arms around my neck to hug me tightly and I gently returned the kindness.

“Love ya lil sis.”

“Love you to big brother.”

“I’ll see you in the morning okay?”

“Okay. goodnight Rio.”

She said yawning again.

“Goodnight Applebloom sleep well.”

She nodded while still hugging me. I gently placed her back in her bed next to her friends and re wrapped the blanket around her again to keep her warm. I left the room and kept the door open just enough to let some light in. I passed by big Macintosh’s room to find him and Cheerlie sleeping there together. I let out a sigh of happiness and chuckled silently.

“Finally they moved in together I was wondering what took em so long to do that.”

I could see Big Mac’s arms resting over top Cheerlie’s shoulder. Cheerlie was resting her head on Big Mac’s chest and they were both sound asleep so I made sure not to make any noise when I left the edge of the room. I held a smile across my muzzle all the way to Applejack’s room.

I made sure then I had everything that I needed so then when morning would come I could give Applejack my full and undivided love. I reached into my pocket where the Ring was resting. I pulled it out and caressed it. A slight smile appeared on my face and I knew in my heart that tomorrow morning was going to be one of the greatest days in my life.

When I arrived I slowly moved in keeping my noise to a bare minimum. I didn’t want to wake her obviously. I came to my side of the bed and noticed AJ had something in her arms held very close to her. She had been crying before she fell asleep. My eyes adjusted to the darkness in the room and I realized what it was.

It was a stuffed toy of some sort. Looked fairly new too. Though my eyes were adjusted to the night I still couldn’t make out the details of it so I just left it for closer inspection in the morning. My curiosity would get the better of me in then.

I lifted the comforter and sat on the side of the bed. I could feel my uniforms weight lifting off my shoulders after so long a period. I felt light as air afterwords.

*sigh*

“Much better.”

I turned to Applejack and I could still see remnants of tears on her face. It broke my heart seeing those tears there. I knew what I had to do. I crawled towards her and wrapped my arms around her body and held her close placing her head softly on my chest. The reaction was sort of what I expected but my heart felt as though it were being crushed within me as I heard her speak. Her voice was filled with tears and disbelief and her speech was filled with sniffles and whimpering.

“Rio….no it can’t be you…..it just can’t be. Please I don’t want any more nightmares….let me wake up so I don’t have to see your image any more. I can’t stand not being able to see you for real…..please just….. just let me wake up. Oh Celestia I love you Rio……why did…..why did you have to disappear from my life?”

I dug my hoof under where her side was resting and pulled her over top of me.

“AJ….AJ listen to me. I’m here now darlin. I will always be here. From now on I will not leave your side again.”

Her whimpers were taking over her will to listen and there was only one thing I knew that would work. One thing I knew she would feel and that would break the damage done to her heart and let her know I was real here and now.

“Applejack. I love you my sweet angel.”

I pulled her into the deepest most meaningful embrace and locked lips with her until she needed to breath. This motion I knew would wake her up for various reasons. The most important reason being that she knew I was real and that I was no illusion.

When the kiss was broken and she was gasping for air that woke her from her semi dream state. It basically was a kicker. She lifted herself arching her back and using her front legs as support as she looked down at me in disbelief. Her eyes widened as she stared at me as if seeing an apparition.

“Rio….Oh Celestia Rio you’re here you’re real. Oh Rio darlin I was so scared I was never going to see you again. Rio please please please never scare me like that ever again. I couldn’t stand not being able to see you again. I…I’ve just not been myself since you left. I…”

I pulled her into my arms and let her drain what sorrow she had left in her heart. I began to speak words of comfort to her as she let her sorrows leave her.

“Applejack my dearest love. I Rio Earthstrider give you my word that I will never leave your side by any means. I will always love you through thick and thin. Through the worst of storms and through sickness and in health. You will always be the one mare whom my heart belongs with and will stay with forever more.”

She lifted herself to get a better view of me. It took her a few moments to realize but I was giving her my vows of marriage.

“Rio what are you doing? Are you…are you proposing to me?”

I raised my head to meet her gaze and spoke the words that I so terribly wanted to tell her after so many years of being her partner in life.

“Applejack I have been with you for as long as I can remember. You have brought joy to my soul and love to my world. You have kept my heart warm and never alone and now I Rio Earthstrider wish to give you the same kindnesses that you have given me. I wish to share my life with you forever till the day of my final rest.”

“Applejack will you be my partner for life…. Will you marry me my sweet angel?”

“Oh my Rio I….I…”

Before she was able to answer Demi warped into the room in a flash of green light that nearly blinded me.

“RIO GET OUT OF BED CHANGELINGS ARE APPROACHING IN MASS!!!!!!!!!”

“what no how?”

“Applejack wake your family and get them to safety quickly darlin.”

I spoke with an authoritative voice. I had my uniform half way one when she stopped me.

“Rio its okay sweetheart there is no need to worry because it’s already too late.”

“What are you talking about?”

Before my question was answered she pinned me to the ground where I stood and transformed into her changeling form.

“What are yo….ugh…wha…huh.”

My body became numb. This changeling was a female and they were considered extremely dangerous for the skin excreted a poison that leaves their victims immobile. I could not move no matter how hard I tried. I felt as though my body was not my own at all.

“You…yo..huh…n…where…is…applejack?”

The female spoke up with a devilish smirk

“You needn’t worry about her earthstrider she will become one of us soon enough. Fear not you two will be together again in time. When you both become changelings yourselves heh heh heh.”

I looked upon Demi who held a smirk and a few moments after reaching out to him he too changed into a changeling as well.