Joe and Nebula: A Tale of Two Evils

Chapters

A Greater Good...
Revelations
New toys
An innocent's death
Birthday Time
A Pony To Save
The End
Next Story
Epilogue

A Greater Good...

Joe woke with a start. He had had another one of the nightmares that plagued him almost every night now. He started to move he felt the soreness in his legs and back. He hadn't had a good sleep since he started having the nightmares. He felt something stirring next to him and he froze. Applejack had worked extra hard yesterday while he had been away in Canterlot. She deserved some rest.

As he walked down the stairs, he heard a rustling in the kitchen. When he reached the landing he saw Big Mac cooking something on the stove top. Joe walked in, his stomach growling the entire time. He pulled back a chair and sat down, hearing this, Big Mac turned off the stove top and went to sit at the table. He put down a coffee mug In front of joe which he accepted and started sipping from it.

"So Joe, you and my sister have gotten, well, close." Big Mac said, pulling up a chair. Joe just nodded. "And are you guys, well you know, ummm, you know." He said looking slightly embarrassed.

"Are we what?"Joe asked stretching his back and popping his neck.

"We Um, you know," he said making a motion with his hooves. Joes expression changed from one of curiosity to one of embarrassment.

"N-no, we haven't done that." Joe said rubbing the back of his neck. Big Mac nodded and went back over to the stove and finished cooking the eggs. Applebloom walked down the stairs rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. We perked up when she saw Joe.

"Hey Joe, you wanna come crusading with me and the girls today. We're gonna get our cutie marks for music." She said with a hopeful smile on her face.

"Music ehh, I might be able to help with that. I played a few instruments in my world." He said scratching his chin.

"So you'll come." She said with her smile growing.

"Ya, I'll join you after I help applejack." He said. Her smile died.

"But that'll take forever." She complained.

"It won't take to long, I just gotta finish up my share from yesterday while I was away. It should only take an hour or two." He said as Big Mac sat down three plates of eggs on the table.

Joe ate his eggs quickly and headed out the front door and went to work on the apple orchard. He couldn't get thought of home out of his head. He wondered about victor and his other friends. He wondered about his house, he wondered about what the people on earth thought of him randomly disappearing. He heard a branch snap behind him. He turned around, startled. He started hearing whispers and a bush started rustling. He walked over to it and parted the branches. The cutie mark crusaders were just sitting there staring at him. All except sweetie belle who stared dreamily at him.

"What are you doing here. I told you I would be done soon and then we could go." He said, slightly frustrated.

"But Joe, you are finished. That's the last tree here." Applebloom said pointing up to the tree that he had just finished. "So technically we weren't diss obeying." She said. Joe sighed and put the last apples on the cart and hitched it to his back and started to pull. He felt the fillies jump in as well, adding weight to the already heavy cart. He unfolded his wings and began flapping them to get a little more propulsion. He brought the cart into the barn and unhitched it and started walking towards the door. The girls followed behind him and they headed towards vinyl's studio.

They pushed open the door and walked in. Vinyl came up and greeted them.

"Hey Joe, what can I do for you today." She said, her pink tinted sunglasses hiding her eyes.

"The girls wanted to try their hooves at music. Do you think they could help them out." I said. She nodded and motioned for them to follow her. She led them through a pair of double doors and into a padded room full of instruments.

"I had to have it sound proofed because of these two last time." She said pointing at applebloom and scootaloo. "Tavi almost killed me." Joe just chuckled. As the girls took to the instruments and started making "music", he couldn't help but notice that sweetie belle had some real talent. "So Joe, you play anything?"vinyl asked handing him a soda.

"Ya, I used to play the piano and the trombone when I was a human, but I haven't tried as a pony." He said taking a drink of his soda.

He heard scootaloo ask what the instrument with a slide is and realized that vinyl had one. He realized that it was his chance to resume his passion. Making music. He walked towards her.

"Do you know how to play that thing." He asked her. She shook her head. He reached down and picked it up and balanced himself up on two hooves and spread his wings for balance. He put the cold mouthpiece up to his lips and began to blow. His lips vibrated on the inside of the metal, sending a low tone flowing out of the bell. He grasped the slide brace in his hoof and began to move it along the length of the slide, moving his tongue to the roof of his mouth in a rhythm that he had known so well. The end result was garnet, a trombone solo that he had played at a competition when he was in seventh grade. All the ponies, including Octavia who had joined them whil he was playing sat there and listened in silence. When he finished and put the slide lock on the trombone and put it on the stand. He turned to the ponies to see all of them except Octavia sitting there with their mouths open. Octavia began to clap, slowly.

"Good job, good job indeed." She said. She held out a hoof. "My names Octavia, I play for the ponyville symphony orchestra." Joe shook her hoof.

"I'm Joe, I played in the wildcats honor band in high school before going to college and then becoming a pony to save my best friend." She looked at him oddly. Vinyl leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Her expression changed from one of confusion to one of understanding. As he and Octavia talked a pony appeared in the shadows. It was a great white stallion with a black mane and a scarred muzzle. He stepped out if the shadows and revealed himself.

"Hello Joe, I've waited along time for this." Nebula said out loud. Joes pupils shrank at the sound of the voice. He mumbled something.

"Who is he Joe, what's going on?" Applebloom asked scared.

"Get out, go back to the farm. If I don't come back, tell Big Mac to get ready to fight." He said turning to face the white stallion. Vinyl and Octavia lead the other three ponies out of the room while Joe and nebula stared daggers at each other. Joes look of suprise replaced with one of hatred and murder.

"Oh Joe, you know I won't kill you. Not yet. But it was wise to get the other ponies out." Nebula said drawing an evil looking dagger from within his cloak. "But that doesn't mean I can't have some fun with you." He said twirling the dagger in his hands and approaching Joe. He lunged at Joe. But he was ready and kicked up, knocking the dagger from his hands. Nebula didn't expect this and scrambled for the dagger but Joe was quicker. He flew over and bucked him in the ribs. Nebula crumpled onto the ground where Joe pinned him by the shoulders and began to beat him with his right hoof. After a few right crosses he picked the stallion up by the hair and looked him in the eyes.

"If you EVER come near me or my family again, I won't hesitate to kill you." He said. She stallion chuckled and spit out some blood. He then produced a small blade and plunged it into joes should. His horn sparkled and he disappeared leaving Joe there with his wound. He pulled the dagger out fighting back tears. He sniffed the dagger and his mouth went dry. This didn't smell like metal, this was poisoned. He clutched his shoulder as the ringing in his ears began. He flew out of the studio and made a break for the farm. He only made it to the town square before he passed out and the nightmares began.

Revelations

Joe ran down a long hallway that felt like it went on forever. It probably did. Joe would never know. As he ran the walls around him started to crumble and collapse. The dealing above him fell. It landed on Joe, pinning him to the concrete floor. He felt a stone hit his head and a trickle of blood start to run from his scalp and down his face. He knew it was a dream, he had done nothing but dream since he collapsed in the square. He wanted to wake up. He just couldn't. His dream self looked up to see nebula standing over him, the same twisted grin spread across his face. He brandished a club with an evil glinting his eyes. He drew it back and slammed it into joes ribs. He winced, he didn't know why but he could feel pain in his dreams.nightmares is a better term for what was happening to him. Nebula pulled back again and cracked the bat over his flank.

"Pervert!" Joe yelled turning around with a half grin on his face. This infuriated nebula. He drew back the bat Sam led him right across the face. Joe had to blink the stars out of his eyes. He tasted blood in his mouth and spit out a wad of it onto the white stallion's coat. Nebula was furious. He brought the bat over the back of his head and slammed it down hard on Jose's head. That was the last nightmare.

Joe woke with a start, his brown body drenched in sweat. He looked around the room. It was night and he was in the hospital. He looked at his shoulder where he remembered being stabbed. The area around it had been shaved, exposing the sickly green flesh below. He touched it gingerly. It stung like nothing he had ever felt before. He bit his lip and held back the tears. He looked over to his right to see a heart monitor which had been switched off. He examined it closely. now why would someone turn this off.he asked himself. He looked over to his left and saw a chair occupied with the most amazing sight he had ever seen. Applejack was curled into a ball on the chair, asleep. Joe leaned over despite the pain in his shoulder and tapped her on the nose. Her eyes fluttered open to see the brown pony leaning out of his bed.

"You awake!" She exclaimed. She jumped onto the bed and wrapped him up in a warm hug. Their lips locked and Joe forgot the pain he felt for a moment. She pulled back as the door to his room opened. In walked the nurse, amber. She walked over to him and looked him in the eyes.

"You should be dead. The amount of poison on that blade was enough to kill the strongest pony,twice." She said grimly.

"You sure know how to deliver dark news. How long was I out anyway." He asked her with applejack still sitting next to him.

"About three weeks, they said you were a lost cause and would never wake up. They switched off your heart monitor because they didn't think you needed it." Applejack said looking dreamily at Joe.

"I'll leave you two alone for a while." Amber said walking outa of the room. Joe unfolded his wings and examined the mess of broken and bent feathers. He began to yank out the broken ones and throw them on the floor. Applejack came over and started to help him. Joe examined his newly preened wings and folded them back. Applejack jumped off the bed and began to head for the door.

"I guess I'll let you rest for a bit, I'll be back in the morning with my friends." She said as she reached for the handle. Joe unfolded his wings and began to hover in the air. He yanked the IV out of his arm and flew towards the door. He picked up applejack and flew out the window.

Amber heard a commotion inside the room and walked in. She looked around to find an empty room. "Mother bucker," she said. And walked back out. It was to early to deal with that kind of stuff.

Outside in the frigid but pleasant air Joe flew around with a surprised applejack on his back.

"Joe, you should be resting." She said closing her eyes.

"Come on, I've been resting for three weeks." He said picking up the speed.

"P-put me down. I can't stand heights." She said covering her eyes with her hoof. Joe shrugged and sat her down. It was surprisingly soft. Applejack opened her eyes and shrieked. She was standing on a cloud. How was that even possible. She looked over at Joe who was sitting next to the trembling applejack.

"Your not falling through the cloud because this one has been enchanted." He said looking out at the moon. "All of them are, to keep ponies in hot air balloons from falling." He said. This calmed applejack down a little bit. He reached over and put his leg over her shoulder. This calmed her down completely and she snuggled closer to him.

"Who was the pony that attacked you." Applejack asked. Joe sighed, he couldn't keep it to himself any more.

"He is a pony called nebula, he is hellbent on destroying everyone and everything I love, Including you and your family. He confronted me at vinyl's studio in hopes of scaring me. It's the reason I sent applebloom to you and told her to together Big Mac ready to fight." He said grimly. She looked at him, the fear in her eyes replaced by anger and the then compassion.

"You knew about this for how long?" She asked.

"About a year." He said bluntly.

"And you carried it with you. The threat of constant death and pain with you all the time. And you told no pony. You are one of the strongest ponies I have ever met and I am proud to call you my friend." Applejack said. Joe frowned.

"I-I thought we were more than friends." He asked. Applejack turned to face Joe, a tear in her eyes. She wrapped him up in a hug and kissed him passionately. That was one of the best nights ever.

New toys

Joe and nebula: A tale of two evils chapter 3

In the days following joes awakening, twilight's brother had showed up in town to visit a single pony in particular. He had heard about what had happened and was coming to see for himself. Joe, in the meantime, had been practicing his flying. He didn't fly as much as he should have and he was out of practice. He was circling the farm from above, testing his speed when he saw a white pony with a long blue mane approaching the fence. Joe angled down and flew towards him. Landing next to shining armor with a dull thump that obviously surprised him.

"What can I do for you shining armor." Joe asked folding his wings.

"Oh, hi there. I heard about the stabbing." He said glancing at the fresh bandage on his shoulder. "I came here to teach you how to use one of these." He said drawing his sword. He then pulled another blade out of a second scabbard and hands it to Joe. He tested the edge. Razor sharp. The blade was light weight but balanced at the crosspiece. The Handel was a worn leather strap wrapped around a brass handle with a steel pommel.

"Uh, thanks shining. But, I won't just be able to carry around a sword at my hip around town or while working." Joe said giving him back the sword.

"I thought you would say that." Shining said taking back the sword. He them tossed him some work gloves. New ones that were a little longer and went up his fore hoof a few more inches. He pulled his off and put the new ones on. He flexed his hoof to test the movement and a wicked sharp blade came out from his wrist.

"GAAAAAHHHHH!" He jumped back. The blade receded into the glove. "What is this." Joe asked.

"That is a little item we gave the farmers of Canterlot to take care of any raiders. I call it the hidden blade." Shining armor said with a smirk. Joe stood back on his back hooves and flexed his hooves again and the blades shot out. About a foot and a half long each coming to a pointed tip. The double edged blade was razor sharp. Through closer examination there was a steel plate under the leather on his hoof and forearm. Shining armor took his sword and swung it down at Joe. Joe threw his hooves up to protect himself and the blade deflected off.

"Good, your a fast learner." Shining armor said with a smile.

"What the buck!" Joe yelled trembling.

"That's what the steel plates are for, blocking swords and daggers." Shining said.

"We'll a little warning next time would be great." He said.

"Alright, heads up." He said swiping his sword across. Joe ducked a second to late and sliced off a bit of his mane.

"Your really starting to piss me off." Joe said growling.

"Your enemy isn't going to give you a heads up." Shining said with a malicious smile. His horn shimmered and his mane turned black as well as his eyes and his scars appeared. Joe's heart stopped as shining armor transformed from the captain of the guard to the bane of his existence, nebula.

"Surprise!" Nebula said pulling his sword back. Joes fear turned to rage. He spread his wings and took to his element, the sky. Nebula saw this and shot a magical bolt. Joe ducked underneath it and swooped down at the white pony. Nebula readied his blade. Joe saw the cone of a sonic boom(only a rainbow when dash does it) formed i front of him. Then it burst, propelling Joe forward at impossible speeds. He plowed into nebula, throwing him to the ground and sending him over the fence. While the whit pony was daze Joe pinned him to the ground and began throwing right hooks into the jaw of the pony. The desperate pony's horn began to glow and shimmer but Joe delivered a quick uppercut, breaking the pony's concentration, and his jaw. Joe picked up the sorry excuse of a stallion and held him at hoofs length.

"Any last words, you twisted bastard." Joe said flicking his hoof, ensheathing the blade.

"Ya, look behind behind you." Nebula said, disappearing into thin air. Confused, Joe turned around and got tackled by the white pony. They rolled around in the dirt until nebula pinned the brown pony to the ground. He withdrew a dagger and started to lover towards his wings, Joe knew exactly what he was going to do. Joe pulled back his rear legs and slammed them into nebula's belly, sending him flying across the dirt road.joe hopped up and flew over to the pony that was now bleeding heavily from a cut on his cheek. He picked him up and flew towards ponyville. He was going to handle this scum correctly, by hand delivering him to the captain of the royal guard himself.

As he flew over ponyville, his baggage began to stir. Nebula opened his eyes and saw Joe holding him. He looked down to see ponyville. And the sight he feared the most, shining armor. The real shining armor. Nebula refused to be caught. He punched Joe in the shoulder where he had been stabbed. Joe dropped him and clutched his arm. The white pony spread his arms out and drew his blade. He was prepared to kill, and fast. He dropped onto shining armor's shoulders, hearing his leg crack and the shriek of supprise and pain from the captan envigorated the white pony. He drew the dagger up andlunged it into the back of the captain's neck, hitting his spinal cord. The guardsman dropped to the ground, unconscious.

Joe saw nebula stab the guards man and flew down to kill the sick bastard. Forgetting his pain he stuck out both blades a d tackled nebula. He pinned him and delivered what he thought was a killing blow. What he thought.

An innocent's death

Joe and nebula:a tale of two evils

He withdrew his blade as nebula writhed on the ground. A small amount of blood trickled out of his throat. He sheathed his blade and ran over to shining armor. He crouched down and lifted his head. His eyes fluttered open.

"J-Joe. I- is he dead." Shining said weakly.

"Y-y-yes. He is, but your not." Joe said tears welling up in his eyes. This was an innocent pony that had gotten dragged into this. Into Joe's problems. And now he was hurt, gravely.

"N-no, I'm not." He said. He pulled off the ribbon that marked him as the guard captain from his leather chest plate. "Give this to my lieutenant, he's the captain now." He said to Joe clutched the ribbon in his hooves and then cast it aside. "And tell my sister that I- I." He let out one raspy breath and closed his eyes and then he went still. Joe felt the tears burn down his cheeks. He began to press against his chest in a steady rhythm.

"1..2..3..4..5..6," Joe counted aloud. His attempts to restart the heart of the guard captain ended in vain. He collapsed, defeated. He had let an innocent pony die. And there was nothing he could do. As he sat there weeping applejack and her friends trotted into the clearing. They were surprised to see Joe lying there sobbing on the ground. But it wasn't until they saw why he was that the screaming started. Twilight ran over to her brother and shoved Joe out of the way.

"How did this happen." She screamed. Joe picked himself up off the ground and walked back over to the body.

"Twilight I-"

"How did this happen!" She repeated. Joe sighed. The other ponies walked over and hung their heads in grief.

"Nebula jumped me while I was on the farm and I was going to take him to shining to put him behind bars. But he got away from me and killed him. But nebula shouldn't be a problem for any pony anymore." Joe said motioning over to where nebula's body is. Or where it was. Nebula's body had disappeared. A trail of blood led from the flattened grass and into the everfree forest.

"Where did he go!" Twilight said angrily. Rainbowdash looked at the trail and took off into the forest. Joe and fluttershy followed her with applejack and pinkie on their tails. All that remained was twilight. She lay there next to her brother, and cried.

In the forest nebula had crawled, all the while holding a hoof to his throat where Joe had stabbed him. He wasn't an assassin, not even a talented killer. He had missed all the vital arteries and organs. Still it hurt like buck. He was going to get revenge for that. But all in due time, he had taken worse. As he pulled himself over a fallen tree branch he heard hoof steps and the beating of wings behind him. He turned to see a rainbow streak coming straight for him. It smashed into him and sent him flying forward and smashing into a tree. He felt a warm trickle of blood coming from his head and his vision doubled. Joe came over and pinned him to the tree by his mane.

"This time I won't miss." He said pulling his right leg back and flicking his hoof. The blade extended, already stained with blood. Fluttershy knew what he was about to do and grabbed Joe's arm and pulled it back. She also pulled Joe off of nebula. Nebula's horn glowed and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Fluttershy, what was that. You let him escape!" Rainbowdash yelled as she released Joe.

"He was going to kill him." Fluttershy said with a look of horror on her face.

"Of corse he was, nebula deserved it!" Rainbowdash yelled as Joe retracted the blade.

"No. Nebula was going to kill Joe. Look at the ground where he was." Fluttershy said pointing to the tree with a small blood spatter on it. Sure enough on the ground lay a small dagger with a greenish residue on it. Joe stood there, stunned by his brush with death. He then walked over and hugged fluttershy.

"Thank you." Joe said. Applejack shot fluttershy a dirty look but said nothing. They gave up on looking for nebula. They knew that he wouldn't show himself until he was ready for another fight. And by the looks of him, that would be a while.

Joe stepped into his room of which he shared with applejack after telling Big Mac what had happened. Applejack had decided to hit the hay early and went on up while Joe was talking. He opened up the door slowly to avoid waking her but only heard an impatient tapping of a hoof. He opened up the door all the way to see her sitting in the bed with an unhappy look on her face.

"What happened today?" She asked. Joe sighed.

"I told you, I tried to sav-"

"I mean with you and fluttershy." She said impatiently.

"What you mean the hug. AJ she saved my life. It was toning more than what it looked like, a hug. A thank you. That's all." Joe said, slightly frustrated. He took a deep breath to calm himself and walked towards applejack. She smiled as he wrapped his hooves around her. "Besides, your my mare. No one else." He kissed her passionately and she returned it. He pulled back and looked into he emerald eyes.

"You better be telling me the truth. Or I'll buck you all the way to the everfree forest." She said. He smiled at her expand they kissed again. Applejack opened her eyes and saw a little cream colored pony sitting in the hallway outside if the door. Her eyes were wide. Buck! she thought. She pushed him off of her and dropped back down to all fours. Joe turned around doing the same. He started to blush heavily when he saw applebloom standing there in the hallway. He smiled weakly at her and started to close the door. When it clicked shut applejack was lying on the bed with her eyes half closed. She stared into his very soul and beckoned him. His wing shot out and stood at attention. He smiled embarrassedly at her. She just smiled and beckoned him again. He climes into the bed and pulled the covers over them and the rest is history.

Birthday Time

Joe and Nebula: A tale of two evils

Joe hit the ground, hard. His wings crumpled underneath him. He let out a cry of pain as he heard a snap. He looked to his left to see a white pony walking towards I'm.But it wasn't the normal white unicorn. Rather than a black mane, it was am electric blue one. He walked towards him with murder in his eyes and a dagger in his mouth. He stood over him, his blue eyes glinting in the moonlight. He grabbed the dagger with magic rather than his mouth so he could talk.

"You did nothing to save me. You did nothing to comfort my family. YOU DID NOTHING TO CATCH HIM. NOTHING." He said flipping the dagger over to point the metal end down at Joe. He lifted it up and plunged it into Joe's chest. Joe gasped at the pain. He felt the blood well up around the knife. He withdrew it and the blood began to flow freely from the wound. Joe clutched his chest to try and stem the flow. His hooves quickly became drenched in his own lifeblood. He felt it pooling around his wings. His vision started to blur and he couldn't feel his legs. Shining armor lifted a hoof and brought it down on Joe's face.

Joe woke with a start clutching his chest. Applejack looked at him concerned.

"Was it another nightmare." She asked concerned. She sat up and wrapped her hooves around his neck. His heart was racing and he was gasping for breath. His chest hurt for the first time since the surgery. He felt is heart beat slow and the pain in his chest subsided. But was replaced by something else, saddens. It had been three weeks since shining armor had died. He never really knew the captain but had come to learn a lot about him. He had come to respect him. But now he was gone.

"It's been three weeks applejack." Joe said. She just nodded.

"I know Joe, it hurts to see you like this. Are you sure y-"

"No, I'm not going to go to any doctor. I'm not going to an institution." Joe said. Applejack backed off of the subject. Seeing as it clearly hurt him to talk about it.

"So we have the day off. What do you wanna do." Applejack asked as the sun began to peek over the horizon.

"I'm not sure. Wanna go see a movie." Joe said relaxing.

"Sure." Applejack said hopping out of the bed with Joe. She walked into the bathroom and Joe heard her turn on the shower. He walked downstairs and into the kitchen. He opened up the cupboard and pulled out a few ingredients and turned on the stove top. He sprayed some oil on a pan and set it to warm on the stove. He then set to mixing up the batter and cutting up some apples.

Applejack descended the stairs into the kitchen. On the table sat a plate of steaming apple cakes and a note. She walked over to the table and picked it up. 'Go outside for a surprise.' It read. She though it was kind of weird that this all was happening but she followed directions, no doubt from Joe and went outside. She opened the door and saw something that made her smile for the first time in weeks. In the sky the clouds spelled something that even she had forgotten about.

"Happy birthday." A voice said from behind her. She turned to see Joe standing there with a box at his feet. It had been wrapped in a paper that matched her passion, apples. She rushed to him and hugged him fiercely. She then picked up the box and eyed it suspiciously.

"You didn't have to get me anything." She said to him.

"I know, but I did." He said motioning to the small box. She grabbed the now in her teeth and pulled. She undid the paper and opened the box. Inside there was a new pair of work gloves, kind of like Joe's. but without the worn leather and blood stains. She slid them onto her front hooves and held it out in front of herself.

"And the best part." Joe said putting his hoof out to the side and flicked his wrist. Out flew the blade that had always been there. Applejack did the same and out popped a blade like Joe's, again without the bloodstains. She hugged Joe again.

"I completely forgot it was my birthday." She said.

"Come with me." Joe said smiling and leading her off the porch. He led her in front of her house a few feet and nodded his head. He then hit the ground and rolled to the right. Right out of the snow popped five ponies, each armed with a snowball. They all through before applejack had time to react. Applejack stood there, stunned, as she was pelted with snowballs. Her orange coat turned white because of all the snow. All the ponies let out a roar of laughter, including Joe. Applejack finally came to her senses and chucked a snowball at rainbowdash, who was rolling on the ground laughing. It collided with her belly and she shot up. A smirk creased her face as she made another snowball and threw it at applejack. After that it went from a surprise attack to an all out snowball war. So big that even Big Mac and the cutie mark crusaders joined in. It was the most fun Joe had had in nearly three weeks, and the most he had smiled. Now, for the rest of the evening.

Joe had planned to take applejack to dinner at a fancy restraunt and then to a movie. Joe wore a white, button up shirt and a pair of black slacks, kind of like the clothes he would wear back home. Applejack wore her gala dress.

"Wow, you look. Wow." Joe said when she came down the stairs. She smiled at him as they walked out the door. He slid his black suit coat over his shirt and walked out the door. They walked down Main Street to ponyville square. All the while they talked until they heard the clopping of hooves in front of them. They froze on the side walk. Joe motioned for applejack to stay put. He pointed to his hoof where his hidden blade was and she nodded, showing him hers. They looked funny with their formal wear but they were necessary. He spread his wings and took off and landed on top of the building next to the alley way where they had heard the hooves. Joe looked back at applejack and motioned for her to come. She walked over to the building and he dropped down. They resumed their conversation and walked down the street a out five feet in peace.

"Hello, old friend." Joe heard a voice say. He instinctively turned around and got bucked in the face. He heard applejack unsheathed her blades and joe did the same. Joe used his wings to hover over the ground while applejack expertly balanced on her back hooves and used her tail for balance. Nebula seemed surprised by the fact applejack had blades now but also had a few tricks up his sleeve. At first it seemed like body armor but when he stepped into the moonlight out it was revealed to be a crossbow. He nodded and three ponies walked out from behind him. Each had a dark coat with a black mane and blue eyes. Joe am the first move he lunged at one of the dark ponies and shoved his blade right through its skull. Killing it instantly. But instead of dieting it just dissolved into a black sand. Joe looked behind himself to see applejack had taken out two of the dark ponies and was going for nebula. Joe dispatched the other dark pony and looked up to see nebula fire a crossbow bolt at applejack, hitting her in the leg and making her return to all fours. She began to sway and nebula ruche behind her, reared up and put a blade to her throat. Joe clenched his jaw on rage and started to approach nebula.

"No, not one step closer or she dies." Nebula said pressing the blade to applejack's throat making her gag. Applejack unsheathed her right hoof blade, but not without applejack noticing. He took the blade and swiped it across applejack face, leaving a gash under her left eye. She growled and plunged the blade into his right leg. Nebula howled in pain, bringing everypony for a mile out of their homes and to that alleyway. Nebula, who knew he had lost this battle plunged the blade into her back and shoved her towards Joe. Joe caught her as she stumbled and nebula teleported away. Joe removed the blade and his coat and wrapped it around the stab wound. Her eyes glazed over in pain as the crowd began to form around her and Joe. Knowing she would need medical help he picked her up and flew off towards the hospital. The entire way there applejack moaned in pain. And Joe couldn't help but think that this was all his fault.

A Pony To Save

Joe and nebula: a tale of two evils.

Joe had never been so nervous. He paced around the hospital waiting room. Applejack had gone into surgery to mend the wound to he back. He couldn't get the thought out of his head that it was all his fault that this had happened. He couldn't get the sight of her beautiful orange coat stained with blood out of his mind. The door to the waiting room burst open and in walked applejack's friends and the two princesses.

"What happened Joe. Where is she. What did nebula do to her." They bombarded him with questions. Joe just stood there in his bloodstained shirt and slacks. He hung his head in shame.

"You did all you could Joe." Luma said draping a wing over his shoulder.

"No, I didn't. I couldn't help her." He said, the tears ran down his face.

"Joe, you did all you could. If you had confronted him, he would have killed her. You couldn't have done anything." Luna said, her sister joining her. Luna looked up to her and Celestia nodded. They led I'm over to the side.

"There is a way you can get an advantage over nebula." Celestia said.

"What is it." Joe said excitedly.

"We can make you human again, for a little while at least." This surprised Joe.

"What about my-"

"We can slow the cancer in your heart by taking these pills." Celestia said handing him a white capsule. "You would have an edge over nebula in size and strength as well a mobility." Celestia said. Joe nodded and celestia's horn began to glow and she touched his forehead with it. He felt himself growing and fingers coming back in. He felt his bones re arranging themselves. He felt his fur turn into a brown shirt. The chest emblazoned with his cutie mark. His brown shaggy hair stood out against his pale skin. All the scars he had accumulated showed now. His wings were still there, just much bigger. He opened his eyes to find he was twice as tall as Celestia. He clutched his chest where the pain had started. Celestia levitated the capsule and he swallowed. The pain in his chest subsided and he straightened back up. Celestia then pulled a pink aura out of no where and formed a pair of leather and steel gauntlets.

"Hidden blades?" Joe asked.

"More." Luna said speaking up. Joe strapped them on and examined the underside.there was a rotating steel part around the cuff. And a small spring loaded box at the end of the bracer.joe flicked his wrist and the foot long hidden blade shot out. He flicked his wrist, retracting the blade, and rotated the the cuff and flicked his wrist and a green tinted blade shot out.

"Poison." Luna said. She appeared to be the one who knew the most about the blade. Joe retracted the blade and rotated the cuff one last time. He flicked his wrist but nothing happened. He examined the shaft that held the blade and saw only a button. He ached to press it but Luna stopped him.

"That would be your gun. For taking out targets at a range. Press the button to fire and pull back the bolt to reload." Luna said. Suddenly there was a commotion in the hallway and applejack's friends rushed in. They called the princesses in and Joe followed. The girls were surprised to see Joe as a human again but they were more worried about what was in the room. The nurses and doctors in the room had been slaughtered. And applejack was gone. All the ponies in the room gasped, all except Luna. She turned to Joe and handed him a blue velvet bag and a sword with a black hilt. Joe drew it and it glimmered darkly in the sunlight.

"It's made out of obsidian reinforced with steel. Sharpest blade in equestria. I call it shadow slayer." Luna said. Joe clipped it to the belt of his jeans and perched himself on the windowsill. He pulled his brown sunglasses it of the pocket of his jeans, slid them on. He gave them a two finger salute and fell backwards out the window. He unfolded his wings and took off for Manehatten.

The flight was a long one, about three hours in all but soon he came over the bustling city as the sun began to set. Joe spotted the district towards the edge of city where the abandoned freight houses were. He flew towards them and landed on the roof of one. Across the street, two dark ponies guarded the front door and and other one patrolled the perimeter. Joe decided he would take out the perimeter guard first and followed him as he walked in between two freights. Joe flew over him and dropped down in front of him. The dark pony jumped with a start but Joe grabbed it by the chin and the mane. He twisted his arms and snapped its neck. It dissolved into black sand that blew away in the wind. Joe then took his place on the roof and looked down on the two guards guarding the door. After Joe killed them and went inside, all hell would break loose. Joe tool a second to collect himself and put his hands in his pockets. He felt something and extracted it. It was a note.

'Tap the left side if your sunglasses to see through walls a d the right side for a surprise.

Good luck,

Princess Luna'

Joe smiled at this. He tapped the left side of his glasses and the world went black, except for the white outline of ponies and an orange outline that must have been applejack Joe stood up and prepared to go to work when he re breed. He tapped the right side of his sunglasses lit up. A video appeared in from of his eyes. He had to focus to see it because it was so close. It appeared to be luna setting up a camera. She backed up and he heard her voice in his ears.

"Uhh, hi Joe. If your hearing this, then you're probably going to be saving applejack. I'm sure you know that this is extremely dangerous and there is a chance that you might not come back so I decided that now was time to tell you. Ever since I first met you on that cold Christmas Day, I felt like you were a great pony, err, person. When you were willing to give up your life for applejack it assured me. And now your going to go and save her again. I guess I just wanted to tell you that I've always had a little bit of a crush on you. I just wanted you to know." Luna tok a second and took a deep breath. "Now go save your mare friend for us." Luna said with conviction. She smiled weakly and a tear ran down her cheek. The video ended and the prompt for I went away and the glasses returned to normal. Joe stood there stunned for a moment but pushed the thoughts away. He had a pony to save and he kept off the roof.

The End

Joe and nebula:a tale of two evils.

Joe fell through the air with out a sound and landed plunging a blade into the two guard ponies' skulls. Their bodies crumpled and turned into the black dust like the others. He tapped the left side of his glasses again and the thermal view of the building came up again. It revealed twelve heat signatures inside the building. He pushed open the two huge doors that led to the warehouse just enough for himself to slip inside. Luna's moon shone extr brightly tonight, no doubt to give him more light to work with. He slipped behind a set of crates. The guards had the place locked down tight. As he got closer a note appeared on the lens of the glasses.

'Whenever you get closer to someone that is lit up while using thermal view, their line of sight will appear. Good luck Joe.' As Joe approached one of the dark guards he began to see a yellow spotlight in front of the guard's face. This mu

St have been the line of sight. Joe jumped the guard from behind and clamped its mouth shut. He wrapped an arm around its throat and squeezed as hard as he could. The guard pony struggled for a moment and then went limp. It dissenting rated into the black dust in his arms and Joe kicked it up, dispersing the remains. But that was the easy part. He had to cross the warehouse where applejack was being held. The sides of the building where the shadows are were not an option due to the guards. Flying was to risky for risk of being noticed. That left one option. Joe rotated the cuff on his blade and approached the guard nearest him. He deployed the shorter blade and pricked the guard with it. He didn't even notice. Joe took a step back as the guard began to sway.

"This better work." He thought to himself. Then it happened. The guard began yelling and swinging his sword he ran out into the middle of the warehouse and chopped down one of the guards that stood there. The other dark ponies rushed over to see what was going on as the poisoned pony ran around swinging its sword. It took out another three guards before lying on the ground and turning to dust itself. That left only six guards, and they were horribly confused. They just stood there and stared at the piles of dust. Joe had just enough time to slip past the, and make it to the back room. He could see only applejack's signature in the room. He was overjoyed that he had found his mare friend, but I didn't feel right.

"Where are you Nebula." Joe said to himself. He didn't know why, but he expected an answer. But he was glad he didn't get one. He nudged the door open and readied his blade. The room was dark, with not a single light. Joe thanked Luna for the third time tonight. He saw a figure tied to a chair, gagged and scared. The pony in the chair looked at him with wide eyes and shook her head. Joe knew it was applejack and rushed over to her. Applejack shook her head faster and a tear ran down her cheek.

"Applejack, wh-" he was cut off as a searing pain bit into his back. Joe felt the warm trickle of blood seep down his back and into his shirt. He felt nebula twist the blade and Joe bit back a yelp of pain, it was a short blade. Not long enough to do anything but hurt like a bitch. Joe got his emotion under control and prepared himself for what he was about to do. He was about to end it all.

Meanwhile in ponyville, the friends of Joe and applejack sat around a small monitor along with the two princesses.

"He really is talented." Rainbowdash remarked. The rest of the ponies remained deathly silent. The watched through the screen where Luna had installed a video camera on the bridge of the glasses, that could see what he saw. They watched him as he opened the door and rushed towards applejack, and than stop.

"What happened." The small ponies asked. Luna just shook her head, she knew exactly what had happened.

"No, no it can't be. He can't be, dead." Luna said the last word weekly. The realization donned on the others and they hung their heads on silence. Then the screen started to move. Joes hands shot up, each wielding a blade. The five ponies cheered and luna smiled. Celestia just wondered why her sister had gotten so emotional. Then she figured it out. She smiled and watched the screen in awe.

That very moment in Manehatten,

Joe deployed both of his blades and moved his foot forward and brought it back and kicked nebula in the chest. His height giving him an advantage. Nebula flew across the room and smashed into the wall. Joe felt up his back for the blade and found it. He grabbed the handle and yanked it out, the wound was shallow but burned like fire. Joe sniffed the blade, relieved that it wasn't poisoned and cut applejack free. He hugged her tightly and turned back to nebula. He was beginning to stir and Joe began towards him but stopped when he heard a knock at the door. Joe turned the deadbolt on the door and placed the latch as welling kept moving towards nebula who was on his feet. Nebula looked up and saw him moving towards him and his horn began to glow. Joe watched in horror as nebula's appendages grew longer and his hooves turned to hands and feet. His coat changed to a white hoodie and a blue pair of jeans. He had strainer cut black hair and black eyes. The leather strap over his shoulder showed the crossbow and a belt of knives was at his waist.

"Now it's a fair fight." Nebula said with a smirk.

"It never was a fair fight." Joe said cracking his knuckles. Nebula came at him with one of the knives on his belt and Joe deflected it with the metal plates on the gauntlets. He unsheathed one of his own blades and gave nebula a slash up the length of his chest. Nebula clutched his chest as his shirt welled up with blood. He tore his shirt of in fury and came at Joe. Joe tripped him, sending him tumbling to the ground. Nebula rolled over and kicked at Joe, knocking his legs out from underneath him. Joe hit the ground hard and rolled over on top of nebula and punched him in the jaw. Nebula's horn began to glow but Joe reached up and clamped it in his strong grip.

"No, no, no. No running this time." Joe said and he snapped the horn right off. Nebula screeched in agony and the banging on the door increased. Nebula kicked up at Joe throwing him off off nebula and stood up. Joe stood up as well and rotated his cuff and pointed his wrist at nebula who had his crossbow pointed at Joe's chest. Then it happened, nebula fired his crossbow, the bolt sped towards Joe with deadly intent. But it never found its mark. Because right when nebula fired the crossbow, a shimmering figure appeared in front of Joe. The bolt hit it and the figure crumpled to the ground. Joe looked down in shock to see Luna, her face screwed up in pain and a crossbow bolt it her side. Her chest heaved and she smiled weakly at Joe. With new found strength, Joe drew shadow slater and cast the scabbard aside. He charged at nebula and caught him by the hair. Nebula screamed as Joe balanced the blade on the ground. He pulled nebula back and looked into his pitiless eyes.

"Burn in hell you son of a bitch!" Joe screamed in his face. He pushed nebula's head down on the sword and the screaming was cut off. Joe released nebula And his body fell to the ground. Joe the. Rushed over to Luna.

Meanwhile in ponyville.

Celestia was hysterical. He sister was dying, she had been shot. Who could really blame her. The rest of the ponies tried to comfort her, but to no avail.

Back in Manehatten

Joe dropped to his knees and broke the fletchings off the bolt and extracted it. He then pulled his shirt off and went to tie it around the wounds, but a hoof stopped him. He looked at Luna and she smiled at him.

"Don't, it won't help." She said.

"N- no, not another pony. I won't let you die." Joe said, crying.

"Please Joe, it is my time." She said. Joe hugged her as she let out one last ragged breath and then went still. Applejack came over and and sat next to him as he sobbed. The other five ponies appeared in the room along with the other princes. They all mourned together until the sun came up.

Three weeks later.

Joe was walking through ponyville with applejack resting her head on his shoulder. He couldn't get the events of last month last month. Celestia hasn't been the same since her sisters passing but she managed to bring up the moon as well as the sun. Applejack and Joe had lived happily together since then. Joe hadn't had a single nightmare since then and he had more energy than ever. He went down to vinyl's studio one pace a week to play the instruments and had Reid out and made a position on the ponyville symphony orchestra as the first chair trombone player. Everything was perfect, but applejack had a secret that she had neglected to tell Joe. They were meeting up at a restraunt with the rest of applejack's family for a birthday. But not applejack's birthday, his. Joe hadn't celebrated it in years but applejack insisted that he let her throw him a party. They walked into the restraunt and Joe grinned. His friends, applejack's family, twilights family and princes Celestia were all there. They all greeted him and then they sat down to eat.

The food was great and apparently everyone had felt the need to get him a gift, which he guessed was a thing he should be happy about, but he didn't feel like he deserved them. They were nice and some were pretty cool, but he left two to open last. Luna's and applejack's. he picked up Luna's and opened it with the blade in his gloves. Inside the paper was a 3 foot long blue box with a hinge. Joe popped it open to reveal shadow slayer. The sword he had used to kill nebula, and had belonged to Luna. Joe looked over to Celestia.

"She would have wanted you to have it." Celestia nodded. Joe smiled and put the sword back in the box and closed it. He then. Reached over and picked up the last parcel. He cut away the paper and opened up the box. Inside was a dark brown Stetson hat, like applejack and a note. Joe took out the hat and tried it on. It fit him perfectly. He leaned over and hugged his mare friend. He then picked up the remained note in the box and looked at applejack before reading it. She kept a perfect poker face. Joe looked down and read the two words on the paper and fainted. Big Mac reached over and picked up the note and read it aloud.

"I'm pregnant."

Well comrades. If you didn't already know, the next story, Hurricane's Story, is finally out for you to read. It's gonna be more of a romance thing and less of a story like this one. It will still have things like- NO! No spoilers. Just click here to read it. I'll be updating it every Friday. Also, come join me every Friday night from 6 to 8pm CST on skype for. Add me as Joe_Brony.

Epilogue

The Grey colt plopped onto Joe's lap.

"Tell me a story daddy." He said. The brown pony scratched his chin.

"What kind of story?" Joe asked.

"A story about you and mom." The colt said.

"Which one." He asked.

"The one with you and rainbowdash." The colt said. The brown pony nodded.

"One day me, mom and rainbowdash were going into town. We were going to visit pinkie pie to help is plan for fluttershy's birthday. But we never got there in time to help plan because right when we walked into town we sa-" he stopped when he saw the colt was asleep on his chest he picked up the colt and flew towards the room, slowly to avoid waking him and set him down on his bed. He wrapped him up in the covers and closed the door. Joe was happy. No, he was the happiest pony alive. He had a great son that was talented in music, like himself, a great wife, and a great place to be. He was finally able to rest. His life had been perfect ever since nebula had been taken care of three years earlier. Everything was perfect.

Joe walked into his own bedroom and saw applejack sitting on the bed, reading.

"Well, this is new." Joe said and applejack quickly hid the book under the covers. She smiled at him.

"I have I idea what your talking about." She said but being the element of honesty, she couldn't tell a lie. She sighed and Joe laughed. He climes into the bed and looked at the book.

"Daring Doo ehh. She's still writing these?" Joe said motioning towards the book. Applejack nodded,

"They are good books." She said sheepishly.

"I didn't say they weren't, I just don't read em'." He said. "But reading is a great past time." He said handing her the book.

"If you tell rainbowdash you'll find yourself on the next batch of cider." She said with a humorous glint in her eyes.

"Cross my heart hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." He said turning off the lamp next to him. He snuggled up with applejack and right before they went to sleep the felt the small colt wriggle in between them. He chuckled and let sleep take him.

[youtube=http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NuAWIF7O29c&feature=plcp]