Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

By Steel Soul

Sweet Apple Fight Night

Green to start music and red to stop music

Sweet Apple Acres...

Sora’s eyes snapped open, his heart racing. Something didn’t feel right.

Instinctively, he rolled out of bed, landing on his hooves with a quiet thud. The calm and warmth he had felt just moments ago had vanished, replaced by a gnawing unease deep in his gut. He didn’t know why, but something was off. Something was coming.

He quickly donned his attire, slipping into his jacket and adjusting his belts with practiced ease. His Keyblade hadn’t appeared yet, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d need it. As he made his way down from the attic, his ears twitched, listening for any unusual sounds that might explain the sudden sense of foreboding.

The house was quiet. Too quiet.

When he reached the second-floor hallway, he paused at the window. Peering out, he saw that the usually serene sky above Sweet Apple Acres was now hidden beneath a thick layer of clouds. Heavy and ominous, they hung low, casting shadows across the farm below. It wasn’t raining yet, but the air felt charged with something—something more than just the promise of a storm.

I gotta be paranoid, he thought, trying to calm the pounding of his heart. Everything seemed peaceful. The farm was quiet, the orchard undisturbed, and there was no sign of trouble anywhere he looked.

Sora needed to rid his thoughts of the uneasiness that he felt and only one course of action came to mind. He knocked tenderly on the door leading to Applejack’s room, hoping to gain some sort of response. When nobody came he knocked again, a little louder than before. “AJ? Are you in there?” Once again no one answered. With his apprehension, he moved on to Big Mac’s room and repeated the process. He was once again met with silence.

Sitting on his haunches, the stallion crossed his forelegs and closed his eyes.

“So they’re not here. They’re farmers. Farmers usually begin their day bright and early, right? They have to be outside. So everything is fine…right?” The feeling of foreboding still lingered within his heart. “It's gotta be nothing...I'm just..."

“Sora?”

The sound of a girl’s voice caused the boy to look to his side. He found Applebloom peering from behind an open door. The little filly’s pink bow was understandably absent and she held the remnants of sleep in her eyes. She rubbed said eyes before exiting her room completely. “What’s going on?”

“Hey, Apple Bloom,” he said softly, standing up from where he had been sitting. “I was just… checking on things. Everything’s fine, I think.” He glanced out the window again, catching another glimpse of the thick, stormy clouds that loomed overhead. “I just, uh... thought your sister or Big Mac might be up already.”

“Applejack?” She looked behind herself. “It’s about five now, so she might be in the barn. She and Big Mac always start the day early.”

“The barn…got it.” He made his way to the staircases before stopping. After a small mental battle within him, he turned back towards the little filly and placed a hoof on her head. “Applebloom, I know this is gonna sound weird, but...I need you to go back into your room. Stay there and do not come out until somepony you know comes to get you, ok?”

Apple Bloom blinked up at Sora, clearly confused by his words. “What? Why do I gotta stay in my room? Is somethin’ wrong?”

He smiled back at her trying to reassure her as much as possible. “Could you just do as I say, for now at least? There's something I gotta go check up on.”

The little filly frowned but nodded slowly. “Okay... I trust ya. But you better come tell me when everythin’s fine, promise?”

Sora nodded, giving her a reassuring pat on the head. “I promise. Stay put, alright?”

With that, Apple Bloom turned and retreated back into her room, casting one last glance at Sora before closing the door. He let out a deep breath, his heart still racing as he made his way downstairs, keeping his senses on high alert.

“Ok, Sora. Here you are worrying a little girl about something your gut is telling you. It may very well be nothing at all but...”

He made a beeline to the barn, kicking up dust as he went. “I really hope I’m wrong…”

~~~

Applejack’s heart pounded in her chest as the darkness closed in around her, the tendrils tightening their grip with every passing second. Her muscles burned from the strain of trying to pull herself free, but it was no use. The more she struggled, the stronger the shadowy force seemed to become. She could see Big Mac just a few feet away, his massive frame trembling with the effort of trying to stand, but his strength was failing. Blood dripped from the deep wound in his side, pooling on the hay beneath him.

Tears of frustration and fear welled in her eyes. She had faced danger before—timberwolves, storms, and everything in between—but this… this was different. This darkness was alive, and it wanted to consume her.

No! her mind screamed again, her will fighting against the despair that threatened to overwhelm her. Ah can’t give up! Ah gotta keep fightin’, but no matter how much she pushed, the darkness pushed back harder.

She could feel herself being dragged closer to the swirling abyss, the black void swallowing everything it touched. Her hooves scraped uselessly against the ground, the gag of shadow silencing her cries for help.

Please, somepony… anypony… Her mind was slipping into hopelessness. Sora… His name flickered in her mind like a tiny spark in the suffocating dark.

“APPLEJACK!”

Applejack opened her eyes, the suffocating weight of despair loosening for just a moment. But a bright flash of light forced her to squint, her vision blurring before settling on the sight of Sora, his caramel coat a sharp contrast to the darkness surrounding them. She felt his hooves gripping her tightly, pulling her away from the void that had been dragging her in.

"W-what in tarnation… Sora?" she stuttered, barely able to comprehend how he had suddenly appeared.

Sora’s expression was intense but filled with relief. "Applejack! Are you okay?!"

“Ah… Ah think so,” she managed to say, her voice weak but steadying. “But Big Mac, he’s hurt real bad!”

Releasing Applejack, Sora summoned the keyblade in a flash of light, turning his attention towards a set of pony shaped heartless rising from the shadows on ground. “Right...Go make sure he’s okay. I’ll be the one to take care of things here.” Not waiting for a response, Sora jumped toward the crowd of heartless, brandishing his weapon expertly in his maw.

Applejack didn’t waste a second. She rushed toward Big Mac, her heart pounding as she saw the state her brother was in. He was still breathing, but the gash looked pretty bad. "Hold on, Big Mac," she whispered, trying to keep her voice steady. "Ah’m here now."

“It looks a lot worse than it is.” The red stallion spoke, gaze shifted downward. “I fended them off as best ah could but ah…ah couldn’t...” He glared at Applejack. “Why didn’t ya run when ah told ya to run? Why didn’t ya listen, AJ?“

Applejack’s heart clenched at her brother’s words, guilt and fear swirling in her chest as she knelt beside him. She pressed a hoof gently against his side, trying to stop the bleeding, even though she knew it wasn’t enough.

"Ah couldn’t just leave ya behind, Big Mac,” she said softly, her voice wavering but resolute. “Ah ain’t the type to run and hide while my family’s in danger."

“What if ya got hurt? Or worse!” He gritted his teeth in frustration at the stubborn mare. “Besides, ya saw that thing wanted you. Ah tried to give ya a chance to escape as best ah could.”

“Ah know, Big Mac,” she retorted. “Ah know ya were tryin’ to protect me… but ah just couldn’t leave ya. Yer my big brother! There ain’t no way ah could run off and let ya face that thing alone.”

He shook his head. “Well ya stop being stubborn for one second and Listen. Just forget about me and run. Your friend might…not… ” Big Mac’s eyes grew in size as he watched what he beheld in front of him, his mouth refusing to shut.

Applejack turned her head just in time to see Sora in action. With a swift, fluid motion, he whipped his head upwards, the tip of his Keyblade connecting with the jaw of a Heartless. The impact sent the creature soaring into the air, helpless and disoriented. But Sora wasn’t done yet.

As another Heartless lunged at him, its shadowy claw swiping through the air, Sora reacted with precision. He slipped beneath the creature, his body low to the ground, avoiding its attack entirely. Before it could react, he planted his hooves firmly on the earth and kicked upward with his hind legs, striking the Heartless in the gut and sending it flying upward alongside its companion.

Without wasting a moment, Sora righted himself, standing tall as both Heartless began to fall back toward the ground. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he launched himself toward the nearest one, ready to finish what he had started.

Sora caught the Heartless by the neck with his hooves and began to spin in place, twirling faster and faster until he became a blur. When he reached the peak of his speed, he released the Heartless, sending it hurtling through the air. It collided with a second Heartless that had just begun its descent.

With precise timing, Sora flung his Keyblade at the pair, the weapon slicing through both creatures in a single arc. Their red crystal hearts were freed, floating briefly in the air before their shadowy forms dissolved into nothingness. In an instant, the Heartless were gone, leaving behind only a fading memory of their existence.

Big Mac, still lying on the ground but somewhat recovering from the shock, was the first to break the silence. "What... what in Equestria did ah just see?" he muttered, his eyes still fixed on the spot where the Heartless had vanished.

Applejack shook her head in disbelief. "Ah... ah don’t rightly know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sora, breathing heavily but still standing tall, made his way back to the two siblings, his Keyblade vanishing in a shimmer of light. "You two okay?" he asked..

Big Mac and Applejack both nodded, too dumbstruck with awe to answer Sora correctly.

Applejack was told by Fluttershy that Sora could fight but what she just witnessed was unlike anything she had ever seen. There’s no way a pony should be able to move like that. And his strength. She was sure that his small frame held a hidden reserve of strength, but to toss those monsters around the way he did was surreal.

Before she could think about it any longer, Sora had made his way over to Big Mac and made the bigger stallion slip a hoof over his shoulder. Applejack followed suit and the both of them were able to support the wounded stallion. The trio made their way out the door and back toward the farmhouse. Once inside, Applejack set to work on tending to Big Mac’s injury.

“Sora. Go on upstairs and fetch me the first aid kit. Should be in the bathroom in the bottom cabinet.”

The stallion nodded and quickly made his way up the stairs. Applejack took the time to look over the wound. It didn’t look deep, so she was sure that it wouldn’t cause any pony problems. She barely had any time to dwell on thoughts as it took only a little time for Sora to return, though to her surprise, he was accompanied by a very alarmed Applebloom.

“Applejack! Big Mac!” Her voice was shaky, and slightly frantic. “What’s going on? What happened ta Big Mac?! He’s bleeding!”

"Calm down, Apple Bloom," Applejack said gently, her voice firm but soothing as she tried to keep the situation under control. "Big Mac’s hurt, but he’s gonna be okay. Just a scratch from somethin’ nasty, but nothin’ we can’t handle."

Sora handed Applejack the first aid kit, stepping aside as she opened it and began pulling out bandages and antiseptic. As she did, she called out to her littler sister, "Now Applebloom, ah Know this is a lot to take in but ah need ya to be a good little filly and go help granny. Tell her what's going on and get her herself downstairs ta look after Big mac after ah’m done patching him up."

The little filly wanted to protest but the looks of both her older siblings silenced her outright. Nodding, the little filly quickly made her way up the stairs not looking back.

With the little one out of the way, the orange farmer got back to work. It was during this time however that a voice to her side caused her ears to perk. “I should have been there…”

Applejack turned her head towards the Keyblade Wielder, an eyebrow raising every so slightly. “Pardon?”

Sora shook his head before turning to face the mare. “He wouldn’t have gotten hurt if I was there sooner. It’s my fault he’s hurt…”

Applejack’s hoof paused mid-wrap around Big Mac’s wound as she looked at Sora. His head was down, his ears flattened against his skull, and there was a clear weight behind his words that made Applejack’s heart sink.

She narrowed her eyes, not out of anger, but because she was sizing him up, trying to get a sense of what was going on inside his head. "Sora," she said, her tone softer but still firm, "it ain’t your fault."

He didn’t look up. "I should’ve been faster. I should’ve known something was wrong."

Applejack finished bandaging Big Mac’s side, giving it a final tug to make sure it was snug. Then she turned fully toward Sora, her expression serious. "Listen here, Sora. You can’t go blamin’ yourself for every little thing. Big Mac and Ah’ve been dealin’ with threats long before you came along, and we’ll be dealin’ with ’em long after. What happened tonight ain’t on you."

"Eeeyep. Ya can't blame ya self for something like this." The red stallion added.

Sora shook his head. “But it fell on me to be there to protect you. Not just you girls but you Big Mac. And everyone else. I promised Celestia. I promised to protect all of you to the best of my ability…” His gaze fell to the ground. “I’m still not strong enough…”

Applejack’s ears splayed back. “Sora…don’t say that. The way ya wrangled those critters, you’re plenty strong, even ah can see that with the way ya fought.”

He slammed his hoof on to the wooden floor, causing everypony to jump slightly. “No! I’m not! Your brother wouldn't have gotten hurt if it wasn't for my carelessness! If only I had...if I had just..." Sora struggled to find the words he wanted to here himself say. "If it had been Riku...This wouldn't have happened. It wasn't even supposed to be mine after all..."

Applejack moved closer to the stallion. “Sora…what do ya mean? What wasn’t suppose ta be yours's?”

“SORA!!”

Sora’s ears perked up at the female voice sounding from outside. He barely turned when the equivalent of a bullet train tackled him to the ground. He was only just able to recognize the bubblegum mane and fur of Pinkie Pie as she pinned him to the ground.

“Pinkie?” His speech was slurred at best. “What are you doing here…” He regained his composure to see that the pink party pony was not smiling in the least. Her ocean orbs were filled with so much worry that it poured into Sora’s soul. “Pinkie? What’s wrong?”

“I-It’s a monster! A monster is in Ponyville!”

Sora’s eyes instantly acquired a serious edge. “A monster? Pinkie start from the beginning.”

She released the stallion, allowing him to come to a vertical base before beginning her tale. “Well I was in Sugarcube Corner, baking you a cake to cheer you up. You really seemed down yesterday even though you were smiling. I was working well into the night and onwards toward morning. I know I told Ms. Cake that I wouldn’t stay up all night but I just really wanted to make something special for you.

“Just as I was finishing my cake, which was about ten minutes ago, my Pinkie Since started to act up! Itchy left foreleg, twitching right eye, swirling left eye! I never had that Pinkie Since before but I sure as sugar didn’t like it one bit. I decided to get out of Sugarcube Corner as fast as I could. When I got outside I saw two of those shadow thingies. They suddenly appeared in front of me. I was totally caught by surprise, and not the good kind of surprise either. They were about to pounce on me when ‘BAM’ I was tackled out of the way. I looked up to find an earth pony with an hourglass cutie mark over me.

“’Ello!’” Pinkie said in an odd accent. “’I’m the Doctor’ He said, and I was about to ask ‘Doctor who?’ but he must have read my mind because before I could even talk he said ‘Just the Doctor’. Then he pulled out this weird glowing stick and pointed toward those shadow thingies and they just began to shirk away. I don’t know why but they did. Then the Doctor told me ‘You best get some help, these aren’t the Vasta Narata but they still seem to be just as dangerous’. And I was about to ask what the Vasta Narata was but he cut me off again saying ‘Another time maybe my dear girl. I believe you have someone you need to find’. I was confused at first but then I remembered that those shadow thingies were heartless and that’s when I remembered you! So I ran all the way here and here I am!”

Sora blinked once as he soaked in all the information. The only part that he was able to truly decipher was the fact that the Heartless were in Ponyville, and that was all that he needed to know until a new thought crossed his mind. “If the heartless were after you and Applejack…then the others are in danger as well!”

Now he really needed to act, and fast. He was just about to launch himself out the door when he felt something gripping his tail tight. He turned just in time to see Applejack spit his tail out of her mouth. “Applejack! What are you doing?!”

Applejack stood her ground, her green eyes serious as she met Sora’s panicked gaze. “Hold on there, partner,” she said firmly. “Ya can’t just go rushin’ in like that. Ah know yer worried ‘bout the others, and Ah am too, but runnin’ off half-cocked ain’t gonna help nopony.”

Sora gritted his teeth, his heart pounding. “But Applejack, if the Heartless are in Ponyville, then they could be in danger! I have to—”

“Yeah!? And do ya even know where the other girl's live! Do even know where ta go?!”

Sora froze at Applejack’s words, his mind racing. His hooves were ready to charge out the door, but she had a point—he didn’t know where most of their friends lived. He had seen Sugarcube Corner where Pinkie worked and stayed the night with Twilight at her place. Even visited Rarity, but that was it. He didn’t even know the layout of Ponyville well enough to find everypony in time.

His ears drooped slightly as the realization hit him. “No… I don’t,” he admitted, frustration and worry clear in his voice.

Applejack’s expression softened a little. “Look, Sora. Ah know yer rarin’ to go, but we gotta be smart about this. You rushin’ out there blind ain’t gonna help no pony.” She frowned. “We need ta get ta Ponyville but I’m also worried about the others. So we split up.” She pointed to Sora. “You go on ahead ta Ponyville. You at least know the way ta Twilight’s and Rarity’s. Go check up on them.” She turned to Pinkie. “Pinkie! Go look for RD. You’re the best at finding her…or anypony for that matter. And ah’ll go get Fluttershy.”

Sora shook his head. “What happens if you two get attacked by the heartless again? I won’t be there to protect you. I-”

Applejack stomped her hoof firmly, cutting him off. “Sora, we ain’t helpless! Ah know you wanna protect everypony, but ya gotta trust us too. We can handle ourselves.” She looked him dead in the eyes, her green gaze unwavering. “You can’t be everywhere at once, and runnin’ around worryin’ ‘bout all of us ain’t gonna do you or us any good.”

Applejack pulled out her lasso, the rope coiling in her hooves with practiced ease. "Those creatures ain’t catchin’ me off guard again," the mare responded with a huff. She twirled the rope with a flick of her hoof, as if to prove her point. "Ah’ve dealt with worse than this, Sora, and Ah ain't about to back down now."

Pinkie held up a pie in both hooves. “And I’ll give them a taste of the sweeter side of things.”

Sora had blinked only once. Those pies. Did she always have them?

He shook the useless thoughts away before returning to the matter at present. “I still don’t want you two going out there. I don’t want to put any of you in danger.” Before they could protest he held up a hoof and continued. “But…I don’t see any other way around it. Just promise me you’ll stay safe and don’t fight the heartless if you can help it. I don’t want you two getting hurt cause I wasn’t there.”

Applejack softened a bit, hearing the worry in Sora’s voice. She placed a reassuring hoof on his shoulder, her green eyes oozing with confidence. “We’ll be careful, Sora. Promise. But you gotta trust us, alright? We ain’t helpless, and we won’t be reckless neither.”

Pinkie, still holding her pies, nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! And besides, we’ve all been through tough stuff before! Remember, Sora, friendship is magic—and also pie.” She grinned widely, her carefree spirit shining through even in the tense situation.

Sora smiled brightly, his eyes returning to their usual brilliance. “OK then!” He pointed a hoof toward the door. “Let's go!” Pinkie and Sora left out the door soon after. Applejack was about to do the same when the sound of Big Mac calling her name caused her to pause.

He wanted to forbid her to go. He wanted to hold her down and make sure that she stay well away from all of whatever they were just talking about, but he knew his sister better than that. With a heavy sigh he spoke. “Ah…just…Just be careful, AJ. Ok?”

Applejack smiled before waving a hoof. “I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. You just worry about getting Granny Smith and Applebloom to safety.” She took off towards Fluttershy’s cottage but not before glancing back at Sora’s retreating backside. “Sora…”

Author's Note

Edited by Two People!