AN: Don't own MLP, so don't sue me. This fic is on fanfiction dot net and fimfiction dot net. Thanks go out to TsukiyomiNeko, GraysonPaladin, MasterRaptor77, NaylorFan90, webcam875, Raven, and MrDenim for reviewing! I would also like to point out that Apple Bloom herself is reading this story. Hey there Apple Bloom! Thanks for visiting. I'm afraid things are going to be a little rough for you in this story, but remember, it's always darkest just before the dawn (and no, I'm not trying to insult Princess Luna here, it's just a human saying). There's going to be violence, but it won't be terribly gory. If you want to show your friends, go ahead. Scootaloo would probably get a kick out of it, I'm not too sure about Sweetie Belle though. However, please don't show this to your brother or sister; I don't know if they would understand and I am quite content being ignorant of how an apple tree feels during applebuck season.
Chapter 2: Crisis of Faith
Apple Bloom laid sleepless on her bed. She had just killed somepony. It was obvious that the strange zebra had been the one to collapse the wards on the path, and was certainly capable of doing the same to the ones surrounding the hut. That zebra would have killed Zecora and probably her too given the chance, but it still weighed heavily on her mind.
What bothered her most though, was that something about the situation had just seemed so, so right.
What did that say about her?
She attempted the age old strategy of ignoring it and hoping it went away, but her mind kept drifting back to the sightless gaze of the dead zebra, and her own disturbing reaction to it.
When Celestia brought light to the world, it fell upon a bleary-eyed and still sleepless Apple Bloom. She was grateful for the sun—it let her pretend like last night was just some strange nightmare, and everything would go back to normal.
“Mornin' sugar-cube!” Applejack greeted her younger sister before doing a double take. “Well cover me in leaves and call me an apple tree! You look terrible Apple Bloom!”
“Gee, thanks sis,” Apple Bloom said.
Her elder sister had the grace to at least blush a little at that.
“Are you feeling alright sis?”
Apple Bloom chuckled darkly.
“Yep, and that's the problem,” she answered.
Applejack looked a little confused at this statement, before deciding that she probably shouldn't try to drag whatever it was out of her sister. Being an Apple meant offering help when it was needed, but it also meant recognizing and respecting certain boundaries.
“Well, if you say so,” conceded Applejack. “Why don't ya help me with breakfast?”
Breakfast was swiftly made and consumed, mountains of flapjacks and eggs, all washed down with fresh milk.
Apple Bloom had finally succeeded in putting the events of the night before behind her. Full of pancakes and laughter, she began her journey to the schoolhouse.
She trotted along the well worn path, feeling the wind in her mane, the sun on her skin, smelling the crisp dewy grass, and just feeling truly alive. She paused and scuffed the ground with a hoof, snorting once before continuing on. Only vaguely did she realize what was happening.
It was something that had only happened to her once before, after she had met Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. It was something sacred and cleansing, the Sisters' gift for earth ponies alone. It only happened at pivotal moments in their lives, and each time was something truly special.
Applejack and Big Mac had gone on a Run after Ma and Pa died. Granny Smith spoke of a Run when she realized that Grandpa was the love of her life. Most recently, Applejack had gone on a Run with Pinkie Pie a year ago after the Nightmare Moon incident. A neighbor was expecting for the first time, and she and her husband Ran. And without fail, every time an earth pony got his or her cutie-mark, they went on The Run. In the dark void that Equestria had been brought forth from, Celestia and Luna had Run, and spun the world from a sea of emptiness.
The Run was a reminder of the gift that all earth ponies shared, what was denied to unicorns and pegasi as earth ponies were denied flight and horn magic. Life, Death, and the Ways of the world flowed easier for them, and they Understood.
All this and more flashed through her head in an instant, but none of it mattered to her. All that mattered was Now. Life pulsed all around her, and ensnared her in its web. Conscious thought finally left her, and she gave herself to The Run. A thousand hooves pounded alongside hers on the empty path, as she traveled the way thousands had before. A buzzing, excited feeling settled in her withers, and every time her hooves contact the ground, she could sense more than just what was there at the moment. The potential of all things including herself.
Then there were the eyes again. She didn't need to turn her head, but she knew that whatever was left of the zebra was alongside her and her ancestors.
The Run ended when she was just shy of Ponyville, but the zebra lingered for a few moments. Apple Bloom turned to face him, and the dead eyes stared at her own before fading into the air.
Under that fading gaze, for a few fleeting moments she Understood. Life, Death, and the Ways were clear to her. Despite what she had done, she was still a child of Celestia, still a daughter of Luna.
The euphoric cognition was too quickly over, and she was left to muse on what had brought the sacred ritual on. She supposed that she could hardly deny killing somepony was certainly a significant event in her life, and no matter what happened, she would never wish to take it back. Zecora was a good friend of hers, one that was still alive thanks to her actions. Yes, she decided. The Sisters would have approved.
Apple Bloom arrived at school a full half hour later than usual; apparently spiritual experiences don't necessarily care about tardiness. Ms. Cheerilee gave her an unpleasant look.
“Apple Bloom, we've had this discussion before. Tardiness is not acceptable for any reason,” said Cheerilee.
“Yes Ma'am. Ah'm sorry Ma'am,” said Apple Bloom.
“Go ahead and take a seat. You're lucky you didn't get here any later, or you might have been turned back at the door,” Cheerilee said with a small smirk, gesturing to the schoolhouse door again, where two royal guards had appeared.
Apple Bloom hurried to her seat at the front of the classroom before turning around to see what Ms. Cheerilee was talking about.
“Today class, we have a very special guest. Please stand and welcome Her Royal Highness, Princess Luna!”
Everypony shot to their feet and stared in wonder as the beautiful God-empress of the night entered the room. Her mane fluttered in a non existent breeze, and Apple Bloom thought that she could see the stars themselves floating in it. She stood proudly in the entryway, head held high, and wings spread to their fullest. When you looked in her eyes, you could see the moon itself floating in their depths.
For a few moments there was silence, and then a loud cacophony of dozens of fillies and colts cheering and applauding.
The princess tucked in her wings, and walked regally up to the front of the classroom. These colts and fillies were just so tiny, and so cute! She was struck by the urge to take one home with her, raise it as her very own foal as she had done many times before the pain of loss had become too great. But apparently in this modern age that sort of thing was no longer considered an honor, unless you called it an apprenticeship of course. It was scenes like this that made her even more grateful to the ponies that had saved her from Nightmare Moon.
As she reached the front of the classroom and turned around, the room became silent once more. Luna opened her mouth to speak, but before she said anything, her nostrils flared as they smelled a very familiar scent. One that harkened back to a millennium ago.
Blood.
Not just any blood, but lifeblood, the blood shed when somepony died.
Her pulse quickened, and she tensed up. This was starting to feel less like a dream come true and more like one of her nightmares.
She cast her gaze upon the room, following where her nose said the scent was coming from.
It was coming from right in front of her.
Her eyes widened in fear, and her wings shot up again, ready to spirit her away. She looked down, and stumbled in shock.
It was Her.
Apple Bloom was feeling a little conflicted. She was happy to see the Princess in person for a second time, but it was a little disconcerting to have one of your Goddesses take a look at you and fall to the floor, scrabbling to get away.
She figured that she should probably say something.
“Uh, Princess Luna? Are you okay?”
Princess Luna started glowing. At this point, everypony else started backing away, slowly at first, and then running out the door. The royal guard hovered near the door, unsure of what to do.
Apple Bloom then decided to do something very stupid. She got up very slowly from her seat, and walked carefully toward the Princess, who was now in the corner, looking at her with frightened eyes.
“Stay away from me! I've been good, I've been good! Stay away!”
A blinding flash filled the room, and Princess Celestia herself ran up and scooped her quivering mess of a sister up, and teleported them both away with another flash.
Apple Bloom was left standing alone in the classroom, hoof outstretched. She sighed. This was not her day.
The classroom was in chaos even once Cheerilee had managed to herd everyone back inside. Eventually, with the help of the two royal guards, she got everypony calmed down and back in their proper seats. Honestly, that was probably about the most useful thing those guards had done the entire time.
Apple Bloom was never more grateful that she had managed to transfer into Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's class than she was that day. Ms. Cheerilee had said that Princess Luna had what was called a flashback, where a traumatic event was relived again in all of its horror, and that it wasn't anypony's fault. But everypony, including Apple Bloom, knew that it had something to do with her.
As if to confirm this thought, she heard a hissing whisper next to her.
“Nice going, blank flank,” whispered Silver Spoon. “OW! OW!”
Silver Spoon rubbed her head. Apple Bloom saw a smug looking Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and two erasers on the floor beneath Silver Spoon.
At least she could count on her friends to stand by her side. Smiling in thanks, she returned to her introspection.
Just what had happened here? Everything had seemed so clear after The Run, only for it all to fall apart once more.
Apple Bloom stared at her hooves. For a moment, she saw crimson liquid dripping off of them, only for it to disappear when she blinked her eyes.So many questions. Had Princess Luna actually killed anypony during the Nightmare Moon incident? Did she know that Apple Bloom had killed somepony?
She wasn't quite as certain that the Sisters would understand as she had been that morning.
AN:In my version of the MLP verse, earth ponies have an increased understanding of life and death. Luna and Celestia are not simply pegasus unicorns. They are equal parts earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn. The Run is a gift to remind the earth ponies of their unique understanding. I think we can all agree that something like this is better than the earth ponies just getting shafted.
Also, as far as the smelling blood thing: Luna, as a living Goddess has far better senses than the average pony. She was able to smell the zebra's blood despite her having washed it off.
But for the Grace of the Sisters go I
AN: I don't own My Little Pony. Thanks to Raven, Marine Marksman, Sweetie Belle Derelle, Lynolius, Cupcakesarenice, Apocalypse Pony, Fernin, Black Alicorn, HybridNecros, Punisher143, GraysonPaladin, Hanzo Of the Salamander 2.0, Wing Zero 032, Mr. Denim, Amaya, MasterRaptor77, Webcam875, and Overactive Mind.
Special thanks go out to Modern Warmare over on DA for letting me use her art!
Warning: This chapter may end up being heavily revised.
On with the show.
Whoops! Now has proper name.
Chapter 3: But For the Grace of the Sisters Go I
What remained of the school day passed by mercifully quickly. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara were reluctant to do anything more as Cheerilee seemed to have turned a blind eye to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
After school the other crusaders cornered her.
“What was that all about?” Scootaloo asked.
“Yeah! What was that about?” Echoed Sweetie Belle.
“Ah don't know girls. And Ah don't know if Ah want to. Ah better get goin' home now though,” Apple Bloom answered before heading off toward home with a wave.
It was looking to be thankfully uneventful walk home—Apple Bloom didn't usually take the shortcut through the fields but after today she didn't feel like dealing with the road.
The air was crisp and clean and the skies bright and sunny. As far as the weather was concerned, it was a perfect day, one for the weatherponies to be proud of.
Far from both farm and Ponyville, she spotted Ditzy Doo walking towards her. Huh, maybe there was something wrong with the other path Ditzy usually took. Ah well, she'd enjoy having the company after the buck-up this day had been so far.
The Doo family was an odd one, but Apple Bloom had always enjoyed having them as neighbors. Come to think of it, Dinky didn't have a cutie-mark either. She'd have to ask Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle about the possibility of adding a new member.
Ditzy Doo was walking along, having returned from Sugarcube Corner bearing a large basket of muffins to share with Dinky.
She had only recently returned to Ponyville with her little muffin. Granny Derpy had just passed on with Dinky and Ditzy holding her hoof.
Despite this, she was the picture of happiness, bouncing along, eyes askew, not a care in the world. Derpy had had a good life, and it was nopony's fault.
Nopony's fault.
She didn't have tears in her eyes.
Apple Bloom and Ditzy had reached the junction at the field's edge.
Nopony's fault.
She didn't care at all about the family curse.
Ditzy was breathing rather heavily, and Apple Bloom looked at her in concern.
It was Nopony's-
“Miss Doo?” asked Apple Bloom.
Ditzy looked up and felt something sweep over her.
“My daughter-”
WHAT'S BLACK AND WHITE AND RED ALL OVER?
Ditzy screamed and took to the air, swooping in maddened circles and loops that might have made Rainbow Dash look on in envy.
Suddenly, a clarity sank over her, wings snapping taut, flight leveling out perfectly.
She knew somehow.
It was Her fault.
The enraged pegasus flew at her like some great raptor, snarling in rage. Apple Bloom held her ground up until the very last minute, diving to the side and snatching at one of Ditzy's wings as she rocketed by.
The gray mare's wing crumpled at the sudden resistance, sending her tumbling to the ground. Being a properly trained pegasus, she tucked her rear and middle extremities and protected her neck and head with her forelegs. She rolled through the dirt for a few seconds and leaped to her hooves, steam snorting out her nostrils.
Apple Bloom saw this as another chance to possibly talk this out.
“Listen Miss Doo, Ah'm not sure what's-”
Ditzy gave another inarticulate cry of rage, pawed twice at the ground and charged
Apple Bloom figured that meant that diplomacy had failed. Buck that, who wants a diplomacy cutie-mark anyway.
Besides, though she would never admit it, she had never felt more alive than she did right then. Not even the rush of dealing with the necromancer had been anything like this. That incident had been over in a few moments, dealt with by luck and decisive action.
This was another thing entirely. Analyzing an enemy, picking them apart and forcing them to engage her where she was strongest.
Ditzy reached Apple Bloom, but the filly was ready for her. The pegasus was bigger than her, heavier than her, faster than her. But they were on the ground, and little Apple Bloom was an earth pony.
Apple Bloom may have only had one prior experience with fighting, and just the night before at that, but she instinctively understood the concept of home turf. Hoofball teams always did better on their home field. Vinyl Scratch, traveling mare that she was, always did her best shows in Ponyville. And Apple Bloom fought best on the ground.
The grey mare tried to shoulder check the filly, but Apple Bloom dodged out of the way, and managed to get a good hard buck in on Ditzy's right flank.
“Horseapples,” Apple Bloom cursed to herself as they both circled around. She had been aiming for the injured wing, but had managed to miss.
The two of them stalked around each other, moving in a small and steady circle, Ditzy bruised and limping, but Apple Bloom still relatively unscathed.
This realization brought a small, cocky smile to her lips.
Apple Bloom was fighting a fully grown pegasus.
And she was winning.
Ditzy's eyes unfocused for a moment, one staring at the ground, and one remaining focused on Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom gave a wicked grin. This was her chance. She charged at the limping mare, ready to flip around and disable the pegasus' undamaged rear leg.
Ditzy Doo gave a wicked grin. This was her chance. In one smooth motion, she reached down with her good wing and managed to fling a good hoof-full of dust at the yellow filly's face.
Apple Bloom felt like an idiot. Her eyes began to sting with the dust, tears blurring her vision as she stumbled back to recover, her mind racing to find some method to deal with this handicap.
Ditzy was on her in a second. Apple Bloom took a right hoof to the face and tumbled to the ground.
The yellow filly cursed silently. Her head was reeling, and her eyes were still screaming at her. Her legs felt like jelly and the wind had been half knocked out of her. She was losing. She cursed the single moment of cockiness had completely turned the tables. She would be left to whatever semblance of mercy remained in the crazed mare. She didn't have much hope.
No.
No.
NO!
She was Apple Bloom. She had apples in her blood. She had the earth in her bones. She had a zebra's lifeblood on her hooves.
She. Would. Not. Lose.
A grey blur barely identifiable as a hoof swung at her, and she blocked with her left foreleg. Something sharp on the mare's hoof scraped down her leg, and as she stumbled to her hooves once more she could feel the blood trickling down. What in Equestria had caused that?
Ditzy stumbled as the young earth pony redirected the force of her blow, and beat her good wing to drive herself backwards. Her injured wing was throbbing, and she was probably missing a few pinion feathers, which only served to make her even more furious. It had to have been her fault. That old terrible feeling was there, and there was no mistaking it.
Having recovered from the imbalance, she rushed forward again, hoping to avoid giving the filly more time to recover.
Apple Blooms lucky block and the subsequent pause in the fight gave her time for her eyes to fully clear out. Though the nasty grit still clung to the edges of her eyes, she could see again, and she realized what she had missed in her initial assessment.
That bucking mare was shod.
They were light duty horseshoes, but they were still made out of metal. Apple Bloom felt lucky that most of the energy had been spent sending her tumbling.
The mare charged again, and Apple Bloom dodged with ease. She managed to buck Ditzy again, but missed her target of the wing, instead catching her just below the neck. Apparently Pegasi were very protective of their wings. All the same, Ditzy screamed as her hooves connected, so that had to have at least done something.
Once more having the advantage, Apple Bloom knew she should take this moment to talk the madmare down, to see what was wrong. It would be the right thing to do, and most definitely the smart thing.
But she was alive! Her blood was thrumming, her heart was racing and her mind was moving as fast as Rainbow Dash could fly. She felt a deep, primal urge and longing within her that she didn't know the name of.
A black and white voice whispered in her ear.
“Bloodlust...” it said.
“Bloodlust,” she whispered, and she found the word tasted strange and new and oh so sweet on her lips.
She liked it.
But this new feeling called for more than just the fight. It needed to end, and it needed to end in a glorious fashion with her as the victor.
As the pegasus whipped around once more, Apple Bloom charged straight at the rearing mare, feeling the thrill as she raced toward what would be the end of the fight in one way or another.
The pegasus reacted in in instant, managing to bowl the filly off her hooves.
It was exactly what Apple Bloom had hoped for. On her back, she had a clear shot at Ditzy's vulnerable belly. It also put her in range of those damned shod hooves, but the pegasus would be to busy bleeding out to act on it.
Apple Bloom ready the killing blow, but long repressed memories swamped her.
Bleeding out from the gut was one of the more painful deaths a pony could have.
The Apple family knew that better than most, having lost Ma and Pa Apple to a freak cart accident.
Apple Bloom saw herself as if in third person in her very first memories, her only memories of her parents. The cart, the hospital and the slow lingering deaths would stay with her forever.
She couldn't do it.
She couldn't take this pony's life just to satisfy that feeling within her.
She would die first.
And as the shod hoof came down at her head, she was darkly amused at how true that was.
~~~
Ditzy Doo brought her right hoof down square on the filly's head—or at least she tried to. She misjudged slightly, Apple Blooms head still taking some but not all of the blow.
“Do it now. Crush her. MAKE HER PAY FOR WHAT SHE HAS DONE!” A voice hissed at her.
Ditzy Doo stopped.
The past few minutes came rushing at her like a raging torrent, and she wobbled on her hooves, gazing in dull horror at the filly beneath her.
Steadying herself, she spoke up.
“No. NO! How could you make me do this!?”
“Hehehe, I think you'll find you did this all on your own. All it took was one little nudge,” said the voice. “But I think I'll leave you alone for now.”
Ditzy looked down at the unconscious filly guiltily, before picking her up and placing her on her back. Her pennapectorals and her flank protested the extra weight, but she would just deal with it.
Had she really wanted to murder this filly just minutes earlier?
She still knew without a doubt that it was Her. She didn't know how, but she knew. And after all, wouldn't that be just like the family curse. But the rage was gone, replaced by a curious numbness.
“Oh Apple Bloom, I'm so sorry,” she murmured.
Since the filly seemed to be in decent condition other than being unconscious, Ditzy decided to bring her home rather than face the Apple inquisition immediately.
She was met at the door to her house by a concerned Dinky, and realized that the muffins she had gone out of her way to surprise Dinky with were laying on the ground out in a field somewhere.
Dinky had more pressing concerns than the muffins that she was going to pretend to be surprised by. It wasn't every day Ditzy Doo came home battered and bruised, toting a filly in the same state.
“What happened to you two?” She asked, eyes wide.
Ditzy sighed.
“We got in a fight, muffin. But we're better now, we've just got to take care of Apple Bloom until she wakes up.”
Dinky helped Ditzy unload Apple Bloom into the guest bed, and eagerly helped to bandage the scratch from the loose nail on her regulation horseshoes.
Oh Celestia. Big Mac was her farrier, the only one in Ponyville willing to do pegasus hoof work. She'd have to go to Cloudsdale to find another who'd do the job right.
Wait a minute. She'd almost killed Apple Bloom and now she was worried about her shoes?
Ditzy looked in the rooms vanity mirror.
A beaten and bruised pegasus stared back at her.
She imagined her reflection warping, twisted and horrible, becoming a monster. She shook herself. She was Ditzy Doo, and she knew who she was, no matter what some voice said, no matter who was at fault for the family curse. Ditzy Doo was a child of Celestia, and a daughter of Luna.
She turned to face the sun through the window, and bowed.
“Princess Celestia, please forgive your child, and grant your blessing of growth and healing to this filly whom I have wronged. Princess Luna, forgive my transgressions, and release this filly from your realm of Dreams,” prayed Ditzy. She was about to end with the traditional Amen, but a small voice stopped her.
“Princess Celestia, please help Apple Bloom get better. She is a good friend of mine. Princess Luna, please help too,” Dinky prayed.
“Amen,” said Ditzy, smiling at little Dinky.
“Amen,” said Dinky, who smiled back.
“Amen,” said Apple Bloom, surprising the other two.
“Apple Bloom!” Cried Dinky, jumping for joy.
Ditzy's eyes started to glisten and her legs began to wobble. She tried to speak but her throat had clenched shut, and her breaths came in shuddering sobs.
She felt the embrace of two separate pairs of forelegs, and weight against her injuries.
“Ah think it's mah turn to pray now. Princess Celestia, we thank you for the Sun an' how it breathes life into the very earth. Princess Luna, we thank you for the moon that protects us while we dream. But most of all, we thank you both for teaching us to love one another. Amen,” Apple Bloom said solemnly.
“Amen!” Dinky echoed, but Ditzy was still too choked up to say anything.
Apple Bloom let go of Ditzy and looked her in the eye.
“Ditzy, I forgive ya. It's mostly my fault anyway. Ah think Ah know what happened. Please, don't ask why. Anyway, Ah've gotta go home,” Apple Bloom said, starting toward the door. Apple Bloom wondered once more if Princess Luna would forgive her.
Somehow she knew that the princess could tell she had taken a life.
Still, she did wake up to that prayer. Maybe there was hope.
“Wait,” croaked Ditzy. “I'll come with you. You'll need help explaining,” she gestured to Apple Bloom's injuries, “that.”
“Ah guess. Thank you,” said Apple Bloom.
“Apple Bloom. Before we leave, I should tell you something. My family line is cursed. I fear you have something similar. I wish I could tell you more, but, well, a curse is a curse.”
“Is Dinky coming?”
“No. She needs to stay here.”
Dinky looked ready to protest this, but was subdued by a look from Ditzy.
Apple Bloom and Ditzy set off for Sweet Apple Acres.
“What should we tell them, Apple Bloom?” Ditzy asked.
“We'll tell 'em that you crashed into me. Just do that eye thing of yours and we'll be golden.”
Ditzy wasn't too sure about that, but she didn't have any better ideas to contribute, so she stayed silent.
They came upon the gate just as the sun was approaching the horizon, and were spotted first by Applejack.
“Apple Bloom, Ditzy Doo? Are you okay?” She asked, seeing the bandages from a distance.
“We're fine, Ditzy just crashed into me is all.”
Applejack frowned, and after a cursory inspection that frown turned into an angry scowl.
“Ah know hoof marks from fightin' when Ah see 'em. You got another thing comin' Ditzy if'n you think you can beat on mah sister and get away with it!”
With that, Applejack began to stalk towards the grounded mailmare, who was starting to look decidedly nervous.
Apple Bloom stepped between the two.
“Applejack. We've settled it already. Leave it be.”
“Out of the way, Apple Bloom.”
“No.”
“Yer not too old for a spanking! Now move and let me show her why you don't mess with the Apple family.”
Applejack wasn't backing down. That was fine. Then neither would Apple Bloom.
“Stop it Applejack. If you wanna fight Ditzy, yer gonna have ta go through me.”
Apple Bloom stood firm, legs in a wide stance, glaring at her elder sister.
Applejack paused and gave her a hard look.
“And yer saying you've got this settled? She didn't force ya into it or anything?”
“That's right, sis.”
Applejack stared at Apple Bloom, and then peered around her to stare at Ditzy. Ditzy felt like her very soul was being examined. Eventually, Applejack seemed to find whatever it was she was looking for.
“Don't do it again,” she said. Ditzy nodded. “Stop by the barn before you leave, Big Macintosh'll fix you up. And Apple Bloom,” she said, facing her sister again. “We are going to talk. Ah don't give a hay what we talk about, but if my little sister is gettin' in fights with grown ponies then Ah think Ah don't know her as well as Ah thought Ah did.”
Apple Bloom nodded tiredly, and gave a yawn.
“Ah've had a long, terrible day sis. Ah know it's just sundown now, but Ah need some sleep.”
“Ah'll see you in the mornin' then sugar-cube. Sleep well.”
Apple Bloom headed into the house, leaving Ditzy alone with Applejack. The farmpony gave Ditzy another hard look.
“Whatever happened between you two, it wasn't just you two bein' stupid was it? It was somethin' unnatural, right?”
Ditzy nodded. Apparently her vocal chords had decided to take a hike when she stepped onto Sweet Apple Acres property.
Applejack rubbed at her face with her hoof in a weary manner, and sighed.
“Ah'm worried about her Ditzy. Ah know somethin' is wrong.”
Ditzy finally found her voice.
“But for the grace of the Sisters go I,” she murmured. “Love and friendship as my guide.”
“And even though the worst I fear, they will always hold me dear,” Applejack finished.
“Amen.”
“Amen.”
The two of them paused for a moment to reflect, and shook hooves in friendship.
Up in her room, Apple Bloom collapsed into her bed. The covers wrapped around her tightly, and she slowly drifted off to sleep.
Far away in Canterlot, Luna was sitting in her sister's private office.
“Sister, It was Her.. The Warmare is back.”
AN: Don't own MLP, so don't sue me. This was inspired by the Modern Warmare fanart piece.
Warmare
Chapter 1: First Blood
Apple Bloom was staring at her bedroom ceiling. Moonlight streamed in through the window, bathing the room in a silvery glow. She got up and stood the light, craning her head sideways to stare at her disappointingly bare flank.
Despite everything that the crusaders had tried, they had been completely unsuccessful in their quest. Contrary to what everypony thought, she wasn't stupid. She knew Sweetie Belle was probably destined for a musical cutie-mark, and Scootaloo for something acrobatic, whether it was on her scooter or soaring through the air like her idol, Rainbow Dash. They just weren't able to come to terms with themselves—Sweetie Belle with her stage fright, and Scootaloo with her insecurity about her wings. Apple Bloom knew that she had a certain amount of talent for fixing things, but it didn't sing to her soul like Scootaloo's and Sweetie's talents seemed to, even in the absence of their cutie-marks.
Apple Bloom sighed, and crawled out of bed. It looked like another night of sleepless introspection for her. She knew she had her foalish moments (she cringed a little remembering a certain incident involving the words “Ah want it NOOOOOWWW!”), but she liked to think that she had grown a lot in the past year. It was therein that lay the problem; it was if a great weight had settled upon her very essence, a strange heavy sort of despair that permeated throughout her days, but most especially her nights.
The window opened up with nary a creak, and soon she clambered out into the moonlit orchard. Other ponies would have found the trees rather frightening and imposing in the dark, but having lived here all her life, they were just a comforting extension of home. Slowly she made her way to the summit of a small hill that the family kept clear for picnics and other special events. Sitting there, staring at the luminescent silver orb dominating the sky, she offered up a small but heartfelt prayer.
“Princess Luna, I thank you for granting your peace upon the land. Please, I beg of you, grant that same peace to my weary soul.”
No answer came, no falling star, no whisper in the moonlight, no sudden spiritual revelation accompanied by a chorus of fae.
Apple Bloom sighed. Praying to Luna just hadn't felt the same without Her semblance adorning the herald of the night. Her return was a joyous occasion, but Apple Bloom had secretly felt abandoned from the moment both Princesses had left Ponyville after The Long Night.
Still, that was no reason to be ungrateful for the gifts of the night Princess. Apple Bloom knocked a hoof against a stone, giving herself a soft but steady beat.
The words of the ancient hymn flowed out from deep within her.
“Let us not forget Her blessing,
The Princess of the Night.
The coolness of the evening
The slickness of the dew
The stars are softly glowing
A crown of silv'ry hue.
Luna watches over every pony
Be they great or be they small
And so must we remember
Luna watches over all.”
Her last refrain echoed quietly through the orchard, dissipating into the strange grasping shapes of the trees. Having paid her respects, she waited a few moments, then gave up any hope of divine assistance that night.
Her thoughts began to wander a thousand different directions, fluttering about like lightning bugs on a hot summer's evening. Her eyes wandered as well, taking in the acres of trees, the barn, and the large garden back behind the house. Standing up, she turned around and cast her gaze onto the Everfree forest, with its well-worn path leading to Zecora's hut. When the wind shifted just right, she could smell the sharp tang of the protective magics woven through it. Ah yes, now the wind was blowing the right direction. She braced herself for the slightly odd scent, but was rewarded only with a muddled earthy sort of smell.
A jolt, a thrill ran through her system. Something was wrong. Before she even realized it, her hooves were thundering on the ground beneath her, and steam was flaring from her nostrils as she ran like a madmare.
Tree branches grabbed at her, snatching and scratching, but the efforts of the flora was all for naught—she quickly came within sight of her destination. Zecora was prowling around the outside of her hut.
Apple Bloom nearly called out to her, but she stopped herself as her eyes caught movement around the perimeter.
Dark figures pounded at an invisible barrier around the tree, shifting and growling in the flickering light of hanging lanterns. She realized with a start that they were pony skeletons, animated by some dark magic.
Every so often, one of them would seem to make headway, and Zecora would hurl a small bottle at it. The bottle would shatter, and the undead creature would release a keening wail before crumbling into dust. Edging slightly closer, she saw that a large ring of mushrooms was growing around Zecora's tree, and the monsters appeared to be unable to pass it.
Apple Bloom knew that she would only get one chance.
Picking up a large rock from the forest floor, she hurled it at the obvious leader of the monsters.
The rock tumbled through the air, colliding with the head of the hooded figure. It stumbled, and the skeletons crumpled to the ground without its guidance.
Apple Bloom knew this was her chance. She rushed at the figure and gave a mighty leap, flipping around and bucking it square in the head.
It was just like kicking a melon. There was a loud crunch, and her hooves failed to find any more meaningful resistance as her momentum caused her to tumble gracelessly through the air.
Quickly recovering her hooves, she whipped around to face the pony again. A thrill raced through her from snout to tail as she rushed at the crumpled figure, ready to keep it from rising again.
As she approached it, time seemed to slow to a crawl.
Wow. That was a lot of blood.
The figure still didn't move.
As if in a trance, she reached down and flipped up the hood.
A glassy eyed zebra stared at her, the back of its head caved completely in.
She should have been freaking out.
She wasn't.
Instead, she felt a kind of warm contentment, and a faint stirring on the side of either flank.
Could—no, no, NO! Denial worked well enough for the other two crusaders, so it would work well enough for her.
Apple Bloom glanced at her mercifully bare flanks, and then back at Zecora, who had frozen in shock. After a few moments though, she finally regained her composure.
“I thank you, little Apple Bloom. Without you, I would have met my doom,” Zecora said. “I suppose I must explain, the--”
“No. Sorry Zecora, but all Ah need to know is this. Was he really gonna kill ya?” Apple Bloom interrupted.
“Yes,” said Zecora.
Apple Bloom sighed.
“Thank ya kindly Zecora. Ah really need ta be getting back to the farm, but first can ya get me some water to clean up with?” Apple Bloom asked.
She was pretty sure that coming home with blood on her hooves might cause a few awkward questions that she didn't exactly feel ready to answer.
Zecora tried multiple times to get her to stay, but Apple Bloom would have none of it.
“Just remember, Ah was never here.”
The Zebra managed a nod and a wave, and Apple Bloom set off once more for home.
The trip back was much worse than it had been the first time. It seemed that time itself stretched out as a mist descended on the path, bending in maddening ways as certain plants pulled on roots that reached in impossible directions into the aether.
Apple Bloom saw ghostly versions of herself dying in various terrible ways, one having been set upon by a slowly disintegrating manticore and another was ripped apart by other Apple Blooms that had appeared in the mist. One particularly unfortunate doppelganger gave an unearthly scream after breathing in a cloud of spores, and sprouted from the mist, becoming a giant tree in a matter of seconds.
She soldiered on, the efforts of the mist and plants for naught as she finally arrived back at the farm, and scampered back into her bedroom from the still open window.
