My Little Pony: Warpony Chronicles 1: The Orange Lighting
Some quick setting facts.
1) Who is Steed? Steed is the pony equivalent of God, as such the term will be used as one might use God. For phrases like "Oh my God" and such. I borrowed this concept but I don't recall the exact fic.
2) The Elements of Harmony, when I mention a OC pony having an element it's meant metaphorically, as a dominating trait to their personality. Only the main cast actually have the jewel Elements of Harmony.
My Little Pony: Warpony Chronicles
1: The Orange Lighting
Set in an Alternative version of the "My Little Pony: Friend Ship is Magic" Universe.
There are many realities, as different and varied as snowflakes, but one thing every reality has is a balance. Light and Dark, Good and Evil, Order and Chaos, every permutation of reality is ruled by these forces. But in a reality controlled by sentient ponies a cursory glance might make you question that. Peaceful, Ideal, Utopian these are the words most of the citizens of the kingdom of Equestria would use to describe their home. Blessed by two living goddess, populated by a species that nearly always good natured and happy. Nothing in Equestria seems random or chaotic, the rising of the sun and moon controlled by their goddesses, the weather controlled by their pegasi, the land cared for by it earth ponies. Evil and chaos seem absent from the bright and colorful world with its bright and colorful pony citizenry. But in truth Equestrias fight each day to keen chaos at bay, for the great order of their world draws dark forces wishing to destroy it. In secret the Equestrian Army battles many foes, hiding their existence from their fellow ponies. Nercopoinies, the undead horde of the villain known as The Last Lich, a vicious magic user who raises the bodies of slain ponies as horrible mindless monsters. The Coven of darkness, a clan of witches who summon monsters to try to raze Equestria to the ground. Ogres, Trolls, and Chaos Soliders. Sleeping horrors that are madness incarnate. The brave soldiers of Equestria forgo the peaceful life of their brothers and sisters to keep these threats out of their homeland. Unbeknownst to the ponies their victories are assured, Equestria will never fall so long as its army stands, and it always shall, the blessing of many gods are with them. So they fight on, maintain the balance of their world, die for their sisters and brothers.
The life of the Warponies, the Knights of Equestria, The Unicorn War Mage Guild and the Pegasi Air Corps is one of violence, constant fighting, and seemingly inevitable death on the field of battle. As far as the rests of the Ponies know, sometimes friends and family are visited by the Knights, and lead off never to be seen again. Those who question this find themselves also visited by the Knights, taught the truth about Equestria, and nearly always recruited as Watchers. Ponies who watch for the signs that show who will become a warrior in Equestrias' armies. Some are easy to spot, cutie marks show a pony's inner strengths and character, so when a weapon of war appears, it's red flag. Unicorns who show their greatest potency in destructive magic, Pegasi that are too "rough and tumble" for their kin, and earth ponies with aggression in excess. These are the tales of these ponies, incidents of life, or death, tales of those who give everything yet shall never see glory or praise from the populace.
The Tale of Sweet Apple or War vet
Ponyville's most numerous family is the Apple Clan, apple farmers by trade, said to be the best in all Equestria. The Ponies know as Ma Apple and Pa Apple had many children, The stalwart "Big Mac" Macintosh, the hard working Apple Jack, the excitable Apple Bloom and others. Sweet Apple was yet another of these children, she excelled in running, had the strength enough to give Big Mac a run for his money. Ma and Pa always though Sweet Apple would some day, take over the farm, and when the Knights came they had prayed she was not the one to be taken. But the local Watcher had seen the potential in Sweet Apple as a Warpony, and to her credit she had not be wrong yet. As was tradition when a family member went off with the Knights there was no fanfare, no going away party, and hardly any mention of it. Because they never returned Pony families too to morning a child who left in this manner, they were only ever again spoken of in private.
Sweet Apple's career as a Warpony was outstanding, her speed and strength placed her in the Lancer unit. Front line Warponies armed with lances that charged into enemy units with an almost reckless zeal. Further, early on Sweet Apple showed an elemental affinity. Despite a common belief that only Unicorns had magic, all ponies had it, elemental affinity being rare. Only found in earth ponies this power gave them the ability to channel destructive elements. Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Lighting and Frost. A Lancer with elemental affinity could charge his or her weapon with the power of an element. Sweet Apple could channel lighting, creating an attacks she called "Thunder Joust", earning her a new name in the Warpony corps, Orange Lighting. Once a pony entered the army they almost always ended up going by a new name, earned in battle or as recognition for their unique ability. With her orange coat, blonde mane and lighting power the new name came early. Countless Necropoines fell to Orange Thunder, more than a few Ogres left a battle minus an eye. She fought beside the elite Berserkers, Crimson Hurricane and Cyan Typhoon, the mountain like twin earth ponies tearing though enemy legions in their spike covered armor, sheathed in elemental auras of Fire and Ice while the slim, quick, mare dashed between them creating a breath taking dance of destruction. "Those who burn brightest burn out first" the saying went, and for Orange Lighting and the twin Berserkers this was true.
It was a chaos dragon, a twisted and evil parody of the real thing but no less dangerous. The battle had been going badly for the Equestrians, the Chaos army was abnormally powerful, multiple demons had been summoned and suppressed at the cost of many Pegasus archers. Crimson Hurricane and Cyan Typhoon where deployed and began their "Dance of Devastation", activating their elemental auras and rotating around one another. As usual with the maneuver the lancers with elemental affinity joined in, spearing chaos soldiers that the twins threw with their massive bodies, and destroying them with their elemental blasts. In the middle of it all the Chaos Dragon appeared and blasted the area with his breath weapon. Crimson Hurricane didn't know what had hit him, the chaos fire killed the berserker almost instantly. The dragon grabbed Cyan Typhoon and began to try to rip him in half. Orange Lighting's strike was meant more to save Cyan then to kill the dragon, and had it beened focused harder and aimed better it might have killed the beast. She pierced the monster's chest, and as she'd hoped it dropped Cyan, but it had changed it's focus to her. Before she knew it the monster had her by the back legs, shredding her armor with its claws and digging into her flesh, then it grabbed her front, perching an eye. Her broken lance fell to the ground and she was sure in moments she'd be dead, torn in half or perhaps even eaten by the chaos dragon. But Cyan was still alive and with a burst of adrenaline performed a maneuver few had ever seen. He had rushed up the dragon's chest as it reared back ready to kill Orange Lighting, leapt into its mouth and exploded using his elemental power. Frozen chunks of dragon littered the field, Cyan's body vaporized by his own attack, and Orange Lighting fell onto the dead reptile's belly. With the impressive display of power and death of their most powerful unit the chaos army fled back into the portals they had emerged from.
Orange Lighting received a metal of valor for her actions in the battle, along with something few Warponies ever got, an honorable discharge. The name Orange Lighting was added to the Wall of the Fallen along with Crimson Hurricane and Cyan Typhoon. Now to be known as Sweet Apple again she learned her compatriots civilian names, Copper Sunset and Blue Daybreak. She had known them in Ponyville and wanted desperately to tell their family how their sons had died protecting Equestria, but it was forbidden. What to do with Sweet Apple was discussed at length, being discharged from the army hadn't happened to a warpony in one hundred years, officially she was dead. Sweet Apple was surprised by whom finally came to decide her fate, Princess Celestia herself, the ruler of Equestria knew all about the army, but usually left decisions to her generals.
"As far was we are concerned." Celestia began speaking with the royal "we" so everyone knew it was official. "The Warpony Orange Lighting died in battle in service to her country. Sweet Apple, we decree you are to return to the life you had pervious, we trust you to keep secret from all what you have seen and experience as Orange Lighting. We have arranged for you to return to the Sweet Apple Acres farm in Ponyville and assigned one of our most trusted apprentices to help your readjustment to civilian life. In addition the Ponyville Watcher may request your assistance in her duties. Do you accept this?"
"Your Majesty is truly gracious." Sweet Apple said. "The conditions are more than acceptable, perhaps more than I disserve."
"Do not consider your survival a failure my little pony." Celestia said. "You have served us well, and by Steed's grace you have been spared death. Your honor is intact, do not think because you lived that you gave less than your fallen friends. Their spirits would wish you to live out the remainder of your days living in the peace you helped earn for all ponies."
Sweet Apple had dreams about her fallen allies, but her fear of recrimination was unfounded. Copper Sunset and Blue Daybreak had smiled at her, spoke of the honor of serving with her, Daybreak told her he was pleased his sacrifice meant she lived. Sweet Apple eventually learned these where no ordinary dreams, rather Sunset and Daybreak's spirits had come to her, so give their final messages and assure her she still had their respect and her own honor. Sweet Apple had never really thought about honor before, but somehow the emphasis others had put on her honor made her feel better. The injures Sweet Apple suffered where very sever, closer to fatal than anyone dared tell her. The injury to her back legs nearly crippled her, her Red Apple cutie mark literally torn from her left flank, the medic-magic of Canterlot had restored her ability to walk, and even run, but her once great speed was gone, and her running endurance reduced to a quarter. Her right eye was a lost cause, and she refused a glass one, from now on she would simply wear her mane in a fashion that concealed it. A cover story was created, she'd tell other ponies she'd been sent to a frontier town to help the set up apple orchards and ran afoul of a wild Manticore. Such incidents where uncommon but not unheard of, wild monsters still prowled the boarders of Equestria. She learned the apprentice she'd meet was called Twilight Sparkle, and that the young unicorn was even friends with her own sister Apple Jack. How much had Apple Jack and Big Mac grown she wondered. She knew that a few years after she had left Ma and Pa Apple had died, but not before Ma foaled again, what was Apple Bloom like? Would the little sister she had never met like her? Would her siblings and cousins still treat her the same? For all she'd experienced these questions seemed silly, but Sweet Apple couldn't get them out of her head. She elected to travel to Ponyville on hoof, saying she needed to "get back to basics", soil underhoof, natural settings rather than the grimy battle fields or stark military complexes that had been her life for years. Halfway to the town she was stopped by somepony. A grey pegasus with blonde hair carrying mailbags.
"Are you Sweet Apple?" The ditzy looking grey pegasus asked.
"Umm yes I am." Sweet Apple said, noticing the odd eyes of the pegasus, she knew her. "Aren't you... Ditzy Doo?"
"I am I am!" Ditzy cheered. "I didn't think you'd member me! Rainbow Dash said that if I remembered you that you where sure to remember me. We went to school together as fillies! But with it being so long and all I thought you might have forgotten!"
Sweet Apple remembered , Ditzy Doo, or Derpy Hooves, was a pony no one could forget. Something was off about her, and more than just her lazy eye. "Derpy" wasn't stupid, she just thought... on a different wave length. She was a fantastic flier but had a horrible sense of direction. She could likely out fly the best of the Pegasus Archers, and from the mailbags Sweet Apple guessed she was the Postal Pony now.
"I've got a letter for you right here, right here!" Ditzy dug into her mail bag. "Miss Sparkle sent it, she said Princess Celestia told her you where coming, and you were walking. It is true you asked not to come by Pegasus Chariot? I've always wanted to ride one of those, but I can fly so I've never got offered a ride."
"yes I did." Sweet Apple said as she took the letter. "I've been, laied up for weeks. Got hurt by a manticore while I was helping set up an apple orchard in a border town."
"Oh wow wow! That sounds exciting." Ditzy said. "Not the being hurt part, but the going and helping with an orchard? What kind of orchard, what town?"
"Well an apple Orchard of course." Sweet Apple said. "And the town... uhhh... they hadn't picked a name yet!"
"Ohhhhh! Ok." Ditzy said with a grin. "Well I got a lot of mail to delivery! Letters, packages, greeting cards, herring. Gotta make sure the mail gets though! Bye, bye! See you next time I deliver you a letter or some herring!"
Sweet Apple watched Ditzy Doo fly away, a little disturbed, still seemed like a nice pony, but she thought perhaps Ditzy had gotten stranger since she was a filly. She turned her attention to the letter. Like Ditzy had said it was addressed to her, from Twilight Sparkle. Strangely the letter asked that Sweet Apple destroy it after reading, at first that seemed strange. But as she read she understood, Twilight explained that the Princess had told her everything about Sweet Apple. Sweet Apple read the details, and it was confirmed, Celestia had reveled all to the young Unicorn. From the words she used Sweet Apple could tell Twilight was a bit freaked out by it all, but good apprentice she was, was going to do her best to help Sweet Apple "recivilize". Though it was odd that Twilight said she wanted to know all about Sweet Apple's "Thunder Joust" power and elemental affinities. Sweet Apple wondered to herself, what was Celestia preparing this Unicorn Filly for? It wasn't for the Unicorn Warmage Guild, any pony Celestia chose to teach personally was doubtlessly powerful enough, but would have already been inducted by now. Sweet Apple decided not to dwell on it, she was a civilian again, whatever destiny Celestia had for her apprentice was not an apple farmer's concern. She reminded herself, the Equestrian Military wasn't her concern now, the Family Farm, her Family, Apples. Like every other Apple Clan member it was growing apples, feeding Equestria, that was her concern!
Sweet Apple burned the letter as instructed and continued, as she kept moving it began to grow dark. Despite feeling tired she kept going, walking until the sun was completely gone. As the night chill made the joints in her back legs ache Sweet Apple decided to camp for the night. She looked for a sheltered spot, a perfect hiding place from any potential foes, no one had ever suck up on Orange Lighting, and as she began to make a nest she stopped. The road was safe, completely safe, she didn't need to hide, or look out for foes here, this close to Canterlot there weren't even any bandits. As for the nest, she had a bed roll, she was still thinking like a solider. She started to clear the brush that hid the space under the small rock outcropping she had chose to sleep under, it was a good spot still, a sheltered spot meant her fire wouldn't be blown out unexpectedly. She was about to gather berries and maybe try to catch some bugs when she stopped again, she'd brought food with her, apples and a sweet roll. Still acting like she was a Warpony, her instincts where honed sharply, now unnecessarily. It was good for a pony to be alert, but their was a difference between how alert a civilian needed to be and how alert a soldier needed to be. Maybe she'd put her survival training to good use, become a Denmare for a Pony Scout Troop. She giggled to herself, a warpony as a scout leader? Her taking on such a mundane task, and then she thought that perhaps her considering something so "normal" was a good thing. For the first time in a long time Sweet Apple looked up at the stars, most of the places the war ponies fought where underground, and when they where in the wilderness something as frivolous as stargazing just wouldn't do. It was a beautiful night, more beautiful than she remembered nights ever being, doubtless the work of Princess Luna, while Equestria didn't know what its soldiers did, events of such monumental important as the destruction of Nightmare Moon reached their ears. She wondered why Princess Celestia had lets civilian ponies fight Nightmare Moon.
"Because we would have killed her." Sweet Apple said to the night. "We would of sacrificed Luna to destroy Nightmare Moon."
It was a good thing the army didn't fight Nightmare Moon, Sweet Apple was positive of that. Celestia knew the old adage "The right tool for the job", the army was like sledgehammer, there to pulverize things. Sweet Apple lay down and looked up at the stars, being able to appreciate the beauty of the night again, she hoped that Copper Sunset and Blue Daybreak, and all the other fallen ponies got to do the same on the other side. Yes she decided, a good Warpony would be rewarded by the Steed for his life time of combat, they kept Equestria safe, gave up their lives, after death they could rest, she wished they could have the type of rest from that life she was having. Slowly darkness overcame the mare, as she thought how good it would be to no longer have to fight every day.
The first light of the morning sun awoke Sweet Apple, she was a bit taken aback. She'd seen sunrise before, but only over the horrors of the battle field. This time the light was gentle, soft, podding her to awareness, not bringing to light the aftermath of the battle with chaos soldiers, or the fields of destroyed necroponies, nor comrades who had fallen in the darkness. She worried about the fact such images in her head didn't disturb her, she'd seen so much that had desensitized her. She began to think the road to becoming a "normal" pony might be a lot longer than she'd guessed. She finished off the last two apples she had, and the crust of sweet roll, such delicious food, nothing like some of the meals she had as a soldier. Strangely she liked the taste of bugs, crunching exoskeleton between her teeth and the flavor of the meat, but apples and sweet rolls, those where rare treats to a soldier, now she'd be eating them all the time. As she began down the road again Sweet Apple tried to remember the taste of apple pie, she had once been good at making apple pie, every Apple Clan mare learned to make pies, and tarts, fritters and all sorts of apple goodies. Sweet Apple found she couldn't exactly recall what it took to make a good pie, but was confident she'd remember with a little help from Granny Smith. As she walked Sweet Apple's mind wandered, she thought of her family. Rambunctious little Apple Jack, playing tag with her school friends in the field. Big Mac, trying to cheat on his diet. Granny Smith showing just how to find the "sweet spot" on a tree to make all the apples fall with a single buck. Crimson finding the patch of wild flowers and bringing one back for all the girls in the unit. Cyan reciting poems in the mess hall during down time. Her first compliment from her unit commander, Thunderhead. She didn't even notice how her thoughts of family turned to other members of her unit, to her the two where the same. Her follow lancers, the twins, the archers, the five guild mages assigned to the unit, they where as much family as the Apple Clan was, in someways more. She was so caught up reminiscing she walked into someone.
"What the hoo-ha do ya'll thinking your doing!" A female pony said.
"Oh, excuse me I'm sorry miss!" sweet Apple replied. "I must of gotten distracted!"
"Well look where your walkin." the voice said. "Ya'll can't just plow into a pony!"
"Again I'm sorry." Sweet Apple said. "if it's not too much of problem, can you tell me how much farther it is to Ponyville?"
"Sugar cube, your half way to town square!" The pony replied.
Sweet Apple stopped, in fact she WAS in the middle of the town already, maybe her injuries had done something to her head, she never had a day dreamed like this before.
"ifin you don't mind me askin." the pony said. "Ya'll didn't happen to pass anyone while you where traveling did ya? I've expecting on ah my kin folk today."
Sweet Apple turned to look at who's she'd run into. It was a young pony, maybe half her own age, with a bright orange coat, long blonde hair, a cluster of three apples for her cutie mark, and wearing a cowboy hat. Sweet Apple thought, she knew this pony somehow, for a moment she worked it over in her head.
"Apple Jack?" Sweet Apple asked. "Your Apple Jack aren't you!"
"Course I am missy." Apple Jack said. "How might you all ah heard of me? Maybe word of mouth bout Sweet Apple Acres?"
"Silly Filly!" Sweet Apple said. "Course I know you! I helped Mama and Granny foal you!"
"Sweet Apple!?" Apple Jack said. "It is you? Why, how'd ya'll get taller since last time I seen ya?"
The two sisters embraced neck and nuzzled each other. Sweet Apple swore she smelled apple pie in Apple Jack's hair. Sweet Apple was amazed at how grown up Apple Jack was.
"Why I... sis, what happen ta yer cutie mark!?" Apple Jack said concerned.
"I was injured while fighting a C- a Manticore." Sweet Apple said. "Really mean thing, hut my flank pretty bad, but the other side is just fine."
Sweet Apple turned to show Apple Jack her uninjured flank and remaining cuite mark.
"What the hoo-ha did they have ya doing?" Apple Jack asked. "I though ya'll where cleaning land for Apple trees, not fighting off monsters."
"It was a freak thing Apple Jack, came outta no where while I was looking for a place to clear." Sweet Apple lied. "I, I barely got away, Copper Sunset and Blue Daybreak saved me from it."
"We'll it's a good thing ya'll had friends sis." Applejack said smiling "Yah know me and mah friends are always helping each other out of some scrape or another!"
"so I've heard." Sweet Apple said. "As a matter of fact I was told the pony who's going to be showing me around is a friend of yours."
"Oh Twilight?" Apple Jack said. "Oh yea, she came around here a couple months back, sent by the Princess herself no less. She's a bookworm fer sure, but really smart."
"Celestia spoke highly of her Apprentice." Sweet Apple said with a nod.
"Apprentice? Wait, you met Celestia?" Apple Jack asked. "Well I'll be, I was kinda hoping I'd be able to brag bout havin met her."
"of course I've meant her, everyone in my unit has." sweet Apple said.
"Yer unit?" Apple Jack asked. "What the heck is a unit?"
"my Wa- err my survey unit." Sweet Apple said. "Yes, a group of land surveyors, their called a unit!"
"Hey! You two found one another!" A new voice interrupted.
Sweet Apple turned to see an unicorn filly about Apple Jack's age, a purple coat with an indigo mane and tail, a pink streak running though both. The pony's cutie mark was a purple star with five small stars around it. Sitting on her back was a purple baby dragon, snoozing. This had to be Twilight Sparkle, Sweet Apple couldn't take her eyes off the cutie mark though. She remembered what the guild mages had said about ponies with cutie marks like these, marks of celestial bodies, only nobility had such markings, only ponies having the blood of Celestia or Luna could have a cutie mark like that.
"Is their something wrong?" Twilight asked.
"I... no of course not." Sweet Apple looked over Twilight closer, nothing about the unicorn other than her cutie mark spoke of noble blood. Either Twilight was ignorant of what her star marking meant, or the guild mages where wrong about those kind of cuite marks. It was rare that a guild mage was wrong.
"Well then sis, what's say we head home then?" Apple jack said.
"I'm afraid I need your sister for a little while AJ." Twilight said. "The Princess wanted to know all about her. She doesn't get to meet ponies who'd been to the frontier helping build towns."
"Suppose that's true." Apple Jack said. "Ya'll probably didn't have much time to talk when ya met huh sis? You and your Unit probably too busy."
"Yes a, a surveyor unit is always busy busy!" Sweet Apple laughed. "Gotta survey the land, look for places trees can grow and all."
Sweet Apple followed Twilight, he mentally kicked herself, twice when speaking with her sister she'd almost let classified information slip out. As she followed her eyes went back to Twilight's cuite mark, what if this filly was just putting on an act for her friends. What if she was a spy for the princess? Celestia choosing nobility, her own blood line, to keep watch on a town like Ponyville. Nightmare Moon preparing where Celestia sent her apprentice.
"Mmhh.. are we home Twilight?" he asked.
"Yes Spike, you slept almost the entire time." Twilight said. "You didn't even wake up for our guest!"
Sweet Apple entered and Twilight telekineticly closed the door.
"I'm sorry but I was up all last night cleaning up YOUR mess." Spike said. "And really you thought you'd find stuff about these secret wars the princess mention in a public library?"
"He knows about me?" Sweet Apple gasped.
"Well of course he does, he's my assistant." Twilight said. "With out Spike I can't send or receive letters from the Princess."
"Their is always the mail." Spike said. "You know regular ponies send letters the old fashioned way, not via dragon fire."
Her assistant? Apprentice to the princess, celestial cutie mark, and her own DRAGON? Twilight Sparkle was NOT a normal Pony. One of the guild mages had mentioned that hatching a dragon egg was part of a test to get into Canterlot University, but he'd never said anything about ponies keeping the dragon they helped hatch.
"Wow, impressive miss Twilight." Sweet Apple said. "Next thing you know he'll tell me your one of the bearers."
"Bearers?" Twilight asked.
"The Bearers of the Elements of harmony, surely your heard of-" she stopped when she saw Twilights eyes widen. "Oh Steed your ARE!"
"Bearer of the element of magic, victor over Nightmare Moon." Spike said. "And Celestia's favorite student."
Spike's accent on favorite clinched it, Twilight was important not matter her heritage. This pony was one of Celestia's projects, a vital cog in the Princess's running of the kingdom. Every solider knew Celestia was one for the long strategy, one of the first retired Warponies in 100 years sent to live where Celestia's favorite student lived? That was no coincidence. Sweet Apple tried to banish the growing paranoid she was feeling. She looked at the table before her and saw a note pad and pencil laying out along with empty tea cups. She watched Twilight closer, nothing about her additude seemed to show Twilight knew she was Celestia's pawn, or perhaps she thought, Twilight did know, but had come to accept it, like a soldier would, like she had.
"Now while Spike brews us some tea, I have some questions I'd like to ask." Twilight said as she telekineticly pulled out the seats.
"Well sure though not too many." Sweet Apple said. "I'm looking forward to seeing Sweet Apple Acers again, and it's not like we won't have other chances."
Twilight began a bombardment of questions, the filly wanted to everything about the military. How it was organized, where the battles where fought, battle tactics and how elemental affinity worked. Sweet Apple answered to the best of her ability, telling Twilight of her first battle, when she discovered her power, and of her last battle and the losses she suffered.
"You must of been close to Copper Sunset and Blue Daybreak." Twilight said.
"In truth I barely knew them, I barely knew any one in my unit." Sweet Apple said. "We didn't talk about out pasts, did even tell each other our real names."
"You may not have known their past, but you knew them." Twilight said. "You talk about them like siblings, you spoke of what they did. I've rarely heard anypony talk about their friends with such detail."
"I guess your right, I didn't know them as Copper Sunset or Blue Daybreak." Sweet Apple said. "I knew Crimson Hurricane and Cyan Typhoon, and they where closer to me than brothers. I don't know my own siblings nearly as much."
"In time you will." Twilight said. "The bonds of family are never truly severed. Even if you have not seen them in years, or once they're gone. "
"Your pretty smart for such a young pony Twilight." Sweet Apple said.
"I owe quite a bit of that to your sister." Twilight said. "Apple Jack is the most honest pony I've ever met. Though she's probably getting eager to see you by now."
"Well, then I guess I'll be going for now." Sweet Apple said. "Thank you very much for the tea."
"It was a pleasure." Twilight said. "If you ever need to talk about your Warpony days I'll be here."
"Ready and waiting to record it all I'll bet." Sweet Apple said with a smirk.
As she bid Twilight and Spike farewell and began towards Sweet Apple Acers, Sweet Apple couldn't help think that Twilight was going to become very important someday. Very important and perhaps come to need an old soldier to back her up some day.
When Sweet Apple arrived at the farm she thought perhaps she came to the wrong place. But no, the sign said "Sweet Apple Acres". All the lights where out and she couldn't see anypony else on the entire property. It didn't take her long to spot the ambush, to see tell tale signs of other ponies hiding themselves behind trees, and barrels, under tables and behind doors. Her instincts told her to sneak past them, but she realized that this was a surprise party. She hoped she could act surprised, the civilian ponies where no where near as skilled as an average Warpony in the art of stealth.
"Hello, is anypony there?" Sweet Apple asked, pretending not to hear the giggling of other ponies.
"SURPRISE! WELCOME HOME!" A crowd cheered as they emerged from their hiding places. Sweet Apple put on her best "surprised" face, then found herself mobbed by the massive Apple Clan. A few she recognized, but the family had grown significantly since she had last seen them. It seemed Apple Clan members form all over Equestria had come.
"Oh dear it's so good to see you home." Said a pony she recognized as her Aunt Orange
"My you've grown so much since I last saw you." A pony she didn't recognize said.
"Oh thank you!" Sweet Apple replied.
Over and over family she knew and family she didn't commented on how good it was to see Sweet Apple. All the fillies and colts got introduced to "Aunt Sweet Apple" or "Cousin Sweet Apple". Some asked where she had been, and she repeated her cover story. Setting up Apple Orchards in an as yet un-named frontier settlement. What happened to make her return, again the Manticore cover story. She shook her mane a bit, trying to take in all the attention and someone gasps.
"Oh Steed! Sweet Apple... your, your eye!"
A chill ran down Sweet Apple's spine, she had forgotten. Her right eye was gone, just a scar where the medical-magic ponies had sealed up the socket. Her fear soon passed, there was only sympathy from her family. She'd forgotten how friendly other ponies where, how accepting, she brushed her mane back into place. A few of the fillies and colts asked her what it was like to have one eye, and got scolded for it. Sweet Apple noticed Applejack was starting however, like she'd seen a ghost. Sweet Apple's eye caught a detail she had missed about her little sister, now her sister was wearing a gold necklace, with an orange apple shaped gem in it, obviously she had chose to wear her "finest duds", as she might put it, for her sisters welcome home party. Something is Apple Jack's eye was different from everyone else now, still sympathizing, still loving, but also, terrified.
"Apple Jack? Is something wrong?" Sweet Apple asked as the crowd of family began to drift towards other activities of the party.
"No." Apple Jack said, her eyes wide as saucers. "It's nothing."
Sweet Apple grew more disturbed, Apple Jack had spoken without any hit of her accent. The look of shock in her sibling's face frightened Sweet Apple.
"OK you two, time fore the guest of honor to take her seat so we can all eat!" Both ponies broke their stares and turned to see their brother Big Macintosh.
"OH yea, course!" Apple Jack said, her accent restored, her expression softening again. "Just missed mah big sister is all."
"She's mah sister too Apple Jack." Macintosh said.
"Ah course Big Mac!" Apple Jack said. "Now what say we get this party really started!"
Sweet Apple glanced again at Apple Jack's fancy necklace, noteing how oddly it looked both out of place and perfectly natural around her sister's neck. The party became a bit of a blur at that point. Though it was a haze Sweet Apple had fun, more fun than she remembered every having before. Delicious food, happy music, and silly party games. It had been years since she had really cut loose like this, years since she hadn't needed to worry about what the next day would bring. Though all too soon the party began to wind down, all the little ones needed to go to bead, out of town relatives needed to start heading home, or to the sleeping arrangements they had made. Before long only Sweet Apple, Apple Jack, Big Macintosh and Granny Smith where left, as Luna's Moon began to rise. As Big Mac lead Granny in Sweet Apple looked up at the moon with Apple Jack.
"That was one heck of party wasn't it?" Sweet Apple said.
"Yea it sure was, everyone was really pleased to see you again." Apple Jack said.
"I was kind of afraid when they saw my eye somepony might freak out." Sweet Apple said.
"Ya'll outta know yer family would never judge you for that." Apple Jack said.
Sweet Apple glanced again at Apple Jack's necklace.
"Never figured you for a sparkler like that AJ." Sweet Apple said.
"Yeah... I'm sorta regretting wearing it now." Apple Jack said staring up.
"Why AJ? I know it's not really your style, but I'm flattered you wore your best jewelry for my party." Sweet Apple said.
"But ifin I hadn't wore it, I wouldn't know Sweet Apple." Apple Jack said.
"Know? know what Apple Jack?" Sweet apple said, anxiety creeping into her voice.
"About yer lies." Apple Jack said. "Bout where you been, how you lost yer eye."
"What!? Apple Jack, what are you talking about?" Sweet Apple said. "I told you I've been-"
"That's enough!" Apple Jack said, obviously angry. "I don't know the details or nuthin but I know you wasn't our setting up no Apple Orchard! Mah Element told me so!"
"Your.. Element?" Sweet Apple said.
"Ya mah Element!" Apple jack said. "I didn't know it could detect lies or nuthin like that. Twilight never said what powers they had."
"Your a bearer? Your a bearer of one of the Elements of Harmony?" Sweet Apple was flabbergasted.
"Yeah I am! And yur ah... ah.' Apple Jack began. "Yur ah, I ah don't know what! But I know something awful took yur eye! Something more horrible than a Manticore, something that almost killed you! Something you where trying to kill!"
"Something I HAD TO KILL!" Sweet Apple nearly shouted. "It killed my friends! It killed Hurricane! It killed Typhoon! A creature that given a chance would kill everypony I ever loved Apple Jack!"
"It wen't the first thing either, was it." Apple Jack said.
Sweet Apple noticed the gem in Apple Jack's necklace glowing now. She saw the tears in her little sister's eyes.
"No, it wasn't." Sweet Apple said lowering her head. "I had to kill AJ, I had to so many times. You must think I'm a monster."
"Wha." Apple Jack said. "Sweet Apple no! Steed no!"
Sweet Apple felt her sister nuzzled her, felt tears run down her own cheek.
"Mah Element is honesty sis." Apple Jack said. "I know you did what AJ had to, I know all them ponies did. Ah don't know how, but mah element tells me so."
"You have to promise not to tell anyone AJ." Sweet Apple said though her tears. "Normal ponies aren't supposed to know about this kind of thing."
"But Sweet Apple..." Apple jack started.
"NO! You can't tell anyone, not Big Mac, not Granny!" Sweet Apple said. "No civilian pony is to know about this! Celestia keeps this stuff from them for good reason, knowing would panic them. The Warponies exist so normal citizens don't have to live in fear!"
"I dunno if I can keep this in sis." Apple Jack said. "This is huge."
"I know it is, but it's too important to let anyone know about." Sweet Apple said. "If you need to talk about it you can only discuss it in private with me or Twilight!"
"Twi knows!?" Apple Jack took her turn to be aghast. "Why on earth did you tell her?"
"I didn't, Celestia did, she supposed to help me be normal again." Sweet Apple said. "I'm the first warpony to retire in a hundred years. Now promise me, you'll keep my secret."
There was silence for a while, then the two mares heard their brother calling them in. Apple Jack turned to look toward the barn, then to her older sister. For the first time Apple Jack saw the weariness in her sister's expression, saw the funny way she was standing, really saw the scars on her flank. Her sister had gone though hell and survived, done things for her family, for her country that no other pony could do. Keeping it all secret was part of that. Sweet Apple didn't want anyone to see the reality, the she wasn't like them, that she'd seen too much. She had to keep it secret, so her sister could have as much of a normal life as she could, she disserved it, her Element told her as much.
"Ah promise sis." Apple Jack said. "Ah will never tell anypony yer secret. Cross mah heart."
Apple Jack made a X motion over her chest.
"Thank You." Sweet Apple said, suddenly feeling very exhausted.
The two sisters headed for the barn together. Apple jack knew there was a lot more to her sister's story, and even if she promised not to tell anypony else she was determined to hear it herself. Her sister had offered up her life to protect Equestria, Apple Jack knew that was fact, and she was going to help Sweet Apple though whatever came next.