From All Fronts

Applejack woke up to the loud sound of birds calling. She pried open her eyes, and looked forward with a sleepy, half-lidded gaze. Mmm… warm… She thought drearily. She curled back up into a ball, and her head rested against something soft and plush. The trees are all bucked… We can afford to sleep a few more minutes, Granny… Applejack’s eyes shot open, and she threw her head upright. I’m on a bench? Where’s Granny… Oh. Yeah… She gnashed her teeth together angrily, as she recalled the events of the previous day. Then she tossed her blankets to the other end of the bench, and pulled herself to her hooves.

Applejack wiped the sleep out of her eyes, and then proceeded to examine her makeshift bed. Her eyes fell underneath the bench, and she grew a faint smile when she noticed her supplies were untouched; her saddle-bag and twin swords. Then her eyes drifted back up to the topside of the bench, which was draped with white blankets, and a lacey pillow.

Oh yeah, Rarity brought me these last night. Applejack remembered dreamily. They were real comfy, and warm too. It sure was nice of her to bring me them. She smiled genuinely as she recalled her friend’s actions. I guess generosity is her element. She reached underneath the bench, and shoveled out all of the items hiding underneath it. I really should thank her for this… Applejack thought wistfully. Her smile vanished as she bent down and picked up her Stetson. The pink ribbon was still tightly coiled around the top of it, along with a few specks of dirt. She brushed away all of the debris, and then placed the hat back on top of her head.

“Thank yous” come later. This comes first. She leaned towards her pile of belongings, and grabbed the swords’ sheathes in her teeth. Then she cocked her head back, and strapped them to her sides. Next, she picked up her saddle-bag. She was going to put it on as well, but her eyes focused on the bench. She chuckled half-heartedly, and then walked over to it, still carrying her bag. Applejack picked up the pillow and blankets, stuffed them into the bag, and then finally slung it over her back.

She took a seat on the bench again, now fully equipped. The train’s already here… Applejack rationalized. So I just have to wait for the conductor. She leaned back into the bench, and took a deep breath. That’s all right though, I can wait all day.

*******

Applejack had sat on the bench for about half an hour when she finally caught sight of the conductors. About time… She thought impatiently as she removed herself from her seat. The three ponies were chattering loudly as they approached the train, and then one of them noticed Applejack.

“Good morning, ma’am!” The leading conductor greeted cheekily.

Applejack didn’t immediately answer, and instead scanned over the three ponies in front of her. She assumed that two of them were conductors based on their uniform, and that the third was the engineer. After a period of uncomfortable silence, she grumpily responded, “Hey.”

The conductor scratched his head nervously, and the pony Applejack identified as the engineer scoffed. “Eheheh…” The conductor continued sheepishly. “So, why are you out here, miss? Shouldn’t you be inside getting breakfast?”

“I’m goin’ to Ponyville.” Applejack snapped at him.

“Are those swords?” The mare behind him whispered a little too loudly.

“Ma’am, go inside.” The engineer demanded in a deep, throaty voice. “The train is not in service right now. We’re picking up the royal guard, and then coming back. I’m sure whatever you left behind can wait another day.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes, and leaned in close to the leading conductor, close enough so that her cold eyes were staring right into his anxious ones. “I’m goin’ to Ponyville.” She replied commandingly. “And yer gonna drive me there.”

“M-ma’am please.” The conductor stuttered. “Don’t make me call the guard.”

“Ya mean the guard that ain’t here?” Applejack responded condescendingly. The conductor flinched, and then Applejack leaned even closer to him, giving him a look colder than the dark side of the moon. “Listen here, sir. I am Applejack, the Element of Honesty, and I am much closer to the guard and the Princesses than you are. All ya need to do fer me, is drive me to my home town. That’s it.” She backed up, and pointed a hoof at the train. “So just go, an’ do yer jobs already.”

The two conductors looked at each other anxiously, and were both silently questioning how to respond to the stubborn mare. Then the engineer groaned, and walked past the other three ponies. “We don’t have the time to argue with her. Come along if it makes you happy.” He grumbled. “Jus’ don’t think it’s cuz you’re special or anything.”

Applejack smirked victoriously, and the two conductors ran after him with mortified faces. “But, sir-”

“If you two would like to stay here and have a debate with her, be my guest.” He barked without breaking his pace. “But I’m heading to Ponyville. And from the sound of it, she is too. So hurry up, we’re wasting our time.”

The two conductors looked back and forth between each other and the engineer. Eventually, the male conductor ran forward onto the train, and the female one scowled and turned to Applejack. “Come on, miss. We’re burning daylight.”

Applejack followed the mare onto the train, and the door shut behind her. She took one of the many vacant seats in the car furthest from the engine. She could hear the two conductors talking in one of the nearby cars, but she ignored them. The train was already moving by the time she took her seat, and Applejack looked out the window idly as the mountains sped by.

The rhythmical bouncing of the train was making Applejack’s eyes grow heavier and heavier as she watched the trees and mountains fly by. I’ll be there soon, Granny Smith, Apple Bloom… She thought drearily, as she drifted into a light sleep.

*******

“We’ve arrived, ma’am.”

Applejack was lifted out of her light sleep by the gruff voice of the engineer. He watched her get up, and continued speaking when he was sure that he had her attention. “I won’t ask why you’re here, but try to make it quick. We’re piling the guards onto the train, and then getting out of here. If you don’t come back in ten minutes, you’re stuck here. Understand?”

Applejack stood up, brushed past him, and headed toward the door. “Do what ya want.” She muttered sourly. She walked out the door, and onto Ponyville’s streets. She took a look around the train platform, and noticed a very small army of royal guards, who seemed incredibly relieved to see the train.

Several of the guards were sporting injuries, and a few of them were even unconscious. The select few that were unharmed were standing guard over the others, and were alerting them of the train’s appearance. As soon as the train had arrived, the guards began filing into it.

Applejack watched them trot by, and then pulled over an unharmed guard, who currently wasn’t doing anything important. “What happened here?” She asked him assertively.

The guard turned to face Applejack, and she noticed that he was incredibly young. “It was the griffons.” He answered without hesitation. “They ambushed us; we weren’t even slightly prepared.” He hung his head, like an ashamed colt. “We thought that we would be able to handle it, but we were overconfident. We only brought a group of twenty guards, and even those twenty barely knew how to fight with a spear.”

He looked up at Applejack with a look of defeat. “The other guards are off in Appleloosa, or Cloudsdale. We’re the rookie guards. We thought that we could drive off the ten griffons that we heard were here…”

The stallion’s gaze dropped like a rock. “But then, their reinforcements arrived. We were outnumbered two to one. Us, the rookie guards.” He sighed sadly. “So long story short, we failed. Miserably.”

He turned his head to look at the train, and then beckoned to Applejack. “I don’t know why you’re here in the first place, but it’s not safe here. Come on, the train is heading back to Canterlot.”

Applejack nodded, and then turned in the opposite direction. “Thanks fer the info.” She replied, before she began to trot down the streets of the town.

“Ma’am, where are you going? Please, come back!” The guard pleaded.

“Head back to the castle. Don’t mind me.” Applejack called to the stallion, as she ignored him, and continued her march.

Her trek from the station to her home didn’t take long; she knew the route by heart. Along the way, she glanced around her at the deserted town. It seemed very eerie, even though it was a thriving town not even two days ago. Seeing the Golden Oaks Library completely abandoned, as well as Carousel Boutique, Sugarcube Corner, and the town’s large marketplace, hardened Applejack’s resolve even more.

Applejack reached her home quickly, even though she took a few detours through the streets. She stepped onto the fields of Sweet Apple Acres, and took a deep breath. She could see the griffons flocking around her house, even from where she was standing. She began sauntering through the orchard of bucked apple trees, and to her occupied house.

As soon as Applejack broke out of the orchard into the clearing where her house stood, she drew her rope-knife from her saddle-bag, and bit down on the end of it. She noticed the flock outside of her home once again, and began to approach them.

She was fifty hoof-lengths from the house when the griffons noticed her. The group turned to face her, and their mouths all gaped open at the sight of her. All of them except one. One griffon watched her steady approach, and began to laugh heartily; a griffon with a black scar over his right eye.

“Look everyone. She came back.” The large griffon taunted. “It’s the pony who ran away last time. I’m surprised that she would show up back here.” His voice sounded like two rocks being ground together. Applejack met his good eye with a look of unbridled malice, and then she slowed her walk to a halt. The scarred griffon laughed again, and then rocketed down towards her. He landed ten paces in front of her, with two of his guards close behind him.

“Ooo, what do you have there?” He pointed to the rope in Applejack’s mouth, and grew a cocky grin. “Are you planning to-?”

The griffon yelped in surprise as Applejack hurled the rope-knife at him. It wrapped around him, and ensnared him, wings and all. Without even batting an eye, Applejack grabbed the rope with her left fore-hoof, and yanked it with both her hoof and her mouth. The griffon sailed through the air, and landed at her hooves face-up.

Applejack looked down at the tied-up griffon, and raised her right hoof into the air. The scarred griffon’s good eye widened in fear, and he instinctively tried to extend his wings, but to no avail. Applejack was gritting her teeth, and glaring down at him, with a leer that could make King Sombra flinch. She waited one more second, and then stomped her hoof down, right on top of his head.

It connected with his head with a sickening crunch, and his skull shattered under the force of the blow. The attack had made his head visibly flatter, and his blood leaked out of any possible exit. Even though she had already made his brain a thick paste, Applejack raised her hoof a second time. She slammed it back down, and snapped his beak when she did. Blood spurted out of his face, and began coating Applejack’s hooves. But even then, she raised her hoof, and slammed it down a third time. And a fourth time, and a fifth, and a sixth…

After a ninth strike, Applejack lowered her horribly bloodied hoof. The griffons’ head was now a puddle, and his blood covered the hard ground underneath him. Applejack began panting heavily, and all the anger and malice left her eyes.

That… She thought somberly. Wasn’t nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be. She backed away from the corpse, and steadied her breathing. It didn’t help. I thought that killing the one who killed her would make me feel better, but it didn’t. I feel just as empty.

Applejack sighed deeply, and turned back to her house. The rest of the griffons were all watching her, and they all wore horrified stares. Applejack scoffed, and turned her back on them. She surveyed the rest of the area, and her eyes found what she was looking for. They fell upon three piles of bones, which she identified as her family members, and pet. Time to do what I came here for… Applejack thought miserably, as she began trotting over to the corpses.

“Hey!” A voice screeched from behind her. Applejack turned her head around, and noticed that the voice came from one of the griffons flying over her house. “What are you doin’ you idiots?! She killed the commander! There’s forty of us, and only one of her! ATTACK RIGHT NOW! KILL HER!” The griffon commanded.

Twenty of the remaining griffons responded to his command, and they flared their wings. Then they took off, and began careening towards Applejack. She whirled around, and then drew one of her two swords with her right hoof.

Maybe it wasn’t enough to kill that one… She thought furiously, and took the rope-knife from her mouth with her free hoof. Maybe I just need to kill all o’ ya! Her emerald eyes blazed with a fiery rage, and she launched her knife at the nearest incoming enemy. You all killed my family… I won’t let you walk away! It’s time for you all to suffer the consequences of what you’ve done! Applejack entered a defensive stance, as her rope-knife hit its first mark.

*******

“You still haven’t seen her?”

Twilight was sitting at one of the tables in Canterlot castle with four of her friends: Spike, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. “None of you have seen Applejack since yesterday?” Everypony shook their head, and Twilight deflated. “So she still hasn’t shown up… I’m really getting worried about her.”

“I’m with you there, Twilight.” Rainbow Dash agreed. “It really would be nice to know where she decided to wander off to.”

“I hope nothing happened to her…” Fluttershy whimpered.

“Me too!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “When she gets back, I’m gonna throw a party for her! That will make her feel better!” Rainbow Dash groaned, and Twilight and Spike face-palmed. “What kind of party should it be?” Pinkie Pie continued. “Big? Or small? And what should the theme be? ‘We missed you?’ Nah… ‘Sorry about your sis-’” Pinkie Pie stopped herself mid-sentence with her fore-hooves. “Uh… On second thought, ‘we missed you’ sounds fine.”

The other ponies sighed, and returned to their breakfast. As the air was taken up with the sound of slurps and clattering spoons, Rarity suddenly approached the table. She had her own plate in her magical aura, and had noticeable bags under her eyes. “Good morning, girls.” She greeted her friends in an exhausted voice.

“Good morning.” The rest of the group responded in unison. Rarity took one of the vacant seats that the table had, and set her plate down on the table. She picked up her spoon in her magical grip, and scooped up some of her soup with it.

“So, are you all still upset about yesterday’s news?” Rarity asked casually, as she began slurping down her meal.

“Rarity,” Fluttershy asked in a disheartened tone, “Have you seen Applejack?”

The spoon dropped out of Rarity’s grip, and her soup splashed onto the table. The other ponies’ heads all snapped to her, and to them, Rarity looked like she had just been stabbed. “I… I… You mean she’s not here?” Rarity whispered in a terrified voice.

Everypony was eyeing her with their undivided attention. “Rarity,” Spike questioned slowly, “Do you know anything?”

Rarity began trembling in place. “… I… I…”

“Rarity, where is Applejack?” Twilight demanded.

“I… I…” Rarity stuttered, and then buried her head in her hooves. “I tried to stop her!” She wailed loudly, and the entire room fell silent around her.

“What was that?” Rainbow Dash asked quietly.

“I tried to stop Applejack!” Rarity cried out. “She wouldn’t listen! She told me to go back inside!”

“Rarity, where is she?!” Twilight shouted.

Rarity picked her head up from her hooves, and met Twilight’s eyes. “She went back to Ponyville.” The group collectively flinched, and Rarity laid her head back onto the table, and covered her eyes. “She told me that she was going back for her sister, but she isn’t! She’s going to fight the griffons! She had swords with her!”

“Those were swords?!” Twilight shouted in disbelief.

“Is she crazy?!” Rainbow Dash yelled angrily as she shot out of her seat. “She can’t fight them! She doesn’t even know how to use swords!”

Fluttershy hid her face behind her mane, and Spike asked calmly, “Are you sure you saw what you did?”

Rarity lifted her head up slightly, and nodded once. “Yes… I talked to her. I brought out blankets for her, and she told me everything that I’ve told you.” Rarity lifted her head completely, and her eyes were becoming lined with tears. “And… I just walked away.” She lamented. “I could have tried harder to convince her, I could have tried to force her, I could have even called the guard… But I didn’t.”

Rarity buried her head back in her hooves, and started to cry. “I just walked away like the miserable coward I am!” She sobbed, her tears flowing out of her eyes like fountains. “I let her go! Applejack could be hurt, or worse! AND IT’S ALL MY FAULT!” Rarity screamed.

Fluttershy started silently crying, and the rest of the group shifted closer to Rarity. “No, it’s not all your fault.” Twilight comforted. “None of us tried to stop her.” She sighed heavily. “And I let her go twice.”

“There’s no...*sob*... excuse!” Rarity wailed, as Twilight stroked her back comfortingly. “I should have stopped her! I should have *hic* tried harder! She *sob* could be... *sob*... dead!”

“Don’t think like that!” Spike scolded her.

“That idiot!” Rainbow Dash pounded her hooves on the table angrily. “Running off like that! Doesn’t she know how worried we are about her?” She snarled.

“I’m… sorry… everypony…” Rarity continued to bawl. “I’m sorry… Applejack…”

Twilight and Spike continued to comfort Rarity, while Rainbow Dash fumed angrily. Then, Pinkie Pie’s ears perked up. She bounced onto the table, and everypony cast their gaze to her.

“Ooh! Lookee!” She chirped, with a beaming smile. “The train just came back from Ponyville! Applejack probably realized that she was being silly, and came back!”

“Um… Yeah!” Twilight played along with forced confidence. “She’s probably getting off the train right now!”

“Yeah! Let’s go there right now!” Spike added with a happy guise.

“Come on, Fluttershy! Come on, Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie sang, as she began to bounce away.

“Let’s go, everypony!” Twilight exclaimed, feigning cheerfulness.

“…Okay.” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Yeah. Let’s.” Rainbow Dash remarked, lacking the others’ cheer.

They all began to follow Pinkie Pie, and then Spike turned back to Rarity. “Come on, Rarity.” He pleaded with the despondent unicorn.

Rarity didn’t answer him, but she stood up, and started to follow the rest of the group. They all reached the train quickly, and watched the small army of royal guards flood out of it.

Twilight approached one of the uninjured guards, and pulled him out of earshot of the rest of the group. “Sir, do you have a minute?” She asked the stallion.

“Princess Twilight!” He exclaimed, and then saluted. “Of course! What do you need?”

Twilight scanned the guard before replying, and made a quick mental note of how young he looked. “Did you see an orange earth pony in Ponyville? Most likely wearing a Stetson?” She queried. The stallion dropped his salute, and his expression fell dramatically.

“Yes Princess, a pony like that did arrive on the train.” He reported dejectedly.

“So Applejack did go to Ponyville?” Twilight thought out loud.

“You know her?”

“Yes, but that’s unimportant.” Twilight replied commandingly. “Where did this pony go once she got to Ponyville?”

The guard dropped his gaze to the floor, and shuddered. “She didn’t tell us, ma’am.” Twilight frowned at his response. “But she walked away, and didn’t show up at the time the engineer had given her. So we took off.” He gathered the courage to look Twilight in the eyes again. “She’s still in Ponyville, and the engineer is going back to search for her.”

Twilight’s ears drooped, and she grew a downcast expression. “Oh… Well, thank you for answering me.” Twilight concluded, and turned away from the stallion.

“…Wait!” The guard called out, and grabbed Twilight’s shoulder. She whirled around and met his gaze. The guard was trembling, and he gave off an aura of fear. “Princess, that mare is out of her mind.” He continued in a shaky voice. “She brought swords with her, and she stormed off in the direction of the griffons. There are over thirty griffons back there, and we guards couldn’t beat them. And she’s going to fight them by herself.”

Twilight’s mouth hung agape at his statement. “So Rarity was right…” She whispered to herself.

“Like I said, the engineer is going back to find her.” He carried on, regaining his stone-faced composure. “If that pony has any brains, she’ll have turned back, and be waiting for the engineer. But if she didn’t… N-never mind. I’m sorry to trouble you with this knowledge, Princess.”

Twilight shook her head vigorously, and shot him her best charismatic smile. “No, don’t be. Thank you for giving me the full story. I’m sorry to waste your time, you must be very busy.”

“Not at all, Princess! It was my pleasure!” The guard quickly complimented, and then bowed. He then turned away, and rejoined his ranks.

After he was gone, Twilight’s mask shattered, and her face plummeted. “Oh sweet stars…” Twilight prayed. “Please, just let her be at that train station… Please…”

*******

An air of silence hung over the fields of Sweet Apple Acres like a heavy fog. The orchard of apple trees was devoid of life; nothing moved, save for the swaying of the trees themselves. There was no life on the fields either, the only area that contained living creatures was the Apple family’s house.

The field to the left of the house was no longer its normal, lively green color. Instead, it looked like a battlefield. The field was flooded with fresh blood, and was littered with corpses. Twenty-three griffons lay motionless on the grass, their blood flowing down the hill like a river. In the center of the circle of corpses was a formerly orange pony, whose orange coat was now met with a crimson color as well. Applejack’s hooves were soaked in griffon blood, and the remainder of her body didn’t look much better. Her legs were stained with spatters of the red fluid, which were met with the blood running from the cuts along her torso. Not even her head was untouched, as a few specks of crimson were scattered across her face. The bloodied earth pony could barely breathe, and was using most of her strength just to remain standing. Her eyes were wider than usual, and her hair-tie had fallen off, letting her blonde mane flow freely.

The remaining griffons stood mortified in front of Applejack’s house. They waited and watched the bloody mare in front of them, who was clutching her rope-knife in her left hoof. None of them drew attention to themselves, and they watched her every movement with anticipation.

Applejack attempted to steady her breathing, and inhaled the metallic smell around her. Now that… She thought triumphantly. Felt much better. They all had it coming. She let out a raspy laugh, and then turned around to face the remaining griffons. They’re still here… She thought angrily. Look at them. They’re all terrified of me. She turned her head back to the remains of her family members. I could probably just let them fly away…

Applejack looked back and forth between the remains of her family and the unmoving griffons. Then, she took a deep breath, and wiped the blood away from her eyes with her less bloody hoof. She closed her eyes, and sighed deeply. Then again… Suddenly, Applejack spun around, and flared her eyes open. She leered murderously at the flock of griffons, and began slowly and methodically padding towards them.

The griffons watched her approach, and one of them began to tremble. “Dudes, she’s coming this way.” He warned in a shaky voice.

“Yeah, she is.” Another replied angrily.

“Guys, we should retreat.” The first griffon suggested.

“Why?” A third one questioned.

“You saw what she did to the other guys! There were like, twenty of them dude! And that freak just wrecked all of them!”

“Retreating is an embarrassment.” Another griffon piped up.

“Besides,” A fifth butted in, “She’s not gonna get away with what she’s done.”

Applejack was about fifty hoof-lengths away from the flock, and the frightened griffon stepped a few paces back. “Dudes, I’m not doing this. I’m out. If you all wanna get killed, go ahead. But I’ve got a family I need to get back to!”

“Later, then.” The griffon leading the flock scoffed. “But I’ll be sure to tell the king how cowardly you were.”

“And I’ll be sure to tell him that you all chose to die in vain!” The terrified griffon retorted. Then he unfurled his brown wings, and took off in the opposite direction of the house. Applejack stopped walking, and watched him fly away. She didn’t feel any anger towards the fleeing griffon, and she followed his path with her eyes. After he was out of sight, she turned her attention back to the flock.

Applejack counted the remaining griffons, and found that there were sixteen of them. Of those sixteen, ten of them were glaring at her with fiery eyes. They radiated anger, and looked ready to pounce on her. The ones behind them were the ones that caught her eye, however. The remaining six looked unsure of themselves, and some of them looked terrified. While still watching them, Applejack stopped walking altogether, and glared icily at the flock in front of her.

“She stopped.” One of the scared griffons whispered.

“Listen up, pony!” The leading griffon shouted at Applejack. “I hope you enjoyed killing our subordinates, cuz now you’re dealing with the real deal!” The griffon beat a hand on his chest as he shouted, “And I’m a little pissed at how you killed my associates, so I’d be lying if I said this won’t be painful.” He turned to address his fellow griffons. “Everyone, CHAR-ULK!”

While the griffon was giving his pep-talk, Applejack had hurled her knife at him. She directed it with extreme dexterity, and the curved knife pierced through his throat from the back of his neck. “Hck! Glgh…” The griffon sputtered. Then Applejack jerked the rope, and tore the knife out of his throat. The griffon hacked one more time, before he fell limp in front of his comrades.

The other members of the flock stared at the formerly confident griffon with dumbfound faces. Then they turned to Applejack, and their shocked looks melted into either a look of pure, fiery anger, or unsure, panicked terror.

“Stop standing there like nervous sheep!” Another griffon broke the silence. “CHARGE!”

This time, nine of the griffons spread their wings, and charged towards Applejack. She watched them soar towards her, and her rage caught fire once more. Her eyes flared angrily once again, and she bit down hard on her rope-knife. She shifted back into her defensive stance, and then drew one of the gore-spattered swords at her side. She shifted her hoof into the grip of the blade, and held it out in front of her. The griffons didn’t wait, and they were upon her as soon as she had drawn the blade.

One griffon reached her before the others, and he lunged at her with his claws outstretched. Applejack nimbly sidestepped out of the way of the attack, and brought her sword down on his back. It cut into him, but not enough to be fatal. He howled in pain, and jumped away from her. A second griffon caught up and tried to claw her, but she easily evaded him. She snapped her head to face him, lashed out with her rope-knife, and ensnared him. The first griffon leaped at her a second time, but he was clumsier this time. After Applejack sidestepped him again, she swung her blade along his side, flaying him open. The griffon cried out in agony, and collapsed on his side, his blood leaking down his torso.

Without even breaking her stride, Applejack gave her rope a hard jerk, and sent the caught griffon sailing towards her. It landed at her side, and she smashed its head with one of her hind legs. As its blood sprayed onto her leg, she quickly pulled her rope loose from around its body.

She wasn’t quick enough, however, as three griffons had already taken up the attack. She instinctively leapt to the right, and managed to evade two of them, but the third was waiting for her. Applejack felt its two razor-sharp talons tear into her back, and then it jumped away. Her own blood began running down her sides, and started to stain her saddle-bag.

Her anger and hatred exploded, and in less than a second, she had drawn her second blade. She dropped her defensive stance, and sprang at the griffon that had cut her. She swung her swords wildly at him, and he couldn’t avoid all of them. One of her swings connected, and she sliced the griffon’s foreleg. It flinched and yelped in pain, and Applejack took the opportunity to take multiple swings at him. Every one hit its mark, and she diced the griffon like raw beef. It bellowed in rage and anguish, and toppled over onto its back.

Applejack whirled around, and instinctively ducked under the other two griffons’ attacks. She spun around to face them, and flung her knife at them. The first one saw it coming, and veered upward to avoid it. The second turned around too late, and the knife reached him. Instead of ensnaring him, the knife struck his chest. It hit him dead on, and the curved knife punctured the griffon’s heart. He hacked up blood once, and then fell limp to the ground.

The remaining griffon was already arcing back around to attack her, and she didn’t have time to retrieve her knife. Faster than the griffon could react, Applejack pivoted on her front hooves, and bucked him with both of her hind-legs. Years of hard labor and bucking apple trees had toned her leg muscles, and the griffon’s ribcage crumpled under the force of the kick. His bones shattered on impact, and his body spiraled away from Applejack.

After her three assailants were all lying cold around her, Applejack sheathed the sword in her left hoof, and ripped her knife out of the dead griffon where it was stuck. She turned away from the new corpses, and leered at the remaining flock of griffons. She didn’t wait this time, and she charged right at them with murder in her eyes.

Two of the remaining griffons started backing away, and they flared their wings. “I-I’m outta here!” One shouted in terror.

“That pony is like something outta Hell!” The second added in, before they both flapped their wings, and flew away.

Another griffon screamed in rage, and charged directly at Applejack. Three griffons joined him and lunged at her, while the remaining four stood rooted in place. Applejack leapt into the air, and landed her hooves on one of the advancing griffons. She latched onto his head, and brought it onto the ground, shattering it. As if she were dancing, Applejack twirled around, and threw her rope-knife at another one, once again hitting a vital organ. Without breaking her whirlwind pace, she released the rope from her mouth, and swung her sword at the next griffon that was lunging for her. She cut him down in a couple of seconds, and rotated to her final assailant. He was caught off-guard by how fast his comrades had fallen, and Applejack tackled him. She towered over him, and without waiting, she began brutally pounding his head into the ground. She mercilessly assaulted him, and his head was a thick paste when she was finished.

Not even slowed down, Applejack stood up and retrieved her rope. Then she spun towards the remaining four griffons, and began marching towards them, the murderous fire in her eyes not dimming even slightly. The griffons flinched when she turned to them, and their eyes were wide with terror.

“The others were right!” One of them called out in horror. “We gotta get outta here!”

The remaining griffons spread their wings, and took off in four different directions. Applejack’s face contorted into an evil sneer, and she muttered, “Ya’ll ain't gettin’ away that easily.”

She twirled her rope-knife in the air with her mouth, and picked out her target. She picked out the griffon closest to her, and lobbed the knife at him. Miraculously, it wrapped around his back leg, and stopped him in his tracks. Applejack grinned cruelly, and brought him down to the ground with a pull of her mouth. As soon as he hit the ground, Applejack pounced on him, and raised one of her hooves into the air. She looked down at her victim, and he did something that both surprised her, and extinguished the flame inside of her.

“Please…” The griffon begged in a pitiful voice. “Don’t kill me… Please…”

Applejack grimaced, and stood over him with her hoof raised, not moving at all. “Please… I won’t hurt anyone else…” He continued to grovel, tears forming in his eyes. “I’ll never come back, I swear! I just need to get back to my family…” The griffon began openly crying at her hooves. “What will my daughter do without me? Please, I just want to see her again…”

Applejack gritted her teeth, and closed her eyes; she couldn’t stand to look at him anymore. Tears began falling out of her eyes as well, as she hovered over him, and listened to him beg for his life. “Please, miss. Just let me go…”

After she had hung over him for what seemed like an eternity, Applejack hung her head low, and lowered her hoof. The griffon stopped crying, and a glimmer of hope shined in his eyes. He smiled weakly at her, and waited for her to get off of him.

But then, in the blink of an eye, Applejack reached to her side, and grabbed her curved knife. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, Applejack had raised the knife, and then quickly and forcefully stabbed it down on his neck. It pierced all the way through him, and dug into the ground below. He didn’t even have a chance to feel anything, for the blade had pierced both his esophagus and spinal cord.

Applejack stood over his dead body, clutching the bloody knife, and panting heavily. She looked down at the griffon she had just killed, and into his lifeless eyes. She felt like retching when she looked into them, so she closed them with her free hoof. Then she shut her own eyes, and pulled the knife out of his neck. It slid out with a sickening “shllk” sound, and his blood began to pool underneath him.

Applejack stood up straight, and backed away from the deceased griffon. She tucked her gore-spattered knife into her saddle-bag, and sheathed her bloody sword. Then, she turned her head around, and surveyed the land that was once Sweet Apple Acres. The ground was painted red with blood, and covered with bodies. Looking over her home, Applejack finally started thinking rationally.

She began breathing heavily and irregularly, and she looked down at her gore-spattered hooves. Then she took another look around her, and realized fearfully, I… I did this. Me. She started hyperventilating, and collapsed onto the ground. “I… I killed them.” She thought out loud. “I killed thirty-four griffons in cold blood.” Only now that she was sitting did Applejack realize how badly her back was bleeding. “I’m… Bleedin’ badly. And I’m drenched in their blood. I’m not an Element of Harmony…” Applejack looked once again at her bloodied hooves. “I’m a monster…”

After that statement, Applejack broke down, and started crying in the cold silence of her home. She was disgusted with how red her hooves and torso were, and every time she looked at one of the corpses around her, she started a fresh wave of bitter tears.

After she had nearly cried herself dry, something brushed against Applejack’s face. She wiped her eyes and picked up the object, and found herself holding Apple Bloom’s ribbon. She stared at it for a few seconds, and then she gnashed her teeth together. She picked herself off of the ground, and wiped her tears away.

“No…” She declared defiantly. “I’m not a monster. These griffons attacked us, and they killed the most important people in the world to me. They are the monsters.” She spit on the ground. “They deserved what they got. Every one o’ them. I shouldn’t be wastin’ my tears on them.” She turned away, and began walking over to the three piles of bones. “At least, not while ya’ll are still here…”

Applejack stopped in front of the three piles, and confirmed that they were what she was looking for. “Granny Smith… Apple Bloom…” She muttered dejectedly. Without wasting any more time, she walked into her house, and returned with a shovel. She somberly trotted back to the piles, and began digging two holes. She had to stifle her tears multiple times, for she was trying to be strong. After she had dug two holes, she shoveled the remains of her family into them. But then, she remembered that there were three piles of bones. She quickly dug a shallower grave, and shoveled the bones of her pet into it. “You always were such a good dog…” Applejack whispered. Then she proceeded to refill the holes with dirt, burying the remains.

Applejack almost felt proud of her work as she looked upon her makeshift graveyard. She stared at her handiwork, and took a deep breath. “Granny Smith…” She began miserably. “You raised all o’ us after mom an’ dad died. You were always there for me, for all o’ us. You were the wisest pony I knew.” Applejack hung her head bitterly. “I was prayin’… Prayin’ that you would pass peacefully. I never would’ve wanted… this… Rest peacefully, Granny Smith.”

Applejack raised her head, and turned to the third mound of dirt. “Apple Bloom…” Applejack continued, starting to choke up again. “This shouldn’t have happened. Not to you…” She spoke through the lump in her throat. “You were so young, and so full o’ energy. You were so bright, so happy. Always playing with those friends o’ yours. You three were so strong-willed. So determined to find yer… Cutie… Mark…”

Applejack couldn’t hold back any longer, and the dam in her eyes burst. She couldn’t form words through her sobs, and just lay down and wept. Her tears washed some of the dried blood off of her face, and also helped wipe off the blood from her hooves. Eventually, she managed to form coherent words through her wails.

“Oh Celestia… You never got it… You never got your mark…” Applejack buried her face in her hooves, all energy drained from her. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… Apple Bloom…” She stared at the grave through her blurry vision. “I… I never said this enough. I love you, Apple Bloom. I love you so much…” She cried to herself. “I don’t care what I said, or anythin’ we disagreed on. I love you, sis. I’ll never stop lovin’ you…” Applejack broke down a second time, and began weeping loudly. “…I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… All of you…”

After her speech, Applejack lay down in front of the graves, and cried her eyes out. She lost track of how long she sat there, and she let all of her sorrow flow out of her. When her eyes had no tears left, she picked herself up off of the ground, and wiped her eyes. Finally, she turned away from the graves, and towards the streets of Ponyville.

“Goodbye, everyone. I won’t forget you.” Applejack finished. “And I won’t forget who did this to ya. Granny Smith, Apple Bloom…” She took one last deep breath. “Wait fer me, all right?”

When she was finally finished with her speech, Applejack began walking back towards the train station. When her home was out of her range of vision, she spoke. “That’s enough cryin’, Applejack.” She thought out loud. “What’s done is done. I know what I hafta do now. I hafta protect the ponies I love.” Applejack grinned smugly. “I sure do hope the train comes back fer me.”

Applejack tightened the ribbon around her Stetson, raised her head up high, and smirked confidently. Then she took off, and continued her trek to the train station.