Twilight quickly loaded another silver-tipped bolt into her crossbow and took aim at the oncoming werepony. She recognized the mass of tan fur and fangs as a pony that had once gone by the name of Apple Fritter. Twilight was stone-faced as her crossbow released its lightly glinting payload. No cry escaped her lips as the werepony took the bolt between her eyes. And no tears were shed as the beast fell, dead.
“Is that the last of them, Twi?” asked Rainbow Dash, wandering over to stand beside her friend. Twilight noticed that Dash’s silver forearm blades were perfectly clean, while the rest of the cyan pegasus was covered in slash wounds and scratches.
“Yeah. Another Apple. This one was Fritter, I think,” replied the Alicorn. “What happened on your end? Another vampire batpony?”
Dash nodded grimly. “Four of them. I think they were stalking Fritter and her pack. Should’ve left them tear each other apart. Oh well. No use complaining about it now. Good job with Fritter, by the way. It’s not every day you off one of AJ’s direct family.”
Twilight nodded sadly. Dash put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder.
“You can’t keep beating yourself up over what happened to Fluttershy. Or Applejack, for that matter. Sometimes spells just don’t take—“
“I’m the Element of Magic, Dash! I’m supposed to be able to fix anything with a spell. I was supposed to be able to fix Fluttershy’s thirst for apple juice, not inexplicably replace it with a lust for pony blood! I was supposed to be able to treat Applejack’s timberwolf bite, not infect her with a some form of lycanthropy!”
“You couldn’t have known—“ began Rainbow Dash
“That doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter about my intent! What matters is that I’ve been responsible for not one, but two major threats to ponykind who are now tearing Equestria apart with a three way war!” screamed the Princess of Magic, the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes.
Dash patted her friend on the back.
“And you’re working as hard as you can to fix it, aren’t you? You’ve been doing a great job keeping us all safe in Ponyville until reinforcements from the Canterlot Royal Guard arrive. I know there isn’t a single pony in Ponyville who could do what you’ve done in beating back both Applejack’s wereponies and Fluttershy’s batponies.”
Twilight smiled a little at this, for it was quite true. After the chaotic events of Fluttershy’s regression to a true vampire and the horrific results of Applejack’s timberwolf bite (and her subsequent spreading of her condition to her many, many relatives), Twilight had expended all of her considerable talent and influence turning her town into a “perfectly fortified bastion of pure AWESOMENESS” as Dash had put it.
“You’re right, Dash,” said the princess, the tears drying up. “No use wallowing in the past. Answers will not be found there. Let’s head back home. Maybe the Princess has an update on her front.”
“Good idea, but let’s fly this time. You definitely need the practice. You’re still terrified of updrafts,” said Rainbow Dash, spreading her wings and launching herself into the dark expanse of the night sky. She was followed shortly afterward by the slightly shaky figure of Princess Twilight Sparkle.
As the two approached the brightly lit town of Ponyville, a vicious mental spike clawed its way into their heads.
“PASSWORD?!” thundered their mental assailant.
“Canterlot Snob” answered Twilight
“Hooficure” said Rainbow Dash
The mental pain vanished. “Oh! Hello Twilight! And hello to you as well, Rainbow Dash! You’re cleared to land. How was your little excursion?”
“It went fine, Rarity,” said the Princess of Magic as the two landed at Town Hall. “Anything interesting happen while we were gone?”
“Not particularly,” said the classy mare, trotting out from the rather imposing looking fort that had been erected over Mayor Mare’s former residence. “We had a few of those werepony ruffians attack, but the militia handled it. You two really did a fine job of training them. I’m still stunned you knew so much about military tactics and discipline!”
“Discipline’s easy enough to push on other ponies,” said Dash with a grin.
“And my brother schooled me in military history and tactics whenever he got leave to visit us,” said Twilight. “It’s how I knew how to build and fortify the walls.”
“Now, sorry to change the subject, but have you gotten any word from Canterlot?” asked Twilight.
Rarity shook her head. “I’m afraid not, Twilight. I haven’t received anything from Spike today. Speaking of Spike, he has been most helpful in assisting me in looking for silver. He found two veins, large ones, I might add, not too far from Zecora’s house.”
Twilight beamed. She always loved hearing about how hard her assistant was working and about how helpful he was to everypony in these dark times. “I’ll be sure to reward him. He’s grown up so much these past few months.”
Rarity nodded. “Everypony has.”
The three ponies were silent for a moment before Rainbow Dash, feeling slightly left out of the conversation, spoke up. “How’s Pinkie been? Any flashes of inspiration while we were out kicking flank?”
“I believe so. She’s barricaded herself in the forge, working on what I perceive to be a new crossbow design. No word on your requested arm-blade upgrade though. Sorry,” replied Rarity.
“S’okay,” mumbled Dash, clearly crestfallen.
“We do have the first armor prototypes in my shop though,” said the former designer. “I’d be more than happy to fit you for one, if you’d like.”
“Could you? That’d be awesome!” said Dash, perking up at once.
As Dash and Rarity trotted off, Twilight felt a small, scaled mass slam into her and hug her tightly.
“Hey, Spike. How’ve you been?”
The little dragon hugged all the tighter. “I’m so glad to see you again. I get so nervous when you and Rainbow Dash go scouting.”
Twilight chuckled softly, returning the hug. “I appreciate your concern. And I’m fine. Rarity says you’ve been a huge help lately. Congrats on finding those silver deposits!”
Spike smiled. “Yeah, it was pretty great, wasn’t it? Oh, a letter from Princess Celestia arrived not five minutes ago! Wanna take a look? I haven’t opened it yet.”
“Of course I do! She probably has an update on her end of the fight!”. The purple alicorn was nearly bursting with anticipation as Spike handed over the still sealed letter. Twilight unsealed it and began reading.
“Twilight,
Night Guard defected to vampires at dusk in surprise move. Half of Royal Guard and most of the elite infected with vampirism. Wereponies were using three infected fillies to convert the townspeople. Constant fighting in streets between wereponies and vampires. Vampires victorious. Am holed up in Tower of Harmony. Fluttershy and her council have taken catacombs. Attempts to reason with her failed. Vampires resilient to my magic. Applejack is heading your way with the majority of her “family”. Crystal Empire sending help. Have sent for aid from Griffons. Delegation hasn’t yet reached Falconreath.
Stay strong and survive,
Princess Celestia."
Twilight was silent for a long while. The Sun Princess was unable to contain the threat. Canterlot had fallen to Fluttershy’s bats and Applejack’s wolves were settling on Ponyville as a consolation prize. To say the outcome looked grim was an understatement. It also the presence of Fritter and her pack. They must have been sent as scouts.
And Applejack herself was on her way with most of her family. How many exactly was a mystery, as the former farmpony had been related to seemingly every fruit-themed pony on the planet, and her “family” had only expanded since the three-sided war began.
And Twilight was going to lead her fellow ponies through it. She wasn’t going to waste time dwelling on her mistakes this time. A victory here could cripple the wereponies. She turned to Spike
“Rally the militia. Get them to the walls, ready to fight. We don’t have much time before Applejack arrives.”
Spike didn’t waste any time, sprinting away shouting for the fighters to take up arms. Within a half hour, every able-bodied pony was armed to the teeth and ready to fight, Rainbow Dash and Twilight included.
For a few minutes, a heavy silence fell over Ponyville. All eyes were on the Everfree.
The first pair of glowing green eyes appeared. And then the second. And the third. And another and another and another. Twilight estimated a couple hundred. Doable, but difficult.
Applejack walked out of the forest. Her face was marked with three black diagonal slashes, visible in the moonlight. She still wore her hat, something Twilight found oddly amusing. With a razor-toothed grin, her form slowly elongated into a grotesque cross between a pony and a timberwolf.
“Crossbows, at the ready!” yelled Rainbow Dash, sporting her new armor, and she was rewarded with the sound of a hundred silver bolts being loaded.
A piercing howl rent the air, and the wolves charged.
