Applejack gulped as she stared out of the car window at the passing buildings. She and Dr. Reinstein were currently being driven to the lab where Applejack would undergo the procedure to become the first super soldier for the equestrian military. Saying she was nervous would be an understatement.

“Still having second thoughts?” Reinstein asked, smiling at the nervous mare.

“No,” Applejack replied, not sounding as confident as she’d meant to. “It’s all jus’ a lot tah think about Ah guess,” she said, unsure how to word her thoughts.

Reinstein smiled at the young mare. “It’s alright to be nervous. We’re breaking new ground in science. There’s a lot to be nervous about,” Reinstein said, chuckling.

“Ah guess. Jus’ wish Ah coulda worn somethin more comfortable,” Applejack said, tugging at the necktie for her uniform. She was dressed in military formal attire and Applejack found the clothes to be restricting.

Reinstein laughed. “Not to worry. You only have to wear that for the introductions to a few military and government officials. We’ll have something else for you to wear for the experiment,” he explained as the car pulled to a stop outside of an antique shop. “You’ll probably need a new uniform later anyway. We expect you’ll grow a few sizes.”

Applejack looked at the goat in bewilderment. “That sounds like a bit of a dramatic change,” she replied, as they stepped out of the vehicle. “What are we here fer anyway?” she asked eyeing the little shop and the dusty items in the window, the interior looking like it hadn’t seen a customer in years.

“We are here for the experiment,” Reinstein stated leading the way into the shop. The mare at the counter glanced up at them for a moment before tapping on the wall behind her rhythmically.

To Applejack’s surprise the wall opened revealing a stallion in a security uniform standing at the top of a staircase that lead below the shop. “Right this way Doctor,” the stallion said as he stepped to the side allowing Reinstein and Applejack through.

“This seems like a lil much,” Applejack commented as she and Reinstein started down the stairs.

“All necessary security, I assure you. Our enemies want nothing more than to get their hands on the formula for the project. It is of the utmost importance we not let them have it,” Reinstein explained, seeming more serious than usual as they reached a door at the bottom of the stairs.

Applejack was more than a little shocked to see a large office space on the other side of the doors. A few dozen cubicles were set up in the middle of the room with several ponies, diamond dogs and goats typing away on keyboards and sorting files. Several doors lined the walls, some indicating they were the private offices of higher ranking staff and others labeled as storage closets or labs.

“Helluva set up Doc,” Applejack commented as her eyes wandered around the room. She noticed a few of the workers giving her curious glances as they walked by.

Reinstein smiled at his companion. “Yes, the allied nations are being very protective and discrete about this project. Which I truly appreciate of them,” Reinstein commented as he lead Applejack through a set of double doors on the left side of the room. A sign above the door read Project Rebirth.

Inside the room Applejack saw a handful of older stallions, goats and diamond dogs standing in a small room with a large floor to ceiling window on the far side. A row of seats had been set up in front of the window which was overlooking a large room with computers lining the walls. In the center of the room was a pod like object, that Applejack guessed she was going to be in very soon, surrounded by a semi-circular control console. The young stallion Applejack had met briefly before leaving Camp Nomad was moving animatedly over the console, probably making last minute adjustments.

“Applejack I’m sure you remember General Pants,” Reinstein said, pulling Applejack’s attention back into the viewing room.

Recognizing a superior Applejack threw the General a salute and stood as straight as she could. The General chuckled at the display. “At ease soldier,” he said, holding out a hand for Applejack to shake. “How are you feeling?” General Pants asked, seeming more curious than worried.

“Ah’m fine sir, just a lil nervous is all. Not to used tah bein the center of attention like this,” Applejack explained, gesturing to the others in the room.

“Oh don’t worry about them. Most of the dignitaries here are only here for formalities,” the general told her, looking over his shoulder at the diamond dogs and goats present. “Wouldn’t hurt for you to say hello to them though,” Pants whispered to her with a smile.

“Will do sir,” Applejack said as she and Reinstein moved over to the goats on the far side of the room.

Reinstein made a few short introductions and Applejack greeted each guest with a kind hello before the conversation turned to politics in Goatsico, which Applejack didn’t really understand. Looking around the room, Applejack spotted Lieutenant Howlett standing near an older diamond dog by the window, a bored expression on his face. She quickly excused herself from the goats’ conversation and walked over to the bored dog.

“Evenin Lieutenant,” Applejack greeted, earning a curious glance from the dog.

Howlett glanced at the soldier curiously. “Shouldn’t you be saluting me?” he asked, eyebrow raised.

Applejack smiled at him. “You’re in the Canistan military, so you’re not technically my superior unless the General says otherwise,” she told him. Applejack may not have done well in the physical portions of her training, but she had an easy time remembering who her superiors were and how to address and greet them.

Howlett smiled as he stood a little straighter. “I suppose not,” he said with a smile. “Nervous about the big day,” Howlett asked.

Applejack chuckled. “Less’n’less the more Ah’m asked. I am gonna be happy to be able to handle your training without breaking a sweat,” she said with a smile.

Howlett laughed. “We’ll see about that kid. You might get some muscle from this but I’ll find a way to make ya sweat,” Howlett replied with a grin.

Before Applejack could reply, Reinstein interrupted. “We’ll be ready to begin in a moment. Go get changed while I help Comet finish the preparations,” the goat said with a smile as he walked to a door leading down to the room below.

Applejack gave Howlett a nod as she walked away. “Looks like Ah’m up,” she said with a nervous chuckle.

“Knock em dead kid,” Howlett called after her.

////////////////////

Applejack stepped out into the lab a few minutes later wearing gray army sweatpants and a white tank top that was about one size too big for her. She saw Comet finishing a few things on the console and Reinstein was busy placing several vials filled with a blue liquid into slots on the rebirth chamber, which was now open and lying flat almost like a bed. A lab assistant, a unicorn mare, strode over to Applejack and made her sit in a chair just to the side of the main area.

The assistant pulled a medical tray close to Applejack and picked a rather large needle from the neatly sorted medical supplies on the table. “What’s that fer?” Applejack asked, eyeing the large needle, weary that it might just go straight through her thin arm.

“This is just a shot of penicillin to prevent any possible infection from the procedure,” the mare said as she filled the needle with a clear fluid. “Please hold still,” the mare requested, preparing to stick the needle in Applejack’s arm. Applejack winced as the needle went in. The assistant pulled the needle out a moment later and wiped off and bandaged the miniscule hole the needle had left. “All done her Dr. Reinstein.”

“Good,” the goat replied gesturing for Applejack to join him at the rebirth chamber. Applejack walked across the room, almost able to feel the stares of those watching from the room above. “Lie down here,” Reinstein instructed as the assistant joined them.

Applejack climbed into the bed of the pod and laid down while Reinstein and the assistant bound her hands and feet so she couldn’t thrash around inside the chamber.

“Ready?” Reinstein asked once the straps were secure.

Applejack took a calming breath before nodding her head.

“Alright then. Dash we may begin,” Reinstein told Comet, who began flipping switches on the console.

Applejack felt the Rebirth Chamber start to move her into an upright position, the door closing and leaving her with a small window to see into the rest of the room, although she was just eye level with the bottom of the window. Applejack noticed a series of needles that were now pointed directly at her arms at various intervals.

“Everything okay in there Applejack,” Reinstein called from outside.

“So far, so good,” Applejack called back, unable to stop herself from shaking, mostly in fear for what would happen next.

“Dash, you may activate the machine,” Reinstein said. Applejack could just barely see Comet moving around the console, turning dials and flipping switches. It wasn’t long before she heard a low hum coming from the machine and the pinch of the needles inserting themselves into her arm. Applejack felt the liquid enter her body.

For just a moment Applejack thought the procedure wouldn’t be so bad. Then her stomach lurched and she was glad she hadn’t eaten breakfast. Before she could get over the feeling in her abdomen pain shot through her body and a loud noise filled her ears. Applejack couldn’t think straight. Every part of her felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside, like some beast was trying to escape from her body.

After what felt like an hour the pain started to die down and Applejack realized the loud noise from before had been her own screams of pain. She took a moment to calm herself and looked at the window, wondering why it seemed to be lower than before, her gaze coming closer to the top of it now.

As her breathing slowed and her mind calmed, Applejack noticed sharp pains at her wrists and ankles. Before she could figure out the cause the pod opened and those in the room stared up at her for a moment. Reinstein was the first to react, quickly removing the bindings that had held her down. As she was released the pains in her extremities subsided into a soreness and she almost fell out of the pod. Reinstein and the assistant quickly caught her and held her up right until she found her footing.

After nearly a minute Applejack felt more stable and pulled herself from the grips of the Reinstein and the assistant and stood up straight. She was startled by the loud and joyous cheers coming from the observation room. Applejack looked around confused as those in the room with her joined the cheering. She turned to ask Reinstein if it worked and found herself looking down at the goat her had thrown his arms around her.

Realization hit Applejack like train. “Ah got bigger,” she observed, shocked at the drastic change she had undergone in a matter of minutes.

“To say the least my friend,” Reinstein laughed as he stood next to Applejack and observed his work.

Applejack was so concentrated on the feeling of the muscle she’d put on she hadn’t even noticed that the watchers from the room above had joined them. Over the course of the next few minutes Applejack took pictures with and shook hands with nearly every important figure in the room.

After the desire for pictures died down she scanned the room for Reinstein and saw him talking with Comet. Just as she started making her way over to them she noticed the lab assistant from before fiddling with the box that had contained the serum.

“What are you doing?” Reinstein asked, having also taken notice of the mare’s activity. The mare, realizing she’d been discovered reached into her lab coat and pulled out a small pistol. Before anyone could react she fired three shots at Reinstein. Everyone in the room began to scatter in search of cover as the mare continued shooting. Applejack rushed over to Reinstein who had fallen on the floor in front of Comet. The unicorn was frozen in shock, unable to move.

“Applejack,” Reinstein said, placing a shaking hand on her shoulder. “Get… the serum,” the goat said weakly, the life leaving his eyes shortly after. Applejack was shell shocked for a moment before her anger took over.

She stood up just in time to see the mare leaving the observation room into the main office area and quickly ran after her.

Applejack slammed through the doors to the office area, almost unhinging them and spotted the mare running for the stairs, a few soldiers firing at her. Applejack broke into a sprint after the mare and made her way up the stairs that led back to the antique shop above. Applejack got to the top of the stairs and saw three stallions standing in the main area. Applejack ducked back behind the doorway as they opened fire. Applejack wasn’t sure what to do. Before she could make a plan Howlett joined her at the top of the stairs.

“Be ready to run,” he told her as he ran into the shop.

“No wait!” Applejack shouted, reaching out to stop him, but grabbing only air. Applejack heard the stallions open fire very briefly and assumed Howlett was dead.

“All clear kid, get moving,” the gruff voice of Howlet called.

Applejack stepped into the shop and saw the stallions covered in claw marks. “What in the hell?” she said shocked.

“Don’t worry about them. That mare’s in a cab headed north. CPD are after them, but they’re gonna need help. Go,” Howlett explained earning a nod from Applejack.

Applejack sprinted out of the store and into the streets the sounds of sirens in the distance greeting her ears. She started running in the direction of the noise and the sound of gunfire could be heard. Applejack couldn’t tell how much faster she was until now as she passed cars left and right. Putting her speed to the back of her mind she concentrated on the sirens that were quickly growing louder.

It wasn’t long before she saw a police car weaving in and out of traffic and a cab just ahead of it. Applejack kept going until she’d passed the police car and had gotten close to the cab. When she was just a few feet behind the cab she saw the mare look at her in disbelief before raising her gun. Not wanting to find out if she was bullet proof Applejack leaped over the car as the mare opened fire. Applejack landed on the hood of the car and steadied herself as the mare turned the gun on her again. Without thinking, Applejack put her hand through the windshield of the car and grabbed the gun, prying it from the mare’s hand.

Disarmed and looking panicked the mare started swerving the car to try and shake Applejack off. Applejack gripped the roof of the car, creating a dent in the metal she could easily grip. Applejack punched through the windshield again, this time grabbing the steering wheel and using her greater strength to steady the vehicle. The mare fought for only a moment before she looked ahead, eyes wide and quickly opened the door and leapt from the vehicle, hitting the asphalt and rolling. Applejack turned to see what was ahead and saw she was headed straight for a brick wall. Applejack slid off the side of the cab, landing on her feet and running after the escaping mare, ignoring the sound of the car crashing into the wall.

Applejack watched the mare duck into an alley and followed after her, freezing at the entrance, when she found the alley empty. Applejack started through the alley checking behind objects as she went. A noise alerted her to a dumpster she’d just passed and Applejack felt the weight of her quarry land on her shoulders and felt a thin wire wrap itself around her neck. Applejack started thrashing around, trying to dislodge the mare so she could breath again and finally backed into the alley wall hard. The mare grunted and fell off of Applejack. Applejack whipped around and grabbed the mare before she could escape.

“Who are?! Why’d ya kill Dr. Reinstein?!” she yelled at the mare, only receiving a grin.

“Cut off one head,” the mare said moving her jaw around in an odd way. “Two more shall take it’s place.” Applejack heard something crunch in the mare’s mouth before she started frothing at the mouth. Applejack jumped away from the dying mare shocked at the display. As she sat there the events of the last half hour started to sink in.

“What the hell have Ah gotten mahself into?” Applejack asked herself, unsure what her future would hold.

Author's Note

And we now have...
Captain Equestria!

Also I'm back. Anyways

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