8. Babs Seed I

Babs Seed

Ma, Dad, Sis, She thought despairingly, I wish I could have seen you again.

Ever since her cousin Applejack told her of what happened to her family, she had been very distraught. Even the thought of it depresses her. Babs refused to be meek however, thinking less about it every so often. Despite it all, she won't forget her family. Nor forgive the one responsible for the killing them.

She also thought about the night she saw the bat pony, soaring across the night sky. Her cousin Apple Bloom and her friends saw him too. She had never seen a bat pony before. She let the thought go to keep focus on what family she has left.

Babs Seed was in Apple Bloom's room with her, playing Go Fish or what not. It didn't seem exciting to her, but she was playing with her cousin and that was good enough for her. So far, she was winning.

"Ya got any fours?" She asked, holding up the most cards.

"Dang it!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, giving up her remaining cards.

This was not the first time she had played Go Fish. She had played it dozens of times with her older sister. At first she was not as good, but after playing countless games she became good at it.

"That's the third time in a row!" Apple Bloom was impressed at her cousin's effort. "How do you do it?"

"I don't know," She replied, "I've played this game a lot with my folks." She frowned.

"Oh," Apple Bloom felt apologetic, "I didn't know."

"It's fine, really," Babs refused to be upset, "You don't have to keep sayin' sorry."

"Alright. You know what?" Apple Bloom added, "Maybe if we keep this up, you might get your cutie mark playing cards."

She raised her brow skeptically, "Yeah, I don't think my special talent would have anything to do with 'Go Fish'."

"Here," Apple Bloom had said as she took all the cards to stack them, "Let's play a fourth time. Besides, you never know what your cutie mark will be. And we're Cutie Mark Crusaders, so we try anything and everything, to get a cutie mark. Also, I don't normally play with my sister Applejack, and you make playing this game a lot of fun."

"Alright then," She decided, "Let's do this!"

*Door opens quickly*

The sound interrupted their game. Startled, both Babs and Apple Bloom turned their heads to face the door. They realized their friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, were dashing towards them. There faces looked horrified.

"Apple Bloom! Babs Seed!" Sweetie Belle shouted briskly, "You've gotta come see this!!!"

"What is it?!" Apple Bloom asked, puzzled.

"That's the problem," Scootaloo told them, "We don't know!"

Both of them got up from their game to see what is going on. Sooner then expected, they were already racing downstairs; little hooves pounding on the wooden floor. She noticed Applejack was also downstairs, watching them rush to the door.

"Hold it!" She told them, "Where are you four fillies off to?"

"Applejack, this is an emergency!" Sweetie Belle answered frantically.

"As a matter of fact," Scootaloo added, "You have to see it too!"

She looked at them curiously, unsure of what to make of their commotion, "What do I need to see?"

"Come on!" Sweetie rushed them, "Before he comes back!"

"Before who comes back?" Babs was as confused as her cousins were.

Outside, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were leading them to the forest. Applejack had caught up with them, meanwhile Babs and Apple Bloom were still behind them; struggling to keep up.

Babs had absolutely no idea what they wanted to show her and her cousins. Even Apple Bloom was curious about it. Whatever it was, it had to have been something scary. Otherwise it would not make any sense for them to look so afraid.

When in they reached deeper into the forest, something lifeless came into view under a tree...

"What the hay?!" Applejack exclaimed fearfully.

They had come across a carcass of some sort. The dead body looked like a deer, with a spear skewed in its side.

*Flies buzzing*

The smell of the carcass was incredibly awful. Babs scrunched her nostrils, and Sweetie Belle covered her mouth to prevent herself from vomiting. Applejack's face looked deeply horrified.

"Who, or what, did this?" Apple Bloom was visibly creeped out by it.

"I don't know..." Applejack went over to the carcass, and gripped the spear with her teeth; removing the spear from its lifeless sheath.

She spat the spear out of her mouth next to the deer's body. Babs went over to get a glimpse of it. The spear was longer then Applejack. The spear's shaft was long and made of thin wood, and the spear tip was a long straight blade.

"...But I do know that this is definitely not good!" Applejack finished her sentence.

"What we saw looked like one of those monsters." Sweetie said, trying to keep her lunch down, "You know, from the fair?"

"Maybe," Applejack replied, "But we don't know for sure."

*Branch snaps*

They all jumped up, instantly terrified. Babs's eyes were filled with fear, as was everypony else. They started to breath slowly, and heavily. Sweetie Belle looked as if her lunch went back down; replaced with the look of sheer terror.

"Oh no," Sweetie whispered, "He's back."

The trees rustled noisily, blocking almost every other ambiance. They had then heard loud flapping sounds from above. It sounded like as if large birds were flapping their wings over them; which the thought scared her even more.

But then figures peered from the trees...

"RUUUUUUUUNNNN" Sweetie Belle screamed. Her scream echoed the whole forest.

Within an instant they galloped swiftly and fearful for their lives. Blurry figures darted through the trees, the frightened ponies ran faster then ever. They panted as they ran; charging towards where they entered the forest. Babs tripped over a low branch and fell face first. She had shouted an *Ooff*, and had skid across the forest floor. It had been a painful fall, scraping her front left leg. Dirt was on her face and her scrape; dirt mixing with fresh blood.

She lifted her head up from the ground, blowing her mane away from her face. She viewed her friends and cousins ahead of her, and realized Apple Bloom turned back and sprinted towards her.

"Babs!!!" She had shouted.

Babs Seed was groaning as she struggled to her hooves. Her scrape stung from the pain. Apple Bloom was close to her, sprinted hard to aid her. She was almost there, Babs was thankful her cousin was coming to help her.

*Metal chinking, landing on ground*

The sound petrified her. Apple Bloom stopped, eyes wide with visible fear. She then felt something cold grab around her body. Babs Seed flailed her legs vigorously, hoping to be free from the icy grip. It felt as if she was grabbed by metal claws, lifting her up high.

"Aahh!" She gasped.

The metal claws turned her body to face what grabbed her. Babs Seed was very terrified, eyes wide in horror. She viewed the face of the monster...

Babs was whimpering fearfully. The monster wore a knight like helmet, bronze-ish in color with antlers sticking out from the sides. The rest of its body was covered entirely in armor of the same color as the helmet. The armor also had fur sticking out from the openings. The monster also had a large set of brown wings.

What frightened her most was his eyes, pale white with no visible pupils. Babs was completely frozen with fear.

"Babs Seed!!!" She heard Applejack call out.

*Bushes rustling*

She realized there were more of them, wielding swords and spears. Turning her head as far as she could, she saw them surround her cousins and friends; spears pointed at them. There were at least five others.

"Hmm..." The monster holding her started to speak, "Not as intimidating as I assume."

"Milord," She heard another one of them speak, "What shall we do with them?"

The one holding her started walking over to them; she felt every heavy footstep he made. He lowered his arm a bit, facing Applejack. He then bent down.

"Tell us your name." He asked her.

"A-A-Applej-jack." She stuttered.

"I am Lord Hoafnir of Kaerndal. Brother to the king. He instructed me no harm to come to any pony here in Equestria."

"You're a sabrathanian," Applejack asked boldly, "Aren't you?!"

All of them started to laugh. "Is she serious?! Ha!" one of them cackled, "She thinks we're one of those cultists!!!"

He had let her go from his grasp, dropping her inches from the ground. Her leg still hurt, but that was far from her biggest problem. She ran to her friends and cousins. Applejack held her tightly.

"Well what do you want from us?!" Applejack asked.

But then something came out from the trees...

"Nothin'," A somewhat gruff voice replied, "Just your cooperation."

It was a beige colored stallion. He had a short blond mane and goatee, and blue eyes. His cutie mark looked like a weird star. He had a sword in a holster, and some kind of circular blade sheathed on his back.

"Wwwhaaat?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, looking as if she was betrayed.

"Hey that's the guy who saved you!" Scootaloo said recognizing him.

"I know!" Sweetie Belle's eyes welled up with tears.

Babs Seed had never seen him before, yet her friends did. He had then came over to them, a stolid expression on his face.

"Forgive us," Lord Hoafnir apologized, "We do not wish to harm any of you."

"But-- What?" Applejack was notably confused, "I don't get!"

"Trust me," The stallion told her, "We'll explain everything."

Out of the forest, they had all traveled back to the farm. The stallion took the lead as if he knew where it was. Applejack was especially disturbed by the fact he knew where her home was. It did not take long for them to reach back to the house.

When they reached the porch, a sound startled all of them...

"Applejack!!!" A familiar voice cried.

Babs turned around to view three mares, Sweetie Belle's sister Rarity, a light yellow pegasus with a light pink mane and tail, and a pink earth pony. The other monsters readied their spears.

"NO!!!" Applejack yelled.

"Wait, wait!" The beige stallion told them.

"Hold!!!" Lord Hoafnir shouted a command.

Immediately, they lowered their weapons. The three mares looked shocked and confused, all at once. Applejack obviously knew them.

"Rarity? Pinkie Pie? Fluttershy? What are you doing here?" She asked them.

Rarity stepped up in front of the other mares, "I was out looking for Sweetie Belle! Pinkie and Fluttershy offered to help. We came here to see if you have seen her."

"I'm right here!" Sweetie Belle called out.

"Sweetie Belle."

Rarity went to hug Sweetie Belle firmly. "Where in the hay were you?!"

"With my friends." Sweetie answered her.

*Ahem*

The beige stallion cleared his throat. "We have important matters to discuss." He said hastily, "As a matter of fact you three have to come with us inside as well."

The pink mare Pinkie Pie, looked very puzzled, "Why?"

The stallion's face was inexpressive, "Because you're the friends of Princess Twilight Sparkle."

The three mares looked at one another. But then Rarity told them, "Very well, we shall do our best to listen."

"Finally." He said impatiently.

The door had then opened (much to everyponies surprise). It was Granny Smith who opened it.

"Er... Applejack?" She called out, "Do ya mind tellin' me about these friends of yours?"

Babs noticed Applejack had no idea what to say. "I don't know how to explain this, Granny."

"You don't have to." The stallion interrupted, "We will explain everything."

"Well don't just stand there dilly dallying, come on in!"

Inside, they all had gotten themselves comfortable in the living room. With the exception of the armored monsters, who were so tall they dwarfed the ceiling, so they ducked down to fit in.

Once everypony was seated, the stallion stood in the center of the room. He breathed deeply for moment.

"So," Pinkie started to ask, "Why are we here again?"

"Shh!" Rarity shushed her, keen to listen.

The stallion introduced himself "My name is Jolly Blade. Now before I begin, does anypony here know anything about the Pony Ronian alliance?" He then asked them.

"Yes," Applejack answered, "We do. Princess Celestia told us about it."

"Mm, so she has." He inquired in his somewhat gruff voice, "But perhaps she didn't tell you anything more than that, I presume?"

"Well... no, not really."

He was obviously ready to tell an unknown tale.

"Well, thousands of years ago," He began, "The two princesses came to the ronian capital of Nezend. Of course they rejoiced and celebrated, as you have heard the story before. During the party, Princess Luna befriended an agent of Kaerndal. His name isn't known otherwise I'd tell you. Needless to say, Luna and the agent were on good terms. The party had taken a dark turn when Emperor Anakim banished his brother, Sabrathan, to the desert of Casah. Fearing for the worst, Celestia sealed one of the portals to Ronia. But... the aforementioned agent had told Princess Luna of other ways into Ronia.

"When he did, she felt it best to protect the world of Ronia from not only the sabrathanians, but also the people of Nezend--or nezenites if you will. Every emperor of Nezend has always wanted complete dominion over all of Ronia, through conquest and war they ravaged the land; killing off who they deemed weak and inferior. Even mixing their blood with natives, breeding them out of existence. Seeing this injustice, Luna made the decision to forge an official alliance with the kingdom of Kaerndal. Only allies of Luna know of this information, even Celestia herself doesn't know. Princess Luna had also taken it upon herself, to create an organization to dabble in 'covert' affairs. I am one of them.

"This organization also deals with killing invading sabrathanians."

Babs noticed Applejack interrupt, "Wait a darn minute! You mean these guys have been here before?!"

Jolly Blade nodded, "Yeah, ever since they found ancient texts, describing a spell to open a clandestine portal to other worlds."

Applejack then looked at him intently, "Really? What else do you know?"

"Well..." The stallion continued, "Princess Luna had also a while back, sent a few members of this organization to Ronia. Kaerndal, specifically of course. The nezenites no nothin' about this, so that's good. But anyway, one of the portals is pretty close to Kaerndal. Just beyond the mountains if I'm correct. That was how these guys got here."

"So," Babs Seed stood up, "What's with the dead deer?"

"Food." Lord Hoafnir answered, "Our diets are very different compared to yours."

"You killed a deer?!" Fluttershy exclaimed, "How could you?!" Her eyes started to tear up.

"That's horrible!" Pinkie joined in her defense, "You could have eaten anything! like candy or cupcakes! Or chocolate!"

"No hold on," Applejack commented skeptically, "You said you killed that deer for food. Then why did you just leave it there to rot?!"

"Because somebody could not tell the difference between a buck and a doe!" One of the armored ones told them.

Jolly Blade seemed very impatient with them, "Anyway, how we met you there was just mere coincidence."

"So," Rarity was the one to speak this time, "What does this have to do with us, specifically?"

There was a hint of a smirk on his mouth. "Because you are allies of Princess Luna, and Princess Twilight Sparkle especially."

Babs Seed knew very little about Twilight, as well as most of Applejack's friends. Her friends did not tell her much, but she already knew that she was a princess. Word had spread to manehatten about it a while back.

"So what do want with us?"

Jolly then made a bold expression, "Help us fight the nezenites! Protect Kaerndal from the threat of war! Help the mountain warriors keep their home safe from total annihilation! You must tell Princess Twilight of this. Their home and lives, rest in her hooves."

Applejack and her friends must have been considering his words carefully. Babs and her friends were clueless of what to make of this. To think, these "nezenites" would commit such horrible acts.

I want to help fight, She thought to herself, But I don't think they'd let me.

"Twilight did 'plan' to go to Ronia," Applejack told them, "But we haven't heard from her since."

"To speak with the emperor I'm guessin'?"

"Well... yes," Rarity looked surprised, "how did you know?"

"Considering the sabrathanian threat you guys faced, I'm not surprised."

"We're gonna have to think about it." Applejack told them.

"I understand." Jolly Blade said, "Twilight and you guys have saved Equestria on many occasions, but now's the time to save Equestria and Ronia. I'll give ya time to consider, but remember..." He added as he was about to head out the door, with the mountain warriors following him to the door (on their knees), "The fate of both worlds rests on not just Twilight, but your hooves as well."

With that said, they had left.

"What do ya think?" Applejack looked to her three friends.

Her friends looked at one another, thinking about a decision to make. Babs had then looked to her friends, to see their opinions.

"So, Jolly Blade is his name!" Sweetie Belle said aloud, "Not what I expected, but so heroic!"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo groaned in disgust, "Ugh... not this again!"

"Hey, guys?" Babs asked them, "What do you think about this?"

The three of them looked at each other warily. Babs Seed waited for an answer, but then overheard Applejack's friends.

"I just can't believe they could do that sort of thing!" Fluttershy had said.

"This reminds me of something. Hmm..." Pinkie pondered.

"You're right Fluttershy," Rarity agreed, "It is absolutely awful. These, 'nezenites' will pay for what they did to the them!"

It seemed as if they had a mutual agreement. Babs looked to her friends, who were listening as well.

"For once, I agree with Rarity," Sweetie Belle commented, "those neze-- what ever they are, are gonna pay!"

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom agreed, "What they're doing, is wrong in every sense of the word."

"They won't get away of this!" Scootaloo added in.

She then heard Applejack clear her throat. "We'll have to wait until Twilight gets back, before we make a hasty decision."

Applejack's friends seemed doubtful, but acquiesced nonetheless. Babs Seed went upstairs with her friends into Apple Bloom's room. Apple Bloom then went over to the cards that were scattered on the floor.

"What're ya doin'?" Babs asked Apple Bloom as she was stacking the cards up.

"Why don't we play a game with all four of us?"

Babs Seed blew her mane away from her face, and smiled, "Sure!"