A Journey Across

Book 2 - Revenge of the Doctor

Chapter 8 - The Older Brother

7 days since Canterlot's fall

"How many names on the list today, Pinkie?" asked Twilight. Her voice was rasping from the ashes she breathed in. Ponyville was still covered in slight smoke, anypony had to wear gas masks or atleast a small filter.

Pinkie looked at the papers, "173. Fewer than yesterday," she commented.

"Twilight, you need to stop this. You are still in shock and checking the numbers everyday won't help," the doctor nagged. He was sittin on a stool between two thrones in the throne room of Twilights Castle. Five in total had been placed between the thrones to seat the new permanent guests of the room.

Two for the doctor and Rose, although she prefered to sit on the ground than on the small stools, two for Celestia and Luna and the last one for Jeb. He was the only non-pony in the room to sit comfortable.

"We should discuss how to reorganize our governmental structures," reminded Celestia. Even though she had cried with Luna on every funeral the last week, she always kept formal at the meetings. Luna was quiet. She hadn't talked since Canterlot fell.

"As of now, the highest position that is still intact would be me," responded Twilight, "I know you both are true princesses but at the moment only the bureaucracy of ponyville is still intact. I already posted a few announcements that we seek for more clerks but we have no responses as for now."

Celestia sighed. She had expected this answer. Twilight kept going, "Next point. We have to decide on money. The Canterlot Treasure Chambers have been destroyed. We lost a few million bits of tax money. I suggest we raise the taxes to compensate. We should also pump some money to the families of the volunteers of the search parties. They will need it for medical purposes, the ashes are highly toxic and even the masks..."

She was interrupted by a loud knocking at the door. It knocked three times.

"Well, that was certainly rude to interupt this meeting," Twilight muttered. She stood up and walked to the entrance.

When she opened the doors, she saw the mare she had though she would never see again.

In the doors stood Applejack, covered by a brown coat, missing her hat and with a big but sad smile on her face, "hi, I know you didn't really expect me but..."

She was interupted as Twilight ran towards her and gave her a hug. The princess immediately recoiled, "Wow, you are cold."

It was only then, that she noticed the small ice crystals on Applejacks coat. She took a few steps back, "What are you? What have you done with Applejack?"

"Calm down, Twilight. Let me explain it," Applejack comforted Twilight, "You should have seen me earlier, I was practicly a walking piece of fog." She laughed. Her southern accent everyone had loved so much was almost gone. As if she had forgot it. She noticed how everyone was still sitting there, not jumping up or anything to greet her.

"What happened? We thought you were dead?" asked the princess. She gave Applejack a few sceptical looks.

A sad look replaced the farmers former smile, "Well, technically I am still dead." Before anyone could ask why, she dropped her coat.

Everyone could now see that gaping hole in her chest. It's end laid on her back, slightly above her tail. The certainly fatal wound didn't bleed. It was as if it didn't exist.

Applejack began explaining, "After I went off with Rainbow here to Canterlot we were seperated. This Entropy just grabbed me and teleported me to some strange place. He called it 'Nostromo'. That thing gave me a few instructions to handle some devices and left me there. I noticed pretty fast that I was not alone. There was this... thing... I think he said it was an 'alien'... that started hunting me down" - the memory of the hunt made her uneasy - "Trust me Twilight, you don't want this thing on your back. Now. I was only a hoof away from the door that lead to safety when it got me" - she pulled the coat up again, concealing the wound - "Rammed its tail right through me. Didn't feel anything, was just like sleeping in. Then this strange stallion came out of the wall and 'poof', lights out. Dead."

She walked slowly to her throne. "You mind if I sit on mine again, Twilight?" she asked. Twilight shook her head. They both walked back and Applejack took back her throne.

Applejack continued, "Next thing I know is waking up in this strange white place." - the doctor winced at the mentioning of the room - "This strange thing came up to me and suggested a deal."

"What deal? Tell me!" demanded Twilight.

"I was about to tell you. The deal is simple, I get to live and a quick resumee of the last weeks and as exchange she will once in a while hop into my body to look how's it going," the frown on her face transformed into a slight smile, "She suggested the coat. Just think what would happen if I would walk through ponyville without it."

"Why didn't she heal your wounds?" asked the doctor, "I mean, are you something like a zombie or more like just ignore the fact you are dead?"

"The later. Order, that's the name of hers, explained to me how it works. I just stand up and the wounds will start to heal. It will take a while, maybe a month or two but I'll be in best conditions."

"Why where you so cold?" the doctor had an endless amount of questions, "How did you get here?"

"Slow down, not so fast. I'm cold because I was in some 'space station' and Entropy killed the heater before he left. I think you wouldn't be any warmer if you had been there. After she woke me up and I stretched for a few minutes she teleported me behind Bon Bon's house where I found the coat."

"I still don't trust it," muttered the doctor sceptical, "How can we now it is really you?"