It was a dark and cold night in the White Tail Woods. It was winter so the trees were leafless and the ground was covered in blankets of snow. Shining brightly up high in the night sky was the moon. The large glowing rock shines its bright light down upon the dark woods, providing the only source of light within the dark forest. However, a large cloud would occasionally drift in front of the moon, blocking the ray from reaching the woods below.
In the White Tail Woods, it was completely quiet. All the animals and bugs that inhabits the woods are gone, leaving the entire place eerily silent.
Then all of the sudden, the silence was broken when a lone pony entered the scene. The mare galloped through the woods, wearing a brown cloak that hid much of her body. The mare was currently trying to run away from something.
For years the mare was always on the run, she hid herself so that she could survive and live for another day. Before it was easy, the mare would have to hide from some Imperial Guards that would be hunting her. She easily hid from them in the past. But, now something else was hunting her.
This hunter possess a great amount of darkness. The mare sensed it and instantly recognized it, it was a presence that she met before and knew very well.
Knowing who this hunter was, the mare knew her days are numbered. Despite this, the mare was a stubborn one. She refuse to accept her fate and kept on running. However, no matter how far she runs, the dark presence was still there, lingering not far behind. It followed her everywhere she goes.
This constant need to run and hide severely affected her health. The mare was restless, she constantly worried about her hunter, preventing her from relaxing. Everyday was struggle for her, both physically from the lack of rest and mentally from the lack of sleep. The mare however, struggled on, keeping one step ahead of her hunter.
She was able to keep this up for this long because of her stubbornness and her Jedi training. As a Jedi, she was not only trained in the way of the force, but also trained herself. One specific training involved her maintaining her inner peace while doing very stressful challenges. This training alone is what kept her from breaking down all those years ago.
However, there is always a limit to everything and this mare was no exception. After years of constantly on the run, constantly moving from one location to the next, she tired.
To put it simply, the mare was tired of it all.
Tired of running.
Tired of hiding.
Tired of always living in fear.
The mare knew that the only way to break away from this was to confront her problem head on. This meant she was going to face her hunter head on.
The cloak pony sat down on the cold wet snow. She rested her back against a tree and went into a meditation. The mare gave no seconds though to her rash decision, she was determined to put an end to this hunt once and for all.
The mare closed her eyes and focus on sensing her hunter. This was much harder then is sound, while she can feel the darkness getting closer, it was a vague sort of sense. The close she can do was sense which general direction it came from.
She concentrated harder, trying to pin point her hunter's location. Her eyes then opened wide and she immediately stood straight up, The first thing her eyes saw was how the wood got dark all of a sudden. She glance up quickly and saw a large black cloud blocking the moon.
She return her gaze back down and stare into the pitch black darkness of the woods. The mare took her cloak off, revealing her orange coat, her green eyes and long blond mane. Beneath her cloak, she wore a light brown robe. Her eyes scan the darkness before her, sensing the hunter hiding in the shadows.
“I know you're out there.” The orange mare called out to somepony. “You can stop hiding, I'm not going anywhere.” She then pull a long, thin, metallic cylinder shape object from out of her robe.
The mare held the object in her hoof and pressed the button on it. Suddenly a long green glowing blade flash out of the metal rod and she brandish it like a sword.
“I'm tired of running and I'm guessing you feel the same way.” She said, but got no response. “It's time we put an end to this little game.” She declare and continue scanning the darkness for her hunter.
For a moment, the woods was silent, completely absent of any noises or sound. Then all the silent tranquility was ruined with the sound of the hunter's weapon activating. The orange mare quickly turn and saw her hunter. Standing in front of a tree, was another mare like her, except she had a horn on her head.
The horn had a faint purple glow to it, it match the one on her weapon. It was another laser blade, just like the orange mare's except her's was red. Since only Jedi were only ones known to use these weapons, one would assume this mare was also a Jedi. They would be half correct, this mare was once a Jedi, but fell to the dark side, she is now a Sith.
As the orange mare stare at her hunter, the dark cloud that block the moon, drifted away. This allowed the moon to shed some light into the dark woods, showing more of the Sith pony's features. She was a lavender unicorn with dark purple eyes and main with two strands of purple and pink. The mare wore a light armor suit with a brown cape that covers her mouth.
The purple mare stare back at the orange mare, her dark purple eyes showed nothing but cold calculation within them.
“Applejack.” She said.
“Twilight.” The orange mare reply and went into a combat stance.
Both mares stood their ground, waiting for one of them to make the first move. After a few seconds of nothing, it was Applejack that made struck first.
Applejack thrust her left hoof forward, sending a powerful force push that knock Twilight back against the tree. When she saw that she was down, Applejack used her force speed and dash towards the fallen unicorn. With her weapon raised, she swung the laser blade downward.
Twilight sense this and immediately raise her weapon to meet her's. Their blades clash against each other, both making the sound of hissing as their respective laser made contact. The Sith stood on her hooves and push her weapon against Applejack's.
In response, Applejack push harder. Using her natural strength, she push the purple mare against the black tree behind her. The mare kept pushing, but Twilight push back. Both stare into each others faces, before Applejack use another force push.
Up this close, Applejack push Twilight right through the tree, shattering it to pieces. The Sith mare fell on the side and quickly got up. She then saw the orange mare jumping into the air and threw her weapon at her. Her green blade spun in a circle as it heads towards her. Twilight easily deflect it with her laser blade, but was then knock back by another force push.
Applejack's weapon return to her, she then leap toward her opponent. Holding her blade down, Applejack was just about to stab her weapon into her when all of a sudden Twilight flip over. The purple mare shot lightning out of her horn, sending Applejack flying back.
Applejack crash hard onto the snowy ground. Her body was in pain, thankfully the cold snow help ease some of it. She was about to get up, but was then struck again by more lightning.
Twilight kept on using her force lightning to keep the orange mare down. She slowly trot to her opponent, doing so due to her hurt leg.
Unknown to the Sith, Applejack had in store for her and was waiting for her to come closer. Once the Sith was close enough, she lift her hoof up and a bright flash came out. The quick flash temporarily blinded the purple mare. In response she then erect a purple shield around herself.
She expected the Jedi to attack while she was blinded. But, no attack came. When her vision returned, the orange mare was nowhere to be seen. She was still here of here of course, she can sense her presence.
Twilight trots forward, ignoring the stinging pain in her leg. She trots further into the woods with her senses raise, preparing for an attack. Then suddenly her ears caught the sound of a lightsaber spinning through the air.
She turn around and saw the green spinning blade, twirling towards her. She lift her own lightsaber up, readying to deflect it. Just as the green lightsaber flew in closer, Twilight though she heard the sound of a second spinning blade. Her eyes widen, knowing what that was. The mare quickly turn to her left, just in time to deflect a second spinning green blade. She then turn back again to deflect the first one.
Both green lightsabers spun back to their owner, who stood a few feet away from the Sith. Applejack grab both lightsabers out of the air and dual-wield them in both hooves. Using her force speed, she rush the purple mare with both blades.
Twilight raise her lightsaber just in time to block the attack, but was driven back by the unrelenting onslaught Applejack was giving her. The orange mare gave no quarters, she kept on hammering her attacks until she breaks through.
Twilight push the mare back and took a swipe with her lightsaber. Applejack evade the swipe and took a swipe herself with her twin sabers. The two continue this exchange of swipes and stabs. Each time they either parry or dodge each others attacks.
Occasionally, Applejack would try to use a force push, but to her shock Twilight has already found a way to resist her attack. Her force push does nothing to the Sith as she just stood her ground. With that option gone, Applejack focus her attack with her two lightsabers.
The orange mare press her attack, swinging her two green sabers, left and right. She kept up the assault, unaware of what she was doing to her body. She was pushing her body to its limits. If she doesn't slow down and take it easy, she'll tire herself out.
This was something Twilight foresaw and knew that her victory was near.
Applejack continue her attack, spending a lot of her energy striking against Twilight's red saber. Her movement became sluggish, her strikes no longer contains the same fury they had from the beginning of their fight.
When Applejack's lightsabers struck against her saber, Twilight lower her weapon down, making it look like she did it. This was to give the orange mare a false sense of satisfaction, tricking her into believing she was going to win.
When Applejack saw the opening on her opponent, she grip her two sabers hard and thrust them forward. Twilight saw this and with great speed, she swung her saber upward, slicing both of Applejack's front hooves off.
Before the orange mare could even scream, Twilight quickly silence her with a lightsaber through her chest. As Applejack starts feeling her life fade away, Twilight carefully lower her body down onto the snowy ground.
Twilight can sense the life force leaving her Applejack's dying body. Just before she die, Twilight lower her head down and whispered something into her ears. “Good bye, old friend.”
Twilight then turn off her lightsaber and let go of her body. She place her hoof above Applejack's lifeless eyes and close them. Twilight then stood up, collected Applejack's twin lightsabers and begin trotting away.
Her task is done, it's time for her to return to her master.
Twilight gave one last glance to her fallen friend before disappearing into the distance.
THE END
