Diablo

by StoneWare13

Rating: teen
Tags: Rainbow Dash, Other, Romance, Adventure, Tragedy, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 7349

Rainbow had never forgiven the ShadowBolts for trying to take her away, so when rainbow dash discovers that they where spotted over ponyville, she tells all her friends to inform her of any news. But applejack life gets hard, when she is forced to l

Rainbow Dash had never forgiven the ShadowBolts for trying to take her away, so when she discovers that they where spotted over Ponyville, she tells all her friends to inform her of any news. Applejack would do anything to help her fellow Element Bearer, but life becomes difficult for her when she is forced to lie to her best friend to protect an injured ShadowBolt member. How will Applejack protect her little white lie? And will this lie destroy Applejack's honesty?

Published 2015-02-25 00:20:03 UTC
Last updated 2015-08-18 19:01:16 UTC

Chapter 1: Good day, bad news

Chapter 1: Good day, bad news

Celestia's sun began its rise into the clear skies of Equestria, basking the land in its warmth. Most ponies would remain dreaming for a few more peaceful hours. For an honest earth pony family, the first rays of light were indecision to wake from their night’s rest. Applejack was one of few work ponies who dedicated every minute of the sun to her family's farm. So as the rooster called out, Applejack sat up in her bed, a huge smile across her face. No matter what the previous day had thrown at her, the following morning would be a new start.

Jumping out of bed, she trotted lively over to the window and swung open the rusty single glass pane. The pleasant morning air woke the farm pony fully. With her lungs full of the morning breeze, Applejack trotted towards her dresser. She brushed her mane and tail before tying a small red ribbon into her hair. She grabbed her vintage brown cowpony hat. With a firm hoof, she placed it upon her straw-colored forelock. With a happy stride she trotted out of her room, almost knocking into her older sibling. "Mornin', Mac!" She smiled at the red stallion who gave a tired yawn back.

Applejack came to a wooden door on the small landing and knocked twice. "Apple Bloom? You up yet?" Without a passing second, the door pulled open and a little yellow filly cantered out and down the wooden stairs after her brother. With a little giggle at her sister’s enthusiasm for a day at school with her fellow crusaders, Applejack followed down the old stairs and into the family kitchen. Granny Smith stood at the working stovetops, spreading apple sauce on freshly-made toast. Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom were already tucking in when the orange mare sat down for breakfast.

"Sis! Sis! Guess what!" Apple Bloom cried out, grinning at her older sister. The bubbly filly gleamed with excitement. Her behavior reminded AJ of the many times when she was the hyper filly, running around getting into danger. Maybe that was why she loved a good adventure with the other Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

"What is it, sugercube?"

The golden filly bounced in her wooden seat "Me, Sweetie and Scoots are going to get our cutie mark in swimming later. Do ya wanna come?" Secretly, Applejack was not a lover of swimming, but due to her happy mood she agreed.

"Sure, but only if ya help with the farm during the weekend." Applejack expected the reaction her sister gave, a disappointed groan and a roll of her eyes. It looked like Sweetie Bell's attitude had rubbed off on the young Apple sibling.

"Ok, well Ah’m off, bye!" Apple Bloom sang as she skipped with joy out of the kitchen and out the front door. Applejack followed hot on her sister’s heels. Trotting up to the door, she waved to the happy-go lucky filly headed for school. As her sister gained distance from the farm house, AJ turned to finish her toast. She needed all the strength she could get for the day’s heavy load. As she stepped off the porch and back into the house, a familiar voice called out.

"APPLEJACK!" A rainbow-maned mare flew in, her wing beat powerful and her expression panicked. She practically crashed into the ground before running up to the earth pony mare. Applejack just stood on the family porch with a highly confused look on her face. Rainbow Dash came to a skidding stop at the bottom of the steps, panting due to her fast flying over to Sweet Apple Acres.

"Howdy Rainbow. What's got your tail in a knot?" Applejack asked her.

"They... were... spotted..." Rainbow struggled to say between her shaky breaths, her chest rising and falling with each air intake. Applejack noted the desperate tone in the pegasus mare’s voice.

"Slow down, RD. What in hay are ya talking about?" Applejack began to panic, worried that maybe some kind of evil had returned to destroy or take over Equestria. Maybe King Sombra or the Changelings? Anything could be possible in Equestria.

Rainbow began to get her heart rate back due to her outstanding stamina, from years of training. "The Shadowbolts... they were spotted... over Ponyville!"

At the mention of the Shadowbolts, Applejack's panic vanished. "That's it?" AJ giggled, as her friend’s panicked expression turned to one of anger.

Displeasure bubbled in Rainbow Dash as she unfurled her wings. After spending so much time with the bad tempered pegasus, Applejack knew her wings showed the true emotion. This action had anger and hate written all over it "Don’t laugh!” Rainbow yelled. “When I get my hooves on them, I swear I’ll-"

"Whoa there! Hold yer horses!" Applejack interrupted.

"But AJ, don't you remember what they almost made me do?" In Dash's eyes flashed the memories of the first adventure she and their friends had, going into the Everfree Forest when Nightmare Moon had returned.

"Yes Rainbow, Ah do, but there's no need to go around telling ponies that they’re back, it'll just worry everypony!" Applejack was always the pony with honest advice for anypony who needed or asked for it.

"But Applejack!" Rainbow whined.

Applejack teased the pegasus by simply patting the top of her head with a firm hoof. "Now stop worrying your pretty little head."

"Fine, but will you keep an eye open?"

If a friend ever asks for help, the Element of Honesty would pride herself on being the first to offer, even if all she needed to do was to watch the sky for any dark flying ponies.

"I promise."

"Pinkie promise?"

The amber mare was beginning to get a bit annoyed at RD's insistence "Come on, Dash. Do ya really think Ah would-“

"Pinkie promise!"

AJ frowned. "Fine. Ah pinkie promise" She used her hoof to make a distinctive X on her chest before placing her hoof over her eye.

The cyan pegasus beamed. "Thanks AJ!”

“Rainbow, you’re such a filly sometimes,” complained Applejack, due to being forced the make a Pinkie promise. She had no plan of breaking that promise for two big reasons. Firstly, she would rather not have to put up with Pinkie Pie, chasing her sorry flank around Equestria for breaking a Pinkie promise and, secondly, she wasn't fully convinced that what Rainbow had told her was true. Despite the earth pony mare’s lack of enthusiasm for the Shadowbolts’ movement, she agreed to complete the full promise. "So, is that all ya want to talk to me about?"

"Yep."

"Good, coz I got work ta do"

"Eeeyuuuup!" agreed Big Macintosh, who had joined the mares outside of their home. Applejack trotted away from the pegasus mare, off for a good day of work with her trusted brother. She left the concerned flyer to get on with her own life, which she thankfully did, flying west back to

Slowly, the vast sun began to lower, causing the sky to become an elegant purple. Applejack gave a huge buck to one of the many towering trees in the orchard. The powerful shockwaves caused the ripe, fresh apples to plummet to the ground below. Large crafted baskets softened the landing and captured the fruit. The siblings had been working hard for the past 9 hours, bucking the acres of trees that held their fruits. A long tedious day wasn't uncommon for the farm ponies, it was a daily occurrence.

"Hey Big Mac!" Applejack called out to her big brother, who was silently filling his cart with the full apple baskets. He turned his head, giving her a curious look. "Why don't you head back, Ah’m just gonna finish up."

Big Macintosh gave a pleasant smile as he hooked his yoke up to the cart and pulled away from his little sister. Applejack watched as the cart vanished over the hill top, before she leaned back against a tree and slid down to the base. For the first time in a good few long hours, the earth pony could relax and possibly get a quick nap. Like many times before, she pulled her hat over her eyes and began her relaxation...

CRASH! BANG! THUD!

"What the?!?!”

Chapter 2: Good crash, Bad temper

Chapter 2: Good crash, Bad temper

A painful moaning echoed across the orchard as Applejack curiously trotted through it. Twisting around the trees in search for the destructive noise, a thought crossed her mind. "That Rainbow is gonna get it if she has damaged any of ma trees." The hisses of pain grew louder and louder as the apple farmer journeyed into the orchard.

Applejack knew her way around the trees, from years of hard labor. She even recognized a few trees she had named as a filly. The amber mare headed south, traveling deeper and deeper. She knew she was far from the farm house, as she passes one of the larger trees, who she had named Deku.

A small opening was spotted only a few trees away. Within the patch of grass, next to a recently bucked apple tree was a twisted figure. At first, Applejack went to yell at the pegasus, suspecting it was Rainbow Dash. The Bearer of the Element of Loyalty had a nasty habit of "dropping in". But to her surprise, the pony who laid a heap was a not the cyan mare, but rather a stallion.

Without a second thought AJ ducked behind the closed bush, keeping an observant eye on the intruded. The stallion was dressed in a fitted flight suit which was a gray and plum color, with the occasional golden lighting flash across the neck and legs. The stranger looked to be a pale blue color, with a swooped back sea-blue mane and tail, with lighter cyan highlights. As she looked closer, Applejack noticed the reason for his continuing yelps and wines of pain: a twisted right wing which looks to be almost broken. AJ didn't have wings but knew the pain must have been horrible.

A streak of red was tricking down his left front leg, where his suit had ripped. A long cut stretched down his leg, swollen and caked with dirt. Applejack knew a lot about cuts and this one looked deep. Instinctively, she stepped forward, attempting to get a closer look but only ended up stepping on a stick, which snapped under her weight.

"WHO'S THERE?!" boomed the stallion. His voice was deep, almost as deep at Big Mac’s. Applejack hid behind Deku, her heart racing so fast it felt like it would jump out of her chest. Only her shaky breaths and beating heart could be heard.

"I KNOW YOUR THERE!" Past Deku’s trunk, Applejack could see the stallion attempting to stand. Falling over and over again, he looked just like a newborn foal standing for the first time. Despite the comedic sight, Applejack knew he was in pain and laughing would not help the matter at hoof. Being an honest pony, she made herself known.

"Are you ok?" Applejack stood up and stepped out from hiding to face the stallion. He spotted her and anger bubbled in his eyes. He snorted.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" the blue pegasus hissed. He had managed to stand but only on three unstable legs as his front left leg was held up to prevent any weight causing pain. Anger spread over his face like a forest fire, but this didn't intimated Applejack, rather making her worry more.

With a single step forward, she attempted to comfort the injured pony "Please, let me help ya."

"I’m fine," he roared back.

"Ya can't walk or fly,” Applejack pointed out. “Ah really think you need ma help." With each step towards the stumbling stallion, she could see the damage and it looked worse than any injury Dash had caused herself. This stallion would need a doctor. The other thing the apple farmer noticed was his flight suit. She was sure she had seen it before, but couldn't quite remember where.

The intruder stumbled again, this time falling flat on his rump. He seemed to calm down and simply gave up. He frowned at Applejack. "What would an earth pony know about wings? You don't even know how wings work!"

"Haha! Sure Ah do. My friend is always hurting her wings, I've even bandaged her up before. I think I can help ya too." Now AJ was very close to the inured pegasus. He had given up fighting to stand, a disappointed look across his muzzle. It wasn't till now that Applejack noticed how stubborn many pegasi could be. Of course, she couldn't complain, she was just as bad.

"I don't need help,” he huffed, although he didn’t object to Applejack’s approaching. “I'm fine."

"Sure, and Ah’m Queen Chrysalis. Come on, sugercube. Let me get ya to the barn so Ah can fix you up!"

"DONT COME ANY CLOSER!" He jumped back to his hooves, thinking he had the strength to stand, but instantly regretted his decision after falling on his muzzle.

"And why not?" AJ giggled.

"Don't you know who I am?" he yelled through gritted teeth, the pain becoming unbearable.

"You’re an injured stallion who crashed on ma farm. Now let me get you into the barn over there. Nopony uses it!" Applejack helped the reluctant stallion to his hooves, allowing his weight to fall upon her body. The pair set off towards the old abandoned barn in the south field...

"Now where is the darn thing?" Applejack complained, as she rummaged behind one of the old stall doors. The abandoned barn was filled with settled dust which the pair disturbed. The stubborn stallion lay upon a bed of straw which AJ had made. He nervously shuffled his body to get into a more comfortable position. He had managed to fold his good left wing, but his right wing stuck out due to the damage done to it. His front left leg was out in front of him in a super-pony position.

"What are you looking for?" The stallion’s words were not said in an angry tone, but rather one of concern.

"Ma and pa's first aid kit. I know it's somewhere in here." The mare huffed as she shoved boxes of old Apple family photos and memories. "Here we are!" Applejacks called, felling proud of herself for remembering the barn’s content after almost 15 years.

Holding the old buckled metal box, Applejack trotted back to the corner where the sulking stallion laid. "Now sit still or ya'll hurt yourself even more."

"I am not a foal!" he shot back, still attempting to prove his dominance over the situation.

"You sure complained like one on the walk over here," Applejacks teased. The stallion snorted. "Look, now you’re sulking like one." She grabbed a clean bandage before grasping his wing.

"Owwwww!" he groaned.

"I told ya to keep still!" She didn't let go but instead pulled at a few stray feathers, reliving a painful yelp from the injured pony.

"You sound like my mother," he grunted, trying to distract himself from the fact that a mare was preening his wings.

"I sure hope not, you look older than me, sugercube."

"HEY! I’m only 21," he shot back. His constant replying was becoming a habit that AJ was starting to notice, although it may have been because of the preening she was doing.

"Wow! You’re younger, but only by a year." AJ finished sorting his wing feathers and started wrapping his wing firmly with the bandage. "There. How’s that feel?"

Inspecting her work, the stallion pulled a face that showed his lack of care for the mare’s generosity. Applejack rolled her eyes and rose to her hooves, heading back to the barn doors. "Well I'll let ya rest. I'll bring ya food in the morning."

He didn't respond. Applejack opened the doors and left him to his own company.

The mare closed the large wooden barn doors. She stood still, resting on the doors as she tried her hardest to take in the fact that she’d allowed a strange stallion to stay in her parent’s old barn. Sure, nopony goes in there anymore, but what if her family or even her best friends find out? What would they say? Should she keep this a secret?

"APPLEJACK!"

A voice startled the orange pony, distracting her from the troubling questions. Applejack spun on her hind hooves leaving her face to face with a grinning filly, who had run from the farm house. "Apple Bloom? Don’t do that, ya rascal!" Applejack ruffled her sister’s ruby mane.

"Why were ya in the old barn?" Apple Bloom asked, a little confused as to why her older sister was in the south field, after bucking the trees there last month.

"Oh, ya know, just looking," Applejack said in the most convincing tone she could make. Luckily her sister couldn't tell if she was lying. It was then that Applejack realized something: that lie was one of many to come. And that terrified her.

Apple Bloom had no reason to not trust her sister. "Okay. You ready for a swim?"

"Sure, come on then!" The sisters headed home to pack up for their little swimming trip. As usual, Apple Bloom cantered off, getting a head start on her sister. Meanwhile, Applejack turned her head and looked back to the rusty barn.

"I'll see ya in the morning, stranger."

Chapter 3: Good qustions, Bad reaction

Chapter 3: Good qustions, Bad reaction

The following morning was like every other. The blinding light of the rising sun beat down upon the land. The Apple family woke, setting up for a long day’s work in the farm they prided. All except one...

Applejacks had woken from her dreams a good hour before the others, giving her a chance to cook some extra breakfast. Despite her weekend chore of making the applesauce on toast for all 4 family members, she still found it strange to be making an extra plate. In her mind it felt like years ago when her whole family were happy before Apple Bloom joined, that wasn't saying Apple Bloom was trouble, it was just Applejack could see too much of their mother in her.

But despite the flooding memories, she still made that extra plate full for a guest that only the Amber mare knew of. She trotted with a good speed, heading toward the abandoned barn in the south field. She thought about the previous day and the turn of events.

After spending an hour or so with Apple Bloom and the Crusaders, swimming at the farms lake, Applejack had settled down for the night to get some well deserved sleep... Well, that was the plan.

Applejack spent hours thinking about the stranger, just imagining where he had came from and why he happened to crash on her farm. It was strage how one minute her close friend was warning her about the Shadowbolts been near Ponyville, then the next moment a strange dark pegasus ends up in the orchard.

Her mind clicked as Applejack reached the barn. Could he be? No! That strange stallion who lay injured in her barn couldn't be a ShadowBolt. Could he?

"Morning" she called out as she pressed her chest into the door, which swung open with ease. At the back of the barn was the stallion, still on his makeshift bed. He raised his eyes to the blinding light that entered thought the newly opened door and groaned.

"Oh, it’s you!" His voice was more croaky than the previous day but still had the deep note that made it noticeably his.

"Don't you sound happy to see me" Applejack replied sarcastically. He just shuffled, moving his body to face the mare, while making sure not to cause pain to his leg or wing.

"How are ya feeling?" Applejack asked with concern, rather than tauntingly.

"Better, I guess." The pegasus’s temper had changed drastically. He had become a quiet stallion who seemed to have given up a fight. In her head, Applejack tried to link his personality to one of a typical Shadowbolt member.

It was harder than expected since she had never met one. She could only imagine them to be cunning and devious, like Rainbow if her friends weren't there to stop her. Applejack just brushed it off, convincing herself that the way he was acting yesterday was most likely from shock or injury, and he seemed more relaxed today. Maybe he was just a pony who gotten lost from cloudsdale or some other city.

Applejack passed him the plate she’d brought. "Here's some food. I guessed ya might be kinda hungry." Before Applejack could say anymore the stallion had tucked in, plastering his muzzle with the Apple family's prided sauce.

Applejack giggled behind her hoof like a little filly in a school yard. She felt mean laughing at her guest. To distract herself from the comedy of the stallion’s eating habits, she looked over the barn spotting something that sparked her curiosity.

"Looks like ya managed to get yer flight suit off on yer own." Applejack trotted toward the mentioned gear. It sat on a bale of hay, balled up like it had been forgotten. She could see the rips and tears in the fabric as she reached out to unfold it.

"Don't!" the stallion growled, shocking the mare. Applejack froze.

"Ah was only lookin’!" she snapped back before moving away from the still balled up fabric.

"Well, look with your eyes,” he hissed. The mare looked him over, now he had rid himself of the flight suit she could see him completely. He was a very pale blue Pegasus, and his cutie mark was a cyan-and-dark-blue spiraling cloud, the same colors as his mane and tail.

wonder what his special talent is, Applejack mused, but she refused to ask more questions. Well, more that what she needed. She was turning back to the stallion, who had almost finished his toast, when another question tumbled out of her.

"What flight team are you part off?"

The pegasus dropped his piece of toast. "Wait, you don't know?" He sounded shocked, like she had said something stupid or inconsiderate.

"No. That's why I asked. If Ah’d known, Ah wouldn't have just asked, now would I?" she shot back at the stallion, her sarcastic tone returning. She wondered if she was being a bit snappy with the pegasus. Deep down, she hated other ponies looking down at her or thinking she was not smart enough just because she lives and worked on a farm.

The pegasus stared glumly at the breakfast she’d brought him, then looked up at Applejack. "The Shadowbolts." When he spoke, a dark shadow seemed to cross his face

Applejack was stunned. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, due to the conclusion she came up with only moments before. "Wha?"

"The Shadowbolts!” the pegasus repeated, slightly concerned that maybe he hasn't spoken clearly or just surprised the mare during her mumbling. “That's my flight team."

Applejack was silent. Everything made sense now! She now knew where she had seen that uniform: Rainbow Dash had worn it on nightmare night to scare all the fillies and colts in town and... And now a real Shadowbolt was in her barn.

She began to panic, unsure if it was right of her to be protecting and pretty much help a possibly dangerous pony. She needed an escape, a way out of this... It was all too much...

"Oh... Okay, well... Ah got work ta do. Ah'll erm… see ya later."

Applejack practically raced out of the barn, pushing the door open with an amazing amount of force and shutting it just as quick. A panicked expressing shot across her face as she reminded herself who she was hiding in her barn.

She leaned up on her hind legs against the wooden planks of the barn wall, her heart and mind both racing with panic. "What am Ah gonna to do? I can't tell Rainbow about this!"

"Tell me about what?"

Applejack jumped as she spun 180 degrees and landed. Her eyes focused on the cyan pegasus hovering only ten meters away from her, her typical cheeky smile plastering her face.

"Rainbow?" Applejack moaned as she grasped her chest feeling, the hyperactive beat of her heart.

"That my name." Rainbow did a quick back flip in the air, showing off her 'awesomeness' before pulling a pose and smiling, like Applejack should cheer at her.

"What are you doing here?" Applejack inquiered.

"Well,” Rainbow began, floating by the barn doors, “I finished today’s weather duties, Fluttershy is having a picnic with Discord, Rarity is filling a dress order, Twilight is reading again and Pinkie is... being Pinkie. So I guess I came over to see if you wanna do anything!"

"Well, if that's the case, Ah’m off to sell some apples. You can join me." The earth pony mare turned and trotted away.

Rainbow Dash beamed and landed beside Applejack. "Sure." They had only trotted so far when the pegasus mare stopped in her tracks and skidded to a halt. Applejack noticed her friend’s sudden stop and turned back. The orange mare noticed Rainbow’s ears twitching like she was listening out for something.

"What's up?" Applejacks watched her fellow Element Bearer as the cyan pegasus turned to look back towards the old barn doors. "Rainbow?"

"I thought I hear something," Rainbow muttered as she continued to check their surroundings. Applejack speculated that her pegasus friend had sharper hearing than she did, but was less surprised that she didn’t heard the 'noise' as she was too busy worrying that Rainbow had heard the Shadowbolt member.

"Really? Well, there's nopony else here."

"I guess." Rainbow mumbled like she was disappointed. She wasn’t normally like this. She didn’t trust her ears like she used to. It must have just been her getting sensitive with her sighting the Shadowbolts yesterday. The pegasus shrugged and she and Applejack trotted off to collect the sales apples from the main barn.

Unannounced, from a small dark cloud, a watchful eye tracked the ponies’ movement, contemplating a potential plan of revenge towards the pony. Thieving earth pony...

Chapter 4: good talk, bad discovery

Chapter 4: good talk, bad discovery PART 1

The two mares trotted to Ponyville in silence. They just looked at the cobbled streets, home to ponies who went by not paying any attention to the two friends. Applejack couldn't stop worrying for a few long moments. She began to understand how Fluttershy felt with all the hectic thoughts flying around her mind, like the cyan pegasus flying above her.

To Applejack, Rainbow Dash was her closest and most relatable friend, more than any of the other Element Bearers. She could understand Rainbow, her drive for success and the loyalty to her friends. It hurt so much to hide such an important development. Applejack didn’t what to hurt any of her friends, family or the Shadowbolt in her barn. With each step towards the market Applejack evaluated her options...

Firstly she could tell Rainbow about the Shadowbolt, then she could move on and not feel the pain with every lie she makes, but that plan had a down side. Potentially, Rainbow could flip and attack the already-injured stallion and that wouldn't end well for anypony.

Her second option: she could continue to lie to her best friends and get the guilt from the untruthful actions, but by doing that she could protect the stallion letting him leave to return without and arguments

Both options where no good. She would feel like the bad pony either way but then something hit her: why should she be protecting a potential villain? So what if he was injured? He's bad…. right?

"Applejack?" asked Rainbow. She had noticed her friend mumbling, only being able to hear the odd word, such as 'friends' or 'option'. It was clear as the sky that something was eating at the orange mare.

"Yes Rainbow?" Applejack looked up to face Dash, who looked concerned.

" What are you hiding from me?" Rainbow’s magenta eyes looked deep into Applejacks like she was searching for the truth. That look scared Applejack but she would never admit it .

Applejack chuckled nervously. "What do ya mean, Rainbow?" She knew what her friend was asking, so why did she still lie?

Rainbow Dash flew down to trot alongside her friend, "When you came out your parents’ barn, you said 'I can't tell Rainbow about this'. What can’t you tell me about?”

"Oh, that. Well... it's nothing’, really!"Applejack cringed. She knew Rainbow would never accept that fail of an excuse. What was she turning into?

"Then tell me about it!" Rainbow Dash insisted.

Applejack looked down to her hooves. "I can't, sugercube." She needed an escape. Her need to get away was getting too common. This was the second time in the last hour that she needed to run and hide. Applejack was never the type of pony to run away from her responsibilities.

"Come on AJ. You can tell me." A warm smile was plastered across Rainbow’s face; a smile of her loyalty to her loving friends. Could Applejack really lie? Again?

"Cuz it... it... it's for yer birthday!" The farmer prayed to the sun and moon that Rainbow would just accept her excuse and move on.

Rainbow tilted her head and gaped. "But... my birthday’s not for another month."

"Best to start planning early," Applejack replied, sporting a smile what would make anypony suspicious.

"Are you sure you not lying to me AJ?" Rainbow asked, leaning in close.

That’s it, She'd had enough of this. Rainbow was starting the tick her off. She frowned and snapping back at the pegasus "No, Ah’m not! Will ya drop it already, before Ah feel like droppin’ you?" She didn’t mean to come across so bad tempered.

RD cringed, not sure how she should take her friend’s outburst "Touchy!"

Applejack just snorted

Rainbow had gone home shortly after discovering selling apples "needs to be cooler", but in some ways Applejack was thankful. She had gotten home just before tea, which Granny Smith had taken care of.

Applejack sat with her head in her hooves. Today she was just drained. Normally she could buck trees for hours and still have time and energy to visit all her fellow Element Bearers, but today she had been through too much and all she had done was lie.

At the small dining table, her older brother was counting the bits she had gotten from today’s sales. Apple Bloom was helping Granny dish out the fresh cooked apple pie.

"Hey Granny?" Apple Bloom asked, jumped up. While ladling out the servings for dinner she had noticed something strange.

"Yes dear?" Granny Smith said, looking down at her creative granddaughter with a simple smile.

"Why is there 5 plates of food?"

Applejack looked up in shock, her eyes widening. Granny! She couldn't have known, could she?

Chapter 5: Good thinking, Bad shadow

Chapter 4: good talk, bad discovery PART 2

Tea had played out like most evening, followed by Apple Bloom going off to finish her school work, leaving the older siblings to clean up. Applejack was washing up the few plates while Big Macintosh had gone out to check the doors of the new barn were locked and the chickens where all safe.

Granny Smith silently entered the kitchen. "Applejack?"

"Oh, howdy there Granny!" Applejack greeted her with the same bubbly expression she always used, despite having a suspicion that the older mare had discovered her secret... was he still a secret?

"Well." Granny Smith stepped closer, scrutinizing at her granddaughter.

"What?"

The older mare just raised an eyebrow, something that applejack herself had gotten into a habit of doing. "Don't act like ya’ll don't know what Ah’m sayin’. Who’re ya hidin’ in ya ma and pa’s old barn?"

Applejack froze. "How did you-"

But she was cut off by her grandmother. "Easy enough. I saw ya headin’ out there with some toast this mornin’."

"Oh." Applejack felt almost devastated that somepony knew of her hidden guest.

"So who is he?"

"How do you know it's a he?" Applejack was shocked at how much her old family member could find out just by watching her.

“It’s pretty obvious,” Granny admitted. “If it were a mare, ya would have introduced her by now, but ya haven’t. I sure hope you have a reason to hide him."

Applejack sighed. "I do, Granny. you see-“

"It's fine, child." The senior Apple gently brushed her hoof through Applejack’s mane. "You don't need to explain. Now take his apple pie and don't come back till sundown. Ah’m sure he’d appreciate some company."

Applejack knew not to answer back to her elder and accepted the pie and instructions.

"Yes Granny."

The creaking of the barn door woke the stallion from his daydream. He just looked up to see an orange hoof poke through the entrance. "You’re back!" This time his voice was happy and playful.

"Ah sure am." Applejack came into view, a slice of still steaming apple pie on her back. "Here, got you some food."

The stallions face glowed as his belly grumbled. Both ponies chuckled. "Thanks" the pegasus said, looking over his meal before digging in. Applejack watched as he began to eat. She was fascinated by his manners, despite eating on a hay bale.

Her mind wandered back to earlier when she had spoken to Rainbow Dash. How could she tell her about this stallion? He seemed nice enough and needed her help. She may not be the Element of Generosity or Kindness, but she knew when her help was needed and he was such in need of assistance.

Her eyes looked back over the stallion she didn't even know his name. Then she remember that important detail. How could she have be so thoughtless. "Can I ask you summat?"

The pegasus looked up, eyes full of curiosity "Sure."

Applejack sat down on a second bale of hay. "What's your name?”

The stallion just stared at her, his face expressionless. "Coz, ya know, I never really asked and I told ya mine,” Applejack went on. “I was gonna ask before now. Plus I know where you’re from, I thought Ah should learn more about you." Applejack was almost panting for the lack of air she was allowing herself in between the panicked words.

The ocean blue pegasus just smiled. "You don't need to explain. My name is Diablo." He uttered this with so much clarity it made Applejack pause for a moment. He was such a nice, well-mannered stallion, but his name suggested an evil being, as did his flight team.

"That's nice," Applejack replied, smiling back at the stallion. She felt at ease knowing the name of the intruder. Diablo had confided in her and it was clear that the stallion was not like the others of his team, but Applejack knew that Rainbow could never see beyond the fight suit.

Diablo’s smile faltered, as though his name something to be frowned upon. "No, my name is one to be feared." His voice became harsh and controlling like the first time they’d met “It’s my mother’s humor"

"What do ya mean?"

The stallion’s face dropped in anger. "’Diablo’ means devil." Something in the way he said this made

Applejack question her right to ask what she did. It was clear that Diablo hated his mother, and that was something Applejack couldn't understand.

A silence swallowed the ponies "You don't seem to like your ma," Applejacks pointed out the obvious.

"No I don't!" Diablo’s answer was blunt and gave Applejack enough information that this subject should be avoided, at least at present. The silence continued, allowing Applejack to think, until Diablo spoke.

"Applejack?"

"Yes, Diablo?"

"Well... you asked me a question, can I ask you one?"

To Applejack, this was a welcoming change of subject. "Yeah sure, go ahead," she yawned.

The ocean blue pegasus gave the mare a blank look mare before asking. "Why did you leave in such a hurry this morning?” His words were careful and compassionate, as though he felt unwanted and feared upsetting her. ”Did I scare you? Cause if I did, I‘m sorry."

Applejack shook her head. "No no, its fine Diablo. It wasn’t you, Ah just had to…. it’s kind of a long story." Applejack yawned again. That day's work was starting to catch up with her.

"Tell me more about the Shadowbolts," Applejacks requested. Out of habit, she looked at Diablo with a pair of tired-looking puppy dog eyes.

"What you want to know?"

"Anything." Applejack shuffled her bale a bit closer to the stallion and laid her head on her hooves. Diablo just smiled.

"Ok, well... Ummm... A year after Princess Celestia banished Nightmare Moon, she had a celebration and a flight team was created. They named themselves the Wonderbolts." Applejack listened, her eyelids becoming heavy. "But Nightmare Moon had been watching and planning her escape. She found out about the Wonderbolts and was determined to find better pegasi to make her own team alongside her, with all the other many plans she had for when she took over Equestria."

Diablo thought for a moment, remembering the story from his foalhood. "Nightmare Moon kept an eye open for any ponies that may be worthy; she found the best of the best. She managed to stir up some bat ponies to get them to rebel. Celestia discovered the flight team and banished them deep into the Everfree Forest where nopony would find them.” Diablo paused. “Any questions so far?"

The blue stallion looked over at his audience, wondering if she’d understood. To his surprise the golden mare was curled up, her hay bale right next to his, fast asleep. Her hat had fallen to one side and presented her smiling face.

Diablo unfurled his good wing draping it over the mare’s back. "You know, Applejack? Maybe you’re not so bad," he whispered to the dreaming mare, before laying his head next to hers and slowly falling into a dreamworld of his own.

Chapter 6: good sleep, bad meetings

Chapter 5: Good thinking, Bad shadow

The barn was black... No fancy words were needed to describe the four walls that enclosed Diablo. He had fallen asleep next to her, the pony which he owed his life to. When she had drifted off he had tried his hardest to sleep, but his sleep was just more blackness. It was darker than the fires of Tartarus when his name was crafted from the soul of Tirek himself.

The way Applejack smiled as she snuggled into his side was strange to Diablo. It looked like she was enjoying the dream-filled world that comes with sleep. Could she see things like colors and life? Was she… dreaming?

He had heard whispers among his peers of such dreams, which you live when you sleep; a life where the impossible is achievable. To Diablo, this tale could only be the wish of some mad pony let out too early from the cell...a pony like half the team he had lived for.

Diablo studied the mare at his side; her fur, soft and gentle. With each breath, the smallest of tuffs would tickle his belly. A smoothening movement, which he could never lie about, was wondrous. There were many strange feelings sparking when his eyes had first looked upon her powerful feminine body. Feelings he’d never felt... Feeling of loneliness and desperation to see those freckled checks; he had become attached.

But why? Why was he mentally attached to an earth pony? He couldn’t understand it. At night, he would thing about her just to cure his... loneliness?  He wanted to know more, more about her and about the life she lives on the farm he had fallen into. This mare, who magically comforted him, was a mystery he would one day discover.

"Diablo."

A soft whisper flowed through the barn, causing the hairs on the edge of Diablo’s mane to stick up.

"Diablo," it repeated. Again and again the voice called out, each time becoming more noticeable. He knew that voice... the voice he feared more that the dreamless nights.

"Is... Is that you?" Diablo called out, looking about nervously.

"Yes, my dear," the voice whispered. It was her.

"Where are you?" Diablo scanned the dark barn, inspecting the shadows that engulfed the dust-infested framework.

"My dear, you really must have hit your head for you not know where I lie." Her words dripped with the poison that ran through her veins.

Within the more dense shadows she appeared, her outline giving the impression of a demon, her glowing eyes visible to a common pony but not her shape. Something Diablo’s night vision, a skill that only the most potential Shadowbolts were born with, could see.

"What do you want?" he growled, wrapping his wing protectively around the sleeping form of the earth pony beside him.

"For you to return to us. Your time away has saddened our family." She began to amble through the shadows. With each step, the light sound of hooves upon straw invaded the night air.

Diablo’s eyes narrowed as he tracked the psychopath. "What about you? Don't you want me back?"

"Well... I myself care not for your well-being, but rather for the empty spot in our team. You leave me with an even number."

Her casual tone angered Diablo. How could she care so little for a pony who had dedicated a life of depression to her? "I am not coming back!" he grunted.

She paused, frowning behind the goggles she wore. "Please, my sweet. You must return to your home." Her pause gave the stallion time to think about his options. "Diablo! Return to us."

"Never," he hissed, raising his voice just enough to make his point clear, but not wake Applejack.

Her anger rose.  She gritted her teeth and spoke her venomous words with clarity. "Diablo... I will not repeat my words to a disrespectful colt like yourself. Now come!"

He sniggered "Or what?"

"Oh Diablo, you forget my power." Her voice had become a whisper as the cunning words left her scarred lips.

"So what? You won’t do anything to me. You don't have the guts." For the first time in years, Diablo felt in control. With the honest farmpony sleeping by his side, he felt powerful... Unstoppable.

The dark figure shook her head. "Oh, no no. I would never do such a thing to the next captain. But your friend-“ She pointed a thin hoof at Applejack "-may not be in such a favorable position." Her lips formed a smile, that of wicked demon, a face she had mastered.

The smile slipped off Diablo’s face. "NO! You can't... she has done nothing to you!" he implored, trying his best not to disturb AJ’s slumber.

She sniggered maliciously. "If you wish her to remain within this world alive, you will return." The psychopath melted into the cloud of dark magic as it twisted and churned, flowing out the barn window. "You have until the second full moon to comply with my demands, or your little earth pony will go through Tartarus." The demoness’s aura vanished, leaving behind a dark feeling with a terrible foreboding.

Diablo’s adrenaline boiled inside him as he imagined the pain that would come from any action of that monster. He looked down at Applejack. "I will never let her hurt you," he whispered to his savior. "All you have shown me was compassion and caring, and a pony with such beauty and strength should be protected. As long as you don’t know of her ways, you shall love the life you live."

He held onto Applejack, gently running a shaky hoof through her mane "If I was half of the Element of Honesty you represent, I would tell you... tell you that through the few days we have talked, I have considered you as a friend. As you lie beneath my wing, I pray all you dreams flow with the joyful memories of your adventures. For ‘til sunrise, I will protect you."

Chapter 7: good friend, bad dreams

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Chapter 8: good run bad questions PART 1

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