The Three Fillies of The Apocalypse

Two days had passed since Adrian had returned to Ponyville, he, Spike, and Twilight had been met at the station by Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. Adrian then spent a pleasant few hours catching up with his friends at the library. Rarity as promised, presented him with a plethora of clothes for every conceivable occasion, and Pinky had literally buried him under a mountain of homemade treats. The next day Twilight took Adrian on a tour of Ponyville and upon their return to the library he nearly suffered a heart attack from a shout of "SUPRISE!". Pinky evidently had organized a surprise party to celebrate Adrians arrival in, and return to, Ponyville. Adrian had never been much for parties, but he had a great deal of fun and also got a chance to meet some of the other residents of the town. He met the mayor, the owners of the local spa, the Cakes, and just about everypony else in Ponyville. Later at Twilights request Adrian put on a show using his illusions, when he finished Adrian was approached by a pony who introduced herself as "Vinyl Scratch". She gave Adrian her card and told him that she had a proposition for him and to come by her club sometime. After the party ended Adrian and Twilight were so exhausted they fell asleep on the couch together.

Adrian woke on the third day to the sound of urgent knocking at the door.

"Huh? waizzit?"

The knocking continued at an even more frantic pace as Adrian stretched rose and headed for the door.

"Sorry, sorry, just give me a moment!"

Adrian grumbled indistinctly as he opened the door to find Rarity looking extremely frazzled.

"Adrian! Thank Celestia, I desperately require your assistance, it's a matter of life and death you have to help me!"

Adrian was instantly awake.

"What's the matter is the town under an attack of some kind?!"

Rarity took a deep breath before replying.

"I just got a meeting with one of Manehattan's premier fashion magazines "Mare Flair" they want me to come to Manehatten for an interview! But my parents are out of town and I need to watch my sister and her friends. I can't take them with me so I desperately need somepony to watch them. Please Adrian this could be huge for me and I really need help!".

Adrian looked at Rarity, he was no expert but for a fashion designer this sounded like a big deal (though life or death sounded a bit over the top). Adrian had always lived according to certain rules, these tenets and codes were permanently engraved in his mind. One such tenet was: Never refuse to give reasonable help to a friend, so almost without thinking he agreed.

"I would be happy to help Rarity."

Rarity looked like she could kiss him.

"Oh, thank you darling you have no idea what this means to me, you see I promised my sister and her friends they could have a slumber party. I know I'm asking alot but. . ."

Adrian cut her off with an upraised hand.

"Rarity you could never ask too much of me, I haven't forgotten your generosity, nor will I. All I ask is that you write down their bedtime and favorite foods, and I'll handle the rest."

Rarity smiled thankfully.

"Oh, Adrian you're a gem, my train leaves this afternoon come to my house at eleven o'clock, and thanks again."

Rarity vanished in a cloud of dust as Adrian just chuckled.

"Hey what's all that racket?"Twilight asked as she finally woke, Adrian smiled as he closed the door.

"Oh Rarity just needed a favor no big deal, why don't you go wash up Twi, I'll make breakfast."

Twilight yawned as she rubbed sleep from her eye's.

"Thanks Adrian I need to go wake Spike then I'll take a shower and be right down."

"Take your time Twilight, I'll try to have things ready by the time you get back."

Twilight nodded gratefully, "I should never have stayed up so late. That is the last time I agree to a candy eating contest with Pinkie." she admonished herself.

Adrian turned and entered the kitchen retrieving the ingredients for veggie and cheese omelets. Losing himself in the task of cooking Adrian wondered what Rarity's sister was like. Adrian had briefly been introduced to Rarity, and Applejack's little sisters as well as a third filly that seemed to be Rainbow Dashes protege. However he only spoke a few words to them at the party before he was distracted by Pinky Pie announcing a contest of some kind. When Adrian had turned back to the three fillies they had vanished, still they seemed sweet.

A half hour later Twilight came down from her shower her mouth watering at the smell of Adrian's cooking. Entering the kitchen Twilight was met with the sight of Spike greedily devouring his second omelet, he looked up just long enough to greet her.

"Hey Twilight you have got to taste Adrians cooking, it's the best!"

Adrian turned to Twilight a full plate in his hand as he said good morning.

"My mother always told me that if I really wanted to impress a girl I should cook for her. Although I doubt she expected that I would ever fall for three extra dimensional ponies."

Adrian placed the full plate in front of Twilight the instant she sat down.

"Yours is spinach, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cheddar, I also added some fresh basil for seasoning."

Twilight cut into the omelet and levitated her fork to her mouth, Twilight's expression became one of total bliss as she tasted the first bite.

"Adrian where did you learn to cook like this? I can't remember the last time I had a breakfast this good."

Adrian laughed.

"My parent's were great cooks and they taught me the things you won't find in a cookbook. I also spent some time in Canterlot researching Equestrian food and recipes. Besides I wanted to do something to earn my keep."

Twilight swallowed.

"Wow your parent's sound amazing, it seems like they taught you all kinds of great things."

Adrian's expression became pained.

"They did. . . . I wish they could be here, if anyone deserved to come to this world it was them, not me."

At that moment Adrian sounded more depressed than Twi had ever heard him, she decided to change the subject.

"So what was it Rarity asked you to help her with?"

Glad to talk about something other than his former home and family Adrian resumed cooking as he replied.

"Oh she just asked me to babysit her sister and her sister's friends for a night."

Twilight nearly choked and Spike put down the plate he was licking to give her a worried look.

"Uh Adrian, just how much do you know about Rarity's sister and her friend's?"

Adrian didn't look up from cooking as he answered Twilight's question.

"Not much, why? are they delinquents or something?"

"No, but those fillies are a real handful, especially when they're all together, are you sure you're up to it?"

Adrian shrugged.

"I guess we'll find out, but I think I can do it I've seen her and her friends around and they seem harmless enough. They're the one's called Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo right?"

Twilight sighed as she nodded, she knew that the three fillies were hardly malicious, but they did tend to be very hard to control.

"Ok so when are you leaving? I have a few books on foalsitting you should peruse."

Adrian placed another omelet on Twilights plate before taking the seat across from her.

"Thanks Twilight but I think I know what to do."

Adrian had been a student of many subjects on Earth and had a good head on his shoulders. So one wonders how he failed to recognize "I think I know what to do." as famous last words. . . .

Adrian arrived at Rarity's boutique at eleven o'clock sharp, he had a small bag containing a change of clothes and some reading material. As he got to the door Adrian heard a shriek in Rarity's voice followed by a loud crash. Adrian's protective instinct warred with his desire to be polite as he considered just barging in. Hearing the sound of muffled shouting Adrian rapped on the door with his knuckle's. In seconds Adrian was greeted by a very stressed Rarity.

"Adrian! You have no idea how glad I am to see you."

Looking over her shoulder Rarity's home looked like a warzone, mannequins, spools of thread, ribbons, bolts of fabric, and any number of other things were strewn all over. Adrian also noted the three young fillies at the center of the carnage looking guilty.

"Oh, I may have some idea." He responded looking over the destruction.

Rarity sighed.

"Darling if you don't want to do this. . ."

Adrian shook his head.

"Rarity I said I would and I will, end of story."

Rarity smiled.

"I have to get going, but the girls must clean up this mess they made on there own, so you don't lift a hoof understand?"

Adrian nodded as Rarity levitated a set of keys and a small piece of paper into his hand.

"Now darling, as you asked I wrote down their bedtime and favorite foods there's also a list of ponies to see in an emergency."

As Adrian took the list and followed Rarity inside he evaluated the three fillies in the center of the room.The one called Scootaloo had an orange coat and purple mane, the one called Applebloom had a yellow coat and scarlett mane, and finally Sweetie Belle with a snow white coat and purple and pink mane. To Adrian they looked incapable of any wrongdoing, and decided that there recent bout of destruction must have been an accident. Adrian smiled warmly at them, as Rarity packed away a few final items, they returned his smile nervously. Adrian hoped his appearance wasn't what was making them uneasy, the last thing he wanted was to intimidate them. Rarity paused to say goodbye after grabbing her bag and donning a yellow sun hat.

"Now remember girls, Adrian is in charge till I get back so be good and do as you are told. I don't want to come home to find you were misbehaving."

The three fillies saluted sharply.

"You got it sis"

"Yall have a nice trip."

"Bring back souvenirs."

Adrian had to hide a laugh at the last comment from Scootaloo.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow evening, good bye and remember to be good."

With that Rarity was out the door and trotting to the train station. Adrian turned to the girls with a smile, hoping to show he was harmless.

"Well girls what do you say we clean up this mess and go have some fun?"

The three fillies looked at each other slightly confused.

"Uh, Mr. Adrian sir, didn't my sister say we had to do the cleaning by ourselves?" asked Sweetie Belle.

Adrian let out a chuckle.

"Well if I help it get's done faster, besides her exact words were "don't lift a hoof" and I don't have hooves. Also you can just call me Adrian, 'Mr.' makes me feel old."

The three young girls nodded laughing a little as they got to work, and after about twenty minutes the room was spotless.

"So girls what would you like to do now?"

"We wanna go crusading!" Applebloom stated proudly.

For an instant Adrian had visions of the three girls re enacting the horrific group of holy wars/genocides/pillagings perpetuated by the church.

"Come again?" he asked reminding himself that he wasn't on earth anymore.

The trio explained the Cutie Mark Crusaders to Adrian, and left his ears ringing when they shouted it's name. As they wrapped up the explanation they asked Adrian about his cutie mark.

"I don't have one." he said offhandedly.

Adrian heard the girls gasp, and look at him like he just asked if they wanted to see a severed head.

"Ya mean at yore age yall still ain't got a cutie mark?!" Applebloom asked in a horrified tone.

Adrian just shook his head as he explained.

"Humans don't receive cutie marks."

The three crusaders gasped again.

"B-b-but how do you know what you're talents are?" Scootaloo asked in shock.

Adrian smiled.

"Well we either discover our natural talent on our own, or we learn one through practice and study. Some humans have multiple talents and others don't have any whatsoever. I happen to be good at a number of things, but until I learned magic I was best at reading, blacksmithing, strategy games, and a whole slew of other things."

For a long time the crusaders just stood there with their jaws hanging open, till Applebloom broke the silence.

"What's a strategy game anyway?"

Adrian laughed.

"Well chess qualifies but I always found that to boring. So how about I show you one of my favorite strategy games?"

The girls nodded enthusiastically and Adrian directed them to sit in the center of the room. Adrian began casting an illusion, conjuring a gameboard and five dice 3 of them white, and 2 red. He also created a large number of small figures of soldiers, artillery, and tanks in four separate colors. Looking at the gameboard the three fillies beheld a map of an unfamiliar planet. The major land masses were divided up into smaller color coded continents that were in turn divided into countries. There was also a strange diagram or table whose purpose the crusaders could not divine.

"Ok girls this game is called "Risk" and before you ask this is a rough map of my planet, though most of the countries on it no longer have the names shown. The object of the game is to control the entire world using your army, it's a game of resource management, luck, and calculated risks, hence it's name. Now I think I should mention that no one has ever beaten me, ever. Also there can only be one winner, so watch out for each other too, now let me explain the rules."

After explaining how the game was played Adrian and the girls began, it only took Adrian an hour to defeat Sweetie and Scoots. Now it was down to Applebloom and Adrian. As Applebloom tried to decide on her next move Scootaloo nudged her.

"Hey, check out his expression, every time he sees you look at greenland he get's worried. He doesn't have Europe very well protected either except for one piece of it." she whispered.

Applebloom smiled as she saw what her friend was getting at, Applebloom placed all her allotted reinforcements in Quebec. She now had a good 30 troops positioned to attack through Greenland and take Europe. Applebloom invaded and easily captured Greenland and in short order had taken all of Europe. The attack had left her dangerously overextended but Adrian didn't have enough troops in a relevant adjacent territory to pose a threat.

"Thats it for mah turn." Applebloom declared smugly.

Adrian nodded.

"Applebloom, in my world it is said that when everything's going according to plan-". He paused as he held up no less than six reinforcement cards and smiled, "-you're walking into a trap.".

Applebloom watched in shock as Adrian positioned 31 troops in Ural which had six to start with, for a total of 37. Adrian then proceeded to retake Europe and Greenland before using three other armies of twenty units each to take Applebloom's last few territories.

"I left Europe vulnerable because I knew you would not be able to ignore it. All I had to do was give you a nudge by acting worried about an attack there, I needed to make it seem like a good move. You became so enthralled with exploiting my supposed 'mistake', that you forgot my reinforcement cards and other armies. I set a trap and you walked into it exactly as I planned, that's why I have never been beaten, because I know how to manipulate my opponents."

The crusaders frowned, disappointed that they had been defeated so easily, till Scootaloo winked at her friends.

"Ok you beat us, now we get to show you a game."

Adrian just shrugged.

"Ok what?"

The crusaders huddled together whispering to each other before turning to face Adrian.

"Well, how about. . . . TAG!" Screamed Scootaloo as she struck Adrian lightly with her hoof.

Before Adrian could say a word all three fillies shot out the door so fast that they spun Adrian around as they passed him. Adrian shook off his surprise then bolted out the door after them. "How the heck can they be that fast? I better move or I'll lose them.". With his newly enhanced body Adrian was able to run fast enough to almost catch up to the girls. Unfortunately the trio ran right through the crowded Ponyville market forcing Adrian to slow his speed. With their smaller stature the girls were able to easily slip through the crowds faster than their pursuer, and Adrian started to lag behind.

Scootaloo looked over her shoulder as she and her fellow crusaders escaped the crowd. Adrian was being forced to slow down by the tightly packed ponies and market stands.

"Cmon guys keep running!" Scootaloo urged.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle nodded as they made a beeline for Sweet Apple Acres and their clubhouse.

"C'mon ah know a shortcut!" Applebloom shouted as she changed course.

Adrian finally got free of the crowd his legs burning slightly from all the dodging and weaving he had to do. Looking around for the girls he felt his insides freeze as he saw them vanish into the Everfree Forest. Adrian ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the spot the girls had entered the trees. Putting up his Diamond Aura spell Adrian didn't slow down as he hit the treeline. Adjusting his spell to let him smash through the plants and tree branches Adrian continued until he came to a small dirt path.

"Girls! Where are you?!"

The only reply was the oppressive silence of the forest. Adrian looked in every direction in hopes of finding some trace of the three fillies, but the dense forest canopy blocked almost all light. As his eyes tried to adjusted to the gloom Adrian continued shouting for the girls, and tried to remember spell that could help.

Applebloom and the other crusaders ran through the trees jumping over roots and ducking low branches as they went. They kept going till they finally couldn't run any further.

"Did we lose him?" wheezed out Sweetie Belle.

"I think so" Scootaloo panted.

After catching their breath the crusaders started looking around.

"Uh Applebloom, shouldn't we be at Sweet Apple Acres by now?" Sweetie asked nervously.

Applebloom tried to remember the directions to the farm.

"Say uh girls, did yall happen to notice if we passed a dirt path while we were running?." Applebloom asked nervously. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shook their heads.

"Uh oh."

Adrian was growing more and more frantic, he had done a lot of reading on the Everfree Forest, and he knew that it was one of the most dangerous locations in Equestria. Thinking fast Adrian cast a spell to alter his eye's to function in the darkness of the forest. As he finished the spell Adrians vision became tinged slightly greenish as his eyes adjusted. The oppressive darkness receded as Adrians new eye's magnified what little light there was till he could see as well as if the forest had overhead lights. Adrian wished he knew a spell that showed the infrared spectrum, then the girls would stick out like sore thumbs. Adrian was tempted to just start hacking the trees down in the hope that the commotion would attract the girls, but knew he was more likely to frighten them away, or attract something unpleasant. Adrian proceeded slowly listening and looking for even the most minute sign of the three fillies. As he went Adrian tried not to imagine what might happen to the girls if he didn't find them soon.

At the same moment the crusaders were trying to locate the path by retracing their steps, but it wasn't going very well.

"Are you sure this is the way we came?" asked Sweetie Belle.

Applebloom nodded confidently.

"Course ahm sure, all we gotta do is find the path an we're golden."

"Maybe we should stay put and wait for Adrian?" Sweetie suggested.

Scootaloo shook her head.

"Nah, besides look I can see sunlight over there."

It was true, about fifty meters ahead bright sunlight could be see through the trees.

"Last one there is a moldy carrot!" Shouted Scootaloo as she ran for the break in the trees.

It only took a few moments for the fillies to reach the opening in the canopy, but almost immediately they knew something was wrong. Across from where they emerged was another stretch of forest about thirty meters away. The ground in between was filled with broken trees bent away from the center of the path and slightly forward.

"Girls, ah don't think this is the path were lookin for."

No sooner had the words left Appleblooms mouth than a bellowing roar shook the air. A sound like thousands of giant sticks snapping could be heard echoing through the forest, and the ground under the fillies hooves began to shake and tremble. Something was coming, something big, and really, really, angry.

Adrian heard the sound of trees being broken and crushed, accompanied by roaring. Deciding that the time for subtlety was over Adrian prepared himself for a fight. Calling his soul sword to his hand Adrian enveloped himself in a levitation aura, closing his eyes and blasting up out of the canopy. Adrian dismissed his night vision spell with his eyes still closed to avoid being blinded. Opening his eye's Adrian felt icy fear clawing at his mind, "You gotta be fuckin kidding me!".

The girls were running again, but this time they didn't dare look back. They all knew what was behind them and what would happen if it caught them. Roaring in rage and hunger the Linnorm crashed through the forest destroying everything before it. Linnorms were cousins of Dragons, but they were far less common and much more violent. Linnorms existed to eat and destroy, they had no desire beyond this. Linnorms looked like dragons with no rear legs and no wings. Sleeping below the ground these beasts only woke to feed, they devoured anything they could kill, even smaller dragons. They could remain asleep for millennia before waking and beginning a rampage of devastation that ended only after the monster had eaten enough or been killed.

This particular Linnorm was only recently awakened and so was extremely hungry and filled with the violent rage typical of it's kind. As is watched the three running fillies through its massive black eyes the Linnorm inhaled deeply. Gathering mana in it's throat the beast transformed it into a vile caustic poison that would melt the flesh from the crusaders bones, and turn the forest to sludge.

Sweetie Belle collapsed, her lungs burning as she tried to catch her breath, Applebloom and Scootaloo rushed to their friends side.

"Cmon Sweetie Belle, we gotta go!" yelled Scootaloo.

"I. . . .can't. . . . run. . . . .anymore!"

"Yall have to or that thing will kill ya!" Applebloom cried out, tears in her eyes.

"Just. . . .leave. . . .me. . . .here. . . .run!"

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle hugged their friend, they wouldn't leave her to die alone. As they sat there the three fillies thought of their friends and family. They thought of all they had been through together and how lucky they were to have had such wonderful lives, as the sound of the Linnorm grew ever louder.

"STAND! SONS OF SAND!!"

A sound like grinding stone drowned out even the sound of the Linnorm's roar. Thousands of polished stone statues armed with spears and shields burst from the ground surrounding the three awestruck fillies. As they watched the statues pulled their feet from the ground and ran at the two hundred foot long serpent. As they ran the stone soldiers hurled their spears at the monster only for another spear to form in their hand. The Linnorm screamed in agony as the stone warriors swarmed around it hurling or stabbing their spears deep into it's flesh. A fountain of acidic death sprayed from the scaled beast's maw, a desperate attempt to stop it's tormentors. Covering the soldiers in acid did little to slow them, they hardly paused as they continued their onslaught. Some of the soldiers started used their spears like pitons to climb up the monster's body, the monsters green scales began to show streaks of red. As the fillies stared in amazement at the spectacle three of the soldiers grabbed them and carried them away from the battle. The last thing they saw was the massive serpent falling covered in blood as it died from the sheer number of wounds, then the trees blocked out the sight.

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo saw the forest flash past them in a blur as their stone guardians bore them away to safety far faster than their size and weight would suggest. After less than three minutes of travel the stone effigies burst from the forest, but refused to stop until they reached town square. Depositing the three crusaders on the ground gave them their first good look at their rescuers.They were amazed when they saw that these stone constructs looked like seven foot tall statues of Adrian. But before they could attempt to speak to them the stone Adrians collapsed into a pile of sod and rock.

Adrian watched as his sons of sand slew the Linnorm and carried the fillies to safety. Adrian grimaced as white hot pain lanced through his body and mind. Conjuring a small group of his sons of sand was taxing enough, and right now he was maintaining over two thousand of them. Celestia had warned him that if he used to much power it could cause pain, fainting, or even death. Right now as blood poured from his eyes, ears, and nose Adrian almost wished he was dead. The pain was beyond anything he ever felt in his life, but he had to keep going, Adrian knew he couldn't keep this up much longer though. "Not yet, I have to make certain their safe!", Adrian could feel his body tearing itself apart as he continued the spell. He sighed in relief as he heard a metallic "PING" in his head, "Finally, they made it.". Adrian released the spell allowing unconsciousness to claim him as he fell to the ground.