Saga of the Great Kingdom

Title: Saga of the Great Kingdom

Chapter 1: Thordota and Lokidota

by Neoraichu

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is not by property, nor is Princess Celestia, Spike, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Twilight Sparkle. I use them in the spirit of fan fiction alone. I do not know if anyone has claimed Thordota, Lokidota, Apple Storm or Apple Tricks, so I'm sorry if they are.

...

Rainbow Dash was in a tizzy in the skies over Ponyville. The clouds were becoming unruly, and they threatened a storm over the region that was not planned. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash was basically on her own as all of the other Pegasi were managing rainfall in the other parts of Equestria. It was fortunate that the clouds started gathering near sundown, so that most of the citizens of Ponyville had already headed in for the night.

No matter what Dash did, the clouds wouldn't obey. The rain came forth, soon followed by the thunder and the lightning. The clouds grew larger and larger, merging together as they reached for the heavens themselves. It was growing dangerous as the lightning bolts leaped from cloud bank to cloud bank, or even within the same cloud bank.

Dash was running herself ragged for hours and hours through the night, and she was having no effects at all on the renegade storm. The rain poured and poured down on Ponyville. She was more tired than she could remember in a long time.

As the sun struggled to break a few beams of morning sunlight into the gloom, the largest cloud split asunder, and a mighty rainbow the likes of which Dash had never seen before arced down into the midst of Ponyville itself. In fact, it ended right in front of the house of Twilight Sparkle herself.

Dash saw that there was something, no two somethings, standing right at the end of the Rainbow. She dashed down to get a closer look through the rain. They were ponies alright, be she couldn't tell exactly what kind under their cloaks.

One turned to the other and said, "Close the Rainbow Bridge. We are where we want to be, and I think no one has witnessed our arrival."

From under the cloak of the second, a glowing hammer emerged and hovered over its head. "I commandeth thee Rainbow Bridge to close in the name of Little Mjolnir and the mighty Thordota!"

The rainbow shot back into the sky the way it came, disappearing in a matter of a few seconds.

Dash was aghast, as she had never seen the like before in her life.

"And while you're at it, would you mind turning the rain down to a gently sprinkle? We aren't here to wash Ponyville away in a flood, you know."

"Yea verily," said Thordota, "I shall abate the rains henceforth and at once." Looking up to the glowing hammer, she said, "I commandeth the rains to abate in the name of Little Mjolnir and the mighty Thordota!"

The rains slowed to a sprinkle almost immediately, and the great cloud banks began to break apart as the light rays of the rising sun began to break through. The two mysterious ponies stepped up onto the porch of Twilight Sparkle as they pulled off their cloaks, revealing a sight that made Rainbow Dash gasp aloud. Both ponies had not four, but eight legs each! Their heads also bore horns like that of a cow. The one with the hammer bore light golden fur, with blond hair, mane and tail. The other was almost black in color, with white hair, mane and tail.

They both turned to look at Rainbow Dash hovering nearby above the rooftops as the hammer pony said, "Forsooth Lokidota, we are seen!"

"Sleep!" commanded Lokidota, and her horns glowed as a small blue cloud of dust came out of her mouth. The cloud covered Dash's head, causing her to instantly sleep and fall towards the ground!

...

It was dark. "Rainbow Dash?" asked a voice, "Rainbow Dash?" Slowly, Dash opened her eyes to see that Twilight Sparkle was looking down at her. Spike was standing to her right.

"Huh?" asked Dash sleepily, "Where am I?" She looked about and quickly realized that she wasn't in the last place she remembered being. It looked a lot like the interior of the Golden Oak Library.

"You tracked WATER and MUD into my library, and you're sleeping on MY library floor!" she answered in a huff.

"How did I get here?"

"You don't remember?" she asked as she used her hoof to scratch her head.

"Maybe she was sleep flying?" asked Spike helpfully.

"And what's with the crazy storm last night?" asked Twilight in a huff, "That wasn't on the schedule at all."

"I don't know," said Dash as she yawned, "The clouds wouldn't obey me all night long. Nothing I did would stop the storm."

"That's weird," said Twilight.

"Hey," said Spike, "and that's even weirder."

"Weirder?"

"Yeah, look at the muddy tracks," said Spike as he pointed them out, "Dash didn't come in here by herself. It looks like four ponies carried her in here."

Dash suddenly gasp.

"What?!" asked Twilight mildly alarmed.

"Oh," she said suddenly calmer, "It must have been some crazy dream I had on your floor."

"What now?" she replied as she cocked her head to one side.

"It was silly," she said sheepishly.

"Tell me."

"The were two ponies out front in of your house. They came down on something they called a 'Rainbow Bridge'. When they took their rain cloaks off, I saw that they both had eight legs each and cow horns on their heads. The last thing I remember was getting a cloud of blue dust in my face, and waking up here on your floor. One called the other Thordota, who referred to the first one as Lokidota. Thordota had a funky hammer that closed the Rainbow Bridge thingy, and made the rain stop. Really strange dream, huh?"

"Indeed."

"That's the craziest dream I've ever heard," said Spike.

"I wonder," said Twilight.

"Hey!" interrupted the small dragon, "There's a scroll over here that I've never seen before." He was looking at the table across from the front door.

"What?" she asked as she turned towards him.

"It's not sealed, I'll open it."

"Wait!" said Sparkle, but it was too late. Spike rolled it open.

"What?" asked Spike. Dash and Twilight crowded around Spike to see the scroll as well. On the scroll was a magnificent illustration of a pony stallion with 8 legs, cow horns on head, his right eye glowed with a strange light, and a black patch over his left eye. His head sported a black mane, as the tail was black as well. Under the illustration, there was a caption that read: Odin, Lord of the Sleipnir, All Seeing, All Father.

Next to Odin was another illustration a magnificent pony mare with 8 legs, cow horns on her head, magnificent blond hair and mane, and tail as well. She had a lot of hair that was twisted into two braids that hung down from each side of her head. Under the illustration, there was a caption that read: Frigga, Lady of the Sleipnir, All Mother.

"It says here that Odin and Frigga rule together over the Kingdom of Asgard," said Twilight, "A kingdom of eight legged ponies called the Sleipnir."

"Never heard of that," said Spike.

"I have no idea what this means."

"How did that even get here?" asked Dash.

"Maybe one of the ponies that dragged you in here left it," offered Spike, "They could have easily thrown it over here from where they left you, Dash."

"Still doesn't answer why," said Twilight, "We must alert Princess Celestia at once. I'll use my magic to copy this scroll so you can send the original to Celestia along with the message. After that, be my best assistant and help Rainbow Dash clean up, and the mess on the floor too. Please?"

"Sure thing, Twilight," he said cheerfully, "not a problem at all."

...

Meanwhile, over at the Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack is confronting two strange ponies just in front of her house.

"If'n y'all are cousins of mine," she asked, "How come I never seens you at the family gatherings?"

"Of course not," said the one pony, "I said we're your 6th Cousins from way way way way up north."

"And y'all said your names is?"

The one pony with the light golden fur, golden hair tied into braids on the sides of her head, golden blond mane and tail, with a cutie mark of a large apple with rain and lightning coming from it, said, "Y'all can call me Apple Storm." She smiled an awkward smile at Applejack. From her neck hung a black iron hammer on a black leather strap. Her saddle bags were large and full of stuff.

"What all is that for?" asked Applejack poking the hammer with her nose.

"Well, it's fer hammering."

The other pony with the almost black fur, short and straight black hair, a mane and tail that emerged white, but transitioned to black at the tips, with a cutie mark of an apple wearing a clown's face, said, "Just call me Apple Tricks." Her saddle bags were smaller than Apple Storm's.

"Y'all talk funny."

"It's the school I went to," she replied evenly.

"Y'all went to school?" she said as she raised an eyebrow.

"I'm planning to go to the College of Equestria soon."

"Wow, tha's book learned alright. How long y'all gonna be here?"

"Oh, I figures a month tops," offered Apple Storm.

"Y'all gonna help around the farm for ya vittles?"

"Absolutely!" she replied eagerly.

"Absolutely NOT," said Apple Tricks, "I have money and I plan to pay for my stay. I cannot be diverted from my studies for... =sniff= manual labor. You will take gems, won't you?"

"Sure cousin," she replied, "If'n you gots enough of them."

"Oh, I have more than enough."

Chapter 2: Apple Storm and Apple Tricks

Applejack, Apple Storm and Apple Tricks stood around Big Macintosh as they stared at his bandaged torso.

"I'm sorry I hurt myself again, Applejack," said Big Macintosh, "but at least you have your distant cousins to help out with the apple harvest this time."

"I told you before," sighed Apple Tricks, "I'm here to study, not engage in manual labor. I'm going to town." She turned and walked away.

"Nay," said Apple Storm, "I say nay."

Applejack stared at Apple Storm.

"Y'all can't leave your brother's side when he is so hurts. Leave the apple... apple... applebucking? Yes, y'all can leave the applebucking to me!"

"But there's acres of trees out there, hundreds'n'hundreds of trees, another bumper crop of apples, and one you." said Big Mac, "It don't add up."

"I tried to pick all the apples by myself once, and it plum near killed me," confessed Applejack.

"Nope, my mind is set like stone. Leaves it all ta me!" said Apple Storm. She turned any walked away.

"But..."

Big Macintosh just shook his head. "She'll learns her lesson, jus like you."

"I better go to town and rustles up some help," she said as she turned around.

"Good idea," he replied.

So Applejack runs off.

...

There's a knocking at Twilight Sparkle's door.

"Get the door, Spike," said Sparkle.

Spike runs to the door and opens it to reveal Apple Tricks.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Apple Tricks," she replied.

"Uhuh..."

Apple Tricks sighs and says, "6th cousin to Applejack and Big Macintosh."

"Oh..."

Twilight walks up to the door and asks, "So, how can I help you?"

"I'm studying to go to the College of Equestria, and I was wondering if I can look at your library."

"She talks funny," said Spike.

"Why does everyone say that?" she asks mildly exasperated.

"Spike!" said Twilight she said to the small dragon before she turned back to her visitor, "He means you talk funny for someone from Applejack's family."

"So I've been told."

"Spike, don't be rude," she scolded him, "Let her in."

"Thank you," said Apple Tricks as she walked past Spike.

"No problem."

...

Meanwhile, Applejack is in town rustling up help for picking the apple crop. She had Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and even Rarity gathered before her.

"Sure," said Rainbow Dash, "I'd be proud to lend you a hoof picking apples."

"We can make a party out of it!" shouted Pinkie Pie.

"I want to help too," said Fluttershy quietly.

"Well, as long as I don't have to help too much," said Rarity.

"I's so glad to has friends like y'all," said Applejack, "Now let's get out to the Sweet Apple Acres before Apple Storm makes the same mistakes I did."

"Apple Storm?" asked Pinkie.

"6th Cousins from way way way way up north. Then there's the other one."

"Other one?" she replied as she raised an eyebrow.

"Apple Tricks."

"I gotta meet them!" she exclaimed.

"Sure, that's not gonna be a problem. Apple Tricks is already in town some wheres studyin. She already said she ain't gonna pick no apples. She's gettin book learnen."

"What about Twilight Sparkle?" asked Dash.

"I has a feelin she's gonna be awful busy like with Apple Tricks, but we'll stop by and ask anyways."

Applejack turns and leads the rest of the ponies away.

...

"Oh, Twilight," moaned Spike, "Apple Tricks is running me ragged!"

"What's the matter?" asked Twilight.

"She reads!" he complained.

"So?"

"I mean she's read half the book in the entire Library! She's made me carry every last one of them to her, and then made me put them all back! She's still making me get books and put them away! On top of that, she's demanding that I keep making tea for her!"

"Don't be so uptight, Spike. I'm sure it's just a Speed Reading Spell. She probably won't be around here very long, so she's cramming in as much information as she can, as fast as she can. The tea helps keep the mind sharp, because I know Speed Reading Spells drain the user's energy. Do you need me to help?"

"If she keeps up this pace much longer, I will."

"Twilight?" asked a voice at the door, "You all home Twilight?"

"I'll get the door, Spike. You keep bringing books to Apple Tricks."

"Okay."

She walks over to the door and opens it to see Applejack.

"I knows you're probably busy and all..." she began with a loud CRASH made Twilight and her jump.

Twilight looked back to see that Spike had just dropped a stack of 20 books, scattering them all over the floor.

"Not terribly busy," said Twilight nervously, "Is there something I can help with?"

"I hope Apple Tricks ain't botherin you too much, Twilight."

"Bother?" she asked, "Bother? She's no trouble at all." Nervous smile.

Spike runs by with a silver tray carrying a silver tea pot on it. Twilight turns and uses a spell to help Spike stack the books he spilled, so Spike can get them on their way.

"Y'all looks awful busy, and Spike too," said Applejack with a nervous smile, "It's not important. I can't impose on y'all."

"Yeah," shouted Dash from outside, "We got it covered Twilight!"

"Got what covered?" asked Twilight.

"Oh, it's just a lil' ole apple pickin problem," mused Applejack as she looked away from the door.

"Did Big Macintosh get hurt again before the big harvest?"

"Yeah. My 6th Cousin, Apple Storm, is tryin to pick allofa apples herself."

"Apparently takes after you?" asked Twilight with a smirk.

"I guess."

"Spike! I'm going to help Applejack with the apple crop! Just stay here and help Apple Tricks until I get back!"

Spike replies, "Okay!" as he runs buy carrying a stack of 15 books.

...

When Applejack and the girls get back to the farm, they find a dozen cartloads of apples waiting for them. Big Macintosh is standing in the barn just staring at them. They run over to the barn, and Applejack asks, "What in tarnation is goin on here?"

"I don't know," he said, "Apple Storm is pickin those apples at a rate that would do me in good."

Applejack and Big Macintosh imagine a scene where they see Apple Storm lying face down in a field of fallen apples as daisies are popping up around her.

"C'mon girls," shouted Applejack, "We gotta saves her quick afore my cousin done works herself to the bitter end!" Applejack runs off with the others, then comes running back to ask "How's you feeling?"

"As good as I reckons I should."

"Great!" She zips off after the others.

…

Applejack is leading the charge past a few hundred picked tree when she suddenly says, "Hold up girls!" A rumble sounds somewhere in the distance.

They all stop behind Applejack, and Pinkie Pie asks "What is it?"

"I thought I jus heard thunder!"

"There's not a cloud in the sky," said Twilight, "How could there possibly be thunder?"

Apple Storm runs by with a loaded apple cart so quick, it makes Applejack and the girls spin to the side of the path.

"What in tarnation was that?" asked Applejack as she stopped spinning.

"Your cousin?" asked Fluttershy quietly.

"6th Cousin."

"She's kinda fast," said Rainbow Dash.

"Jus like me, I reckon," said Applejack.