Saga of the Great Kingdom

Chapter 9: The Confrontation

Applejack made her way back to Sweet Apple Acres. It seemed so empty as she walked up the road to the house and the barn. The emptied wagons sat in front of the barn where Apple Storm apparently left them. She looked around, but there was no sign of Apple Storm.

About then, she spotted Apple Storm pulling a loaded cart back towards the storage area. Now that the surplus was sold off, there was plenty more room for even more of the apple crop. But Apple Storm was moving much slower than she had before. It was barely more than a walking pace, and Applejack couldn't help but notice how her head hung down as if she were tired or ashamed of herself.

When Applejack walked out to meet Apple Storm, she just stopped in her tracks and would not look her in the eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she finally said, "When applebucking season's over, I'll go away and never bother you again."

"I don't blame you," said Applejack, "You did your best to fight for us against the wolves."

"I do. I almost attacked cousin Macintosh. I wanted to attack him. I could'a killed him in the state he was in... I'm a monster and a menace to everyone I love..."

"You're wrong," she answered, "you didn't go crazy when you fought the dragon."

"You remember that?"

"At first I thought it was jus some crazy dream I had, but now I believes it really happened, and that someone tried to make me to forget it happened."

Apple Storm just looked down at the ground.

"I know it weren't you who done it."

"I've been nuthin but trouble the minute I showed up here."

"I think I knows the truth now too..."

Apple Storm looked up.

"When you say you're from way way way way up north, that means your's from Asgard, don't it?"

She slowly nodded 'yes' to Applejack's statement.

"And Apple Tricks is too, right?"

She nodded 'yes' again.

"AAARRRGGGHHH!" screamed Apple Tricks, "I CAN'T TAKE MY HALF-WITTED HALF-SISTER ANYWHERE!"

They both jumped, and turned to see Apple Tricks standing behind a picked apple tree a few dozen yards away from them.

Apple Trick's eyes began to glow when she was suddenly hit in the side of the head with an apple. An apple thrown by Apple Storm that she just picked up off the ground where it fell from one of the loaded carts.

"No more!" screamed Apple Storm, "I won't let you make her forget again!"

"Curse you!" howled Apple Tricks, "You've let your feelings cloud our mission AGAIN! You're risking the entire mission for Odin and Frigga!"

"Mission?" asked Applejack.

"Stay out of this, YOU INFERIOR CREATURE!"

"Inferior?"

"WE'RE HERE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH EQUESTRIA AS EQUALS, NOT SUPERIORS!" shouted Apple Storm back, "THEY'RE BRAVE AND NOBLE AS ANY WARRIOR FROM ASGARD!"

"No they aren't, fool! They're all weak and soft! Even a few wolves are more than they can handle! They failed the test miserably!"

"Wait..." said Applejack shakily, "The wolves... test... their attack... did you?.."

"Summon the wolves to test you?" she sneered, "Yes, I bent the wolves to my will and made them attack your precious Ponyville!"

Applejack was overcome with rage, and sprint right into Apple Tricks face. She twisted around at the last second, and used her tail to slap the startled mare repeatedly across her muzzle. "HOW DARE YOU!" she screamed, "YOU'RE THE REAL MONSTER!"

Apple Storm staggered back as she screamed back, "FOOL! I'LL CRUSH YOU WITH MY MAGIC! ARROW OF MISTLETOE!" She spit up an arrow shaft that appeared to be made from mistletoe plants that struck Applejack's side, driving deep into her guts.

Applejack screamed in pain and fell to the ground.

"No!" howled Apple Storm, "You didn't! You couldn't!"

"I did," sneered Apple Tricks, "I did."

"That will be quite enough!" said a voice from above.

Apple Storm and Apple Tricks looked up to see Princess Celestia floating over them. Her horn glowed, causing the mistletoe arrow to be pulled from Applejack's side, and then bandages magically appeared from no where and wrapped her torso. She then vanished in a flash of light.

"Where..." asked Apple Storm.

"I sent her to the hospital tent with Nurse Redheart and Nurse Tenderheart. They will do they best to see that Applejack fully recovers from her wound."

She looked from Apple Storm to Apple Tricks, and continued, "Why don't you save us all some trouble and change back to your true forms, Sleipnir."

"As you wish," said Apple Tricks as she changed back into Lokidota. Likewise, Apple Storm changed back into Thordota.

"So tell me why are you two are really here in Equestria?"

"Odin wanted us to look into establishing relations with your people, but they're all weak and soft. They aren't worth the effort to befriend. We should just invade your pathetic kingdom and take what we want."

"No!" said Thordota, "They do have strong hearts and we should befriend them! While they don't live the hard life we do, they are hard workers and know the value of courage!"

"As a minor goddess of Thunder," sneered Lokidota, "You should be ashamed of yourself! Your words are a shame and a disgrace to the Mighty Thor!"

"No! I've never been prouder to be who I am! Thor would be the first to embrace these people and share a beer with them!"

"We will continue this conversation back in Canterlot," said Celestia calmly.

"I'm not going anywhere," sneered Lokidota.

"I'm not letting you choose," she replied as the three of them vanished in bursts of light.

Chapter 10: The Diplomatic Salution

Princess Celestia, Thordota and Lokidota all appeared in flashes of light in the great hall of Canterlot.

"Welcome to my castle," said the Princess to her guests.

Thordota bowed on one knee to the Princess as she answered, "I am honored to be here."

"Oh," moaned Lokidota, "Why do you kneel before this weakling, you half-wit?"

"She has been nothing but gracious to us," she replied, "I don't see what's wrong with paying some respect."

"Respect must be earned!" she sneered, "and not one fool in this whole kingdom has earned even one iota of my respect!"

"You think that sending wolves to attack them will make them respect you?"

"So it's true," said the Princess, "I had a feeling someone summoned those wolves and made them act in an unnatural way. Innocent ponies died because of what you did."

"If they're not strong enough to fight," answered Lokidota condescendingly, "then THEY AREN'T FIT TO LIVE!"

"Verily no," said Thordota as she felt her anger rising, "there be nothing wrong with letting the mighty protect the weak! Not everyone is a great warrior, but everyone can he great at something!"

"Ha!" laughed Lokidota, "Mighty Odin would crush every one of these weakling fools, and we'd take everything we need from them! It's the way of Asgard!"

"Perhaps your theory needs testing," mused the Princess as her horn began to glow brightly, "LET THE BIFROST BRIDGE TO ASGARD OPEN!"

A mighty rainbow (even greater than the Rainbow Bridge) descended from the very heavens itself to appear on the great balcony to Canterlot Castle.

"What?" gasped Lokidota, "How could you know of the Bifrost Bridge?"

"I am ancient and my powers vast," said the Princess, "and I remember many things. ALL FATHER ODIN! LADY FRIGGA! PLEASE ANSWER MY CALL!"

Much to everyone's amazement (other than the Princess), Odin and Frigga emerged from the light of the Bifrost Bridge and entered Canterlot.

"Welcome to Equestria," said the Princess as she bowed on one knee, "My Kingdom. CLOSE NOW BIFROST BRIDGE UNTIL CALLED UPON AGAIN!"

Much to the dismay of Lokidota, the Bifrost Bridge retracted into the heavens, and Odin and Frigga bowed two of their legs on one side, and kneeled in a similar fashion to the Princess.

"Lord Odin," she cried, "how could you? Do not bow to INFERIORS!"

"Silence!" yelled Odin, "Princess Celestia is in every measure our equal!"

Lokidota fell into stunned silence.

"It seems that by sending ambassadors," said Lady Frigga, "we have caused you a lot of trouble."

"One of them has," said the Princess as she glared at Lokidota.

"I swear," she answered, "I only acted for the glory of Asgard. I haven't disrespected our ways like my worthless half-sister has."

"No Lokidota," announced Odin, "You disrespect all of us with your shameful behavior! If I left matters in your hooves, we may well be at war now!"

Thordota threw herself at Odin's feet and pleaded, "Please All Father, let me stay here as Applejack's Cousin. I don't care if it's a lie."

"A lie?" asked the All Father, "What lie?"

"The lie that I'm Applejack's 6th Cousin."

"Well who said that was a lie?"

"Of course it's a lie," interrupted Lokidota, "I pulled it out of my..."

Odin laughed loudly, and announced, "You are her 6th cousin."

"What?" asked Lokidota and Thordota as one.

He pointed as his glowing eye and said, "HELLO, All Seeing Diety here? Access to the Well of Knowledge?"

"How could that possibly be true?" asked Lokidota.

"Well, before I met Frigga, I was a bit of a wild stallion," mused Odin, "and we were all part of the Great Kingdom. I didn't care about four legs or eight back then, and I sewed some wild oats among what you call now earth ponies. When the Great Kingdom was torn assunder, several of my offspring were left in what you now call Saddlenavia. They still worshiped the Asgardians as their gods, and they were among the mightiest of war ponies in this world: Viking ponies. At least part of Applejack's ancestry is derived from these mighty Viking Ponies, of course."

"If the Princess approves," said Frigga, "then we shall let you stay with our blessings."

"It's not up to me," said the Princess, "This must be decided by Applejack. She was injured by Lokidota's attack on her, but I think she's up to talking if you don't mind letting me take us all there."

"I consent," said Odin and Frigga as one.

"This is wrong. I'm not going..." said Lokidota.

"YOU WILL OBEY THE WORD OF ODIN!" snarled the All Father.

"All right already."

They all vanish in flashes of light, and then appear in the hospital tent.

Applejack raised her head and looked at all of the strange ponies.

"Greetings from Asgard," announced Odin.

"Whoa," replied Applejack, "What can I do fer y'all?"

"Well," said the Princess, "Thordota has asked that she be allowed to live with you as Apple Storm, your 6th Cousin. I told them that only you can make that decision. Only you have the right to make that decision."

"Well, she has been trouble," mused Applejack. Thordota looked crestfallen. "But on the other hand, I'd have to be NUTS to let my best cousin ever get away from me like that." Thordota looked overjoyed.

She reared up to hug Applejack, and magically changed back to Apple Storm by the time she embraced her cousin.

"Watch them ribs, Cousin," she said.

"I'm so sorry for everything," Apple Storm sobbed as she burst into full blown weeping.

"Cry baby," sneered Lokidota.

"It's settled then," said the Princess, "You shall henceforth be known as Apple Storm Thordota, and I shall place you in your proper station as a minor Thunder Goddess."

"I'm finally rid of you, half-wit," sneered Lokidota under her breath.

"NOT SO FAST!" said Odin, "I'm banishing you to Equestria to stay here as Apple Tricks! I'm harshly cutting back your magic powers as well, as long as you are in your earth pony form!"

"No!" howled Lokidota, "That's not fair!"

"It's settled then," said the Princess, "You shall henceforth be known as Apple Tricks Lokidota, and I shall make sure you pay us back for every wrong you've done to my people."

"No, this is worse than death!"

"You shall both live at Sweet Apple Acres with Applejack, Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom," said the Princess as she glared at Lokidota again, "and woe be unto you if anything bad happens to even a single hair on any of them!" The horn of the Princess flashed, and Lokidota was now changed back to her Apple Tricks form.

"Thank you Princess!" sobbed Apple Storm as she hugged Applejack, "Thank you All Father! Thank you Frigga!"

"Now that that matter is out of the way," announced Odin, "perhaps we should discuss an exchange of more... conventional ambassadors... between Asgard and Equestria?"

"That sounds splendid," replied the Princess, "I shall return you and Frigga to Canterlot. I think the new citizens of Ponyville need a little quiet time to settle in, don't you?"

"Of course," answered Frigga, "of course."

The Princess, Odin and Frigga vanished in bursts of light.

"Hey," said Big Macintosh from his hospital bed, "Welcome back to the family."

"Thank you," sobbed Apple Storm.

"Big deal," sniffed Apple Tricks.

"I weren't talkin to YOU!" yelled Big Machintosh, making Apple Tricks jump.

"You has to watch the farm til we all are strong enough to get back," said Applejack to Apple Storm, "Y'all can handle that, right?"

Apple Storm nodded energetically.

"Well don't go workin yourself to death," she giggled, "and make sure that Apple Tricks helps you."

"Cuz if she don't helps out," threatened Big Macintosh, "She's gonna answer to me! Believe me, it won't be pretty!"

"Okay, I get it," squeaked Apple Tricks.