Warped

by Ciero989

Rating: teen
Tags: Main 6, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Other, Adventure, Crossover
Length: 6183

Long after the Mane 6 was broken up by events beyond their control, regret remains. But there are creatures in the dark who prey on such feelings. Do not gaze into the abyss for too long, or it will gaze back.

In the grim darkness of the not-so-far future, there is only disharmony. The Mane 6 have split up and gone in their own directions after their bonds were pushed past their limit in a series of harrowing events. Scattered across Equestria, they all face their own trials and ordeals. Some of them dream of the past with regret, and some of them look to the future with uncertainty.

Will be a dark, 40k/Warhammer crossover. Tags will vary by chapter, but the first chapter is up and it has few elements of darkness in it.

I welcome real, constructive criticism along with any and all comments. If something is unclear, let me know! I'll do my best to fix/clarify (unless it's on purpose, of course...)

This takes place after the Mane 6 have gone their separate ways- This was also started before Season 3, and I didn't change too much of what I had already done, so some things might not be in line with what happens with Season 3 and beyond, but I will fix that in the future.

Published 2015-11-24 19:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-11-24 19:10:02 UTC

Intro

Twilight Sparkle reflected.

Four years.

That was the last time that she had seen each of them together, her five best friends. Friends. Could she even still call them that? Twilight scoffed at the thought, but as it crept back into her mind, she realized the truth it held. She saw them now and again, usually one at a time, but their contact had mostly reduced to letters. Even those had been lowered to a veritable trickle. With the distance that now divided them, it was hard to believe that there had been a time once where the six of them had been inseparable.

Twilight would’ve liked to think that it was Discord’s sudden betrayal that destroyed their friendship; it would’ve been much easier to accept. In reality, she knew that they had been drifting apart for some time before. Their old friend-turned-enemy had simply hastened the inevitable demise of the Elements of Harmony.

A knock on her door brought her back to her senses. The mare looked down at her desk and shuffled a few papers around, stacking them somewhat neatly, levitating a few loose books back to their places. A second knock came.

“Come in!” Twilight called, settling herself behind her desk. The door swung open, and a young unicorn poked his head through. She immediately recognized the light orange pelt and yellow mane, and beckoned him in.

“Oh, Sunflare. Come in, come in. I’ve been wanting to speak with you.”

“I j-just came by to drop off the p-p-paper on p-portals that was due. I’m s-sorry it’s late, P-Professor Sparkle,” he struggled to say.

“That... was what I wanted to talk to you about,” Twilight said, indicating for him to sit. Her student stumbled forward to the chair, placing the pages on her desk. He fidgeted around in the seat, a few beads of sweat rolling down his face as the mare gave the paper a quick skim. She cleared her throat and looked at him.

“Well then. As you know, you’ve been late with every assignment that I’ve given in class. If you’re not asleep, you’re daydreaming. If you’re not daydreaming, you’re just not paying attention. That’s assuming you even show up. You’re in danger of failing,” Twilight chastised the colt. She watched him turn his head away and shift uncomfortably in his seat. She cleared her throat, and softed her tone. “The only thing keeping you afloat is the sheer quality of the work you do submit.”

Twilight smiled a little as she watched Sunflare turn back to her, eyes wide. “This?” she said, levitating his paper up. “This is brilliant. All of your reports are. The detail, the insight, your grasp on the subject, all of it is amazing. You have the knowledge, and the skill, you just don’t do the work.”

With a soft sigh, she pushed herself up from her desk and slowly walked over to the window. She stared out over a courtyard in the center of the school, where young ponies practiced their magic, studied, or simply talked. A feeling of distance filled her body, and a few minutes passed before she spoke again.

“You’ve heard of the Wonderbolts, correct?”

“Um... Oh, y-yes, Professor. Of course,” Sunflare replied, caught off guard.

“I had a friend once. Her life’s dream was to be able to fly with them, to be a Wonderbolt. And she could do it, too. She was the greatest flier I’ve ever seen. She had the raw potential,” she looked over at her student. “Just like you do.”

“What happened to her? Did she get in?”

Twilight turned back to face the unicorn, and shook her head. “No, she didn’t. She didn’t make it because she didn’t work for it. She had the talent and ability, but she thought that was all she needed. Because she didn’t train, she couldn’t hone her ability, focus her talent. She was overconfident,” she finished. The story wasn’t completely true, but it worked for her purpose here.

“You have the opposite problem, but it has the same result. You’re not confident, so you don’t bother trying. You do these papers because I press you to, and when you do the work, it’s excellent. Do you understand?”

Sunflare nodded. “Yes, Professor Sparkle. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” Twilight said with a smile. As Sunflare rose and started to leave, memories came back to her. Memories of Discord, of what had led to where she was now. She walked over to a locked cabinet, and closed her eyes. The image of a key came into her mind as she focused on the lock. The picture became clearer, and when it seemed to be so real that she could reach out and touch it, the lock clicked. She slid it off, and opened the drawer.

Inside lay several folded pieces of parchment, neatly stacked and categorized. Each was marked with a name, and the one that Twilight levitated out and unfolded was marked “Princess Luna”.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

It is my pleasure to extend the offer of a position as a full Professor of Magic at Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. As one of her last wishes, Princess Celestia personally asked for you to be selected for this task. Send your answer back with the pegasus who delivered this message.

Yours Truly,
Princess Luna

Twilight remembered how she felt when she first read the letter. After everything that had happened, that was all the contact she had from the Princess? She was hurt, almost to the point of tears, until a second page had fallen from the first.

Twilight,

I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to speak with you over the last few weeks. The transition of leaders has been confused and hectic; this hasn’t been done in over a thousand years. But you deserve much more than my silence, and for that I apologize. You were one of the few witnesses to my sister’s sacrifice, and after it became clear to her that you wouldn’t be able to continue your studies of friendship, she requested that you be given a position at the academy after everything settled down.

Again, I’m sorry for my silence. I wish to know more about what happened in Celestia’s final moments, but I also want to make sure you’re alright. I’ll talk to you in person as soon as possible.

Luna

Twilight put the letter down, and reflected.

If there had ever been the chance to go back to the way they were, that chance was lost when she accepted the offer to teach and left her friends behind to return to Canterlot. She sighed and put the letters away, locking the cabinet back up. Her choice was made, and she accepted that; she just never expected it to be so hard to live with. Even if she wanted to change things, it wouldn’t be easy. The only one of her friends who was near was Rarity, and they rarely saw each other. A simple schoolteacher usually didn’t make the lists for the same parties and events as an elite dressmaker after all, former princess or not. But if she just reached out...

Twilight shook her head, ridding herself of these strange thoughts. Teaching was her life now; there was no going back. She couldn’t change anything.

-

Rainbow Dash focused.

The roar of the crowd, the bead of sweat rolling down her face, the rattling of the cage, none of these things diverted attention from the task at hand. Her eyes were trained on the gryphon in front of her, who in turn was equally focused on the pegasus. She watched. She waited. He charged.

She struck.

The gryphon ran forward and leapt, talon cocked back and ready to strike. Rainbow reacted, swiftly maneuvering under the gryphon. She slammed upward into her opponent, sending them reeling off to the side. With a cry of approval from the crowd, she pursued, spinning halfway through and delivering a crippling back-kick to the gryphon’s head. She smirked.

“What’s the matter Ironfeather, you done already? I thought you were tougher than just five rounds...”

The gryphon took a few seconds to recover, but returned with a fierce screech. Ironfeather stood back up and hit Dash with a closed talon straight across the face, before grabbing the stunned pegasus with both claws. He spread his wings and rose up, opponent firmly in grasp.

“What’s the matter Rainbow Dash, not going to just fly away? Oh, that’s right...” he said, leaning in close to her face. “You can’t.”

With that, he let go. Even after four years, Rainbow instinctively spread her wing and flapped, trying to stay airborne. It was no use though, as she took a hard landing into the mat, followed quickly by a smash from the gryphon, right where her left wing used to be. The air was ripped out of her, and she felt her body lock up as the pain overloaded her senses. The edges of her vision started to shrink, and she barely managed to turn her head up to see the gryphon roaring in victory before unconsciousness claimed her.

Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes, raising a hoof to shield against the blinding light that hovered above her. As she started to push herself up, a jolt of pain rocked through her body, sending her straight back into the rough mattress she found herself on.

‘Am... Am I dead?’ she thought to herself.

“Rainbow Dash!” came an all-too common rasp.

‘Nope. Still here.’

“Rainbow Dash. You’re awake,” the brown-coated stallion grunted, curbing his enthusiasm.

“Course I am. It takes more than a few blows from a wimp like Ironfeather to take me outta the game... By the way, how long was I out?”

“Two hours. But you won the match by default. Ref disqualified Ironfeather for that dirty trick he pulled. And Doc says that once you can get up. You’re free to leave.”

“Thanks Rust.... I’ll see you once I’m out of here, alright?”

“You okay? You look a bit shaken. And not the usual shaken when you lose. That’s just annoyance with yourself. I’ve seen it enough to know.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Thanks Rust. You really know how to boost my spirits.”

“I also got eyes like a hawk. I saw Ironfeather say something to you. Right before he tossed you down. It’s got you upset.”

“He was just taunting me. You know how it is, trash-talking. It’s nothing.”

“It ain’t nothing. I can hear it in your voice. He said something about your wing. Didn’t he?”

Rainbow was silent. Rust was more than just a manager to her, he was a confidant. He was one of the few ponies who knew the circumstances regarding how she lost her wing, and he knew that even after so many years, it was still a sore subject. He also had the annoying knack of knowing when something was bothering her, and usually what it was.

“You can’t let it keep you down. You gotta tough it out. Get over it already.”

“Yeah, I guess it’s that simple,” Dash snapped. “Toughen up, get stronger. All I have to do is beat my opponents and everything else will be fine.”

Now it was the earth pony’s turn to say nothing. She sighed, and put her head back down on the pillow.

“I just... I wanna be alone right now, okay? I’m-. I’ll find you later.”

Without another word, her aged friend left her bedside. Once he was gone, Rainbow let out a sound that could be called choking, if it wasn’t for the tear running down her cheek. She knew what her fellow fighters said about her. She was something of a joke on the martial arts circuit, even though she had proven her worth in fight after fight. Weaker and softer than an earth pony, not as bloodthirsty as a gryphon, and less agile than a pegasus- well, than a pegasus who could fly. Rainbow Crash was a tease of the past, one that she desperately wished to hear again. The ‘Wingless Wonderbolt’ stood in its place instead, an extra jab to remind her of just what she had failed to achieve in her life.

Rainbow kicked the bed in frustration, rolling over to push herself up and wipe the tear from her eye. ‘Maybe Rust is right,’ she thought. ‘Maybe I’m not strong enough. Not yet. But I will be. I swear, with Celestia as my witness, that I will never lose to a coward like Ironfeather again.’

A smirk adorned her face as she trotted out the door to find Rust again. She had some training to do.

-

Fluttershy worked.

She smiled.

“There, all done little guy. That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” she said as she finished snipping out the stitches on a small bird’s wing. It chirped happily, giving the pegasus a “kiss” to show his approval. In return, she scratched him gently on the head, before turning to face the other pony in the room.

“He’s all better. Just make sure he doesn’t do too much flying around for the next few days, and he’ll be good as new.”

“I’ll make sure of it. Thank you doctor!”

“Oh, I’m not a doctor... I’m just an assistant,” she said with a blush.

“You’re an angel is what you are. The others said he probably wouldn’t fly again. Thank you, really. Come on Rocko!” the pony said as they exited. The bird chirped and hopped onto his owner’s head. Fluttershy just smiled as she watched them leave; another satisfied patient, and the last one of the day. With a yawn, she gathered up the stack of paperwork, adding it to the backlog that she already had to take home with her.

There was no one in the hospital hallway when she locked the door behind her, all patients having already been processed or undergoing treatment. She was at the very end of the veterinary wing of Buckingham General, the larger overall hospital in the city. As she walked, one room still had its lights on: the operating room. Fluttershy shivered a little when she passed by, forcing some unpleasant memories back down from her thoughts.

The mare found the exit with little trouble, joining hundreds of other ponies in the city’s evening bustle as the sun cast orange streaks across the sky. She took this rare chance to spread her wings, flying over most of the crowd to get back to her apartment, save for some pegasi above her. There was a time when Fluttershy wouldn’t fly except when she absolutely had to; now she relished any opportunity to feel the wind in her mane, now that she spent most of her days working in the hospital. There was also a time when-

CRACK!

The pavement rushed up to meet Fluttershy, courtesy of a sign that forgot to announce itself to a daydreaming pegasus. As she pushed herself back up with a pained expression, she felt the gaze of ponies all around her, even though none had actually stopped to stare. The embarrassed mare just wanted to move on before somepony said-

“HEY!” a yell came from just inside the shop under the sign, an annoyed earth pony stomping out.

“Oh, I’m sorry... I didn’t see the sign there, I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Ah just finished puttin’ it up, too! Watch where you’re goin’ ya clumsy... Wait a second. Fluttershy?”

As Fluttershy dusted herself off, she suddenly recognized the yellow coat and light red mane of the shopkeeper. “A-Applebloom?”

“Fluttershy! Of all the ponies who could fly into my new sign, o’course it’d be a friend of mine. What’re you doin in a city like this?”

“Oh, I live here, actually. I work at the hospital a few blocks away,” she said shyly, smiling at her friend. “Did you just open your shop?”

“Sure did! Apple Carpentry. If we can’t give you quality, then you don’t know what it is. Speaking of which, I gotta get back inside, still putting everything together you know. We should catch up sometime!”

“We will! Bye, Applebloom!” Fluttershy said as the shopkeeper went back inside. Once the door shut, she was back in the air (careful this time to avoid any other signs), only a block away from her home. She could see it from here: a relatively small, brick building, with the usual surge of people arriving back from work. Of course, just like with the commute, there was always a way for a creative pegasus to avoid the crowds. For Fluttershy, this was leaving her window open all day long. It was a tight fit, but a lot quicker and easier than weaving through the building itself. Consequently, she rarely saw any of the other residents, but she didn’t mind; she preferred to spend her time alone when she wasn’t at the hospital.

Fluttershy flew in through the open window, causing a slight breeze to rustle the sickly green curtains. Her apartment was lightly furnished: a simple wooden table with an accompanying chair and a couch were all that sat in the main room, along with a sink and small countertop. The wallpaper was peeling off in several places, revealing mold underneath. Of a small cluster of bulbs hanging from the ceiling, only two lights turned on when Fluttershy hit the switch, one of them flickering in and out of life.

She tossed the stack of papers onto the table and went over to the counter. A half-empty box of rabbit feed sat there, waiting for her. The pegasus poured it into an already-full bowl on the floor, causing more feed to spill over.

“Angel! Come and eat!” she called. In the corner of her vision, the little white rabbit appeared, slowly hopping his way towards Fluttershy.

“There you are. I had a great day today, I was able to treat a lot of sick animals! One of the owners even called me an angel, just like you,” she said with a laugh. The bunny was still hopping slowly. He came to a stop in front of Fluttershy, looking over at the pellets that she had poured.

“I saw an old friend today, too. You remember Applebloom, don’t you? She’s really grown since the last time I saw her.”

Her old pet turned back around, starting to hop back to where he came from.

“Oh, I guess you don’t feel like talking today. That’s okay... Maybe tomorrow. Bye, Angel,” she said, a tear slowly running down her cheek as the rabbit disappeared, slipping back into her memory.

Fluttershy slumped into the chair, flickering light swinging above her. With a sigh, she took the first page from the stack, looking at the sticky note on top.

Fluttershy,

This is all the paperwork from the last two weeks that you still have yet to finish and submit, regarding each of your patients. Get it done as quick as possible, it’s a liability for the hospital to have incomplete records.

Dr. Ashoof

She crumpled up the tiny note and prepared to get to work, tossing the note onto the floor. It had always been Fluttershy’s desire in life to help animals; here she was, living the dream.

-

Pinkie Pie hurried.

Thirty minutes.

Flour coated the counters. Eggshells laid in the sink. Batter had dripped down onto the floor. An almost-finished cake sat on the table along with tubes of frosting. Pinkie burst through the saloon doors, only to hear the phone ring in the other room. She looked at the half-done cake worriedly, but ran back on the second ring.

“Sugarcube Catering, this is-”

“Pinkie, it’s me.”

“Oh, hi Mr. Cake!”

“Is everything ready?”

“It sure is! The decorations, the cake. The kitchen is a mess but we’re good to go.”

“Okay. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Pinkie’s eyes widened. Ten minutes. They were early.

“Pinkie? Is everything alright? Are you there?”

“I’m here! I’ll see you soon!” Pinkie said, slamming the phone on the hook. Alright, time to buckle down. First, the decorations- No! First, the cake. The cake was the most important part.

The party planner ran back into the kitchen. She had said that the room was a mess, so that wasn’t a problem. Cleaning could wait until later. She grabbed the tube of frosting and set to work, putting the finishing touches on the birthday cake with a few, deft motions. The colors matched the pony they celebrated; a light cyan, with purple swirls and trim. The cake itself was not overly large, and it was certainly not one of the monsters that had been produced for various pastry competitions. Needless to say, lifting it onto a tray was still a delicate operation, especially when time didn’t allow for replacements. Pinkie held her breath, a bead of sweat running down her face as she worked to keep the cake from tumbling down to the floor. A little to the left, a little to the right...

Perfect.

She quickly, but carefully, wheeled the cake into the main room. Bunches of streamers and uninflated balloons were strewn all across the room, and a “Happy Birthday!” banner with Mrs. Cake’s face on it was draped across a table instead of hanging. That was the first thing put up once Pinkie had made sure the cake was properly positioned. She glanced at the clock.

One minute.

Pinkie bit her lip nervously. She could always use the party cannon, but... In her mind, it had started to feel impersonal, never amazing anymore. She stole a look at the clock. No time left. With a sigh, she pulled it out, aiming at the center of the room. ‘Sorry Mrs. Cake,’ she thought as she pressed the button.

As the door opened to darkness, Mr. Cake tried to peer in to get a glimpse of what lay inside. He took a deep breath and walked into the hall, followed by a tentative Mrs. Cake. After a moment of standing in the lightless room, the door slammed shut behind them, and the lights popped on as party crackers exploded and streamers shot from their hiding spots.

“SURPRISE!” Pinkie cried out, standing right next to the cake in the middle of the room. “Happy Birthday Mrs. Cake!”

“Oh, my! Pinkie, I wasn’t expecting all this!” Mrs. Cake looked around, smiling. “It’s nice,” she continued, “to see one of your parties after all this time. You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”

Pinkie winced a little at the comment, but picked her cheerful demeanor back up right away. “You know what I always say, there’s no party like a Pinkie Pie party! Where’re Pound and Pumpkin? Are they coming?”

“Hold on, Pinkie. Give us a chance to settle in, we’ll have plenty of time to get caught up,” Mr. Cake said as the two of them sat down at a table. In front of them was a full set of plates and silverware, with several entrees and desserts ready to be eaten.

“They’re at school, dear,” Mrs. Cake explained once she and her husband had started to serve themselves. “We’ve taught them everything we could about baking, but they wanted to learn more to try and bring something new to the business. Speaking of which, you’ve been okay on your own here?”

“Well, I’m not totally on my own, but yes. Fillydelphia is a busy city, you know, so I decided that I needed someone else to help. They have the day off though, ‘cause I wanted this to be extra special just for you! What about your store? Do you like it?”

“That’s sweet of you, Pinkie,” Mr. Cake replied. “Yes, we like the store. If you think this city is busy, wait until you’ve seen Manehatten. Of course, with Pound and Pumpkin off at school, it seemed like moving to a bigger location wasn’t really necessary, and I do miss how personal Ponyville was, but…”

Pinkie Pie knew what he was saying, and knew better than to press the subject. “So do I, but it’s alright. The way I see it, I can make more people happy here than I ever could’ve in Ponyville! And it’s not that different for me… I know everyone in three blocks of the city,” she said, smiling.

Mr. Cake laughed at this last comment. “Of course you do, Pinkie. You really haven’t changed with everything that’s happened, and that makes me glad. You can make friends and make laughter happen anywhere, it seems.”

Pinkie Pie forced the smile, something she had perfected over the years. She could fool others, but she knew there was no point trying to fool herself. She was not the same pony that she was four years ago.

-

Rarity slowed down.

She breathed.

Dense smoke filled the room, blocking her view of almost everything around her. No, not smoke. Mist? No, that wasn’t the right word either. Haze. But it was more than that, and… somehow less. Rarity couldn’t quite place her hoof on it. She was vaguely aware of figures moving beside and in front of her, as well as the muffled sounds coming forth from them. Even as she watched them, her eyes started to unfocus, and despite all her best efforts she could not make out any of their faces. As a matter of fact, she didn’t even know who they were.

Wait.

‘Where am I?’ she thought. She attempted to look around, but found that all her muscles had locked up. Rather than panic or attempt to fight the effect, she felt a strange calm wash over her.

‘Canterlot,’ a voice rang out, shutting out all the other noises from beyond.

‘Oh, of course, Canterlot...’ the mare thought to herself, not questioning the voice. ‘Why am I here?’

‘Because you’re a famous fashion designer.’

‘Oh… But why am I here?’

‘Because you need to be pulled out of your creative slump. You’re here to open your mind.’

‘Oh… I see. Yes, I see… I see! I see it! I see-!’

A sudden rush of water hit Rarity right in the face and interrupted her thoughts. When she opened her eyes again the haze had disappeared. She shook her head, her body once more responding to her commands, before wiping her face with a small towel. She was laying on a cushion, surrounded by a few other ponies who were mostly busy with their own conversations or in their own dream world like Rarity was just pulled out of. There was one exception, however. A stallion with a brown coat and black mane was looking at her with a sly smile on his face.

“Ah, Rarity, you have returned to us! I do apologize for having to wake you in such an abrupt manner, but as you know, that was just supposed to be a sample!”

“Oh, uhh… Yes, of course it was,” she said, trying not to sound disappointed. She desperately tried to recall what it was that she had seen. It was bold, it was brilliant, it was… Blue? She shook her head once again, to which the stallion laughed.

“It takes a moment for your head to clear, but so far, I don’t believe there are any side effects. So, what do you think, hmm? Shall I get a prescription for you from the good doctor? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind your repeat business, after all,” he said in his usual, forced enunciation.

“I don’t know,” she said, a small bead of sweat starting to roll down her brow as the gears turned in her head. “I mean, if I could just try a little more, for a little bit longer…” A smirk played across the stallion’s face. Wrong words. “I mean, it almost feels dishonest, needing something like this to think of something amazing.” The smirk vanished- it almost flipped.

“Listen. You’ve heard of this big DJ, haven’t you? Popular with the kids, sounds like a trainwreck? How many dru- Err,” he stopped himself short, taking a breath. “She is one of the Doctor’s biggest clients, and no one bats an eye about it. And you’re the first one he’s making this medicine available to. If you wait, your competition may get a leg up on you… And we can’t have that, can we?”

“No, we can’t…” Rarity replied, “Alright. But, when you see him, do be a dear and ask him to throw in some more of the sleep-aid? If my business is as important to him as you say, then I don’t think that should be a problem, and I am running low…”

“I’ll see what I can do. Standard pick-up?”

“Of course. I trust your discretion. Now then, I really must be going. I’ll show myself out.”

“Alright. Pleasure doing business with you, as usual.”

The stallion nodded and moved on to somepony else as Rarity got to her feet and grabbed her saddlebag, before trotting out the door and shutting it behind her. She climbed up a dimly lit, marble stairway with a stallion sitting at the top. As she approached, he stood up and undid the lock on the door. He opened it with a small nod, one which she curtly returned. Once she was out, the door shut behind her and the lock clicked once more. The den was located beneath a quiet restaurant, one that she now found herself in. One of the waiters noticed her.

“Ah, Ms. Rarity! You may have a seat wherever you choose. Your usual order, I presume?”

“No, thank you. I am in a bit of a hurry, you see.”

“No trouble at all, ma’am. Have a wonderful night.”

She got outside into the open air and took in a deep breath of the fresh air. Her relief was short-lived though, as a stabbing pain started in her head. Rarity checked her saddlebag, cursing to herself under her breath. She pulled out a small bottle, shaking it lightly to check the contents. Nothing. The unicorn tried another- still nothing. She must’ve forgotten to pack the pain medication she had gotten.

‘Oh well,’ she thought to herself.

She had plenty more at home.

-

Applejack cheered.

She won.

The crowd around her roared when the judge pinned a blue ribbon onto her hat. Standing on top of that podium, she might as well have been a pegasus with her head so high in the clouds. The dirt and the kick-up of the dust from the competition, the thrill of another challenge to overcome- she practically lived for the rodeo.

And just like that, it was over.

A good chunk of the stands had already emptied and most of the other competitors had left when Applejack finally stepped down off the stand. The clean-up crew got to work and she trotted out of the stadium, whistling as she did. The boss was probably waiting outside for her- she had winnings to collect, after all. She felt the envious stares of several of her opponents, but she paid them no mind as she left. It wasn’t unusual, after all, for her to receive those looks after winning a rodeo.

She saw the boss outside, talking to two other ponies. As Applejack approached, the two shot her a glare before trotting off. She recognized them from the competition- she beat out the stallion in the hay-toss- but otherwise didn’t know them. The boss, however, she knew quite well- well enough to see his unusual jittering. He was a relatively small stallion, with a light green coat and crooked glasses. He looked about, avoiding Applejack’s eyes as she approached.

“Howdy, boss! I suppose y’know why I’m here,” Applejack spoke loudly, bringing herself face-to-face with the stallion.

“Applejack!” he said with faux-surprise. “Congratulations on another well-earned victory. I suppose you’re here to collect?”

“I am indeed. That’s not a problem is it?” she added, noticing the boss kick the ground a few times.

“No, no, of course not… You’ll get your money… However… I’m in a bit of an awkward situation, Applejack.”

She looked around, noticing the two ponies still looking on. Her eyes narrowed. “Lay it on me.”

“Well… I’m afraid that, after today, I can’t let you compete in any more rodeos.”

“What?!” Applejack’s jaw dropped. “Why the hay not?”

“Well… I don’t want to, per se, but… It’s the other competitors. You win almost every rodeo, and they’re sick of it.”

“Well it’s not my fault they can’t keep up with me!” Applejack retorted. “Besides, I need that money! Migrant farm work ain’t enough, this is what keeps me going in the off-season!”

“I know Applejack, and I’m sorry. But a lot of the others have threatened to drop from the rodeo if you’re in the next one. As much as having you around draws crowds, there won’t be a crowd without a rodeo. I can’t let you compete anymore.”

“But- But-” Applejack started to protest, but she bit her tongue. Nothing good could come out of her mouth at the moment, so she just grit her teeth and nodded. The boss handed her a sack, heavy with bits.

“Here. I threw in some extra as a… Severance. I’m sorry, Applejack. Good luck in your future endeavors.”

Applejack took the money and walked away, passing her two snickering competitors. She fought back tears as they laughed, determined not to give them any more satisfaction. This rodeo had kept her busy and made her money in the off-season. She would have to write to Applebloom to let her know that this would be the last of the money for the time being… And possibly for some work until the farming season kicked back in. She had plans to make, but her thoughts were cut short.

“So sorry to see you leave, Crackerjack,” the snickering mare jabbed. “The rodeo won’t be the same without you. Right, Rex?”

“Yeah,” the stallion nodded. “It’ll be better.”

Applejack spun around on her hooves, dropping the bag and glaring at the two. “Now listen here! You two second-rate rodeo clowns ain’t never beat me, and you never would’ve! You may have pulled some dirty tricks on the boss, but I know you can’t hold a horseshoe to me! So you better remember, every blue ribbon you earn, they all would’ve been mine! So there!”

Applejack picked her bag back up, stuck her nose in the air, and walked away. The two ponies were left with their mouths gaping. She went back to her room and scrounged for a piece of paper, setting her bag down on her bed. She picked up a pencil in her mouth and, taking a second to think, started to write a letter to her sister in Buckingham.

Hey Sis,

How’re things in the big city? Gotten the store up and running yet? I bet you already got ponies lining out the door! Unfortunately, I can’t say the same. You’ll notice I didn’t send any money with this letter. Well, that’s because I’m gonna deliver it myself. I’m done with the rodeo. I’ll tell you more when I get there. I can’t wait to see the store! See you soon.

Love,

Applejack

She folded up the letter and went out to find the mail-pony, looking around all his usual spots. She walked up to the local watering hole, swinging the door open, and there he was, a red-and-blonde pegasus stuffing his face before his next flight. He wiped his mouth, and looked up when she called.

“Hey, Gilbert!”

“Applejack! You caught me just in time- I was just about finished.”

“Yeah right, I know you’re gonna order another plate or two. Listen,” she said as she trotted up to him. “Can you make sure that this letter gets to Buckingham, pronto? I gotta leave town, and I want my sister to know that I’m coming. She’s got enough to do without the shock of me just showing up.”

Gilbert looked at the letter before stuffing it in his bag. “Of course. I’m leaving soon, like I said.”

“Thanks Gilbert. I’m mighty appreciative of your help,” she said as she went to leave.

“Not a problem. Oh, wait!-” the pegasus said, causing Applejack to raise an eyebrow as he dug through his bag. “I have a letter for you. Not from your sister, though, this was picked up in Canterlot.” He held it out.

Applejack took the letter, staring at it curiously. “Now why would I be getting a letter from Canterlot?” she mused quietly. “Thanks, Gilbert. I’ll see ya.”

She turned it around to see who had sent it, only to get very quiet when she saw the name in cursive at the corner.

“No problem, Applejack…. Applejack? You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m… I’m fine.” Applejack turned to leave the saloon, but not before tossing the letter into the trash, unopened.

Curious, Gilbert got up from his stool and walked over, pulling the letter from the garbage. In the corner, in eloquent cursive writing, read: “From Twilight Sparkle”.