D=S-M2

by MegatronsPen

Rating: mature
Tags: Main 6, Princess Luna, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance, Dark, Alternate Universe, Romance
Length: 11010

Set seven years after the events of D=S-M, Equestria and the Crystal Empire has been embroiled in a bitter and bloody war with the fallen Griffin Empire's dwindling resistance. With lies and deceit on both sides, who is the true tyrant?

Ah remember the day we lost Fluttershy all those years ago.

It is what broke our friendship an' turned this whole world of ours upside down; inside out.

Without her kindness to remind us, Ah think we all lost touch with ourselves an' what it meant for us to be together. To appreciate each other.

But we all made our choices.

The others turned their back to th' truth and believed the lies they say about Twilight, but not me. Ah know the truth and Ah will fight for it to the bitter end.

But that is not the only reason why Ah fight.

I will stand by her no matter what.

Ah know one thing is for certain and that is Ah love her.

Nothin' will ever change that.

Ah can only hope at the end of our battle, they can forgive us for the things we have done and will do, to make sure the truth comes to light and justice be served.

(Much thanks for Ladrian for the editing and proof-reading and everyone who has ever added input to this crazy thing. I would list names but I think I'll be here forever.)

(The picture belongs to: AssasinMonkey. I do not own it and if requested by the owner I will pull the picture down. Go look at that dudes stuff! It's pretty damn good drawings in there I have to say.)

Published 2016-01-26 03:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-08-30 22:27:43 UTC

Day And Night

Day and Night

Applejack hoisted her helmet off of her head and placed it atop the wooden mannequin. Her emerald gaze stared vacantly across the battle-scarred, black metallic surface, tracing the row of sharp spikes running through the center of the protective headwear. Her mind wandered as she worked to remove the intricate plated armour that covered her from hoof to neck, untying the various leather strips that held it all together, meticulously placing it upon the armor stand as if she were preparing the wooden pony for battle.

Her toned body, once free of marks and scars, was now riddled with the telltale signs of old slash and stab wounds, particularly on her extremities. Although her armour was tough, it was not impenetrable. She used her legs to block sword and spear strikes with such reckless abandon that she would often return from battle covered not only in the blood of the enemy, but her own as well.

There has been many instances over the past few years where Applejack had quite literally dragged her broken and battered body from the battlefield. She had skirted death many times and yet emerged stronger from it.

It was one of the reasons why the troops looked to her with the greatest of admiration and loyalty. They spoke about her amongst themselves frequently; going as far as nicknaming her the ‘Revenant Commander,’ due to her sheer resilience and endless fortitude.

Each scar reminded her of her purpose. They told stories of selfless sacrifice, unwavering determination, and above all else, a declaration of undying love.

Applejack cracked the barest of smiles as she whispered to herself. “They’re almost like th’ medals Ah used to win at the rodeo…” Her smile fell away as she sighed. “No… these are more important than those old things.”

When it finally came to the removal of her pauldron, she paused, drawing her eyes down to the purple crest that was Midnight Sparkle’s cutiemark, and the subsequent symbol of her rebellion. But that symbol was not the subject of her hesitation, nor was it the reason why she glowered downwards, as memories she would rather have forgotten came flooding back to smother the warmth that momentarily flared within her heart.

Except one...

Sighing, she unclipped two metal hooks and undid several leather straps to allow the pauldron to slam heavily upon the hay covered floor. Her eyes locked upon the horrendous, thick scar that covered the center of her chest from a wound that should have killed her.

Applejack lifted a hoof to stroke the scar that still ached, though not from physical pain. The blade that created the scar cut far too deep to simply heal over time.

It was the emotions that came with simply looking at it that caused Applejack the greatest of discomforts.

With a shake of her head, Applejack tore herself from the past and looked to the simple bundle of hay and small thin sheet of wool that made up her bed, trotting towards it as she released a yawn.

Dropping down onto her bed, Applejack fell limply on her side.She stared towards the fluttering entrance to her tent, catching glimpses of passing soldiers and groups of young griffins running past, giggling merrily as if the war around them barely existed.

The sound of laughter alone had managed to bring a genuine smile to her lips, though she resisted the urge to reminence. She focused on other more important tasks, such as how they were all going to survive the coming winter season and more importantly, just what their illustrious Queen had in store.

Applejack lifted a hoof and stroked the scar upon her chest as she closed her eyes, finding the cold horseshoe against the sensitive, hairless patch of skin quite comforting.

Ah don’ know if Ah should be happy I couldn’t find Applebloom or concerned… if Scootaloo…

Applejack cracked open her eyes just enough to focus her anguished glare upon a patch above the entrance to her tent.

If Scootaloo enlisted then, Applebloom more than likely followed suit… oh, Tartarus, what if Sweetie Belle has…?

The thought never occurred to her before then. But she was safe in assuming Rarity would never allow such a thing to happen to her little sister. She would be dead against it, for sure…

Right…?

Regardless, Applejack was happy she hadn’t found either of them amongst the sea of the walking dead that stood outside of camp like silent; albeit flesh-eating, guardians.

Ah’ve already taken Scootaloo from this life… Ah don’ think Ah can live with the guilt if I took Sweetie Belle from Rarity, too…

Rainbow above anypony knows what this war does to a pony… how could she allow Scootaloo to join the army like that? That… that stupid, feather-brained, backstabbing…

Quickly her face darkened as her thoughts uncontrollably strayed to the subject of Rainbow Dash.

Applejack bit her lip. The betrayal of one of her best friends was a hard pill to swallow and it was made all the more bitter when Rainbow had turned against them. Her actions clearly showed that she was never truly their friend to begin with.

For two years the three of them had operated in the shadows. They had remained hidden from Equestrian eyes by taking refuge within the borders of the griffin’s territory, back when the Empire was still whole and they were nothing more than mere fugitives. Twilight had abandoned her name in favour of the name Midnight.

They had managed to find the terrorist griffin cell that was supposedly linked to the assassination of Princess Celestia, only to find wartorn, ill-equipped rebels that were fighting not for their own selfish gains, but in fact for their freedom… fighting for a democracy in a kingdom ruled by a greedy monarchy and upper class that looked down upon the poorer working class.

It was yet another lie to add to the pile and yet another dead end for their quest to find the evidence they needed to bring down the complicated web of deceit that had erected itself around the death of the Princess. It was their last lead to potentially unravel the mystery and reveal Luna for the tyrant they knew her to be.

They had nothing left.

It was at this point, when all hope seemed lost that Midnight changed… and yes, while there was indeed a great physical change to her appearance since the battle with Lightning Dust, Midnight’s personality remained just the same… she was as caring and sweet as ever…

However, one evening over a campfire, Midnight proposed a plan to the girls that she considered their last resort. It was a plan that did not quite sit right with either Applejack or Rainbow Dash, but, they listened…

And they agreed.

The only way they were going to defeat Luna was by raising an army for themselves, and for that they needed a kingdom.

It was decided they would guide the rebels to the capital, slay the corrupt monarchy and claim the throne for themselves… ‘for their freedom.’

In no time at all the three of them took over the rebellion from the inside, rising to become their leaders without so much as a single drop of blood being shed, all thanks to Midnight. The alicorn filled their heads with promises and delusions of grandeur and they ate it all up like the fools they were… and Applejack? She merely stood by as Midnight lied and used her magic to corrupt her way to the top…

Applejack never condoned mind control, but, she understood it was a means to an end.

A better end.

Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, grew deeply perturbed as time went on. She became distant and eventually had started to question and oppose many of Midnight’s orders. Applejack knew something was off and she couldn’t quite put her hoof on it, but she figured it was to do with the grand plan and the extent to which they were going just to achieve it.

She even confided to Applejack several times about her concerns, mostly about the changes of their alicorn friend, but Applejack always assumed she had managed to quell such feelings every time they spoke about it over a couple mugs of hard cider and a game or two of poker.

Never in her life, had Applejack been so wrong.

Ah can’t blame her… not really. Sometimes Ah wonder if what Ah’m doing is the right thing… but never would Ah ever move to harm one of my friends. It’s… it’s unforgivable...

Applejack, lost to her thoughts, was upon the precipice of sleep; she barely noticed that the tent had grown significantly warmer than normal and, by the time she had felt the hoof stroke through her mane, she barely had the energy left to lift her head up from the hay.

Cracking open her heavy-lidded emerald gaze, Applejack looked to the corner of her eyes to spot the alicorn shape curled up behind her with warm crimson eyes staring back down at her.

Crap, ah must had fallen asleep...

Without a lamp inside the tent to illuminate anything, Applejack could just barely make out the contours of Midnight’s face. But she could tell the mare was smiling at her. She could see it in those broken, crimson eyes of hers.

The soothing stroke of a hoof through her mane was a comfort, and she began to wonder just how long the subject of her love had been there. She figured she had been asleep for at least a couple of hours, if not more.

“Twi’...” Applejack tiredly croaked, “hey sugar... Ah’m sorry Ah didn’t come to your tent sooner… Ah jus’ wanted to think by myself some.” Lifting a hoof, Applejack gently caressed Midnight’s cheek. “Guess Ah fell asleep some by accident.”

“It’s okay, Applejack.” Midnight replied softly, dipping her head down to nuzzle the side of Applejack’s face. “Go back to sleep. We can talk about things in the morning.”

Applejack felt her heart flutter as she inclined her head just enough the moment Midnight drew close, stealing a quick kiss to the corner of her lips. “Yeah… Ah’m beat. Feels like Ah’ve bucked like forty acres of apple trees non-stop.”

“I’m not surprised... you fought like a pony possessed.” Midnight kept her face close to Applejack’s own, their lips mere centimeters apart, an expression of relief present across the face of the self proclaimed Queen. “I’m glad you were not hurt… I… I don’t think I could do this without you, Applejack. Thank you, for staying with me, even when everypony else has lost all faith in me… I know I’ve changed, but… but you stayed, even now, after I have done horrible and despicable things...”

If there was ever a moment in her life that Applejack wanted to repeat, it was this. Their relationship had developed into something far more physical over the years, but, it was only recently that Midnight had begun to open herself up again to the concept of loving another pony.

Applejack could only be grateful it was she that had become the subject of Midnight’s affections.

With a hoof still on her cheek, Applejack guided her lips forward, pressing them against Midnight’s own.

The fleeting kiss was broken by a teary Applejack, gazing up into those burning crimson eyes captured her heart over and over again. “We, have done horrible and despicable things, sugar. You are not alone in this and never have been. Nothin’ in this world is gonna take me away from you. Until my last breath, Ah will stand by your side no matter what.”

Applejack’s voice dropped into a gentle whisper. “When ya found me and Rainbow at Zecora’s hut, Ah thought Ah had seen a ghost… Ah thought Ah lost you for good when you teleported us away…” The very memory of it caused Applejack to let slip some tears as she blinked. “Ah will never, ever experience that pain again.”

A bright chuckle came from Midnight as she leaned in close to nuzzle her nose against the other mare’s. “Thank you.”

Applejack returned the gesture with a light chuckle. “What for?”

Midnight stared longingly into Applejack’s eyes. “For making everything complete… when I found you… I was broken. I was lost to my power and… I understood my appearance may have frightened you… but you saw past it. You saw me.”

“How could Ah not recognize you? Sure, Ah was a little taken aback with all the blood covering you an’ all, but, Ah just… knew...”

A momentary flash of regret crossed Midnight’s expression. She glanced away from Applejack as she spoke. “If only Rainbow had felt what you did back then... maybe, just maybe she would be here with us… maybe the other girls, too. We could have fought this war, together, rather than against each other.”

The mere mention of her name caused Applejack’s tone to harden. She had kept her silence while Midnight spoke, but given the opportunity, she released her sharp reply. “She’s a feather brained idiot. Ah don’ care what she thinks about you; or what she believes to be right or wrong. Ah know we’ve done deplorable things and Ah know eventually we will pay for our sins—but, Dash couldn’t see past the surface. She let Luna get inside of her head and let those damned lies screw with her emotions.”

“I don’t blame her, Applejack.” Midnight sighed, closing her eyes as she noted the annoyance growing on Applejack’s brow. “The fabricated evidence against me; the lies upon lies… I don’t blame her at all for what she did. She, all of them, were led astray by a villainous serpent with a silver tongue. It was a perfect setup.”

“Ah can and Ah will blame her.” Applejack, unable to control her anger, narrowed her eyes upon Midnight as if she had wronged her somehow. “Ah despise the very air that traitorous mare breathes because at the end of the day, she betrayed us. Ah don’ forgive such a thing so easily.”

Midnight shook her head, touching Applejack’s cheek. “You don’t mean that, Applejack. I certainly don’t hold any ill will against her because I know once this is all over, she will come to understand her mistake when we show Equestria just who the real monster is here. So, please, Applejack, please don’t say th-”

“Ah meant it.” Applejack halted the approaching hoof with her own by almost slapping it away, her words dripping with a venom that brought an expression of genuine surprise to Midnight. “Every darn word of it! Ah hate her.”

“Applejack, you can’t ruin your friendship with-”

“Friendship?!” Applejack laughed, sarcasm becoming the focal point of her amusement now. “Does a friend doubt another friend like she did?” She glared at Midnight, almost satisfied the alicorn was unable to give her an answer straight away. “Does a friend go off behind ya’ll back and meet up with the enemy that’s tryin’ to kill you?”

“We don’t know for sure that Rainbow-”

“Why are you defending her?!” Applejack snapped, exasperated by Midnight’s response. “She tried to hurt you—she almost killed me!” She pressed the hoof to the scar on her chest. “If Ah hadn’t jumped in front of the sword she would have skewered you and if Ah remember correctly, she was the one that lured Luna and her army to our camp! There was no other pony that could have done so! Ah know very well you could survive a lot of damage in your new form, Twi’, but Ah was not gonna stand idly by and wait for her betrayal! Misguided, or not, she tried to hurt you. She was dead to me the moment she chose to try destroy everythin’ we worked towards.”

Midnight kept her eyes lowered, her head dropping forward in defeat. “You can’t honestly tell me you really believe that? Rainbow Dash is self-centered, brash and a little insensitive at times, but she’s not a murderer. I don’t think she had or ever will have the heart to slaughter anypony. We’ve known for a long time that things are not what they seem. What if Rainbow is being controlled? What if there is more to this than simple betrayal? We just don’t know, Applejack, and jumping to conclusion too quickly without proper investigation will lead us nowhere.”

Applejack stood up, her body trembling as adrenaline pumped her blood to thunder violently against her eardrums. The very idea of Rainbow Dash stirred an oddly comforting bloodlust that had by now become second nature to her.

“Is she, Twi’? Can you say that for certain? Because from where Ah was standing, she tried to kill us under her own full power. Ah thought I knew her once, but Ah sure as hay don’ care none for her so-called loyalty after what she did—and for the record? When Ah see her next? Ah’m gonna return the favour tenfold, mind controlled or not.”

“What do you mean?” Midnight’s growing concern showed clearly through her voice and face.

“Ah know you’re trying to save me; all of us, by taking on all of the sins all by yerself and Ah’m sorry sugar, but Ah’ll make sure as Tartarus that Ah’ll be just as damned as you claim yerself to be when Ah get my hooves around her neck.”

From her lower vantage point on the hay, Midnight merely looked up to Applejack with a shake of her head. “Applejack, please, just listen to yourself… you’re angry; I get that; but, you can’t let it get to you… not like it did to me. I won’t let you condemn herself into a guilt you will regret for the rest of your life… we’ve harmed enough ponies as it is… please don’t add Rainbow Dash to the pile.”

“Ah don’ care.” Emerald eyes blazed its gaze towards her armor on its stand. “Nopony hurts the one Ah love. Nopony… an’ that is the cold, hard truth of the matter.”

“Applejack…”

“Ah’m sorry, Twi’, but when Ah see her come within eyesight of you,” Applejack clenched her teeth, hissing her words, “Ah’ll make sure she regrets it when Ah pierce her heart with my sword.”

_________________________

“Hold her down! Hold her down!” Rarity barked her orders to the other nurses around her, pressing her entire weight down onto the pony lying on its back upon the metal operating table that was quickly darkening with fresh blood. Rarity pushed down with all her might to keep the young mare from reopening the severe abdominal wound they had just finishing stitching closed.

As the mare thrashed violently on the table and the nurses did their best to restrain her, a similar scene played out across the tent. A grim faced Applebloom struggled to contain in her embrace the writhing, twisting white coated mare screaming incomprehensibly through her anguish, a constant stream of thick tears carving its way down her face.

Fortunately for her, Diamond Tiara had barely any strength left, most of it having been spent dragging the very wounded Silver Spoon from the front lines. If it wasn’t for Applebloom who had run into them during the retreat, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon might have been dead by now.

However, something told the young Apple that unlike Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon was not going to be so lucky. Applebloom hadn’t the heart to tell her friend that the wound Silver Spoon had sustained was more than likely fatal. The young mare’s blood was everywhere and, be it for good or ill, Applebloom fed Diamond Tiara the false hope that if they worked together, they could bring Silver Spoon back to camp for the nurses to potentially save her life.

Silver Spoon’s violent thrashing stopped as suddenly as it began, causing the nurses around the mare to step back.

The action alone had stopped Diamond Tiara’s wail, her lower lip quivering as she stared wide eyed towards the group.

“I-Is she okay?” Diamond Tiara squeaked through her tears. “Is she going to be okay?” She tore her gaze to Applebloom, hope growing foolishly behind her eyes. “She’s okay isn’t she, Applebloom?”

“Ah’m…” Applebloom bit at her lower lip, unable to look away from the horrific and silent scene as Rarity glanced back at her with tears in her own eyes. The older mare simply shook her head and turned to the other nurses around her.

“C-can somebody please go get a stretcher, so we can remove the body from the theatre… c-clean up quickly girls, so we can work on the next one.” Rarity’s voice quivered as she finally looked to Diamond Tiara after what seemed like an eternity. “I’m… I’m so sorry... We tried every-”

“N-no!” Diamond Tiara tore from Applebloom, who released her, allowing the mare to gallop forward to the table, pushing the nurses out of her way to lock her terrified wide eyed stare on the blood-gored wound on Silver Spoon’s stomach. “Try… try again!”

Shaking her head, Diamond Tiara slipped up to Silver Spoon’s blood stained face. The dead mare’s glasses barely clung to her face while her once neatly plaited silver hair had become disheveled and stained with the sanguine lifeforce that once coursed through her veins.

“Y-you have to do something!” Diamond Tiara looked to them, desperately, speaking as if Silver Spoon yet had some measure of life in her. “You can’t let her die! She’s still breathing, right? I-I think I can see her chest moving! See?! She’s still alive! She has to be!”

Applebloom shifted her attention to Rarity, rubbing a hoof over her right eye to rid herself of some irritation there. She gave the older mare a look and tilted her head towards the exit, offering a pleading expression that spoke volumes of her intentions.

Rarity sighed, glancing to the other nurses, giving a subtle nod towards the tent’s entrance as she headed that way. “We’ll... give you both a moment.”

Applebloom trotted past them, weaving her way through them as they departed, each one unable to look the young mare in the eye. However, Rarity did and Applebloom gave her a little smile to show her appreciation, even if the smile was fake and almost impossible to conjure.

Diamond Tiara looked back from the peaceful, sleeping face of her friend towards the nurses that were already outside of the tent, suddenly incredulous as to their actions.

“Where are you going? You need to save her!” Diamond Tiara pointed to her fallen friend, her eyes switching to Applebloom as she approached. “They can’t just leave! Silver Spoon is going to die if they don’t do something!”

Applebloom took the unicorn in a strong embrace, whispering her words. “Let it go, Tiara… she’s gone.”

“She’s not gone! She’s still here!” Despair quickly developed into rage at the mere thought of it. The weaker mare pushed against Applebloom, craning her neck to look back at Silver Spoon. “FINE! If you ponies won’t do anything then I’ll save her!”

“She’s dead, Tiara.” Applebloom raised her voice, trying her best not to burst into tears herself. “There’s nothin’ no pony can do… she was too badly hurt and lost too much blood-”

“No! She’s not! Sh-she’s not dead! Let me go—I said Let. me. GO!” Desperate to be free of Applebloom’s vice-like hug, she threw a hoof out and struck the Apple square in the mouth, drawing blood from a small cut that opened up on the bottom lip.

Running her tongue over the throbbing, hot area, Applebloom’s sympathy wavered. As much as she considered both the mares her dearest of friends, she could not stand idly by while she was attacked pointlessly. Every inch of her being told her to act… and her body did just that.

Applebloom struck back, landing a perfect hit to the side of Diamond Tiara’s cheek, flooring her instantly onto the hay covered ground.

Stunned by the blow and from her collision with the floor, Diamond Tiara gawked up at Applebloom, frozen to the spot.

“Ah’m sorry… Ah… Ah know, it’s hard to believe… but…” Applebloom could taste her own blood. She spat on the ground just beside her hooves before she continued. “Silver Spoon is dead, Tiara… there’s nothin’ we can do about it except mourn her… Ah wish there was something we could do, but Ah… Ah’m sorry… we can’t bring back the dead.”

Applebloom’s heart broke at the thought of being so helpless, incapable of saving even a single friend. Even worse was her empathy for Diamond Tiara, who treated Silver Spoon like the sister she never had. They were inseparable since fillyhood; sure, they had their fair share of arguments, but then again what family didn’t from time to time?

Crawling from the ground, Diamond Tiara slowly hoisted herself up onto her hooves, nursing her throbbing cheek as she hesitantly approached Silver Spoon’s still form.

“H-hey,” Diamond Tiara’s lips curled into a smile as she gently shook Silver Spoon’s shoulder, “wake up… Spoon? Come on, you can’t l-leave me like this. What am I going… what am I to do without you?” Tears grew anew in her eyes as her face contorted into despair, her sobs coming quick and fast.

Applebloom looked away, clenching her eyes and mouth shut in a poor attempt to restrain her own.

Curling her forelegs under Silver Spoon’s head, she lifted her face towards her chest, cradling her friend close. “I’ll never tease you again… I’ll never poke fun at how you snore in your sleep...I’ll never do anything wrong to you e-ever again if you just, please… please, open your eyes… Spoon? Oh, don’t… don’t do this to me… to us… wake up… please...”

Applebloom cleared her throat, her body quaking.

Diamond Tiara held onto her friend for dear life, rocking a little as if trying to soothe her. “How could this happen?” She whispered as she finally focused her haunted gaze, turning towards Applebloom. “I never… I never got the chance to… to say… to say how much she means to me and… and I… I always thought we’d be together… grow old and… and...”

Running a hoof over her face to wipe away the tears, Applebloom turned away from Diamond Tiara, unable to look her in the eyes. After a moment of silent contemplation, she steeled her teary gaze back at the mare, her voice as hollow as her heart felt.

“Ah’m so, so sorry, Tiara...”

“W-why her? Just… just why? She only joined up because I wanted to...” Diamond Tiara clutched Silver Spoon tighter. “Th-this is all my fault… if I hadn’t joined then maybe none of this would have happened.”

Applebloom stepped forward, shaking her head. “No, Tiara, it’s not your fault. It was them… the enemy… Midnight Sparkle.”

“What… do I do?” Diamond Tiara pushed her face into Silver Spoon’s mane, clenching her eyes shut as the stench of blood filled her senses. “H-how do I make this pain go away?”

“Ah… Ah don’t know, Tiara...” Applebloom sucked in a deep breath, attempting to push aside her sadness in favor of another emotion.

Rage.

“But Ah know what we can do to make sure she rests peacefully.”

Diamond Tiara looked up.

“We kill every last one of them stinkin’ griffins,” Applebloom narrowed her eyes to a spot above Diamond Tiara’s head, “and make ‘em suffer.”

Author's Note

A pretty insanely intense chapter but expect that early on since you are going to discover the accumulation of seven years of war in the opening chapters.

I cried over Tiara and Spoon and that is only because I fed a lot of personal fears into that part so I hope the emotion translated well to you guys.

So, how do you feel about the story swinging between Applebloom and Applejack? Because that is where the story is going and granted, each chapter won't depict such a split. We're focusing on Applebloom for about two chapters, maybe three, depends how I feel and how big I want the chapters to be.

So, how much do you guys hate me for killing more ponies off? Its the end of DSM1 all over again huh?

Like, hate, flame, thumbs up, thumbs down it's all good! But drop a comment off, I do like reading your negative and positive thoughts AND, if you did like this shit, hit the thumbs button.

Dead Sea

Dead Sea

Encased in her menacing black armor, though choosing to have her helmet removed for this endeavor, Applejack walked between the ruined tents of the Equestrian encampment with an evident scowl upon her face, her eyes ablaze with a deep rooted disgust that was noted by those that had set up a small perimeter around her.

When had it become normal when Ah would feel more comfortable in my armor, than out of it? But then again, Ah can’t remember much of the past any more… too much to think about, now… surviving… being with Twilight…

Ah can’t quite tell if this is a dream or a nightmare… Ah don’t think Ah can tell the difference anymore.

Flanked either side by two of her personal guards with the newly dubbed Captain on her flank and yet another soldier taking point some meters away, every single one of them bore their crossbows up; ready for anything as they so brazenly strolled into the abandoned camp as if they had owned it.

As they passed every tent, the soldiers around her poked their crossbows between the flaps, checking to make sure that their occupants had indeed departed; and given the disarray and state to which it was in, it seemed that they left in quite the hurry.

Ah hate to say it, but maybe Twilight was wrong? Ah can’t see anything out of the ordinary here.

The campfires that were dotted around the area was still bearing signs of life; the ashen clumps at their centers still smouldering and releasing just enough of a trail of smoke to be just about visible to the naked eye. Large cast iron cauldrons hung above just some of these pits, and all of the insides were caked with the boiled down contents of an evaporated stew, which had long since burnt into a foul and sticky, charred clump.

As the group moves through the ranks of tents, they soon realized that not every tent was empty. There was one or two that housed a single corpse, with their causes of death all being eerily similar and violent in pattern.

Not that there was much left of them to even discern a pattern… Maybe Twi’ was right… Somepony else is definitely here and, Ah have a feeling they ain’t alive, neither.

Innards were torn out and limbs were gnawed to the bone; every single dead pony was unrecognisable as nothing more than a gorey feast to whatever animal had fed upon them.

Even though they were now mortal enemies, the griffins could not help but feel something for the ponies that were so brutally murdered. As the majority in the group kept their mouths shut, one griffin quite couldn’t contain himself.

“This is… horrible…” Whispered one of the guards as he quickly turned away from a tent he had just inspected, holding a claw to his beak as he restrained the bile from rising up into his throat. “How did this happen? It’s like something just… ripped them apart...”

“Keep your eyes open and stay in formation!” Katan reprimanded with a glance towards the straggler.

Quickly the soldier picked up the pace to return to his original position, though, looking that little bit more unnerved by the situation they found themselves in.

In truth, the Captain himself had some questions about that.

As far as he knew all the reanimated were currently in their possession back at camp. They never strayed too far from the Queen; like stalwart and undead protectors.

Every living soul back at their camp found such a sight just a little bit unnerving. Especially when their own troops counted amongst the ranks of the walking dead. Katan had seen several of his friends rotting amongst the horde, standing vigilant even in death.

Katan was not quite sure what to make of it. But he knew; they all knew that sacrifices were needed to be made so that they could once again live peaceful lives. Even if it meant becoming one of them to continue the good fight against the corrupt Princesses of Equestria and their iron-hoofed tyranny.

Picking up the pace pace as he approached Applejack with his crossbow lowered, Katan cleared his throat as he broke the eerie ensemble of the wind rustling the tents. “Excuse me, General...”

“What is it, Captain?” Applejack replied monotonously, her eyes roaming around for any signs of life.

“I’m sorry, but I was under the assumption that we were here to scout out the area to see if the enemy force were still holding up here, not to search it…” Katan winced when Applejack’s gaze shot to him. “Besides… I feel it might be a bit dangerous if my assumption of what occurred here is correct. I think it might be best if we head on back now before the enemy’s aerial units spot us and come to investigate. They may have abandoned this camp, but you can never be too careful. If they were to capture you or worse, General, our whole rebellion will crumble to dust.”

“An’ what exactly is it that ya’ll assuming, hm?” Applejack responded with a little grin. “Looks like to me tha’ somepony threw a party and didn’ go an’ invite us along for the ride. Besides, Ah think ya’ll do just fine without me. Ah’m just one pony, after all. An army is made up of individuals, not just one.”

Katan felt his words melt from his mouth as he drank in his General’s grin.

Every single griffin knew that when it came to an overwhelming wealth of kindness and self-sacrifice, it was almost always Applejack that came to their mind. Through thick and thin she fought hard for them; she was dependable, loyal and quite frankly, a nice mare. She played with the children and often would teach them certain life skills to survive in the wilderness and even had the capacity to console those who had lost their loved ones.

It was all agreed that perhaps, Applejack, was the most kindest of ponies that they had ever met.

But then, when it came to the treatment of her own kind; whenever she placed her armor on and entered a battle against the Equestrian forces… there was nothing of that pony they knew that existed. It was as if Applejack possessed some kind of mental switch that existed deep inside of her, allowing her to switch her emotions on and off whenever it suited her best.

Regardless of what they thought of her, she was a broken and battered shell forged into a heartless, cold-blooded killer. She had little sympathy for other ponies; she would sooner dispatch them with a brutal efficiency and grim determination than to spare their lives.

Mare, stallion… colt… it did not matter to her. As long as they all ended up six feet beneath her hooves.

There was no denying it. Applejack was a fine soldier and it was no secret that she was Queen Midnight Sparkle’s confidant in many things, both political and personal. They were both, two very dear friends lost upon a slippery slope of blood and bone.

But friends don’t do the things they do, do they?

Every griffin knew that they were a pair seemingly destined to fly or to fall together. They were joined at the hip in public; rarely was one seen without the other.

They all could see it. Every single one of them knew the love they shared was real.

“Do Ah have somethin’ on my face, Captain?” Applejack chuckled. “Ya’ll just staring at me like you're in some sort of trance.”

Shaking his head, Katan bowed his head a little. “Sorry, Sir, I was… please do not say that about yourself, General.”

“Say what now?”

“You. If it was not for you, we would be lost. Without your heroism and victories on the field of battle, I don’t think we could have gotten as far as we have. You give us courage, General. Your mere presence is enough to make us feel we can take on the Equestrians and win.” He decided to change the subject. The last thing he wanted to do was to get into an argument with her over something as silly as disagreeing her worth to their cause. “To answer your question, though, it is clear to me that the undead was here and is more than likely responsible for this massacre.”

“Ah concur, Captain. Th’ savagery of the undead and the state of the victims as Ah witnessed them upon the battlefield yesturday is similar to what we are seein’ here.”

“It’s strange though…” Katan remarked, watching Applejack’s face closely. “By the looks of it, this camp had about a hundred or so troops stationed here, by my estimation. I very much doubt even a good handful of the dead could cause such a strength of Equestrian numbers to route.”

“Tha’ is exactly why we are here, Captain.” Applejack stopped, turning to fully face Katan and to address the rest of the squadron. “Ah’ve kept quiet about the mission long enough. We are not here just to scout the enemy encampment for intel that they may had left behind during their evacuation from this area. While tha’ part has some truth to it, the real reason is because our Queen sensed somethin’ odd about this place. Something is here.”

“Odd?” Said one of the guards, looking around now nervously. “There’s plenty enough odd with it… I can’t imagine anything more odder than an abandoned enemy camp full of dead bodies that we have no idea what happened to…”

Applejack glared the griffin down, her tone borderline menacing. “I wasn’t finished...”

“S-sorry, General.”

Katan rolled his eyes and gave the private a long glance before nodding his head back to Applejack. “Continue, I apologize for his rudeness. We’re all just a little bit on edge standing in the enemy’s bedroom.”

“It’s alright… it’s fine to be nervous. Ah honestly don’ mind if any of you speak ya’ll minds in front of me… infact, Ah welcome it.” Taking a couple of steps forward, Applejack cast her eyes around the tents again, remaining vigilant despite her oncoming explanation of the mission.

“Our Queen suspects tha’ one of the undead has gone… Ah suppose you could say, ‘rogue?’ From what Ah understand of th’ explanation she gave me, it shouldn’t ought to happen… at all. It’s supposed to return home like the rest of ‘em like some kind of homing pigeon. Considerin’ how it has not been exposed to the Queen’s presence, it should had jus’ stopped moving several hours ago…”

The third bodyguard who had been silent the entire time now spoke, clearly confused. “Wait a minute… if that is true then it should be pretty darn easy to find it... but we have yet to find its body… it has been almost a day since the battle, so, wouldn’t it be technically ‘dead’ again already? Are we just looking for a body, or…?”

“From what Midnight suspects, we’re lookin’ for a very confused and lost walking corpse, an’ nothin’ more.”

Katan nodded slowly. “This should be easy then. What are our orders? Are we to take it out?”

“All we need to do Captain is to find it, capture it, an’ take it back so that Midnight can find out the cause of its odd wanderings. It ought to peacefully listen to any of ya’ll orders like the others, but, if it doesn’ an’ it becomes violent for whatever reason, then Ah authorize you to use your weapons. Of course, since it is already dead, it doesn’ need to be in one piece for Midnight, however? Please, if it does come to that, try not to shoot it in th’ head or damage the corpse too heavily.” Applejack intoned her next statement as a dangerous warning. “We sure as hay do not want to anger the Queen by returning empty hoofed, is tha’ understood?”

“Yes, Sir.” Saluting, Katan turned to the other soldiers. “You heard the General—fan out and find this thing. Signal the moment you have eyes on it. Do not approach it alone; as the General mentioned we do not know what this ‘abnormal’ will do upon noticing us. Posse out.”

Applejack lifted a brow at Katan, looking upon him incredulously. “Posse out? Ah’m gonna pretend Ah didn’t hear that.”

Katan flexed his wings as he took to hovering a few inches off of the ground, looking back to the General. “Well I thought it sounded pretty cool…”

Applejack cracked a smile as she took off walking in no particular direction, shaking her head. “Sure thing, Dash…”

“Um… I’m sorry, Sir, who?”

Pausing mid step, Applejack mentally cursed herself as she looked back towards Katan. “Nothing. Just… you sounded like somepony I used to know.”

______________________

Midnight’s personal quarters was more like a well constructed straw hut than the tents that Applejack and her army take residence in. Although she had just about the same amenities as the rest of her subjects, Midnight had very little in her room to show off her status as their exalted leader and Queen.

However, one particular feature at the center of the room, was a large black cauldron and inside of it, full to the brim and threatening to overflow onto the straw covered ground was a vat of black liquid; almost resembling oil, though with a far shinier and viscous quality to its surface and it was before this cauldron, did the dark alicorn stood, gazing down solemnly into the murky depths.

“I hope she is alright…” Midnight murmured. “I should had sent a larger force with her.”

It was often whenever Applejack had to go away, Midnight’s mood would deflate and a certain kind of paranoia would settle in.

“But then… that would had left us defenseless against any surprise attacks… Urgh! Stop over thinking this, Twilight. You’re just going to work yourself up into a worry over nothing...”

Lifting up a hoof, Midnight gestured just so above the cauldron’s contents, her horn aglow with dark energies that quickly enveloped the pot, shifting the surface’s reflective surface into a transparent gloss, allowing her to summon a birdseye view of the abandoned encampment to which she viewed with an intense, crimson eyed stare.

“There you are…”

She smiled upon seeing the tiny figures moving amongst the tents below, seemingly in quite the wide breadth from the other. A typical search pattern, Midnight had surmised after viewing their meanderings for some time.

“Perhaps they won’t find anything, after all.”

Midnight was not quite sure what it was they were going to find there. She had her theories, of course, but she had nothing solid of which to clearly lean on.

Every inch of her gut told her that it was a blip on her magical radar, but then, if it was not for scrying of the area much like what she was doing now, and what she had witnessed during that happenstance of a session, Midnight might had missed it.

The first time she had observed the area, the soldiers of the Equestrian camp were quickly on their way in a sudden retreat, to which she conjectured was due to their crushing defeat at the hoofs and claws of her army of the dead. They were rapidly relocating further into Equestrian soil; more than likely to regroup and resupply, in a much safer area.

This movement of force, however, was not uncommon.

Such a thing was a commonplace warfare tactic for the Equestrians. They had been trying to make their detection closer to her territory an annoyance for Midnight and her army by leaving erected decoy camps all over the countryside, frequently boobytrapping them in the vain hopes that Midnight’s scouts would go up in a fiery blaze of detonated firebombs upon further inspection.

Unfortunately for them, Midnight was not that stupid.

They had no idea she had been watching them from above, magically, from the very moment this war had started… but that did not stop her from tripping every trap. She wanted them to believe they had the upper hoof in this.

“Pft. Do they honestly think I would be that disorganized? The foals.”

She spun her own web of lies, much like Luna had done her own, and lured them all into the most perfected of traps.

However, in this instance, as the main bulk of the troops left the encampment, something strange had occurred to the remaining soldiers tasked with rigging up the traps. As Midnight watched in perplexed wonderment, one by one, they were dragged into tents and individually taken out covertly as if by some assassin that she most certainly did not employ. The theme of stealth-kills continued for at least an hour until one pony seemingly raised the alarm… and that was when all hell broke loose.

Something quick and agile; pony shaped, that much Midnight could work out, was moving amongst the ranks like a creature possessed. Soldiers were thrown around like ragdolls and others torn apart just as easily.

It took a full five minutes for a remaining count of nigh on one hundred soldiers to all become silent, and to top it all off, Midnight could had sworn she had seen the thing get shot and stabbed several times by the defenders, causing her to deduce that indirectly, her reanimation magic may have had a play in the creation of such a monstrosity.

Blinking out of her reminiscence, Midnight drew her attention back to the pool, her eyes growing concerned as she watched Applejack and her soldiers filter deeper into the camp.

“Wait…” Midnight leaned forward, drawing her muzzle closer to the substance. “I thought there was five of them...”

______________________

A horrendous scream caused Applejack to exit a tent she had suspected to belong to an officer with her sword drawn and clenched tightly between her teeth. Swinging her gaze around, Applejack was soon met with a body crashing and tumbling into a tent nearby with an almighty wet slap.

“Hold on!”

Rushing over as quickly as she could to the griffin, Applejack slowed her pace upon realizing that there was little point in attempting to save his life.

The snarky griffin, who she had just reprimanded, had been torn into two; with his lower half having landed somewhere else out of sight.

Whatever had happened to him, it must have happened quickly.

For he was still just about clinging to life.

With cold eyes, Applejack stared silently as the griffin wept and attempted to scoop his innards back into his body with two broken arms.

“H-help, m-me…” He looked up at her with pleading, bloodshot eyes, a red foam bubbling from his broken beak as he spoke.

Another terrified screech and the wail of a crossbolt cutting through the air drew Applejack’s attention back to the situation at hoof.

Ah don’ have time for this.

“G-General… aghhck… h-help—”

Applejack moved on past the griffin, but not before sailing her wickedly crafted blade through his neck with a swing of her neck, removing his head clean from the rest of his body as if his neck was made of butter.

“Dismissed.”

Author's Note

Like, flame, hate, eat my brains, whatever it is you do it's good.

Time To Say Goodbye

Prologue: Time To Say Goodbye

The frontline unicorns of the Royal Guard pushed forward relentlessly across the muddy plain. Their shielding magic formed an immense bubble that shimmered across their legion, deflecting the endless waves of flaming arrows and blocking the volcanic explosions and smothering flames of the impacting immolating catapult shot.

Behind the unicorns, the earth and pegasus ponies held spears between each rank, stabbing the hearts of injured and dying griffins lying beneath their advancing hooves, mercilessly snuffing out their lives with precise thrusts.

Blood stained their hooves and dulled the once brilliant glimmer of their golden armor, but no gore could match the once vibrant, kind eyes of the pony-folk long turned weary, dull and numb to the horrors by years of war.

Applebloom’s eyes were no different. As a part of the second line, her spear had silenced the terrible shriek of a dying young griffin, barely old enough to fit in his tanned leather armor. The spear’s vicious barbed tip easily penetrating the meagre protective covering and tearing his heart asunder with a twist of the shaft.

With a jerk of her head, she pulled back the blood-coated weapon and a few stray of droplets covered her muzzle. Her clenched teeth bit so hard into the leather strapping they had begun to leave an indention.

With her long, dirty mane clinging to her neck, she drew up her eyes as she swiped a hoof up to knock her helm off her head. It was a cumbersome and annoying trinket she never really understood. Sure, it protected her head, but it helped little when there was an ever-present floating barrier lingering above them all.

It was redundant and unrequired for a battle such as this… if she could call this elaborate slaughterhouse such a thing.

The enemy was outgunned, outnumbered, outmaneuvered… there was nothing to stop the inevitable destruction of the dwindling griffin race. They were a cancer. One that Applebloom had sworn to cut out of this world for her family… for Equestria… for the fallen Princess and most importantly for redemption…

To prove herself worthy. To show all those in her squad she was not cut from the same traitorous cloth.

Stepping over a corpse, Applebloom’s hoof landed in a pool of blood, her eyes going over the flanks of those in front of her and towards the retreating line of griffins. The griffins had spilt from the forest like a sea of flying rats, and now those rats were forced further and further back towards the woodlands from which they emerged.
She grinned as the sound of a familiar bugle echoed overhead, and with a dazzling glimmer of energy, the shield dropped.

They had won many a battle against the rebel cell using the same tactic: advance with their defenses held high, whittling down the enemy until they were at half strength or until the moment the rear guard had successfully flanked them.

For Applebloom, it was the former she most enjoyed; a pincer maneuver never gave her the same satisfaction. The enemy were slaughtered far too easily… not allowing Applebloom to fully appreciate the bloodlust and to lose herself in the maddening maelstrom of the justifiable gore.

The Equestrian forces rushed forward and it was Applebloom in front, springing past the defensive line the very moment their shields even displayed a glimmer of deactivating. With her spear gripped between bared teeth and her hooves beating hard against the ground, she galloped on towards the fleeing rabble.

Just out of the corner of her eye, she could see quick bolts of colour zipping overhead; the Wonderbolts, their superior air division, dropped glass balls of concentrated magical energy ahead of her, deep within the black mass of the griffin ranks. Death rained from above as liquid fire erupted from the shells upon impact, incinerating those at ground zero and lighting many more aflame to meet a far more gruesome fate.

I never thought I’d get used to the smell...

It was almost laughable to call the rebels a broken unit, for in Applebloom’s eyes they were never a group to begin with. A far cry from Equestria’s own organized war machine.

The very moment the Wonderbolts had dropped their payload, many of the griffins took to the skies. It was at this moment that Applebloom slung back her head and then flung her body forward, throwing her spear to catch a still grounded griffin in the back of the head before he could take off. Other griffins shared a similar fate as unicorns unleashed a torrent of elemental attacks and earth ponies hurled their spears, peppering the already scattered army with further death.

Applebloom had no need for her spear. She charged forward, rearing up to smash a griffin in the face as it turned to bring up its crossbow towards her. Her buck floored the griffin immediately and she disabled its weapon by stamping down hard upon it.

The female griffin’s bloodied, broken face looked up at Applebloom’s snarling visage; she brought up her talons to shield herself as the pony reared back.

“To Tartarus with you!” And with that, Applebloom stomped down upon the griffin’s neck, snapping it with a resounding and satisfying crack.

Spitting down on the twitching corpse, Applebloom paused to appreciate the roar of other Equestrians victoriously trampling the enemy. Many griffins could not escape into the air in time to avoid the stampede, but the suffering screams were drowned out by the cheer that Applebloom herself joined in, raising a bloodied hoof above her head.

Just another victory for—

Applebloom yelped as she tore her eyes down to the broken, bloodied talon curled tight about her neck, the sharp claw biting into the flesh and drawing blood to flow down her coat.

Wide eyed and terrified, Applebloom watched in horror as the griffin female that she dispatched slowly but surely stood up before her, its broken neck lolling to one side as its dead eyes burrowed deep into Applebloom’s own.

W-what in—?!

Fearful, Applebloom began to slam her forehooves down onto the wrist of the talon that gripped her neck, frantically pummelling it until she could feel the bone shatter and relax enough that she could safely tear the broken limb from her neck.

Stumbling back, Applebloom bumped into a screaming pony she did not recognise, trying his best to fight off two griffin creatures that had torn into his belly and had begun to feast upon his innards.

Applebloom shrieked, turning tail and bolting through the battle that ought to have been an easy victory for Equestria… but now? It was they that were fleeing… and Applebloom wasn’t sure she wanted to know exactly what it was they were running from.

______________________

Serpentine red eyes gazed across the plain of the shambling dead, the tall alicorn shape adorned in a black cloak took long strides across the muddy ground, the sea of fresh walking corpses parting to allow the imposing figure through the deep ranks until it met with no man’s land.

Standing at the head of the army of the dead, the alicorn raised its muzzle just enough to allow the hood to pull back and reveal the face of the ‘Betrayer’ herself.

Midnight remained silent as she watched the retreating lights of the Equestrian army pull back beyond the darkened horizon, her expression neither elated nor displeased at the sight, despite the overwhelming victory for her rising rebellion.

Or, rather, that is what they liked to call her subjects and fledgling kingdom.

“Midnight?” Came the concerned and comforting voice of a pony she barely heard approach.
Although she did not ignore her, the alicorn remained quiet for the most part, choosing not to respond while her thoughts focused on the fact that the object of her revenge could just be beyond that very hill.

I can sense you and I know you can sense me, too. Come out, you coward… come out and face me… or do I have to come to you, on your terms?

But Midnight knew chasing them now would stack the odds against her. She had dealt them a blow that was crippling on so many levels, guided them all into a situation of her choosing…

Pretending to lose and hiding our true fangs for so long was beginning to grow tiresome. It is about time they understood just what it is they are dealing with.

“The numbers?” Midnight finally spoke, her head turning to the right just enough to glance a serpentine, crimson eye back at the armor-clad earth pony.

“Ah haven’t got exact numbers, but Ah estimate we lost jus’ over half of the griffin troops, as expected, but… Ah can’t begin to imagine how much we gained… if we take into account our own casualties including Equestria’s—”

“I don’t work off of estimates; you know that more than anypony.”

Applejack dipped her head. “Ah’ll make sure everything is properly tallied to ya exacting specifications…” Taking a few steps forward, she turned her armored head up to try and glimpse the face of the hooded alicorn. “Midnight?”

It was forever absent of emotion, as usual. Much had changed her. But then, much had changed between them. Each of their once peaceful and straightforward lives was forever turned up on its head, never to be the same again.

When there was no response, save the unending haunting stare, the black armored pony shook her head. “Twi’, please, don’t do this silent treatment stuff to me now… Ah knew what was going to happen when this war started, but this… this is… isn’ this going a little too far?”

Midnight turned on the spot to fully face the smaller pony, her face softening a touch. “No, Applejack. This is not nearly far enough.” She glanced towards the darkened horizon, glaring. “This is nothing compared to what I have planned.”

Lowering her head, Applejack nodded. “Ah understand. Ah’ll be right here beside you no matter what. Luna will pay for what she did to us and everypony. She will get what she deserves; Ah promise you that… but this? This is… it’s almost evil… Ah’m not sure I can agree with this method. We threw away lives just for what? A trap?”

“A perfectly orchestrated trap," Midnight corrected, "and is it, Applejack? Is this evil when we are doing what we can to survive while trying to overthrow a tyrant that has quite literally brainwashed everypony into thinking she is as benevolent and caring as Celestia used to be? When in fact she was the mastermind behind her assassination and the subsequent framing of my once good reputation as a Princess? She ruined all of our lives.”

“Ah wasn’t implying we were wrong, sugar. She will answer to justice and that Ah swear on my life. But surely there has to be another way? Ah feel we’re the villains in this.”

“No. We’re not. There is no other way to go about this. We have fought for far too many years to get to where we are now so mark my words, Applejack. She will bow to all of us as the true villain. Her trial will be sweet and her execution… all the more satisfying when we march upon Canterlot and take it back from her.” Midnight’s tone fell into a dark whisper. “I will display her head before Celestia’s grave so that her soul can finally rest in peace.”

As her lips curled into a toothy smirk, Midnight turned about to trot towards the ranks of the groaning dead. “I will see you tonight, Applejack. Don’t be too late.”

The black armoured pony remained still, letting Midnight’s words sink in fully as she watched the alicorn disappear within the sea of walking corpses.

Ah promise you, Twi’... on the graves of our friends, Ah promise you she will pay. For all of us. For Fluttershy… for Rainbow Dash… for everyone she has ever lied too and manipulated… and for what she has done to you.

Plodding after Midnight, Applejack paused as she noted a prone figure dragging its body out from the ranks some distance to her right, heading in the direction the Equestrian army had retreated.

Applejack swung her hoofsteps towards the figure, turning her head so she could bite at the hilt of a sword sheathed on her right hip, drawing the dark, glowing runed blade from its scabbard up into the air before her.

Despite what it is we do… Ah still cannot condone the death of a pony… but… but for Twi’, even if Ah have to slaughter thousands… Ah’ll do it. Ah can’t turn back now… there is nothing left for me but her. My hooves are too stained with blood.

She is my truth.

Approaching the fallen Equestrian guard, she could see it was torn in half and dragging not only its upper half but its entrails along with it. Applejack plunged her blade into the back of the helmeted soldier’s head without a second thought, causing the undead creature to seize up and finally accept true death.

Ah’m sorry… this is all Ah can do for you. Celestia rest your soul.

Ripping out the blade from the pony’s skull, Applejack wiped the blood off on the dead pony’s orange fur before sheathing it, allowing herself a moment to inspect the pony’s bloodied face.

She looks familiar.

Applejack removed the helm, only to immediately drop it from the sudden shock.

“It can’t be...” Applejack shook her head as she took several retreating steps back, eyes locked upon the guard.

Not you too...

Applejack trembled as she fell down onto her haunches, her hooves scrambling up to tear off her own helm and toss it aside, allowing her long unkempt, unrestrained blonde mane to fall to her shoulders. She suddenly felt very sick.

She felt numb to the core; disgusted beyond physical measure as she stared at the motionless, ruined corpse of Scootaloo gazing blankly ahead.

Retching, Applejack pressed an armored hoof firmly to her lips, trying to keep the contents of her stomach down.

Applejack lifted her head up towards the army she commanded, realizing for the first time that amongst the griffin corpses, Equestrians had also reanimated as well, all of them feasting upon the gore of the dead that were too damaged to rise again.

Other ponies she once knew, could very well be amongst the ranks.

Applejack’s heart sank as she slowly stood to all fours, her panic increasing as her eyes returned to Scootaloo, sweat lining her brow.

“Applebloom… Big Mac...” Applejack whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. “Sweetie Belle… Celestia no… no, please, don’ be here… ya’ll can’t be here.” She shook her head. “Ya’ll can’t be mixed up in this.”

With a sudden turn, Applejack barked her orders sternly, hiding the desperation in her request. “You!” Applejack pointed a hoof to a black and white feathered griffin with a particular grey patch surrounding his right eye some distance away. He had just finished dispatching a pony so his claws were dripping with fresh, warm blood.

“Yes, Sir!” He replied with a salute, pressing his fist against his chest as he moved forward to conduct himself to proper attention before his commander.

Applejack couldn’t help but glare at him, ignoring the literal blood on his claws. She could not judge, however, for she was the same as he. Stained forevermore as a murderer. The knot in her heart merely tightened at such a concept. “Find me Captain Skorfeld. Ah want a head count on our surviving soldiers.. an’ while ya at it, tell him Ah want the undead Equestrians rounded up for inspection.” Her face grew grim as she spoke her next words slowly. “Ah want to see to the task m’self.”

“Of course, Sir, but…” The griffin shifted uncomfortably on the spot as he lowered his head.

“You haven’t been informed of the Captain’s--uh, condition?”

Applejack looked at him quizzically from the corner of her eye as she wandered over to her discarded helm, placing it back onto her head. “Condition, soldier?”

“The Captain, he… he didn’t make it, Sir. One of the Equestrian firebombs struck him and his squad as soon as the enemy started dropping them.”

“Ah take it he is dead?” Applejack intoned emotionlessly as she turned to him fully.

“W-we couldn’t find enough of him to confirm that, Sir...”

“That’s fine,” Applejack held up an armored hoof to silence him. “What’s ya name?”

“Katan, Sir.”

“Rank?” Applejack demanded firmly.

“Private, First Class, Sir...” Katan gave a subtle nod of his head. "I served with you at the evacuation of Griffinstone."

Applejack felt her lips curl into a sad smile. "Ah'm glad you survived that battle, Katan..." Applejack then lifted a brow as his name rolled off her tongue. “You have a strange name for a griffin.” She offered him a smile at his evident embarrassment at the statement. “Anyhow, a congratulations is in order, Captain Katan, on your sudden promotion.”

Katan was more than stunned by the declaration. “Th-thank you, Sir!”

“Ah hope ya fare better than th’ previous one; now, go an’ carry out those orders an’ be quick about it. You should know as well as Ah do that Queen Midnight doesn’ tolerate tardiness. ”

As the newly promoted officer wandered off to complete his tasks, Applejack hesitantly took her weary eyes back to Scootaloo, tears forming in the corners as she grit her teeth and restrained her emotions.

How could you, Rainbow Dash? How could you let her enlist?

Author's Note

*Breathes a sigh* Well, that was fun to write for and I have to say some of you are probably shocked this has suddenly become an AJ/TwiJack fic, but, well, allow me to ease a lot of you TwiLestia fans that, that ship has definitely not sailed yet.

Where's that Chrysalis and Trixie pairing you talked about, I hear you people cry... well. That's going to be a standalone one-off fic that will tie in with this one, which is currently being made. So look out for that one.

Questions? Concerns? Comments? Hate, flame, likes, upvotes, down votes?! It's all good.