Chapter One - Apple Beats Rock
Maud Pie watched the snow-covered rock fields as the train rushed towards her rock farm. The gray mare has been away for a while, in a research trip for rock science, and she was happy to finally getting home. And by happy I mean she had the same expression she always had on her face.
"We're almost there, Boulder," she said to her pet rock, who was excitedly standing still at her side. "Careful, or you will fall from the bench."
The two of them kept staring at the view, until the train finally stopped. Maud picked up her baggage and left to the train station – a rock building, also covered in snow. She walked through the dirt patch to her farm, passing through a small hill until the path started to go down to her home.
But when Maud reached the apex of the hill, she saw something strange. Were her eyes deceiving her, or that was Big Mac straped to a cart, standing in front of her house?
Maud walked (slowly) until she was near the stallion. "Hi. You are Applebloom's brother, aren't you."
"Eeyup," Big Mac replied.
"What are you doing here."
Before Big Mac could answer, Maud saw the door of her house being opened. Her father and mother were walking outside, and she went forward to hug them.
"Hi, father. I'm ba--"
When Maud's parents left the house, she saw Granny Smith forcing them forwards, with a shotgun pressed against the Pies' heads, and behind her, Applejack was pulling Maud's sisters – Limestone, Pinkie and Marble. They were all tied up and gagged, but Maud could see the surprise in her sisters' eyes when they saw her.
Applejack noticed their looks too. "Hi, Maud Pie! Ah'm glad to see you're back from your trip!" she said, opening a honest smile despite what she was doing.
Maud took a step forward. "What are you doing, Applejack. I thought you were Pinkie's friend."
"Well, ah'm sorry for that Maud, but ah need the Pies for some serious business at mah farm. You should come too, if you want to save them," said the orange mare, grinning.
Maud replied with a full-speed charge in Applejack's direction, but she stopped midway when she saw Granny Smith unlocking the shotgun's trigger. "I wouldn' do that if I were you, filly."
Maud opened her mouth to reply, but then, somepony put a black sack around her head and she couldn't do anything.
"Ah got her, Applejack!" said the voice of a filly who was holding the sack around Maud's head.
Maud recognized the voice. "Applebloom?"
"Hi Maud!" she said. "How are you doing?"
But then, the gray mare rolled forwards on the ground, sending Applebloom – and the sack – flying away. When Maud looked around, she saw that her family had already been put into Big Mac's cart and the Apples were ready to flee.
"No," said Maud, running towards the cart. Applejack rushed from the opposite direction, holding her lasso in the mouth. With a quick movement of her head, she flew the lasso through the air. The rope wrapped itself around Maud Pie, and when Applejack spun her body around, she sent Maud flying and crashing against Holder's Boulder. There was a stiffened scream of anger from Limestone Pie, who was gagged up and tied in the cart.
"Well, that's it then," said Applejack, trotting towards Maud, who was still recovering from the impact. She and Applejack looked into each other's eyes. "Ah'll be waiting for you at Sweet Apple Acres."
"I will not let you--"
But Maud was interrupted by Applejack's hooves when she kicked Maud's head with all her might, making the elder Pie sister blacks out.
***
The noise of crickets and the occasional frog were the first sounds that reached Maud's ears when she woke up. Her head was throbbing, and her body was still aching a little. She felt the cold snow around her body, and when she oppened her eyes, she saw that the night has fallen. Boulder was standing on the ground, in front of her.
"Don't look at me like that, Boulder. I did what I could."
Boulder stood there, ummovable.
Maud nodded at her pet. "You're right. I can't waste time. Our family needs us." She got herself up, and looked at Boulder, who was now standing in a worried manner. "Don't worry, I can save them," she walked forwards. Boulder did not follow, and instead, he stood in direction at the giant Holder's Boulder.
Maud looked at the big rock. "You're saying that there's an item which will help me to save my family, hidden below Holder's Boulder. What is it?"
Her pet rock did nothing, but Maud understood what she should do. She pressed her hoves against the rock and pushed it to the side, which took all her strength – but after some moments, she did it. And she found the item hidden below the boulder.
A katana. A long, slightly curved blade, was pressed against the wet dirt. The weapon was dirty, of course, but it still looked new. Maud held the weapon in her hooves and waved it on the air, making the dirt go away from the blade. "What is it," she asked.
Boulder told her that this katana was the legendary weapon that Holder Cobblestone used to fight the dragons in which he found Holder's Boulder. When he settled in this farm, he decided to not kill any more draggons, and hid the blade below the boulder. But now, with his descendants' lives hanging in the balance, time has come to a Holder's Blade be wielded again.
Maud nodded in agreement. She stood in her hind legs – which wasn't too difficult, as it was the same position she used to ice skiing – and praticed some blows in the air. The blade slashed through the air with an audible sharpness, shimmering in the moonlight. Maud got in four hooves again and sheathed the sword on her frock's belt.
"Come on, Boulder," she said, taking her pet and putting him on the rock pouch she gained from Pinkie. "Time to save our family."
***
SCREEEEEEEEECH!
"Ah!" Coco Pommel gasped suddenly, waking up from her slumber with the sound of the train being forced to stop on the tracks. She cleaned her eyes, and looked around – everypony inside looked as confused as she was.
Then, the train machinist entered the wagon and lit the lights. "I'm sorry everypony, but we have a problem," he said. "It seems that the tracks to Ponyville are all damaged buy shotgun bullets. It's dangerous to proceed, but we already sent a letter to the message to the Train Central, asking for help."
Oh no! though Coco Pommel, This can't be happening. I need to bring Rarity's special fabric in time for the Ponyville Fashion Fair! How will I get there now?
She looked on her baggage. Secured behind a leather cover, there was a roll of a special fabric – a red silk made of stardust and ruby powder. With this, Rarity would surely win the fair, but she needed time to make the dresses. That pony had made so much for Coco, that she couldn't let her hanging.
Coco Pommel grabbed her things and the fabric, and walked outside the train. Every other passenger were complaining about the damage to the train tracks, a crowd formed around the train station as the poor attendants couldn't do anything about it.
Then, one of the attendants shouted, "Okay people, listen up! We just received a reply from the Train Central, and they're sending some specialists to help. A squad of specially trained unicorns will make the train go back to Canterlot, but the track won't be repaired in less than a week."
There was screams of anger and frustration from the crowd, but Coco Pommel could only think of one thing.
Rarity will kill me.
***
Maud approached the train station. Despite being the middle of the night, she knew that all trains would stop in this place for some minutes before heading to Ponyville. But when she reached the station, she saw a crowd of angry ponies shouting in frustration. The only pony who didn't join the mob was a light-beige earth pony with cyan mane and a purple hat for a cutie mark.
"What is happening here," Maud asked.
Coco Pommel did not look at her. "The tracks are damaged. We can't go to Ponyville in time."
Maud looked at the tracks. It was punched with bullet holes and deformed with the blunt force of an earth pony's hooves. "It must be the Apples," she said to herself, and decided to proceed nevertheless. She couldn't waste time.
Coco Pommel was facing the ground, oblivious to what was happening around her. The only way to reach Ponyville in time is going by hoof, but… she thought, and looked towards the horizon. This path is dangerous, there can be monsters around! How can I do it?
Then, she noticed a metallic shine a few feet of her. Coco saw a gray mare with purple mane, carrying a sword on her belt. She looks strong, and she's going on the same way to the tracks… Is she going to Ponyville, too? Maybe she can help me!
Coco rushed towards the pony. "Sorry miss, but are you going to Ponyville?"
The gray mare nodded.
"I need to get there as soon as possible, and you look strong. Can I go with you? In case of a… monster attack?"
"Sure," she said.
Coco Pommel did not found any sign of emotion in her face. She must be a powerful adventurer… Maybe I should treat her with respect…
"Oh, um, thank you. My name is Coco Pommel. Pleased to meet you. I don't have much money with me, but… I'm sure I could pay you for your services, I have a friend in Ponyville…"
"You don't need to pay me," she replied. "My name is Maud Pie. Pleased to meet you too."
Coco Pommel smiled at her. "Oh, thank you very much, miss Pie! Shall we go, then?"
Maud nodded. The two ponies resumed their walking, following the damaged train tracks towards ponyville. The could breeze of the winter night becoming stronger and stronger.
But they both needed to reach Ponyville, so they procceeded fearlessly.
