Evolution

In the middle of the thunderstorm, while thunder cracked over the sky, through the streets ran Applejack soaking wet from the rain. She looked around frantically for any sign of Tavo but with no success. Thinking that he wasn’t in town anymore she made her way towards Sweet apple Acres. On the way, she began thinking about Rainbow Dash. RD was a Tough Pegasus but Tavo was a giant brute with enough force to stop a 10 ton locomotive. Then, she began thinking about the eyes. Those eyes of his sends chills down her spine. Even though he gave them fears-which was pretty strange- he was generally a good guy, except during the fight with the princess, but she felt that it wasn't him. Now he goes and almost kills Rainbow Dash and his eyes were filled with so much evil it burns. But why?

She then remembered what he had said to Rainbow Dash “And if you feel a burning inside you, than be glad i’m a nice person or my eyes would be glowing right now and you’d be a pile of ash in less than a minute.”

What did he mean by that? She thought. She didn’t understand why all this was happening but what she did know was that he was hiding something.

She was too busy thinking to see what had jumped in front of her and was knocked down. She fell on her back, getting mud all over her, but straightened back up to see who it was she bumped into. In front of her was a wet, pink haired muddy girl who snickered and wiped her face off. Applejack immediately recognized her as pinkie Pie and laughed a little as well. Seeing Applejack, Pinkie Pie’s face lit up and she jumped over and hugged her. “Pinkie, where have ya been?” asked Applejack.

“When Tavo left, i had to use the little filly’s room, but when i got out, i looked outside a window and Tavo was standing outside and i think he saw me cause he waved.” said Pinkie Pie. She jumped off and helped Applejack up to her feet. But before she could continue, a loud blast of thunder shot across the sky and startled them. They yelped and held each other shaking

“We should probably head to the farm.” Agreeing, Applejack and pinkie pie decided that it’d be safer at the farm.

At the gate of the farm, Big McIntosh stood at the gate, soaking int the rain. Upon seeing him, Applejack and pinkie Pie ran towards him. “Applejack, what happened? It’s getting dark and the rain’s hittin hard, and we’d best get inside. You two pinkie Pie.” said Big McIntosh handing them each a rain coat.

“We were at the hospital waitin for Tavo to wake up, by the way you haven’t seen around have ya?” Said Applejack putting on the coat along with pinkie Pie “Yea he came and went straight to the barn, he still had those hospital dresses on.” Applejack turned and headed towards the barn Pinkie and Big mac following behind. As they strolled along Applejack suddenly stopped when they reached home and turned to her brother. “Big Mac, go on inside, me and Pinkie have to see

him bout something.”

“Why, what happened?”

“let’s just say someone got hurt and I wanna know why.” She replied. Big Mac nodded and the girls left headed for the barn.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie stood at the gates, they grabbed each door by the handle “Alright on the count of three we open the doors"

"Okie dokie lokie."

"….One…two…THREE!”

They swung open the doors. Inside was dark save for that one spot on the wall where the moons light bled through,  revealing an empty barn with a bed of straw. The girls exchanged glances then crept in the barn. Not a single sound could be heard other than their breaths and footsteps. Applejack started thinking that Tavo might have left the barn. She searched for any sign of Tavo when all of a sudden the barn doors behind them closed shut with a loud bang. They shouted when it suddenly turned pitch black.

“Pinkie?” called Applejack “Where are ya?” she suddenly heard giggling “Are we playing hide and seek? am I it? One, two.....”

“pinkie, this isn’t a good time to play games.” Called applejack her arms extended to feel her surroundings. After a minute of searching, she suddenly felt something grab her arm, AJ yelped then sighed in relief “Pinkie ya scared me half to death.”

“But I haven’t found you ye-WHOA!”

“Pinkie what’s goin on…who’s got ma-oh my.” Said Applejack, when whatever grabbed her tightened its grip and lifted her arm. She tried pulling away but it was too tight. Suddenly she couldn’t feel the ground under her feet. She dangled by her right arm, and kicked her feet hoping to be released when the light suddenly flickered on. The brightness blinded AJ causing her to feel disoriented for a few seconds. She suddenly heard a familiar voice “Now why would you wake me up in the middle of the night.” Her vision began clearing up and in that instant, her face was inches away from Tavo’s. She gasped when she saw that Pinkie had been raised off the ground, dangling by her left arm. Applejack was wondering where Tavo was hiding- seeing as how he was a seven foot giant-it looked like they might have interrupted something because he had a serious expression as his eyes inspected both of them.

“Uh would ya mind puttin us down please?” asked Applejack aching from Tavo’s grip. Tavo shot a glance at Applejack then let go of his grip. They landed on their rumps. Being dropped on the floor made them wince. The giant held out both hands to help them stand but before AJ could stand, she notices a long object at Tavos left side. She gazed at the black leather handle and the leather covering of some large object tied to his waist. ”What’s that?” asked Applejack. Tavo darted a glance at his side “This? its Xico?” said Tavo. Applejack stared at him in confusion “who’s Xico?” asked Applejack. Tavo grabbed the hilt and pulled out a long silvery blade. “This, is Xico?” he said letting the light shine off the blade. Pinkie was mesmerized by the blade.  Applejack gave it a glance before remembering what it was “ wasn't  that your cutie mark?” asked Applejack

“Yea cept its not covered in blood and tattooed to my ass.”

“why’d ya give your mark a name?”

“Because this machete is my symbol of freedom.”

“Freedom? From what?” asked Applejack to which Tavo hesitated for a moment and put the blade back in its sheath “It’s personal?” Applejack remembered those words. They were the same words said at the hospital, the same words that angered Rainbow Dash, and the same words that got her lying in a hospital bed drenched in sweat.

“Tavo, I've had enough of that excuse, either you tell us why your hurt our friend or I‘ll have to teach you a lesson with your own mark!” she yelled. Pinkie pie gasped and cupped her mouth with her hands. Tavo stared at her for a long time watching her reaction, it almost seemed like he was studying her. Then in a flash of lighting, Tavo pulled the blade out swung it close enough to AJ’s throat making sure not to cut her. She gasped at how fast the blade moved from his waist to her neck. She froze in terror at his speed, feeling the cold blade against her neck. She gulped, Then Tavo spoke "What ever kind of help you girls need from me i'll be there, but keep asking me about that and you'll all see what the inside of a real human looks like before you even realize what happened."

Applejack gulped, feeling the lump slide against the cold steel blade. “And another thing: don’t make threats at the guy with the sharp object.” said Tavo. He lowered his blade and set it back in its sheath. He turned and walked over to his straw bed, while the girls were still frozen in fear. “If you can, go home and sleep. If not, then make you’re selves comfortable.“ As he walked over, he set his blade aside the bales of hay that would make his seat, while the girls stood motionless as they were. As he sat down he suddenly realized he still had the hospital gown on and proceeded to tear it off. When it came off, Applejack really noticed those scars. Hundreds of scars, of different shapes and sizes, each telling a story he refuses to share.

"Why?" the word emitting from her lips, reaching his ears "Why what?" He asked

"Why won't you share your past with your friends?"

A deep silence hovered over the room, only broken by the brutes deep voice.

"Because i've lived long enough to know that things of the past, stay in the past."

Just then he straightened up violently out of his seat "You hear that?" he said "Hear what?" asked Pinkie Pie. Tavo started towards the wall and placed his right ear against it. He began walking along the wall still with his hear placed flat against it. The girls were thrown by this act after his serious tone yet continued to watch with curiosity. He suddenly stopped at the barn gates and stood there listening. Suddenly, His right arm reached back, and with hand turned to a fist, he shot it forward, blowing the gate away with brute force! as the dust settled the silhouette of a winged feminine figure darted off in the distance, where soon after Tavo ran for her.

"Wait Tavo, Where are ya goin?" Yelled applejack "Someones gonna have to fix this mess you made!"