Author's Note

This is a project I've been working on. Production is going well, and I'm feeling confident about this one, so I'm posting it here. It's my take on a future season of Power Rangers, but a bit more adult oriented.

Trigger Warning: This story does contain violence, strong language, depictions of rape, sexual themes, and intense scenes of abduction. Reader's discretion is advised.

*Sadly, we couldn’t get a very good actress for Chrysalis, so she’s a tad over the top.

Celestial Guard! Stand Up! - Part 1

Gather round children, and listen to this tale of woe. A tale of love’s eternal light, and the dark shadow that it also casts. The tale of a man with ambition and passion, who loved that which was out of his reach, and how his actions led to the current shadow that plagues our world today.

In the beginning, there were two Goddesses. Celestia of the Sun, and Luna of the Moon. The sisters shined their protective light on the land, protecting us from the dark creatures we now call Nightmares. These monsters were born of the stars, and they embody the void. They are darkness without light. Without love. For this reason, the light of the Goddesses was their weakness.

Celestia’s sun shined a light so bright, and so intense, that it illuminated the land itself. This period of daytime was absolutely safe for the people of Earth, and thus they used it to toil the land, to socialize, to create, and to rejoice.

Luna’s moon shined a different light, however. While not as bright, it was sharp, and potent. During her night, the Nightmares were free to move around, however Luna’s light cut through the monsters like a blade, preventing them from ever entering the villages and kingdoms.

However, she felt empty, and unloved. For the people used her time to rest. While she was glad her light served a purpose, she still wished for just one to openly love her, in the same way her sister was loved.

Then one day, a noble King came to power. His name was Sombra, and he loved the night as one would a lover. He felt it wasn’t fair that the Goddess of the Night fought the Nightmares alone, so he cried out to Luna.

“Oh Goddess of the Night! Make me your proxy! Your servant against the Nightmares! Allow me this pleasure and I will love you eternally and fight in your name!”

So taken aback by the mortal’s passion, she granted him a mighty sword born from her light. “This sword is more than a mere weapon. It is a symbol of our bond. When you hold it, you hold a piece of me. I will stand by your side always.”

Together, the King and his Goddess waged a war against the Nightmares, eventually pushing the creatures into the dark depths of the Underworld. The King’s passionate love for his Goddess did not wane, however. In time, it only grew stronger. Perhaps it was due to their proximity to one another. Perhaps it was because he was the only one who gladly stayed up with her and kept her company. Either way, she soon found that she had grown so fond of the King, that she too fell in love.

However, her elder sister, pragmatic as always, reminded her of a terrible fact.

“Though your love is honest and true, it cannot be, dear sister. For you are a Goddess, eternal, immortal, the very night itself. He, is a human, finite, mortal, and of flesh and blood. What he desires from you is impossible.”

Realizing that she was right, with a heavy heart the Goddess ended their romance before it began, allowing the King to keep the sword, hoping that it would be enough to know that she was still connected to him.

Unfortunately for all of humanity, that was not the case.

Stricken by grief, and determined to find a way for them to be together, the King sought immortality. Even if he had to throw his humanity away, he cared not, so long as it brought him and his Goddess closer. Eventually, he found the means of attaining immortality. The only price for such a boon, his very soul.

To him, a small price to pay to be with the one he loved.

He took on the power of the Nightmare itself, becoming a twisted version of the man he once was. If that had been all, perhaps he could have been reasoned with, or stopped entirely. However, the divine blade that the Goddess granted him was also bathed darkness, and when that darkness hit the Goddess… she was changed in kind.

The one who once fought the Nightmares valiantly, had now become the greatest Nightmare of them all.

Together, the two of them sought to plunge the world in an eternal dark nightmare, cursing the name of the Sun who tried to tear them apart. Celestia was devastated. She knew that her sister and King Sombra needed to be stopped. However, she could not bring herself to lay harm to her sister. Even if she could have, the two of them existed in symbiosis. If one ceased to be, so too would the other.

Thus, she followed the example of her sister prior to her tragic fall. She sought the aid of mortals. Six pure maidens were chosen to carry a small fraction of the Goddesses power. Each one took on a virtue, which connected their soul to the Goddess of the Sun: Generosity, Laughter, Loyalty, Kindness, Honesty, and Faith. Together, the six Maidens used their magic to banish Luna, trapping her inside of the moon itself. As for Sombra, without the aid of his Goddess, his power was no match for the light of the Maidens. He was forced into the Underworld along with the rest of his Nightmares, and a seal was placed. So long as the Maidens stood strong and held to their virtues, Luna and Sombra would be forever barred from each other, unable to carry out their plan of eternal darkness.

With their permission, Celestia granted the Maidens their own form of immortality. So long as the seal was needed, their souls would continue to reincarnate on the land, being reborn immediately after their death. The Goddess of the Sun thus returned to her throne, where to this day she continues to watch over the people, silently praying for the day that she and her sister will be reunited.

As for the Nightmares…

Unfortunately… there are still those who seek their power.

The Maidens’ seal is not perfect after all, and the nature of their magic means they must remain pacifistic. I fear that one day, the seal will fail. When that day comes, the Nightmares will seek the Maidens, and attempt to corrupt them to release their King and Queen.

Without the King and his blade, who will shine the light that cuts through the darkness?

Who will be the sword and shield for the maidens?

Perhaps, the answer to that question… will reveal itself in the form of a certain legacy. A legacy of power, that spans generations. A legacy of heroes who have protected those who could not protect themselves.

“BIG BROTHER, HELP ME!!!”

Those words shot through the young man’s heart as he stood strong before the large humanoid scorpion that now stood between him and his little sister. Still very young, only seven years old if that, she looked terrified, held tightly by thin creatures with black bodies covered in white stars, purple swirl like symbols, and each possessing a single red eye.

How they had managed to leave the Underworld, the young squire was unsure. All he knew was that these creatures had broken into the castle, taken out all of the guards, and even mortally wounded the current king. Though only ten, he was the last line one who could protect the Maiden of Faith, his younger sister. As long as he kept this monster in the barracks, he could win this.

“Don’t… give up hope…!” the young boy said, rising to his feet and pointing his blade at the monster, “I promise… I will save you!”

“You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep, boy,” the scorpion said, resting his blade over his shoulder, “But I am a proud warrior, so I will keep my oath. If you can in fact defeat me in battle, I will release your sister. Should you fall here though, the Maiden of Faith is mine.”

“Big Brother, please win!” the little purple haired girl sobbed, “I’m scared!”

“I… won’t lose…!” the young blue haired knight swore, readying his blade, “I’ll send you back to your master in pieces!”

He charged at the scorpion, and the two clashed swords violently. This lasted for a few seconds to a minute, with the boy even managing to duck underneath one of the scorpion monster’s slashes. After that, he slashed downward on the monster’s chest, sending sparks as the blade made contact with his body. Sadly though, the scorpion felt nothing, proudly taking slash after slash before grabbing the young man by the throat and holding him up.

“Surely you can see the difference between us now, boy,” the scorpion stated, voice deep yet smooth, much like a worn warrior, “Only one man ever bested me in combat, and he is now my king. You lost this the moment this fight began.”

“Go… to Hell!” the boy seethed through gritted teeth. The sounds of his sister’s sobs pushing him even further. He couldn’t give up. He wouldn’t give up! She needed him!

He was the only one left who could protect her!

“You fool!” the scorpion shouted, throwing the boy into a pile of crates breaking them, “Even now, you stand ready to fight? You are either extremely brave, or extremely stupid!”

“I… won’t let you monsters… take my sister…!” he forced himself to his feet and pointed his blade forward, “I’ll protect her… even with my life!”

Though the monster’s expression never changed, it was clear he was a bit sobered by the boy’s valor. Here he was, completely outmatched, barely able to stand, and probably losing consciousness, and yet he was still so willing to fight to protect the maiden.

“I see. You truly possess the heart of a knight. Given time, I imagine you will one day grow into the greatest knight this kingdom has ever known. But that day is not today!” he hunched forward, revealing his long ponytail like appendage to be his stinger. From there, he fired a powerful green laser so powerful, that the mere force behind it sent the young man flying as the his surroundings exploded.

His little sister screamed in terror seeing this, and frantically tried to pull her arms free. Unfortunately it was no use. The black monsters holding her were too strong, and she wasn’t able to fight their grip.

The young knight in training fell to the ground. Again, he tried to force himself to his feet, but this time he found his body was too heavy. No, no, no! This couldn’t be all he had!

“Please, get up!” his sister begged desperately, “You have to get up, Shining! You have to save me! Shining, get up! PLEASE!!!”

Hearing her get more and more desperate made him want to stand. She knew what it meant if he didn’t. He had to stand, for HER sake!

Nothing else matters! She’s depending on me!

I promised her I’d keep her safe!

Come on…! COME ON!!!

STAND UP SOLDIER!!!!

More and more, he pushed himself. Slowly, he rose just a bit. If he could just move his legs forward… then… he could… “Gah!” he cried as his feet gave out. His vision was getting blurry, and his exhaustion had finally caught up with him. It was no use. He wanted to move so badly. Even now he was trying to get his joints to move.

But deep down, he knew he lost, both the fight AND his sister…

The scorpion walked over to the young man and knelt before him, “Even though I bested you, I can see the makings of a proud warrior. Therefore, I will not kill you today. Instead, train yourself, and become a knight worthy to face me.”

Knowing this monster was going to let him live was an empty prize, considering the devastated sobs coming from his sister that now echoed in his head as the world fell to darkness.

“Come, we must take this Maiden to His Majesty while the seal is still open,” the scorpion said to his minions, who all made a high pitched noise of confirmation as they saluted him.

“No! He’s not done yet!” the little girl cried, fighting the monsters as they picked her up, “He can still fight! My brother is the greatest knight in the kingdom!”

“Sadly for you, that’s not the case yet,” the scorpion looked her dead in the eyes, “Let this be a lesson to you. Blind faith is nothing more than stupidity.”

As his minions left the castle with the Maiden of Faith, a woman with long neon green hair wearing a fancy yet sexual dark green dress and high heels walked over to the scorpion, “Are you sure it’s wise to leave him alive, Scorpio?”

“You summoned me to the surface to capture the Maiden of Faith and weaken the seal, nothing more,” the monster, Scorpio said, turning to leave castle, “The boy still has much growing to do. I wish to see where he stands once he’s grown.”

The green haired woman watched him leave and shook her head, “I’m almost certain that will be your undoing,” she said sauntering after him.

“If that is the case, then it will be at the hands of a true warrior. Such is the dream of all who live by the blade,” Scorpio stopped briefly and turned to the fallen squire, “Grow strong, Shining Armor.”

As the monster walked out with the witch beside him, Shining Armor felt his world grow dark. The last thing he heard was his sister’s anguished sobs, which suddenly went completely silent mere seconds before his entire world vanished.

I’m sorry… I was weak… Twilight…

Azure Sandora presents

Power Rangers: Celestial Guard

Dislaimer: My Little Pony and Power Rangers belong to Hasbro

please support the official releases.

Theme Song: Dark Creatures

Verse 1: Celestial Guard! Stand Up! - Part 1

The road was getting dark, mostly from the rain clouds, but also from the incoming night. Macintosh didn’t like that. They were still a good ways away from the Crystal Empire, the last safe haven in all of the land. He didn’t care what happened to him ultimately. He was big, so he could handle a lot. He’d once been approached by the royal guard to join the military once, but he turned them down, despite knowing that he’d make an excellent knight. He didn’t care about any of that though. There was only one person he cared about.

“Ah!” the young stetson wearing woman behind him cried falling over. Macintosh quickly turned to catch her before she hurt herself, “Sorry I’m such a burden, Big Mac…”

“You ain’t never been a burden to me, Applejack,” Macintosh said gently. Applejack looked strong, and liked to push herself as to not slow anyone down, but he could tell when she was hitting her limit.

“But… we’re so close to the Crystal Empire!” Applejack said, big emerald eyes watering in determination, “I… I can keep goin’!”

“It’s gettin’ late anyway,” Macintosh said holding his younger sister comfortingly, “I’m gonna need time to prepare the salts and fire to repel the Nightmares, so we probably should find someplace to rest for the night.”

“B-but, they don’t always work, an’ you’re probably tired too, an’-”

“Applejack, I’m fine,” Macintosh pressed, “I can wait till we get to the Kingdom to sleep. You’re the one I’m most worried about.”

“Goddamn it,” Applejack pouted, cheeks tinged red, “You’re too noble for your own good.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Macintosh said, turning around to let Applejack get on his back, “But that ain’t gonna change anything ‘bout how I take care of ya.”

Applejack hesitated, but wrapped her arms around her big brother, who then held onto her legs and rose up, walking a bit off road.

“I think there was a cave over in this direction. I’ll set up the holy salts so you can rest easy there while I go get some firewood,” Macintosh said after a few beats.

“I wanna help,” Applejack said weakly, clearly exhaustion was winning over determination.

“You’ll help me by gettin’ some rest,” Macintosh pressed. Applejack sighed in defeat. She knew he was right, but he knew why she was being so stubborn. For one, that was her nature. Also, she knew why they were being pursued by the Nightmares.

They were after her.

Sometime ten years ago, dark creatures began attacking their home. At first, it was minor, nothing too serious. After all, they did live in a farm out in the outskirts of town. However, over time the attacks became more violent. At first, no one knew why they were attacking them. It wasn’t until one night, when Applejack was working late and a few of those monsters wrestled her to the ground and almost left with her that Macintosh began to understand. After that, he and Applejack packed up a few essentials and began their journey, searching for the one place he knew his sister would be safe.

The Crystal Empire, home of the Royal Family and the Crystal Heart.

Was it perfectly safe? Not at all. Rumor had it that the Maiden of Faith was taken from there ten years ago. He didn’t want to believe that his sister was involved in that, but why else would they be after her so much?

As they got closer to the cave, Macintosh let his eyes fall to his younger sister, who now clung to him tightly for support and protection. To him, she was the most beautiful woman in the land. She was a curvy young woman of 19, with long thick blond hair, sharp emerald eyes, and freckled cheeks. Currently wearing a red flannel shirt that was tied closed to cover her bosom, light blue shorts, brown boots, a dark red cloak for warmth, and their late father’s hat, she was the epitome of the beautiful farm girl. Macintosh knew that one day, whenever she found a husband, she’d make him the happiest man alive. Yet deep down he dreaded that day. He knew how he felt about his sister, but he wasn’t about to ever tell her. She was honest to a fault, unnaturally so. He knew that she’d reject him the second he told her his feelings.

Mind you, he could have found a wife of his own anytime. He wasn’t unimpressive in the slightest. Tall, strong build, and a rugged shaved face. He had shoulder length dirty blond hair, the same emerald green eyes of his sister, and currently wore a dark red shirt, brown vest over top, brown chaps over blue jeans, dark brown boots, and black leather gloves. His sister always teased him about how women seemed to just fall to his feet. Even still, she’d told him on the night she was almost snatched that she needed him, and after that she’d become extremely attached to him, to the point where she panicked if she didn’t know where he was.

He didn’t know if there was a man worthy enough to take his sister. She might not let him, at least not until this issue with the Nightmares was over.

When the reached the cave, Macintosh knelt down, letting Applejack sit on the ground toward the back of the cave. Immediately, he ran to the entrance of the cave, reached into their bag, and pulled out a smaller back of holy salts. He sprinkled them on the ground at the cave’s entrance, at least what was left of them.

Damn, he was afraid of that.

He did the best he could, and said an exceptionally powerful prayer, asking the Goddess of the Sun to shine her own light of protection on his sister. Hopefully that would be enough. She was tough, yes, but she was powerless against the Nightmares. Most he could do was push them back and hope they got the message. Sometimes they did. Most of the time, they were stubborn.

He hoped they weren’t stubborn tonight.

He went to his sister and knelt before her, “Alright, I’m gonna go get some firewood, but I will be back, alright? I promise. Jus’ stay here, an’ count backward from 100.”

Applejack nodded biting her lip. He knew she’d be safe in the daytime. Even if Nightmare could come outside in the daytime now, they weren’t at full power, so they wouldn’t be able to get past the barrier. Still, he knew how badly his sister panicked when she didn’t know where he was. This strategy gave her something else to focus on instead of her fear, and he always came back before she reached 1.

Macintosh smiled and rose to exit the cave, taking one last look at his sister before hurrying out to get the firewood. They were already our of salts, hopefully they weren’t out of the herbs he used with the fire. It was a lot, but against these monsters it was necessary.

Once he was away from the cave, he took a second to feel his emotions out. He then slammed his hand on a nearby tree in rage, frustrated that he couldn’t do more for her. She was terrified right now, and rightfully so. If he was right about why those monsters were after her, then nothing good would come from them getting a hold of her.

“Goddess Celestia, Mother of Light, I pray to you,” he said softly, “I don’t care what form it takes. Grant me the power I need to protect my sister,” As he went back to work, he noticed that the sun began to shine briefly, as if shining on him directly.

Deep in the Crystal Shrine, the young Princess of the Empire knelt before a large heart shaped crystal, as if praying to it. The crystal spun slowly, giving off a faint white glow. This was the Crystal Heart, the only artifact that had the power to repel the Nightmares. At least, that was what it was supposed to do. Alas, ever since ten years ago, the Crystal Heart’s power had begun to wane. The Princess tried her best to give it strength with her prayers. If it was working at all, she didn’t have a way of knowing.

But she had a terrible suspicion it wasn’t.

Once she finished her prayers, she sat back on her legs and let her gaze go up to the ceiling. At first glance, she wasn’t that much of a threat. She had long and full pink, purple, and golden hair that flowed down her back and over her shoulders, big purple eyes possessing an intense passion that often scared people first glance, and currently wore her favorite pink and white gown, white gloves, white high heels, and her golden tiara. For make up, she’d worn rose lipstick and mascara, not much, but she was surprisingly practical for royalty.

“Still nothing?” a male voice said from the door, belonging to her best friend and royal advisor, a young man with short orange hair and a goatee, glasses, and wearing turquoise and white robes.

“This isn’t working, Sunburst,” the Princess sighed, “Ever since Twilight was captured, the magic of harmony has been getting weaker. If another Nightmare appears, I don’t know if the barrier will keep it at bay.”

Sunburst groaned scratching his head, “And from what I’ve heard, the Nightmares are getting stronger too. There have been a few attacks even in the day time now.”

“How is that possible?” the Princess asked turning to Sunburst and rising to her feet.

“Your guess is as good as mine, Cadence,” Sunburst shrugged, “But I think I’ve at least made a breakthrough in my research on how to fight the Nightmares.”

“Really?” Cadence ran up to Sunburst, eyes wide in exuberance, “How do we do it?!”

“H-h-hold on, I haven’t figured that part out yet,” Sunburst said, “But, I’ve at the very least found an odd field of magic that seems to tune itself to the energy of the Goddess. If I’m right, we might be able to make a weapon of some sort that can damage the Nightmares.”

Cadence clapped her hands, jumping up and down in excitement, “Ooooh! I knew you could do it, Sunny!” she hugged him, “You’re the best!”

“Ah, I try,” Sunburst said, blushing from the contact. She had no idea the effect she had on other people. It was amazing that she was able to keep such a strong face after losing both of her parents at such a young age.

“Hey, have you seen Shining?” Cadence asked releasing Sunburst with the most adorable pout, “I haven’t seen him all day today!”

“I believe he’s in the courtyard, paying his respects to the King and Queen,” Sunburst explained.

“Maybe I can catch him if I hurry,” she said, kissing Sunburst on the cheek before running off, “Thanks Sunny!”

“Y-you’re welcome!” Sunburst called out after her, placing a hand on his cheek. He both loved his life, and hated it. He loved that he was on a first name basis with the Princess, but he hated knowing that for as affectionate as she was, he stood no chance with her.

She had her eyes on someone else. Someone who as of yet, refused to see how lucky he was.

Shining Armor, similarly to the Princess, knelt on one knee praying silently. In his case, he knelt before the large twin monuments for the late King and Queen of the Crystal Empire. No longer the lanky ten year old who couldn’t protect anyone. He’d grown into a strong, lean young man with long dark blue hair with medium and light blue highlights, and piercing blue eyes currently closed in prayer. Currently clad in shining blue and white armor with a flowing red cape, and a fancy glowing sword at his side, now he looked like a force to be reckoned with.

If only I’d been THIS strong ten years ago.

After he finished paying his respects, he rose to his feet and looked down at his hand, trembling in frustration as he remembered the day that still haunted him. In his dreams, he could still hear his sister’s terrified screams. Crying for help, begging him to get up. He promised her that he’d keep her safe, and when she needed him the most, he’d let her down.

The worst part was, he knew she was still alive. The Nightmares needed to keep her alive, or else she’d reincarnate as someone else and be forever out of their reach. That meant for the last ten years, she was a prisoner in the Underworld, probably scared out of her mind. The thought of that caused him so much pain and turmoil that he found himself gripping his head growling in frustration and anger. He wanted to go to the Underworld and rescue her so badly. So much that it took every ounce of control he had not to demand Sunburst open a Gate and send him there right-

“Shining Armor~ Where are you~”

Shit! He was hoping to dodge her! Yes, he knew he swore his sword to her, but that made it hard with how persistent she was at getting into his pants! He looked around frantically for a place to hide. Hoping that she wasn’t nearly as close as he was afraid she was.

“There you are, Shining!” Cadence called out almost immediately from behind him, making the knight freeze in place. Before he could turn around, he felt her weight suddenly on him as she jumped onto his back and wrapped her arms around him. It was only thanks to his armor he didn’t feel her hefty bosom pressed against his back, but the sweet fragrance coming off of her made sure his heart was still pounding from her presence.

“G-good evening, Your Majesty,” Shining Armor said, trying (failing) to regain his composure.

“Ugh! Shiiiiiiiiinniiiiiiiiing!” she whined adorably, turning him around to face her, “How many times to I have to tell you! Call. Me. Cadence!” she accented each word with a motion from her finger, ending by touching his nose affectionately. He was taller than she was, but not by much. That combined with how close she was to him and the way she was leaning forward subtly gave him an all too perfect angle to see down her gown. He quickly turned away.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty-”

“Cadence.”

“I feel that with my position, it would be better to retain a sense of professionalism,” he continued.

“But everyone calls me Cadence here in the castle!” she whined with the most adorable pout, “Even your Captain!”

“Much to my increased frustration,” Shining muttered to himself. The two of them had been best friends since she’d joined the Royal Guard, but he still wished she was a bit more professional.

“So, you have to call me Cadence too!” she insisted, “It’s the rule!”

“There is no such rule saying I have to call you that,” Shining Armor folded his arms.

“I’m the Princess. My castle, my rules,” she put her hands on her hips and smiled in triumph, as if she won the argument, which sadly… he couldn’t even refute that. She was the highest ranking person in the castle now.

But… he couldn’t. She had no idea what she was actually asking him.

“So with that in mind,” she continued, “I’m not leaving until you call me-” she gasped suddenly, and held her head as her eyes began to glow.

“Your Majesty!” Shining Armor cried holding her steady, “Is it a vision?”

“Yes… the Crystal Heart is… warning me!” Cadence looked at Shining desperately, “One of the Maidens is close to the Empire, but the Nightmares know where she is!”

“Where are we going?” he asked immediately.

“I think I saw a cave in the outskirts of the Kingdom! I saw her with a man about your age, he looked like her caretaker!”

“A cave in the outskirts of the Kingdom! Got it!” Shining Armor rushed back into the castle, going to the barracks to get his Captain. He was NOT letting the Nightmares get another Maiden.

By the time she’d reached 40, her big brother had come back. As always, he greeted her with a warm and friendly smile, and immediately got to work setting up the fire. Once he applied the herbs, he got to work making dinner, which was just a simple stew using ingredients he gathered while out. Despite his expression hiding it, Applejack could tell something was wrong. Was he mad at her for being so weak? For not being able to protect herself?

As he prepared dinner, Applejack looked down at her leg, rubbing her hip where it was. Such a strange birthmark, which according to Granny Smith was a sign she had a very important job to do. For some reason though, that job kept her from learning any form of martial arts. She wasn’t weak by any stretch of the word, but she was definitely more fragile than her appearance let on.

She hated it.

“Here ya go,” Macintosh said, handing her a bowl of soup and a spoon, “Sorry it ain’t fancy or nothin’.”

Applejack shook her head, “It’s fine, Mac,” she said taking the bowl with a grateful smile. She slowly took a sip, and her eyes went wide. Fancy or not, this somehow tasted amazing!

“I take it ya like it?” Macintosh chuckled.

“I don’t know how ya did it, but ya managed to make this taste almost like Granny’s cookin’!” Applejack beamed.

“Well, I at least tried to put love into it,” he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “Even if it’s just a stew, ya know?”

“Yeah, I get ya,” Applejack said softly, watching her big brother as he went to prepare a bowl for himself. He was so obvious. She knew that he loved her a lot more than a brother naturally did. She wasn’t sure how she felt at first, but the day he saved her life, she knew then that no man was ever going to put her safety first like he would. She didn’t care if they were siblings, and she didn’t care it was taboo. She loved him, and she knew she wouldn’t love any man quite like she loved Macintosh.

If only he’d get the message though. He wasn’t dumb by any stretch of the word. In fact, he was probably the smartest guy she knew. But that was when it came to history, math, and philosophy. In matters of romance, oh Celestia he was dense.

Macintosh sat down beside her, and for a good while the two of them ate in comfortable silence. Applejack stole a few glances at her older brother, who once he noticed her, just smiled pleasantly, making her blush and turn away quickly.

Why did he have to have such a handsome smile?!

“I… hope Granny Smith and Apple Bloom ‘re okay,” Applejack said softly.

“Yeah, I hated leavin’ home like we did, but we couldn’t let those monsters keep attackin’ the farm like that,” Macintosh replied.

“Ya know, ya didn’t have to come with me,” Applejack said, turning to her brother as he silently drank the broth from his bowl, “Ya could have stayed there an’ watched over the farm.”

“An’ leave you out here by yourself?” Macintosh asked setting his bowl down, “No can do. Your my little sis, an’ I swore to protect ya no matter what. ‘Sides, what would ya have done if ya had a panic attack, or got attacked by those monsters?”

She hated that he was right. The second she saw those monsters, she’d freeze up. And with her weird phobia of being away from her big brother, she wasn’t going to get very far before panic set in. She set her bowl down and closed her eyes, crying silently in frustration.

“I hate how weak I am!” she fussed, “You have to do so much for me! All because I can’t defend myself! I’m a burden! I know it!”

“It’s like I keep tellin’ ya, Applejack,” Macintosh said wrapping his arms around her, “Bein’ your hero is all I ever want. I’ll never see you as a burden.”

“Oh Mac…” Applejack leaned into his embrace and relaxed, “I love you so much.”

“I love ya too, sis,” Macintosh said. She could hear it in his voice. He meant that the same way she did, but he still didn’t understand her feelings for him. Well, it was nice at least to be held by him.

The moment was lost though, as the siblings heard something outside. Like someone stepping on a twig. Macintosh slowly released his sister and rose to his feet.

“Macintosh, no!” Applejack begged grabbing his hand quickly, “M-maybe it’s jus’ an animal of some kind!”

“Maybe, but I ain’t riskin’ it,” Macintosh said lightly pulling his hand free, “Don’t leave the cave, no matter what, alright?”

Applejack nodded, biting her lip and trembling in fear. While he was gone, she took a look at the salt barrier he placed. It was weaker, probably because he ran out of salts. If a Nightmare showed up, it would probably get through the barrier with a bit of effort, which must have been why he was leaving like this.

“Please keep him safe, Celestia!” Applejack prayed desperately, “I can’t lose him!”

Macintosh steeled his senses, feeling the air around him. He tightened his gloves to prepare, the golden sun shining brightly on the back of his hands. This symbol was the holy symbol of the Goddess, and gave him the ability to at least touch the Nightmares when they attacked. From there, his fighting skills could compensate for the rest. He knew that knights also had these symbols on their swords and shields.

Once he read up on that, he made sure to put that symbol on both his gloves and on the soles of his boots. Applejack had one around her neck just in case. It would be enough to ward off their mooks if they approached her, but anything bigger than a mere foot soldier would only be stunned for a few seconds if that.

Hopefully nothing bigger than that was here tonight.

“I can feel ya,” Macintosh said tightening his fists, “Come out!”

Immediately, a black hand tried to grab him from the side, but he quickly moved to the side and punched whoever it was back, sending them flying a bit. The creature was black like the night sky, with purple swirls on its body, and a single red eye. And it wasn’t alone. Macintosh saw two rush to the fallen one’s side and help him up, and two more were seen jumping back and forth inhumanly in the trees.

Five. This was a bit more than he expected/wanted to face right now. This meant they knew Applejack was nearby.

The two tried to rush at him from behind and strike, but he blocked both of their attacks. He kicked one back, and then threw the other one over his shoulder. One of the ones he saw before rushed at him with a punch that he barely dodged, and then threw a side kick, forcing him to block. Macintosh pushed its leg back and punched it twice in the stomach, ending with an uppercut sending it flying back.

Unfortunately he didn’t have much time to relax though, as another black monster grabbed him from behind and tried to wrestle him to the ground. He used all of his strength to break out of its hold, and then spun around delivering a powerful spin kick, which sent the monster spinning to the ground. Using that same momentum, he spun back around sweeping another one off its feet, and then slammed his foot down to stomp the fallen creature, only for it to roll out of the way.

He looked around as the monsters jumped around crazily, flailing their arms probably in an attempt to look intimidating. That didn’t worry him in the slightest. What did concern him was that he was outnumbered a good deal. This was unusual, they weren’t typically this coordinated.

Someone was leading them!

He quickly turned back to the cave just in time to see a portal to the Underworld open. Out of the portal walked a seductive woman with long straight neon green hair, green eye shadow and black lipstick, and long black nails, wearing a sexy dark green dress, fishnet stockings, and high heels.

“You thought you could hide her from us, farm boy?” the woman purred, her voice deep and oozing with sex appeal.*

“Who the hell are you?!” Macintosh asked blocking another kick and tossing the monster aside. She looked human, but she clearly came from the Underworld.

“I’m Chrysalis,” the woman said admiring her nails, “I’ve come for the Maiden.”

“You stay away from her!” Macintosh ordered. He rushed toward the witch, only for two of the creatures to grab his arms and throw him back in the middle of the fight onto the ground.

“You seem to have your hands full, so I can’t play with you,” Chrysalis taunted, sauntering toward the cave, “Wisps, have fun with the farmer.”

“NO!!!” Macintosh screamed, again trying to push past the monsters now identified as Wisps. There was no way he could push past them, though. Even with his charmed weapons, it was too much commotion for him to get through.

All he could do from here was watch in horror as she approached the cave that his sister was hiding in.

Applejack backed up against the cave away from the mysterious woman who now stood at the cave entrance. She heard everything, so she didn’t need to know if this woman was friend or foe.

“Hm, not bad,” Chrysalis said, apparently admiring the barrier, “The farm boy definitely seems to be a devout follower of Celestia. Shame I have to ruin such fine work!” she kicked some dirt over the salt, ruining the effectiveness of the already weak barrier.

“No! Please!” Applejack begged as Chrysalis entered the cave and approached her, “You’re human!”

“Hardly anymore,” Chrysalis said standing over Applejack, “You’re pretty. The fear in your eyes is absolutely alluring. Scream real good for me, honey~”

As she reached for Applejack, the young woman did in fact scream, violently kicking Chrysalis away as much as she could and trying to find an opening to escape.

“Ooooh! I like it when they’re feisty!” Chrysalis cheered gleefully. Eventually, she got hold of her wrists and pulled her up. Even still, Applejack fought out of her grasp as violently as she could. Though she made a right nuisance of herself, Chrysalis eventually pushed Applejack against a wall, holding her wrists behind her, “Time to show you your new home,” Chrysalis purred in the crying woman’s ear.

Chrysalis exited the cave, now holding Applejack’s wrists with one hand, holding her other hand close to Applejack’s neck like a blade just as the Wisps wrestled Macintosh to his knees and held his arms as tightly as they could.

“Not another move, farm boy!” Chrysalis called out, “Continue struggling, and I’ll ruin this girl’s pretty face!”

“Macintosh!” Applejack sobbed.

“Let her go, witch!” Macintosh barked. Chrysalis let out the most obnoxious laugh he’d ever heard.

“Oh how cute! You think I’m threatened by a mere mortal? Now, the Maiden is coming with me. Move, and I will get ugly,” to emphasize her point, her nails extended to the length of a dagger, and with the way the shined briefly, they sharpened as such too.

Macintosh’s mind was frantic. He had to think of something! Applejack was about to be taken right this second unless he moved! But if he did, he knew Chrysalis would hurt her. As the portal began to open, Macintosh closed his eyes, reaching out to the Goddess again.

“Please! Don’t let my sister get taken away!” he begged, “Get us out of this, somehow!”

Almost as if on cue, a knight wearing silver armor and a yellow cape appeared out of the trees and slashed Chrysalis with their blade.

“Ahh! What the hell?!” Chrysalis screamed, forced to release Applejack as the knight who attacked her pulled the Maiden behind her.

“Fear not, m’lady!” the knight said through their helmet, overly dramatic and flamboyant sounding, “Your knight in shining armor has arrived!”

“That insignia!” she looked at the symbol on the knight’s shield, a sun surrounded by a light blue heart, “You’re with the Crystal Guard?!”

Another knight gave a loud cry as he jumped high in the air, knocking one of the Wisps holding Macintosh, and giving him the opening to throw the other one to the ground. He then stood back to back with the blue armor and red cape clad knight.

“Thanks, got a name?!” Macintosh asked.

“Shining Armor of the Crystal Guard! You?” Shining Armor introduced through his much fancier helmet.

“Macintosh Scarlet, most just call me Big Mac!” Macintosh introduced in return.

“Well met! Captain Melody, do NOT let those monster get the Maiden!” Shining armor ordered.

“Understood, Commander!” the Captain said taking Applejack’s hand, “This way, m’lady! Your carriage awaits!” he then pulled her away, just as Chrysalis tried reaching for Applejack again.

“W-wait! What about my brother?!” Applejack asked as she was pulled away from the action, “Macintosh!”

“I’ll be right behind ya, sis!” Macintosh said, working with the blue armored knight to clear a path, “I promise!”

The knight was extremely violent, not just slashing with his blade, but also bashing the Wisps with his shield and kicking them to the ground. Based on the enraged screams coming from him, Macintosh could tell he had a serious hatred for these creatures.

“Now! The path is cleared!” Shining Armor shouted, “Let’s move!”

Macintosh nodded and followed after his new surprise ally toward what appeared to be a carriage.

“Don’t let them leave, you fools! After them!” Chrysalis demanded pointing in their direction. The Wisps stumbled around a bit, but quickly rushed after the escaping group, “Ugh! Sombra’s going to have my head if they escape!”

It didn’t take long for Melody to realize that they were being followed, “Keep going, m’lady! I will keep them busy!”

“But, my brother!” Applejack cried, “I can’t leave without him!”

“I promise, he will make it, but your safety is paramount!” Captain Melody said standing in front of the Maiden, “Please, trust me!”

Applejack looked down a bit, but she reluctantly continued onward, just as Shining Armor and Macintosh started to catch up, sure enough followed by Wisps.

“Where’s my sister?” Macintosh asked Melody.

“Worry not, sir, the Maiden is currently safe with the rest of our knights,” Melody said as the Wisps caught up with and surrounded them.

“If we want her to stay that way, we better at least chase these guys away!” Shining Armor said drawing her sword, “Big Mac was it? You should hurry on ahead! We’ll cover you!”

“Sorry, but I ain’t runnin’!” Macintosh said stepping in between the two knights and raising his fists, “Not while these things are after my little sister!”

Shining Armor looked at Macintosh briefly, and then shook his head, putting his focus on the Wisps, “Just make sure you don’t regret that!”

The Wisps charged at the three warriors, who now that there were more fighters things were a tad more even.

Macintosh took two Wisps and was fighting both of them at once, mostly relying on kick boxing and making his two opponents hit each out. Eventually, he managed to get one really good kick in, knocking one of the Wisps back onto the ground. He punched him in the stomach as hard as he could, and then threw the other one over his shoulder on top of his partner.

Shining Armor also fought two, swinging his sword wildly and ferociously, slicing through one Wisp and making it fly back, and then side kicking the other one into a tree. He rushed over to it growling in anger and slashed it continuously in the stomach and chest, almost as if he were venting. When the second Wisp he was fighting kicked up and tried to punch him, he turned around and grabbed it by the face, before picking it up and slamming it onto the ground as hard as he could.

Captain Melody was mostly focused on one Wisp, using much more elegant and controlled slashes with his broad sword. The Wisp tried to swing at him, but he ducked and did a sweeping kick knocking it off its feet, but then slashed upward with his blade before it hit the ground.

After fighting for a good few minutes, the Wisps were all thrown into a pile onto the ground.

“Let’s get out of here!” Macintosh said to his companions, both of whom nodded in agreement. As the three ran toward the carriage, Chrysalis sauntered over to the Wisps.

“You idiots!” she seethed, kicking one of her foot soldiers in the side. She then bit her thumb nail in frustration, “His Majesty is going to be furious when he finds out about this…!”

“You’re safe!” Applejack cried, jumping into her brother’s arms. They were now safely in the carriage, making their way toward the Crystal Empire. The carriage was surprisingly large, big enough for all of them and even had some extra room.

“Pretty sure I’m the one who’s supposed to say that line,” Macintosh laughed holding his sister, “And thank you for comin’ to our rescue like that.”

“You should thank Her Majesty, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” Shining Armor said, removing his helmet to properly introduce himself, “I know we already introduced each other, but the name’s Shining Armor. I’m the Commander of the Crystal Guard, Fifteenth Division,” he held out his hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Macintosh said shaking his hand firmly, “An’ again, the name’s Macintosh Scarlet, or Big Mac for short. This here’s my sister, Appleja-” he turned to where his sister was sitting, and saw the other knight in golden armor, on one knee, gently caressing his sister’s leg.

“Does this feel better, m’lady?” Melody said as he gently massaged Applejack’s leg.

“Um… y-yeah. Thank ya kindly,” Applejack said, face bright red.

“The pleasure is all mine, fair maiden,” Melody said, almost seductively, “Those scoundrels shall not harm your stunning visage so long as I’m around.”

“Hey!” Macintosh said walking over to the scene and pulling Applejack away from the knight, “I don’t care if y’all helped us out, no strange man’s gonna feel up my sister!”

Melody chuckled as he stood, “I apologize, good sir. When I see a beautiful woman, I must pay my respects. However, if you’ll excuse the cliched line,” he said reaching for his helmet, only to reveal…

“I am, no man,” she said, shocking both siblings. The woman had super long black hair, elegant purple eyes, and a smile done up with light pink lipstick. Her figure was impossible to tell from inside of the armor, but now that he got a good look at it, he COULD tell that hers had more of a pronounced chest than her commanding officer.

“Sorry about her,” Shining Armor groaned, “She’s incorrigible, I know. This is Octavia Melody, my second in command of the Fifteenth Division. If there’s a woman you’re interested in, better keep her clear of this one. Strikingly beautiful, but a shameless womanizer.”

“Oh Commander, you flatter me~” Octavia laughed mirthfully.

“That wasn’t a compliment,” Shining deadpanned.

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” he said, hugging Applejack closer and glaring at Octavia, unaware of how much Applejack was blushing.

“Oh, pardon!” Octavia said placing a hand over her mouth in shock, “I had no idea that you two had that sort of relationship! And I thought I was bold!” she turned away slightly, smirking.

Macintosh looked confused, and then slowly looked down at Applejack, realizing how this looked, “Gah!” he released Applejack and turned away, face as red as his shirt, “Um… s-sorry ‘bout that sis.”

“N-no, it’s fine,” Applejack said, blushing a bit herself, “R-really. Not a problem at all.”

“Oh you two are a treat~” Octavia said chuckling, “But for now, you should rest. It’s going to be a bit until we get back to the Crystal Empire, and I’m sure you two are tired.”

“I know I am,” Applejack said stretching, “Macintosh, I’m gonna lie down for a bit.”

“Alright, get some rest, Applejack,” Macintosh smiled. As she went to lie down, Macintosh turned to Shining Armor, “Y’all keep callin’ her “Maiden”. Does that mean exactly what I think it does?”

“Afraid so,” Shining Armor said sitting back down, “You’ve heard the legend of the Two Goddesses, correct?”

“Who hasn’t heard that legend?” Macintosh said sitting down across from him.

“That makes things easier,” Octavia said, gently placing a red blanket over Applejack as she drifted to sleep, “Tell me, Sir Macintosh, does your sister have any strange birthmarks on her hip?”

“She does. It’s red, shaped like an apple,” Macintosh answered, “We run an apple farm back home, so we always thought it was a sign of good luck.”

“Trust me, it’s anything but,” Shining Armor stated, “That mark means she’s the Maiden of Honesty, one of the six Maidens who are meant to keep the Maiden’s Seal intact with her very existence.”

“Death does not save her from this fate, either,” Octavia said, sitting beside Macintosh, “When a Maiden dies, her next life begins immediately elsewhere, in an endless cycle. It shall remain this way so long as the Seal is needed.”

“She always did seem unnaturally wise,” Macintosh mused, “She’s got this timelessness to her, ya know?”

“Indeed, as if she’s lived countless lives, more than we can even fathom,” Octavia continued, “Also, she’s never told a lie, has she?”

“Not even when we were kids,” Macintosh shook his head, “Even if she were gonna get in trouble, she’d always tell the truth. It almost seemed like she was compelled to do so.”

“She is, in a way,” Shining Armor said folding his arms, “In order to retain the seal, she has to live by her virtue. For her, this means she’s subconsciously conditioned to be honest. It’s not that she can’t lie, but it would be really hard for her to work up the courage to do so.”

“So wait, what about that rumor that the Maiden’s Seal is weakened?” Macintosh asked, “Y’all said that as long as the Maiden’s retain their virtues, the seal stays intact, don’t it?”

“Ten years ago, one of the Maidens was captured by the Nightmares. She’s now their prisoner, and I imagine her virtue is weakening bit by bit. Also, in the Underworld, I imagine her Maiden powers don't even work.” Octavia said carefully, noticing how Shining Armor was tensing.

“Ten years?!” Macintosh asked incredulous, “Why hasn’t anyone gone after her?”

“Don’t you think I would if I could?!” Shining Armor shouted suddenly, alarming Macintosh. Shining Armor caught himself and relaxed as much as he could, “Unfortunately, we don’t have a means of entering the Underworld safely yet. And even if we did, Nightmares are stronger there without Celestia’s light to weaken them. It would be, a suicide mission.”

Macintosh could tell, the Maiden they were talking about was someone special to him.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Macintosh said, “I… didn’t know all of that stuff.”

“It’s fine,” Shining Armor said curtly, “I was weak before, but I’m stronger now. And someday… I will have the strength to rescue her.”

“I believe it,” Macintosh smiled, “If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

“You’ve done us a great service already by bringing the Maiden of Honesty to the Crystal Empire,” Octavia said placing a hand on his back, “We’ll take it from here. For now, you should get some rest too.”

Macintosh wanted to protest that he was fine, but he was getting tired. After stretching, he leaned off to the side of his seat and rested his eyes. As long as his sister was safe now, he could rest easy.

I did it, Granny Smith.

I got her to safety, just like I promised I would.

“Chrysalis, I’m not happy,” said the man in his throne, shrouded in darkness, and only his demonic green and red eyes visible, glaring at the woman kneeling before him.

“Forgive me, Sire!” Chrysalis bowed, “I almost had her!”

“Almost isn’t good enough!” he shouted, shooting red electricity at Chrysalis, electrocuting her, “I ordered you to bring me the Maiden of Honesty, and thanks to you, the Crystal Knights now have her!”

“I can get her back, Sire! I promise!” she cried out, wincing in intense pain, “I have a plan, but I need a strong Nightmare in order to do it!”

“We’ve already sent the Canis Brothers out to retrieve the Maiden of Generosity,” he released Chrysalis, “Anymore, and we risk straining our beloved Goddess’ energy.”

“Just one more. This way, we can bring both Honesty and Generosity to you at once, Sire,” Chrysalis said, breathing heavily as she caught her breath.

Sombra considered this for a second. He then snapped his finger, “Taurus, come to me!”

A large brute of a Nightmare walked over to them. His body was dark red and muscular, with cloven feet and large fists. Around his entire body were chains and scars, and he had the head of a demonic bull complete with large horns and demonic red eyes.

“What can I do for you, King Sombra?” Taurus asked. Based off his manner of speech, it was clear he wasn’t all that bright, but that was fine. All he needed to be was a bruiser.

“Allow Chrysalis to give you the Lunar Seal, and follow her to the surface world,” Sombra commanded, “Go into the Crystal Empire, and capture the Maiden of Honesty. If the Canis Brothers finishes their mission, have them assist you.”

“Can I smash stuff along the way?” Taurus asked excitedly. Sombra chuckled at that.

“Of course, Taurus. Smash anything you want. The more fear you build up, the stronger I become,” he stated.

“Sounds like a blast! Those humans won’t know what hit them!” Taurus proclaimed, throwing his fists up excitedly. This was going to be fun.

To be continued…