My Little Pony: Beyond Worldsby InkquillyChaptersChapter 0: Realm Storm (Prolouge)Ch 1.1: Hard Rock LifeCh 1.2: Rock PiesChapter 0: Realm Storm (Prolouge)A storm. A disaster like no one had seen before. Yet Applejack’s luck saw her stuck trying to take shelter in a cave with her brother. The clouds were something insane. They were pitch black, so dark that they blotted out the sun, the only guiding light being the strokes of strange multicolored lightning that struck the ground and shook the earth. The rain came down like pebbles, and made a gray fog everywhere it touched down. Everything was in chaos. Every strike of lightning followed by thunder that sounded like it was right next to you. Trees were uprooted, boulders thrown…it terrified the little filly. Applejack looked to her brother for reassurance. His gaze was fixed worryingly on the chaos outside, his red face looking very unsure. In turn, AJ was worried. What would happen to Ponyville at this rate? Ma and Pa were out making a delivery too! She sighed in relief as a break in the constant, back-to-back crashes of thunder stopped. They sat there, listening to the bullets of water rain from the sky for a moment. Just staring out into the gray gaze. “Big Mac…” “Eeyup.” “You think Granny, and Ma n’ Pa will be okay?” “…” “…” “Big Mac, please.” “…Ah think…Ah think that granny will be fine. She knows she’s gotta be since she has Apple Bloom.” “…what about Ma n’ Pa?” “…” “B-Big Mac, what about Ma n’ Pa?!” When she turned to face her brother, the oddest sight occurred to her. The lanky colt and tears coming down his face. Tears he didn’t understand himself. “AJ. Muh- I-” He took a deep breath as he stabilized himself, the influx of sudden emotion overcoming him out of nowhere. “Applejack…my heart’s hurtin, an’…I don’t know where Ma n’ Pa are…” The orange filly was silent, an anxiety building within her as she faced the gray rainy haze again. It felt like hours that they had sat there, waiting to hopefully find a break in the storm. Yet nothing changed aside from the occasional break in the constant lightning. Applejack was getting worried that she was getting used to it as she felt herself starting to doze off. But that was when she saw it. Somepony lying on their side, unconscious in the storm. Applejack didn’t know if it was her worry for her parents, and her seeing them in the collapsed pony, or just her natural compassion. But she bolted without giving her brother so much as a word of warning to get to the fallen pony. “APPLEJACK?!” She didn’t stop for a second, the shaking of the ground tearing through her body with everything touchdown the lightning made, but she pushed through. She had to. She needed to. A tree crashed and fell down right in front of her, and would’ve crushed her if she had been a bit further. Yet she didn’t let it phase her. She leapt right over and continued to run for what she was beginning to see was a purple pony. In fact, the brightest color of purple she’d seen on anypony. She didn’t have long to think about it as she felt her hair and coat stand on end. She suddenly shot herself to the side and tumbled against the mud, and only about two seconds later lightning struck right where she had been. “APPLEJACK!!!” Big Mac’s voice was faint against the noise and the rain. She got back up and dashed right for the lavender pony. She was just a few feet away! Yet if anything, the storm wanted to keep her from this filly. She had found herself dodging strikes her coat was predicting whenever she stood up, yet was still getting closer. Then her coat stood on end again, but only in the front toward her face. The next strike wouldn’t hit her. It was gonna hit the unconscious filly. ”NO!” Applejack dove. Tackling the filly and was sent rolling. She clung on to her body tight. She was limp. This filly was really out of it. Applejack checked her body quickly. She had managed to only sustain a tail burnt to half its original mane length. Not bad if Applejack had to say so. She tried to prop herself up, but her hoof missed the floor. She flinched in shock, looking over. It was a ravine. Bless Applejack’s lucky stars. She pulled the sleeping filly up into a sitting position. The first thing that stuck out to her, were the bloody fragments of…something sticking out of her forehead. Oh lord, did she get impaled?! Applejack put her near to the filly’s chest. She was breathing. Whatever was lodged in there wasn't deep. “APPLEJACK!” She could hear her brother properly again. He looked ragged running through the rain, and the side of his barrel looked a bit singed. This was good, now he could help her get this filly to the ca- Her fur stood up near the front of her body. ”BIG MAC STOP!” Right between them a blast of lightning struck. She had just saved Big Mac’s life! Why was everything getting lower. It was dark. Twilight couldn’t feel anything. She couldn’t see anything. Her body was wracked with nothing but pain, yet she could feel everything shaking violently. But now she could feel something. Cold- She couldn’t breathe. Something was getting into her lungs, she couldn’t breath- For a moment that ended. Then it happened again, and for longer. When she came up again, she was wet and still being moved. But someone had their forelegs around her. Is that Shiny? She could hear a voice. She sounded scared but…she was telling her she would be okay…but nothing was okay. She wanted to go home. Suddenly the legs wrapped around her tighter before they slammed into something. She was against something softer. It was whoever had been holding her. Whoever this was didn’t falter, shielding Twilight the entire way. But she was gonna get hurt. She could die! Even unconscious, her panic was rising. She didn’t want anyone to die! Why was this happening to her! She just wanted to go home! She could feel herself crying before her head exploded in pain. Then Twilight was fully unconscious again. Applejack felt herself getting woozy as she and the filly were washed down the ravine and were being thrown against the rocks. Applejack had been taking the brunt of the impacts, but didn’t know how much more she could take. But she wasn’t about to let the filly go. No matter what. The poor girl was terrified, Applejack could feel her shaking and even saw tears. “Just- AH! Just hang on! It’s gonna be okay!” Applejack wanted to just let go so bad as she saw them approach another rock. But she held strong. As Applejack braced for her back to meet the stone again something…magical happened. An explosion of shimmering light exploded from the purple filly’s body. The current itself seemed to instantly halt around them, the raindrops freezing where they fell. A shimmering ball of energy surrounded Applejack and the lavender girl. It was something incredible, Applejack had never seen something like this from…anypony! She was…she was magic! The two were gently levitated over to a ledge where they were going to be gently laid. However a sudden sputtering and flickering came from the filly’s horn, and suddenly there was a wet splurt and AJ founder herself covered in blood, roughly dropped against the ledge, and the filly was screaming bloody murder. She looked at her in a panic. She writhed on the ground in pain, her forehead looking as if something small had exploded against it. “Oh mah stars. Oh mah stars, oh mah STARS!” She scrambled over and quickly wrapped the filly tightly in her forelegs as she trashed around in pain. “It’s okay! I-It’s gonna be okay! Ah’ promise! Ah’m telling the truth, you’re gonna be okay!” She said as she managed to wrangle the flailing filly to the ground. Applejack removed a ribbon from her mane that was being used as a bow and managed, with no help from the filly of course, to wrap the filly’s head to keep it from bleeding out too much. Her screaming began to quiet to whimpering. Then the whimpering turned to silence. Then her silence went to stillness. Applejack started to sigh in relief as she filly stayed quiet for a while. Then she started to get worried as she checked to hear her heartbeat again. Still alive. “…heh…must’ve, tired herself out…” Applejack said tiredly. She looked back over the edge of their cover to the rushing waters, she sighed. They were gonna be here for a while. Three days. That’s how long it took until AJ had actually woken up to the ground not shaking like a maniac. The rain itself was even…light. There were rays of sunshine even peeking through the clouds. She was so hungry, but for the sake of her friend she had kept pushing. There was no shortage of water, and often she used it to substitute food. Her friend, which she had nicknamed Sparkling for now, was still unconscious. In fact, she hadn’t woken for the past three days. It…scared her, but she was still breathing! Applejack began to chuckle happily. “Sparkling, Sparkling! You know what this means?” There was no response. Applejack's expression softened as placed a hoof on the pony’s head. ‘Sparkling’s’ head tilted up toward it. It was the main thing that kept Applejack’s hope for her lit. She always seemed to react to AJ’s touch like this. “We’re finally gonna get cha’ outta here Sparkling.” To the apple farmer’s surprise, Sparkling…sighed in relief. Applejack blinked and retracted her hoof in surprise. She gently shook Sparkling. No response. “Well…ah’m happy you’re gettin’ better.” Applejack smiled as she gently got the purple filly on to her back. She checked the makeshift bandage made of ribbon. It peeled off and she winced at the sound. Under it Sparkling’s forehead was scarred white, and even stranger, it was scarred in the shape of a six-pointed star. Also, “Bleugh!” It spurted blood into AJ’s face again. Still wasn’t fully healed and it didn’t like being exposed to the air. She rearranged the ribbon to the driest spot she could find and affixed it again. Now. How were they gonna get out of here? She thinks she saw a way that they could climb up a bit further down. The water was calm enough for an easy swim until it drained out and Applejack was confident she could do it while carrying her friend. Okay then. Here we go- “Applejack! Where are ya!” Big Mac! “Big Mac?!” “Applejack?!” “We’re down here!” ”Oh thank the sun- just hang on! Everyone else in Ponyville’s a’ comin’!” And true to his word, the town came to Applejack and Twilight's aid. Within the hour the two fillies were retrieved and brought indoors. “H-Hang on wait- w-where are ya’ takin ‘er!” The apple farmer said in distress. Two medical ponies had begun to take Twilight away. “A-Applejack…she’s hurt bad, she needs doctors.” “B-But she needs me! She’ll-“ “Applejack! Calm down!” Her grandmother’s voice cut through the rain. She knelt down to the orange filly. “Applejack, there’s something important you’ve gotta know.” That night, Applejack returned feeling like an apple mash. The only thing she wanted now was the one thing she had managed to save. When !&$#%*!?#’s eyes opened, she could barely feel anything. Where…was she? Looking around it was dark, but she at least knew it was a medical room. Was she hurt? !&$#%*!?# looked over her body. She was wrapped in bandages. Yes. She had been hurt. What happened to her? Where was that kind voice that held her in its forelegs? She froze when she heard something creak open. It was the window, she watched as someone shoddily climbed in and tumbled in to the floor. “Agh! Consarnit!” That voice… “Oh Sparkling…Ah’m sorry I let ‘em take- y-you…” !&$#%*!?# tilted her head. “Sparkling? Sparkling yer’ awake!” “…Sparkling?” Applejack’s eyes widened. She gently touched the lavender filly’s forehead, coming to a realization. “Yeah…Sparkling. Sparkling Cider.” As she spoke, Cider gently leaned into the hoof on her forehead and closed her eyes in a blissful comfort. “…everything’s gonna be okay Sparkling…” “Everything’s gonna be okay Twiliy.” Author's Note Please leave a comment if ya can! Ch 1.1: Hard Rock LifeFlashes. Garbled noises bearing no logic or reason. Nonsensical shapes and colors smattering about. The orbs, locked in an orbit around each other under the glow of a giant white hole. All bound in a void of stars, color, and stardust. Two P- “CIDER! Git yer flank up girl!” Sparkling Cider screamed for a good 3 minutes before Applejack came running upstairs to calm her down. “Shh shh shh, it’s okay! Ah’m sorry, ‘bout that. Must’ve been a good dream huh?” Sparkling shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t really remember it. What’s fer’ breakfast?” The two trotted downstairs to the cozy living room where Apple Bloom was scribbling on a piece of paper. “Oh! Mornin’ Cider!” The young filly said in glee, her face lighting up when she saw her adoptive sister. She trotted up, giving her a nuzzle against her cheek, making the purple pony smile. “Mornin’ Bloom, whatcha’ drawin’?” “Family tree. It’s a school assignment!”” The apple filly picked up her drawing of a well-made apple tree. On it were names glued on each branch made, going back pretty far. No doubt that was thanks to Granny Smith’s knowledge. However, Cider noticed something odd. “Hey, who’s branches are those comin’ in from tha’ edge of the paper?” Cider questioned. “Yer’ folks! Ah’ve been meanin’ ta’ ask ya about ‘em. Who are they?” The child asked innocently. Cider put a hoof to her chin, considering the question. It was a really good one. One everyone had tried to figure out when she was younger. For the longest time a search was put out for the lavender pony’s parents, yet nothing came of it. From Manehatten to Appleloosa, no pony had ever heard of a bright purple filly, almost as if she had only started to exist the day the storm happened. When she woke up, her diagnosis of amnesia didn’t help find her guardians either, but Granny Smith refused to just leave the child out to dry. Her heart was raw having lost her son and her daughter-in-law, but giving Sparkling Cider a home helped soothe her. Something Cider was grateful for even after…difficulties with herself began to arise. “I-I’m no- coughcough -I’m not sure Apple Bloom. COUGHCOUGHKAFFCOUGH” “Awww, okay!” The filly seemed to accept the answer easily as Cider began to start up a coughing fit, she was starting to feel bloated. She beat on her chest, trying to make it settle but it was just getting worse. “Oof, I recognized that-” COUGHCOUGHKAFFCOUGHCOUGHCOUGH The coughing fit wracked her body, forcing her to kneel against the floor. With a particularly rough cough a thick, shimmering cloud of what looked like stars was forced from her body. However it didn't stop there the shimmering fit of coughs. The clouds of stars conglomerated together, even forming images of what looked like planets. Twilight felt like her stomach was about to come up when something was jammed into her mouth and she felt her throat being moisturized. Applejack waved the stardust clouds from her vision as she held the water bottle against Cider’s muzzle, the lavender mare gratefully gulping it down as the roughness in her throat was washed away. A few little wet coughs and Cider was fine. “Th-Thanks cough, AJ…” Cider sputtered out as Applejack patted her on the back. “Yeesh, Ah’ reckon that's the worst it's been before.” “Yeah but it was cool!” Apple Bloom said, hopping in and out of the shimmering clouds. “Apple Bloom don’t do that, w-we dunno if it could make ya’ sick.” Sparkling Cider said as she halted the filly. The family opened some windows to vent out the stars and moved on to breakfast shortly after, where they gave their morning greetings to Granny Smith. “Glad to see you two are up! Though Ah’ still wish you could be up earlier without bein’ loopy Cider. But that aint yer’ fault nun.” “Sorry Granny!” Sparkling said as she shoved some pancakes into her mouth. Sparkling did already have an idea of what they would be doing today, after all, it was delivery day! Mostly on account of an annual event going on in another town. Sparkling would love to engage in it more while they were there, but…being away from the farm too long made her feel…panicky. Thank god for the shortcut! There was a fallen tree in the shortcut. Applejack sucked her teeth. “Welp, there’s no way about it. These trees are blockin’ this here path and the rest of the woods are too thick for the carts to travel through. Looks like we’re gonna have to go the long way sugar cri- c-cube!” Applejack explained. Sparkling, to her credit, did not freak out despite how much her mind suddenly wanted to. She didn’t even get why she wanted to, it’s not the end of the world, and she’s barely been out of Ponyville for 20 minutes. Oh god, 20 minutes. 20 minutes that's too long. That’s less stars than what's in the sky and stars are everywhere. “Sugar.” But they’re not on the ground, but that’s where Cider was and she wasn’t a star but she made star dust. “Hey, listen to me sugar.” Dust is little things like deadcellsandhairhandgodherskinissoitchywhydoesshehaveitwho’sTwilightplanetsareche- She was being squeezed tightly. Sparkling Cider took in the apple-y scent, held it, and let a deep breath out. Smelled like home. “Better?” Cider nodded against Applejack’s chest. She took in one last breath before separating. “Alright, lets go, we’ll be later than we’ll already be takin’ the long way as it is so lets pick it up a notch.” “Gotcha’!” Applejack said as she restrapped herself to her cart and began to trot in the direction of the longer route. An hour of walking in and Sparkling could feel herself beginning to feel…off again. She drifted closer to Applejack as everything began to become threatening to her. There was nothing to worry about, she was okay. They were just passing through a…gray rocky plain. Applejack was here! She was fine now stop tormenting her! Sparkling Cider’s mind began to spiral as her breathing began to grow heavier. Were the rocks watching her? Rocks couldn’t watch ponies, ponies watched ponies but where were they- No! Calm down! Applejack is here. Applejack is h- Sparkling Cider tripped as they began to take the rocky road downhill. She screamed bloody murder as she went rolling down the hill, and out of sheer luck it seemed her cart wasn’t restrapped firmly which left her free from it crushing her. “CIDER!-“ Applejack's voice cut out as her head hit the ground moderately hard, and sent her unconscious. Her head was always sensitive to a solid knock. Applejack was fast to trot down the hill after Sparkling, concern clear on her face. She was quick to disregard the carts full of apple products in favor of checking over the unconscious pony. “CIDER! Cider! Oh mah’ goodness-” She carefully lifted the lavender mare’s head up, only finding a small bump on the side of her forehead. She breathed out a sigh of relief. “It ain’t nothin’ serious. You’ll be u in a lil’ bit.” Applejack looked around the area and spotted something strange. It seemed to be a little farm all the way out in the Gray Hoof Valley. But who the heck would live all by they’re lonesome out here? “Welp? We need some place to rest ya’ just hope they’re a friendly kinda folk out here.” Applejack said, slipping the mare over her back. She made a speedy trot over to the fence of the farm, Cider making incoherent babbles in her sleep from the jostling. Upon getting closer, Applejack looked around for any pony that may be out in the fields…though she wouldn’t blame them for not being out. There was nothing there at all! The entire space was full of short, gray, grass and rocks. No plowed fields, no crops, no nothing. What did they even grow out there, and did they really just survive on grass alone? “Hello? Any pony out there? Ah’ need a lil’ help with mah’ friend ‘ere!” Applejack called out to the farm. Silence. She began to worry that the farm was abandoned. At this rate she was gonna have to turn around. “Can I help you.” Applejack screamed, she refrained from jumping so Sparkling Cider wouldn’t get launched off and blessed with more head trauma, but the monotone voice seriously brought her close to jumping anyway. “Ahem, H-Heh. Sorry ‘bout that, but ah’ do need some help. Y’see, mah’ name’s Applejack, and this here is muh’ mar- mah’ FRIEND Sparklin’ Cider’. She took a tumble and now I just need someplace to put ‘er down until she gets up again.” Applejack explained to who she assumed was the owner of the…farm if you could call it that. The pony standing in front of her was a gray color with a gray-ish purple mane and tail, dressed in a dark blue dress. The gray mare tilted her head, taking in Applejack’s enormous figure and looking her over. Her eyes trailed over Cider’s unconscious form and she gently touched her forehead with a hoof. “Okay.” She plainly stated, walking toward the farmhouse. “I- wh- O-Okay then! Thank ya’ kindly miss?” “Maud Pie.” Author's Note Bit short, but make sure to leave a comment! Ch 1.2: Rock PiesWhen Cider woke up again it was from the usual nonsensical dream of being planets and stars, and as well as there being a very stiff block on her back. When she woke up she could realize why. She was laid on a couch that was surprisingly stiff, and the cushion her head was propped up on did absolutely nothing to make her rest better. She groaned as she sat up and popped her back. She looked around the living room she was in. It was…gray, kinda depressing looking. As if someone took a vacuum and sucked out all the color. The pictures on the wall were of a family of five, none of them smiling, all some pretty dull colors for their coats. Though as she looked back, she spied one photo. Another family photo, all the girls younger, with a pink filly in the picture. Her pink coat was a bit washed out in color, but it stood out from the rest of her family. Cider already dreaded the answer if she asked about the daughter’s whereabouts. Speaking of which. Where was she? “A-Applejack? Hello?” “Cider!” The sound of hoofs rapidly running to meet her in the living room echoed out. One Applejack came running out of a hallway to meet her, wrapping her in a tight hug. “Ya’ gave me quite a scare back there! Ya’ went tumblin’ and knocked yerself out!” Applejack explained to the lavender pony. Sparkling rubbed the side of her head, feeling the lump on the side of her head. “Eugh…Ah’ can still feel it too. But enough a’ all that, we gotta get back on the road with these deliveries an-“ “Not with a concussion you shouldn’t.” Cider screamed and jumped into Applejack’s forelegs when a foreign voice suddenly came from right next to her. She whipped her head around to face it, surprised to see a gray coated mare with a grayish purple mane. Her face seemed to be caught in a perpetual deadpan, yet looking into her eyes Sparkling Cider could see…something. Like a hint of emotion beneath the stone that made up her expression. “Ah’ know she took a tumble but don’tcha gotta hit yer’ head mighty hard for one-a’ those?” Applejack said as she continued to hold Sparkling Cider in her legs like it was the most natural thing in the world. Cider actually found the grip to be a little tight. “She could have a big brain.” Maud said in her flat tone of voice. This simply left the two apple farmers confused as to what she was referring to. The gray pony let out what they assumed to be a sigh. “At least eat something before you get back on the road.” She said, walking off toward the kitchen. Applejack and Twilight looked at each other for a moment before shrugging and deciding to accept the offer. The kitchen table had 6 spots set out for ponies to eat, but only three were in use. As Sparkling Cider and Applejack looked down at their meals, they had questions. “The rest of my family is out right now.” That answered one of them. The other question that went unasked was why there was a rock in a bowl with what they hoped was a broth liquid. “We take turns going out as a group in order to look for one of my younger sisters.” “Tha’ Pink one?” Tumbled out of cider’s mouth. Maud stared at her blankly for a moment. “Yeah, her name is Pinkie Pie…she went missing in that crazy storm a few years ago.” The gray farmer spoke as she poured herself a cup of water from the sink. Once again, despite the monotone voice and actions of maud, Twilight couldn’t help but feel like there was something deeper she was just getting a glimpse of. Cider looked down at her bowl of…rock soup, looking at her reflection. The storm.The same storm Applejack had found her in, yet another filly had gone missing that day. Her eyes wandered to the scar on her forehead. The bone underneath was unusually bumpy. “Anyways, when you’re done feel free to leave if you want. Or don’t.” She walked out of the kitchen without another word, and shortly after they heard the front door open and shut. Cider and Applejack looked at each other, both thinking the same thing. They felt for the girl greatly. “Well…ah’ guess we should at the very least wash up these here dishes and get moseying on outta here.” Applejack said with a shrug. Cider replied in kind with a shrug of her own as she lifted her bowl, and was careful to balance it so the stone inside didn’t fall out or break anything. Cider watched from the window as Maud trekked across the grey farmland into a silo nearby the house, curious as to what she could be doing in there. The pair of apple farms stood on the front porch, making sure they had everything they needed before they went to retrieve their pie carts from the edge of the farm, and as they set out Cider heard something. Fweee! Her ear twitched and her head turned a bit toward the silo as she heard it. Fweee! This time she fully looked at the silo that Maud went into once more. What she heard wasn’t just in her mind, it was the sound of something like a little buzzing horn. “Alrighty, Ah’d say we’re ’bout ready to set off now. Where’d Maud go an- C-Cider? Where ya’ goin’ girl!” Applejack said as she watched Sparkling Cider wander off toward the silo. The lavender mare got up to the door, pressing her ear up against it. She could hear the tweeting of what she was pretty sure was a kazoo on the other side, no doubt Maud was the one blowing it. Cider pushed the doors open to see Maud sitting alone with a grey cone hat alongside a rock with a small hat made for it. There was a single table with a bowl of the rock soup they had earlier and one blue balloon. Mauds eyes turned to her slowly. “Oh…hi.” They stood in an awkward silence. “Welcome to my party. My little sister liked them.” Sparkling Cider’s eyes softened. Author's Note I RIIIISE! Alrighty, I wanna start getting back into writing again. It’s really fun! I’ll try and see about squeezing out an update for Run Filly Run next!
Chapter 0: Realm Storm (Prolouge)A storm. A disaster like no one had seen before. Yet Applejack’s luck saw her stuck trying to take shelter in a cave with her brother. The clouds were something insane. They were pitch black, so dark that they blotted out the sun, the only guiding light being the strokes of strange multicolored lightning that struck the ground and shook the earth. The rain came down like pebbles, and made a gray fog everywhere it touched down. Everything was in chaos. Every strike of lightning followed by thunder that sounded like it was right next to you. Trees were uprooted, boulders thrown…it terrified the little filly. Applejack looked to her brother for reassurance. His gaze was fixed worryingly on the chaos outside, his red face looking very unsure. In turn, AJ was worried. What would happen to Ponyville at this rate? Ma and Pa were out making a delivery too! She sighed in relief as a break in the constant, back-to-back crashes of thunder stopped. They sat there, listening to the bullets of water rain from the sky for a moment. Just staring out into the gray gaze. “Big Mac…” “Eeyup.” “You think Granny, and Ma n’ Pa will be okay?” “…” “…” “Big Mac, please.” “…Ah think…Ah think that granny will be fine. She knows she’s gotta be since she has Apple Bloom.” “…what about Ma n’ Pa?” “…” “B-Big Mac, what about Ma n’ Pa?!” When she turned to face her brother, the oddest sight occurred to her. The lanky colt and tears coming down his face. Tears he didn’t understand himself. “AJ. Muh- I-” He took a deep breath as he stabilized himself, the influx of sudden emotion overcoming him out of nowhere. “Applejack…my heart’s hurtin, an’…I don’t know where Ma n’ Pa are…” The orange filly was silent, an anxiety building within her as she faced the gray rainy haze again. It felt like hours that they had sat there, waiting to hopefully find a break in the storm. Yet nothing changed aside from the occasional break in the constant lightning. Applejack was getting worried that she was getting used to it as she felt herself starting to doze off. But that was when she saw it. Somepony lying on their side, unconscious in the storm. Applejack didn’t know if it was her worry for her parents, and her seeing them in the collapsed pony, or just her natural compassion. But she bolted without giving her brother so much as a word of warning to get to the fallen pony. “APPLEJACK?!” She didn’t stop for a second, the shaking of the ground tearing through her body with everything touchdown the lightning made, but she pushed through. She had to. She needed to. A tree crashed and fell down right in front of her, and would’ve crushed her if she had been a bit further. Yet she didn’t let it phase her. She leapt right over and continued to run for what she was beginning to see was a purple pony. In fact, the brightest color of purple she’d seen on anypony. She didn’t have long to think about it as she felt her hair and coat stand on end. She suddenly shot herself to the side and tumbled against the mud, and only about two seconds later lightning struck right where she had been. “APPLEJACK!!!” Big Mac’s voice was faint against the noise and the rain. She got back up and dashed right for the lavender pony. She was just a few feet away! Yet if anything, the storm wanted to keep her from this filly. She had found herself dodging strikes her coat was predicting whenever she stood up, yet was still getting closer. Then her coat stood on end again, but only in the front toward her face. The next strike wouldn’t hit her. It was gonna hit the unconscious filly. ”NO!” Applejack dove. Tackling the filly and was sent rolling. She clung on to her body tight. She was limp. This filly was really out of it. Applejack checked her body quickly. She had managed to only sustain a tail burnt to half its original mane length. Not bad if Applejack had to say so. She tried to prop herself up, but her hoof missed the floor. She flinched in shock, looking over. It was a ravine. Bless Applejack’s lucky stars. She pulled the sleeping filly up into a sitting position. The first thing that stuck out to her, were the bloody fragments of…something sticking out of her forehead. Oh lord, did she get impaled?! Applejack put her near to the filly’s chest. She was breathing. Whatever was lodged in there wasn't deep. “APPLEJACK!” She could hear her brother properly again. He looked ragged running through the rain, and the side of his barrel looked a bit singed. This was good, now he could help her get this filly to the ca- Her fur stood up near the front of her body. ”BIG MAC STOP!” Right between them a blast of lightning struck. She had just saved Big Mac’s life! Why was everything getting lower. It was dark. Twilight couldn’t feel anything. She couldn’t see anything. Her body was wracked with nothing but pain, yet she could feel everything shaking violently. But now she could feel something. Cold- She couldn’t breathe. Something was getting into her lungs, she couldn’t breath- For a moment that ended. Then it happened again, and for longer. When she came up again, she was wet and still being moved. But someone had their forelegs around her. Is that Shiny? She could hear a voice. She sounded scared but…she was telling her she would be okay…but nothing was okay. She wanted to go home. Suddenly the legs wrapped around her tighter before they slammed into something. She was against something softer. It was whoever had been holding her. Whoever this was didn’t falter, shielding Twilight the entire way. But she was gonna get hurt. She could die! Even unconscious, her panic was rising. She didn’t want anyone to die! Why was this happening to her! She just wanted to go home! She could feel herself crying before her head exploded in pain. Then Twilight was fully unconscious again. Applejack felt herself getting woozy as she and the filly were washed down the ravine and were being thrown against the rocks. Applejack had been taking the brunt of the impacts, but didn’t know how much more she could take. But she wasn’t about to let the filly go. No matter what. The poor girl was terrified, Applejack could feel her shaking and even saw tears. “Just- AH! Just hang on! It’s gonna be okay!” Applejack wanted to just let go so bad as she saw them approach another rock. But she held strong. As Applejack braced for her back to meet the stone again something…magical happened. An explosion of shimmering light exploded from the purple filly’s body. The current itself seemed to instantly halt around them, the raindrops freezing where they fell. A shimmering ball of energy surrounded Applejack and the lavender girl. It was something incredible, Applejack had never seen something like this from…anypony! She was…she was magic! The two were gently levitated over to a ledge where they were going to be gently laid. However a sudden sputtering and flickering came from the filly’s horn, and suddenly there was a wet splurt and AJ founder herself covered in blood, roughly dropped against the ledge, and the filly was screaming bloody murder. She looked at her in a panic. She writhed on the ground in pain, her forehead looking as if something small had exploded against it. “Oh mah stars. Oh mah stars, oh mah STARS!” She scrambled over and quickly wrapped the filly tightly in her forelegs as she trashed around in pain. “It’s okay! I-It’s gonna be okay! Ah’ promise! Ah’m telling the truth, you’re gonna be okay!” She said as she managed to wrangle the flailing filly to the ground. Applejack removed a ribbon from her mane that was being used as a bow and managed, with no help from the filly of course, to wrap the filly’s head to keep it from bleeding out too much. Her screaming began to quiet to whimpering. Then the whimpering turned to silence. Then her silence went to stillness. Applejack started to sigh in relief as she filly stayed quiet for a while. Then she started to get worried as she checked to hear her heartbeat again. Still alive. “…heh…must’ve, tired herself out…” Applejack said tiredly. She looked back over the edge of their cover to the rushing waters, she sighed. They were gonna be here for a while. Three days. That’s how long it took until AJ had actually woken up to the ground not shaking like a maniac. The rain itself was even…light. There were rays of sunshine even peeking through the clouds. She was so hungry, but for the sake of her friend she had kept pushing. There was no shortage of water, and often she used it to substitute food. Her friend, which she had nicknamed Sparkling for now, was still unconscious. In fact, she hadn’t woken for the past three days. It…scared her, but she was still breathing! Applejack began to chuckle happily. “Sparkling, Sparkling! You know what this means?” There was no response. Applejack's expression softened as placed a hoof on the pony’s head. ‘Sparkling’s’ head tilted up toward it. It was the main thing that kept Applejack’s hope for her lit. She always seemed to react to AJ’s touch like this. “We’re finally gonna get cha’ outta here Sparkling.” To the apple farmer’s surprise, Sparkling…sighed in relief. Applejack blinked and retracted her hoof in surprise. She gently shook Sparkling. No response. “Well…ah’m happy you’re gettin’ better.” Applejack smiled as she gently got the purple filly on to her back. She checked the makeshift bandage made of ribbon. It peeled off and she winced at the sound. Under it Sparkling’s forehead was scarred white, and even stranger, it was scarred in the shape of a six-pointed star. Also, “Bleugh!” It spurted blood into AJ’s face again. Still wasn’t fully healed and it didn’t like being exposed to the air. She rearranged the ribbon to the driest spot she could find and affixed it again. Now. How were they gonna get out of here? She thinks she saw a way that they could climb up a bit further down. The water was calm enough for an easy swim until it drained out and Applejack was confident she could do it while carrying her friend. Okay then. Here we go- “Applejack! Where are ya!” Big Mac! “Big Mac?!” “Applejack?!” “We’re down here!” ”Oh thank the sun- just hang on! Everyone else in Ponyville’s a’ comin’!” And true to his word, the town came to Applejack and Twilight's aid. Within the hour the two fillies were retrieved and brought indoors. “H-Hang on wait- w-where are ya’ takin ‘er!” The apple farmer said in distress. Two medical ponies had begun to take Twilight away. “A-Applejack…she’s hurt bad, she needs doctors.” “B-But she needs me! She’ll-“ “Applejack! Calm down!” Her grandmother’s voice cut through the rain. She knelt down to the orange filly. “Applejack, there’s something important you’ve gotta know.” That night, Applejack returned feeling like an apple mash. The only thing she wanted now was the one thing she had managed to save. When !&$#%*!?#’s eyes opened, she could barely feel anything. Where…was she? Looking around it was dark, but she at least knew it was a medical room. Was she hurt? !&$#%*!?# looked over her body. She was wrapped in bandages. Yes. She had been hurt. What happened to her? Where was that kind voice that held her in its forelegs? She froze when she heard something creak open. It was the window, she watched as someone shoddily climbed in and tumbled in to the floor. “Agh! Consarnit!” That voice… “Oh Sparkling…Ah’m sorry I let ‘em take- y-you…” !&$#%*!?# tilted her head. “Sparkling? Sparkling yer’ awake!” “…Sparkling?” Applejack’s eyes widened. She gently touched the lavender filly’s forehead, coming to a realization. “Yeah…Sparkling. Sparkling Cider.” As she spoke, Cider gently leaned into the hoof on her forehead and closed her eyes in a blissful comfort. “…everything’s gonna be okay Sparkling…” “Everything’s gonna be okay Twiliy.” Author's Note Please leave a comment if ya can!
Ch 1.1: Hard Rock LifeFlashes. Garbled noises bearing no logic or reason. Nonsensical shapes and colors smattering about. The orbs, locked in an orbit around each other under the glow of a giant white hole. All bound in a void of stars, color, and stardust. Two P- “CIDER! Git yer flank up girl!” Sparkling Cider screamed for a good 3 minutes before Applejack came running upstairs to calm her down. “Shh shh shh, it’s okay! Ah’m sorry, ‘bout that. Must’ve been a good dream huh?” Sparkling shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t really remember it. What’s fer’ breakfast?” The two trotted downstairs to the cozy living room where Apple Bloom was scribbling on a piece of paper. “Oh! Mornin’ Cider!” The young filly said in glee, her face lighting up when she saw her adoptive sister. She trotted up, giving her a nuzzle against her cheek, making the purple pony smile. “Mornin’ Bloom, whatcha’ drawin’?” “Family tree. It’s a school assignment!”” The apple filly picked up her drawing of a well-made apple tree. On it were names glued on each branch made, going back pretty far. No doubt that was thanks to Granny Smith’s knowledge. However, Cider noticed something odd. “Hey, who’s branches are those comin’ in from tha’ edge of the paper?” Cider questioned. “Yer’ folks! Ah’ve been meanin’ ta’ ask ya about ‘em. Who are they?” The child asked innocently. Cider put a hoof to her chin, considering the question. It was a really good one. One everyone had tried to figure out when she was younger. For the longest time a search was put out for the lavender pony’s parents, yet nothing came of it. From Manehatten to Appleloosa, no pony had ever heard of a bright purple filly, almost as if she had only started to exist the day the storm happened. When she woke up, her diagnosis of amnesia didn’t help find her guardians either, but Granny Smith refused to just leave the child out to dry. Her heart was raw having lost her son and her daughter-in-law, but giving Sparkling Cider a home helped soothe her. Something Cider was grateful for even after…difficulties with herself began to arise. “I-I’m no- coughcough -I’m not sure Apple Bloom. COUGHCOUGHKAFFCOUGH” “Awww, okay!” The filly seemed to accept the answer easily as Cider began to start up a coughing fit, she was starting to feel bloated. She beat on her chest, trying to make it settle but it was just getting worse. “Oof, I recognized that-” COUGHCOUGHKAFFCOUGHCOUGHCOUGH The coughing fit wracked her body, forcing her to kneel against the floor. With a particularly rough cough a thick, shimmering cloud of what looked like stars was forced from her body. However it didn't stop there the shimmering fit of coughs. The clouds of stars conglomerated together, even forming images of what looked like planets. Twilight felt like her stomach was about to come up when something was jammed into her mouth and she felt her throat being moisturized. Applejack waved the stardust clouds from her vision as she held the water bottle against Cider’s muzzle, the lavender mare gratefully gulping it down as the roughness in her throat was washed away. A few little wet coughs and Cider was fine. “Th-Thanks cough, AJ…” Cider sputtered out as Applejack patted her on the back. “Yeesh, Ah’ reckon that's the worst it's been before.” “Yeah but it was cool!” Apple Bloom said, hopping in and out of the shimmering clouds. “Apple Bloom don’t do that, w-we dunno if it could make ya’ sick.” Sparkling Cider said as she halted the filly. The family opened some windows to vent out the stars and moved on to breakfast shortly after, where they gave their morning greetings to Granny Smith. “Glad to see you two are up! Though Ah’ still wish you could be up earlier without bein’ loopy Cider. But that aint yer’ fault nun.” “Sorry Granny!” Sparkling said as she shoved some pancakes into her mouth. Sparkling did already have an idea of what they would be doing today, after all, it was delivery day! Mostly on account of an annual event going on in another town. Sparkling would love to engage in it more while they were there, but…being away from the farm too long made her feel…panicky. Thank god for the shortcut! There was a fallen tree in the shortcut. Applejack sucked her teeth. “Welp, there’s no way about it. These trees are blockin’ this here path and the rest of the woods are too thick for the carts to travel through. Looks like we’re gonna have to go the long way sugar cri- c-cube!” Applejack explained. Sparkling, to her credit, did not freak out despite how much her mind suddenly wanted to. She didn’t even get why she wanted to, it’s not the end of the world, and she’s barely been out of Ponyville for 20 minutes. Oh god, 20 minutes. 20 minutes that's too long. That’s less stars than what's in the sky and stars are everywhere. “Sugar.” But they’re not on the ground, but that’s where Cider was and she wasn’t a star but she made star dust. “Hey, listen to me sugar.” Dust is little things like deadcellsandhairhandgodherskinissoitchywhydoesshehaveitwho’sTwilightplanetsareche- She was being squeezed tightly. Sparkling Cider took in the apple-y scent, held it, and let a deep breath out. Smelled like home. “Better?” Cider nodded against Applejack’s chest. She took in one last breath before separating. “Alright, lets go, we’ll be later than we’ll already be takin’ the long way as it is so lets pick it up a notch.” “Gotcha’!” Applejack said as she restrapped herself to her cart and began to trot in the direction of the longer route. An hour of walking in and Sparkling could feel herself beginning to feel…off again. She drifted closer to Applejack as everything began to become threatening to her. There was nothing to worry about, she was okay. They were just passing through a…gray rocky plain. Applejack was here! She was fine now stop tormenting her! Sparkling Cider’s mind began to spiral as her breathing began to grow heavier. Were the rocks watching her? Rocks couldn’t watch ponies, ponies watched ponies but where were they- No! Calm down! Applejack is here. Applejack is h- Sparkling Cider tripped as they began to take the rocky road downhill. She screamed bloody murder as she went rolling down the hill, and out of sheer luck it seemed her cart wasn’t restrapped firmly which left her free from it crushing her. “CIDER!-“ Applejack's voice cut out as her head hit the ground moderately hard, and sent her unconscious. Her head was always sensitive to a solid knock. Applejack was fast to trot down the hill after Sparkling, concern clear on her face. She was quick to disregard the carts full of apple products in favor of checking over the unconscious pony. “CIDER! Cider! Oh mah’ goodness-” She carefully lifted the lavender mare’s head up, only finding a small bump on the side of her forehead. She breathed out a sigh of relief. “It ain’t nothin’ serious. You’ll be u in a lil’ bit.” Applejack looked around the area and spotted something strange. It seemed to be a little farm all the way out in the Gray Hoof Valley. But who the heck would live all by they’re lonesome out here? “Welp? We need some place to rest ya’ just hope they’re a friendly kinda folk out here.” Applejack said, slipping the mare over her back. She made a speedy trot over to the fence of the farm, Cider making incoherent babbles in her sleep from the jostling. Upon getting closer, Applejack looked around for any pony that may be out in the fields…though she wouldn’t blame them for not being out. There was nothing there at all! The entire space was full of short, gray, grass and rocks. No plowed fields, no crops, no nothing. What did they even grow out there, and did they really just survive on grass alone? “Hello? Any pony out there? Ah’ need a lil’ help with mah’ friend ‘ere!” Applejack called out to the farm. Silence. She began to worry that the farm was abandoned. At this rate she was gonna have to turn around. “Can I help you.” Applejack screamed, she refrained from jumping so Sparkling Cider wouldn’t get launched off and blessed with more head trauma, but the monotone voice seriously brought her close to jumping anyway. “Ahem, H-Heh. Sorry ‘bout that, but ah’ do need some help. Y’see, mah’ name’s Applejack, and this here is muh’ mar- mah’ FRIEND Sparklin’ Cider’. She took a tumble and now I just need someplace to put ‘er down until she gets up again.” Applejack explained to who she assumed was the owner of the…farm if you could call it that. The pony standing in front of her was a gray color with a gray-ish purple mane and tail, dressed in a dark blue dress. The gray mare tilted her head, taking in Applejack’s enormous figure and looking her over. Her eyes trailed over Cider’s unconscious form and she gently touched her forehead with a hoof. “Okay.” She plainly stated, walking toward the farmhouse. “I- wh- O-Okay then! Thank ya’ kindly miss?” “Maud Pie.” Author's Note Bit short, but make sure to leave a comment!
Ch 1.2: Rock PiesWhen Cider woke up again it was from the usual nonsensical dream of being planets and stars, and as well as there being a very stiff block on her back. When she woke up she could realize why. She was laid on a couch that was surprisingly stiff, and the cushion her head was propped up on did absolutely nothing to make her rest better. She groaned as she sat up and popped her back. She looked around the living room she was in. It was…gray, kinda depressing looking. As if someone took a vacuum and sucked out all the color. The pictures on the wall were of a family of five, none of them smiling, all some pretty dull colors for their coats. Though as she looked back, she spied one photo. Another family photo, all the girls younger, with a pink filly in the picture. Her pink coat was a bit washed out in color, but it stood out from the rest of her family. Cider already dreaded the answer if she asked about the daughter’s whereabouts. Speaking of which. Where was she? “A-Applejack? Hello?” “Cider!” The sound of hoofs rapidly running to meet her in the living room echoed out. One Applejack came running out of a hallway to meet her, wrapping her in a tight hug. “Ya’ gave me quite a scare back there! Ya’ went tumblin’ and knocked yerself out!” Applejack explained to the lavender pony. Sparkling rubbed the side of her head, feeling the lump on the side of her head. “Eugh…Ah’ can still feel it too. But enough a’ all that, we gotta get back on the road with these deliveries an-“ “Not with a concussion you shouldn’t.” Cider screamed and jumped into Applejack’s forelegs when a foreign voice suddenly came from right next to her. She whipped her head around to face it, surprised to see a gray coated mare with a grayish purple mane. Her face seemed to be caught in a perpetual deadpan, yet looking into her eyes Sparkling Cider could see…something. Like a hint of emotion beneath the stone that made up her expression. “Ah’ know she took a tumble but don’tcha gotta hit yer’ head mighty hard for one-a’ those?” Applejack said as she continued to hold Sparkling Cider in her legs like it was the most natural thing in the world. Cider actually found the grip to be a little tight. “She could have a big brain.” Maud said in her flat tone of voice. This simply left the two apple farmers confused as to what she was referring to. The gray pony let out what they assumed to be a sigh. “At least eat something before you get back on the road.” She said, walking off toward the kitchen. Applejack and Twilight looked at each other for a moment before shrugging and deciding to accept the offer. The kitchen table had 6 spots set out for ponies to eat, but only three were in use. As Sparkling Cider and Applejack looked down at their meals, they had questions. “The rest of my family is out right now.” That answered one of them. The other question that went unasked was why there was a rock in a bowl with what they hoped was a broth liquid. “We take turns going out as a group in order to look for one of my younger sisters.” “Tha’ Pink one?” Tumbled out of cider’s mouth. Maud stared at her blankly for a moment. “Yeah, her name is Pinkie Pie…she went missing in that crazy storm a few years ago.” The gray farmer spoke as she poured herself a cup of water from the sink. Once again, despite the monotone voice and actions of maud, Twilight couldn’t help but feel like there was something deeper she was just getting a glimpse of. Cider looked down at her bowl of…rock soup, looking at her reflection. The storm.The same storm Applejack had found her in, yet another filly had gone missing that day. Her eyes wandered to the scar on her forehead. The bone underneath was unusually bumpy. “Anyways, when you’re done feel free to leave if you want. Or don’t.” She walked out of the kitchen without another word, and shortly after they heard the front door open and shut. Cider and Applejack looked at each other, both thinking the same thing. They felt for the girl greatly. “Well…ah’ guess we should at the very least wash up these here dishes and get moseying on outta here.” Applejack said with a shrug. Cider replied in kind with a shrug of her own as she lifted her bowl, and was careful to balance it so the stone inside didn’t fall out or break anything. Cider watched from the window as Maud trekked across the grey farmland into a silo nearby the house, curious as to what she could be doing in there. The pair of apple farms stood on the front porch, making sure they had everything they needed before they went to retrieve their pie carts from the edge of the farm, and as they set out Cider heard something. Fweee! Her ear twitched and her head turned a bit toward the silo as she heard it. Fweee! This time she fully looked at the silo that Maud went into once more. What she heard wasn’t just in her mind, it was the sound of something like a little buzzing horn. “Alrighty, Ah’d say we’re ’bout ready to set off now. Where’d Maud go an- C-Cider? Where ya’ goin’ girl!” Applejack said as she watched Sparkling Cider wander off toward the silo. The lavender mare got up to the door, pressing her ear up against it. She could hear the tweeting of what she was pretty sure was a kazoo on the other side, no doubt Maud was the one blowing it. Cider pushed the doors open to see Maud sitting alone with a grey cone hat alongside a rock with a small hat made for it. There was a single table with a bowl of the rock soup they had earlier and one blue balloon. Mauds eyes turned to her slowly. “Oh…hi.” They stood in an awkward silence. “Welcome to my party. My little sister liked them.” Sparkling Cider’s eyes softened. Author's Note I RIIIISE! Alrighty, I wanna start getting back into writing again. It’s really fun! I’ll try and see about squeezing out an update for Run Filly Run next!
