Applejack and Rarity emerged from the darkness to find themselves in the center of Ponyville… But it did not look like they remembered. All around them, ponies were running and screaming as reaplings ravaged the streets. The buildings were ablaze, and the smell of soot and ash was pungent. In the sky hung what appeared to an ominous black cloud. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that it was a swarm of reaplings.

Applejack smiled at Rarity. Her lime green eyes looked terribly weary. “Well, ole gal, Ah think this is gonna be it for us.”

Rarity returned the smile, sharing the same exhaustion and pain as Applejack. “Yes, it seems that… this is the end. But we’re certainly not going out without a fight.”

A smirk came to Applejack’s lips. “You’ve got it,” she affirmed. To her left, a reapling shambled after Carrot Top, who was galloping at full speed.

Rarity took off after them, with Applejack close behind. “Hey, tall, dark and slimy!” Rarity taunted, “Why don’t you try picking on a pony who can fight?!” She picked up a rock and threw it at the reapling. It bounced off the reapling’s head, and the creature skidded to a halt before spinning around to find its attacker.

Rarity stood her ground as the reapling shrieked. It bared its teeth at her, and a broken piece of a house caught her eye. She hastily picked it up with her magic and tossed it at the reapling. The board lodged in the creature’s mouth, and it choked for a moment. Wasting no time, Applejack galloped toward it and leapt into the air. She spun in midair and bucked the reapling in the neck. The board shattered and its mouth and throat filled with sharp pieces of wood. The reapling gagged and choked as the wood sliced open its throat. Black blood began to fall from its mouth, and it fell to its knees, desperately clawing at its throat in an attempt to remove the wood.

A scream rang out from behind them, and Rarity felt her heart stop. She wheeled around and galloped as fast as she could. “I’M COMING, SWEETIE BELLE!” she shouted. She could see her sister pinned to the ground by one of the reaplings. It was lowering its head, saliva dripping from its mouth. Rarity put every ounce of energy she had into her running. Despite her efforts, she wasn’t close enough. The reapling began to sink its teeth into Sweetie Belle’s chest, but it was suddenly knocked away with a meaty thud.

Rarity stopped abruptly, shielding her eyes from the dust cloud she’d created. Applejack trotted to her side and bucked the reapling in the throat. She heard a crunch and the reapling swung its claws wildly and gasped. When the dust cloud cleared, Rarity was surprised to see a red stallion with a blonde mane.

Applejack ran to her brother with teary eyes. “Big Mac!” she cried, “yer alive!” She threw her forehooves around him for a moment.

Sweetie Belle lie stunned, with several small trickles of blood running from her stomach. Rarity swiftly picked her up and hugged her tightly. “Oh, Sweetie Belle, thank goodness!” Rarity cried. “You have to get out of here! Run as far away as you can!”

Sweetie Belle gave Rarity a confused stare. “But… you’re coming, too, right? You can’t stay here!”

Rarity shook her head and put Sweetie Belle down. “I’m afraid my duty is here. I simply cannot allow this slaughter to continue.”

Sweetie Belle jumped onto Rarity. “No! You’ll die if you stay here!” she squeaked. She grasped Rarity’s leg tightly. “You’ll die just like Apple Bloom did!”

Applejack released her brother. “Wait, what did you say?” Her mouth fell open with horror. “Apple Bloom is… dead?”

Big Mac put a hoof around Applejack’s neck. “…it’s true. Sweet Apple Acres is gone, AJ.” He gave her a small shake. “But we gotta focus right now.” He nodded toward the town square, where more than a dozen reaplings were tearing ponies apart. “We need to help them.”

Carrot Top came galloping toward them from the direction of Sugarcube Corner. “Hey, I didn’t even get the chance to say thanks! You saved my flank!”

Rarity smiled. “It’s nothing. But… perhaps you could do me a favor?” She glanced at the filly clinging to her foreleg. “Take her and run. Get her away from here to somewhere safe.” She gave Carrot Top a pleading look.

Carrot Top looked at Sweetie Belle, who clung desperately to Rarity, and then back at Rarity, who was on the verge of tears. Carrot Top nodded and grabbed Sweetie Belle and pulled with all her might. The filly finally lost her grip and was pulled away. She kicked and struggled, but Carrot Top held a firm grip on her.

Sweetie Belle’s expression was one of pure terror. She screamed Rarity’s name for as long as she remained in sight. Rarity wasted no time on sentimentalities. She pointed at the square. “Let’s go, Applejack!”

Applejack ran toward the square immediately. Directly ahead of her, Lyra was pinned beneath a reapling much like Sweetie Belle was. Lyra saw Applejack and cried for help. The reapling noticed Applejack approaching and howled angrily. It grabbed Lyra with its claws and squeezed her. Lyra let out an ear piercing scream. Applejack continued her gallop, but before she could reach it, she heard a snap, and blood shot from Lyra’s eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. The reapling released her, and Applejack saw with horror that Lyra was covered in blood and had bones protruding through her skin. Her shape was mangled.

Applejack gritted her teeth and reached inside her hat. She retrieved her lasso and immediately spun it in the air. The reapling saw the lasso and quickly leapt skyward, flapping its wings. “Oh, no, ya don’t, ya varmint!” Applejack shouted as she tossed the lasso toward it. The rope flung into the air and just barely managed to catch the reapling’s foot. She pulled with all of her might, but the creature began to lift her into the air. Big Mac, having followed close behind her, wrapped a hoof around her leg and pulled her back to the ground. He grabbed the rope from her and yanked as hard as he could. The reapling was thrown to the ground and its bones snapped, crippling it.

Applejack sprinted toward the downed reapling, but before she could reach it, a pinkish-purple pony flew through the air and landed square on its face. The mare flicked her pink and white mane back and huffed. “Hello, ponies,” Cheerilee called with a smirk.

Applejack’s mouth hung askew. “Ch-Cheerilee?” she stammered in utter disbelief. Cheerilee was covered in blood, both red and black, and she had several open wounds which trickled blood. “What on earth…?”

Cheerilee huffed again. “What? You think that just because I’m a schoolteacher that I’m weak and helpless? I learned how to fight back in my heyday.” She jumped down from the reapling’s face and quickly approached the three stunned ponies. “I’m sorry about Sweet Apple Acres, and about Apple Bloom. I tried to protect her, but they were just too fast. I watched these things kill half of my students… and I’m not going to let them get away with it.” She stamped her hoof sternly and grunted.

Applejack nodded. “Alright. So what’s the plan, y’all?” She looked around at the others.

Big Mac stepped forward. “Most ‘o Ponyville’s in ruins. They’re concentratin’ on the market, seein’ as how it’s the only thing left.” He pointed his hoof toward the center of town, where the smoke and screaming were the thickest.

Cheerilee huffed. “But we need a plan of action! We can’t just rush in and expect everything to turn out okay!” She stamped her hoof. “Rarity, you see to getting the survivors out of the village. I’ll cover you while Applejack and Big Mac try to put a stop to the reaplings destroying the town. How’s that sound?”

Applejack glanced at her brother. “Well, big brother? You ready to give it all you got?”

Big Mac smiled wearily. “Eeeeyup,” was his only reply.

Rarity nodded at Cheerilee. “I’ll do my best.”

Cheerilee smiled. “Alright, then. Let’s go!” Cheerilee sprinted toward the market without so much as a second thought.

Rarity was surprised by Cheerilee’s swiftness, and she took off at full gallop, trying to catch up with her.

Applejack nodded to her brother and headed toward the market. Big Mac followed close behind her.

Author's Note

The next few chapters are going to alternate between Rainbow and Swordpoint and the other three groups. The main story will follow RD and SP, but the other characters' fates are important, as well.