Saints
By Wanderer D
It was nighttime.
She could feel the hum of the world in the silence of the sky. The clouds under her hooves brimming with a sort of anticipation that permeated the world as far as she could see, feel or hear. Overhead, the stars glittered in the darkness, the faintest of glows coming from the waxing moon, barely a sliver of silver that gave everything a subtle blue hue.
But it was the stars that really lit the night. They shone with an intensity that felt... mystical. Almost like a dream.
“Ah never seen anything like this...” Applejack wondered, taking a deep breath. “It’s... beautiful. Is this what y’all see when you’re flying at night, Rainbow Dash?”
When there was no answer, Applejack turned around, looking for her friends. “Twilight? Rarity?” She gulped, suddenly realizing that not only was she alone, she was standing on top of a huge cloud.
Applejack took a step back. “Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy?” she gulped again. “Pinkie Pie? This ain’t funny!”
She looked down through the gaps in the fluffy, magnificent cloud, and saw all the way down in the distance the few lights that were on at Sweet Apple Acres.
“H-how am Ah here?” she stammered, eyes becoming wide. “There ain’t no spell on me! Ah shouldn’t be here!” She could feel her heartbeat grow faster, her breathing heavier.
“Trust me,” a voice said.
Applejack looked around, trying to identify the origin of the voice. It was male, and sounded young... “Where are you? Ah can’t see you! Ah’m not a pegasus, Ah can’t fly!”
“Look up,” the voice replied. “Don’t be afraid, Applejack.”
Still breathing hard, Applejack gulped and forced herself to look up and away from the distant farm and the clouds below her. Her eyes settled on the stars, instead. After a second, a few of them shined brighter, as if they were pulsating with life.
“Is that you?” she called, searching for any sign. “Ah can’t see anypony! Ah only see the stars!”
The light intensified, a light golden energy enveloped the area around her. Applejack closed her eyes and sighed. It felt warm and calm... strong and loyal... and strangely enough, honest to a fault. “This is me,” the voice said from all around her.
“Ah don’t understand,” Applejack said after a moment. “What are you?”
“A soul, Cosmo...”
Applejack blinked. “Ah remember that word, why Twilight used it just the other night when talkin’ about the stars and th’ universe. Wasn’t it cosmos, though?”
“Cosmo is more than just the universe,” the voice explained. “It’s inside of you... this is what we are all made of, even to the atomic level... couldn’t you feel it, just moments ago?”
Applejack blinked and looked up in wonder. “Earlier... when Ah was lookin’ at the stars... Ah felt the world breathe... no... not the world... the universe... the... the Cosmo...”
She felt the warmth slowly fade away, and looked down from the stars. “Wait, Ah... why are you leavin’?!”
“Look for it, you will find it again,” the voice said.
“But Ah don’t know-”
“Applejack!”
“... how!” Applejack shouted as she sat up in bed, sending a surprised Apple Bloom rolling off of her.
“Hey!” Apple Bloom shouted, jumping up to her feet. “What’s the big idea?!”
“Ah-” Applejack shook her head, using her hoof to rub the sleep out of her eyes. “Did Ah just... dream all that?”
“Well, you were asleep when Ah came here,” Apple Bloom said, rolling her eyes. “Ah been tryin’ to wake you up! Big Mac sent me to get you, it’s five thirty already!”
“Five thirty?” Applejack jumped to her feet, dropping her pillow and sheets on the floor. “Ah slept that late? Come on, Apple Bloom, time to start with the chores!” she announced, trotting out the door.
“Ah know!” Apple Bloom sighed, following her at a slower pace. “Ah woke you up, remember?”
Applejack slowed down as she went downstairs, her hooves announcing her approach to her brother and grandmother, who were already sitting at the table.
“Ah’m sorry, y’all,” Applejack apologized, serving herself up some bread, apple slices and a glass of apple juice. “Ah didn’t realize Ah was that tired.”
“Too much stargazin’,” Granny Smith chided. “That friend of yours, Twilight, she spends too much time with her eyes up there and she’s takin’ you along for the ride.”
“Ah, she ain’t that bad, Granny Smith,” Applejack chuckled as she took a seat, followed by Apple Bloom. “Although Ah did dream about the Cosmo.”
“Don’t be usin’ fancy words when ‘stars’ is good enough,” Granny Smith cautioned.
Big Mac snorted and hid a smile.
Shaking her head, Applejack laughed again as she ate breakfast.
o.0.o
“You reckon we can finish the east field today?” Applejack asked Big Mac as they stood on a small hill overlooking the apple fields. Celestia’s sun was barely rising over the horizon, bathing the whole place in a rosy light. “Ah figure, if we can do this ‘un in a day, we can finish th’ other four in two days each, that with it bein’ the smallest one an’ all.”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac said simply, then looked down at her. “Ain’t a problem if y’all can kick as hard as Ah do.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge, mister? Because if it is, Ah’ll be glad to show y’all how it’s done!”
A small chuckle was her answer.
“A competition?!” a voice eagerly asked from amongst the trees.
“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack snapped, looking at the trees angrily. “What in tarnation are y’all doin’ sleepin’ on a tree? You’re a pegasus, not a bird!”
Rainbow Dash snorted, looking out of one of the apple trees. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. I was up practicing late last night, alright?” Her eyes glinted and she smiled. “Now, what were you saying about a competition? I slept through the first part.”
“Big Mac here thinks he can buck harder than Ah can,” Applejack explained, rolling her eyes.
“Oooh, that’s awesome! I’ve always wanted to know! Let’s do it right now!”
Applejack and Big Mac shared a glance.
“Well...” Applejack ventured. “It’s still apple buckin’... an’ Ah reckon Ah should teach him a lesson.”
Big Mac raised an eyebrow.
“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash shouted, springing up from the tree and grinning like an idiot. “I’ll be the judge!”
“Aw, shaddup and help us put the baskets ‘round the trees,” Applejack grumbled.
“So... what do you think, Big Mac?” Rainbow Dash asked as she flashed by them, placing baskets under several trees. “Does Applejack have what it takes to beat you?”
“Nope,” the stallion replied with a small smile, eyes following Applejack as she placed the last basket.
“Y’all keep thinkin’ that, Big Macintosh,” Applejack quipped as she stepped back. “Ah’ll even let y’all go first.”
Rainbow Dash landed next to Applejack as the pair watched Big Mac make his way up to his tree. Giving it a calm glance, the stallion nodded to himself and, with a quick turn, snapped his legs out, hitting the tree with such force that they cringed at the sound of it.
The tree shook and almost every single apple fell to the baskets below.
Rainbow Dash whistled appreciatively. “Wow, it usually takes you a couple of bucks or a running start to get a tree like that empty, Applejack!”
Applejack pulled her stetson hat over her face to hide her nervousness as she walked to her assigned tree. “Ah’ll show ya, Big Mac,” she muttered as she went past him, gritting her teeth at his amused chuckle.
She stood in front of ol’ Ironbark. The two that they had selected were old, strong trees, but this one... this one was the first tree in the Eastern Fields. Twice and a half thicker than the rest, and a standing patrimony of Apple Family tradition. It had grown from the first seed planted and had never failed them. Its trunk was indented from when Granny Smith had first bucked them so many years ago, followed by several Apple Family members, including Applejack’s own parents.
Applejack sighed, closing her eyes and resting her head on the trunk. “This is it, Ah shouldn’t have agreed to this.” She felt something. She opened her eyes in surprise and looked at the tree.
“Hey, Applejack!” Rainbow Dash called. “Come on, don’t waste time! We want to see it today!”
“Eeyup!”
“You two shaddup, ya hear?!” Applejack shook her head and closed her eyes, Ah just have to try to... she opened them. “There...” it looked like miniature shooting stars were forming around the trunk. She could almost see the night sky contained inside the tree. “Cosmo...” she whispered.
A resolute look crossed her face. She took a deep breath, she could feel it. A whole Cosmo... she thought as she turned around in a fluid motion, inside of me, inside the tree... she could feel her weight shift as her legs bent, ready to push out with all their might... all Ah need to do is... she kicked. “Let it out!”
There was a crack like thunder. Applejack’s eyes opened wider as she saw bits of wood fly past her in slow motion; several trees shuddered from the impact, and the trees around her, at least three trees deep, all dropped their apples immediately.
She could see each one drop. Had she wanted to, she could have caught them all. She could feel it.
She looked up at the surprised faces of Big Macintosh and Rainbow Dash as everything suddenly went back into normal speed. The apples fell into their baskets, the trees shook for a bit longer before stopping.
Everything was silent. Looking around at all the trees that had dropped their apples in one kick, Applejack smiled, turning to look at her brother smugly. “Welp, Big Macintosh, Ah think Ah won.”
Big Mac shook his head as if to clear it, staring in awe at the trees around them. He looked back at her with respect clearly etched in his face, but then it turned to surprise and slowly into horror as he looked past her.
With a sense of dread, Applejack turned around. She felt her stomach and the blood in her veins go cold as she stepped back, shaking her head in denial. “No... nono... Ah... Ah didn’t mean to... Ah... Oh no... what have Ah done!?”
Ironbark had been split in half down to the roots. It looked like lightning had struck it. She had kicked it so hard that not only had it split, it had been uprooted almost completely. The once-proud trunk twisting back.
“Applejack...” Rainbow Dash whispered. “What-”
“No!” Applejack reared back. “No... Ah... Ah killed it!”
“But, Applejack, you...”
She turned around and ran, the feeling in her stomach turning from ice into an almost painful cramp. She stumbled and fell face first into the dirt, getting a mouthful. Must get up... hold back throwing up... get away... Ah killed it! she started breathing really fast. Black spots danced in front of her eyes as she started feeling like she couldn’t breathe. The last thing she heard before she passed out were hooves galloping up to her.
o.0.o
Applejack was lying on her back, legs akimbo and staring at the starry sky with faded eyes. Her hat lay next to her head, forgotten in the fluffy surface of the cloud she was currently on.
“I felt an explosion of Cosmo earlier... it was you, wasn’t it?”
“It was horrible...” Applack said. After a moment she sighed. “And beautiful... but so horrible... why didn’t you tell me that it could cause so much destruction?”
“I didn’t know you would be able to use it so quickly, and so well...” the voice said with a tinge of regret.
“Ah don’t want to use it again... take it back... please.”
The voice was quiet for a moment. “I can’t... Cosmo is inside of you, every particle that creates who you are is part of it, just like who you are is but a part of a bigger picture... if I extinguish your Cosmo, you would die.”
“Am Ah going to destroy every tree Ah buck now?” Applejack asked. She felt drained and tired. Usually she would be arguing but somehow the death of Ironbark had zapped that away from her.
“No,” the voice said. “Only if you use your Cosmo will you be able to perform such feats; without using it, you will use only your own, normal strength.”
Applejack released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Suddenly she felt light, as if she had been carrying a dozen barrels of Apple Family Cider on her back and had finally got them off.
“Applejack...”
She shook herself as she slowly stood up. “Yeah?”
“You are going to awaken soon... you must find me tonight, in your world.”
Applejack frowned. “But... what? How?” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “And why?”
“I will tell you when we meet... follow the stars,” the voice replied just as her whole world was bathed in light.
o.0.o
“Ah think she’s awake!” Apple Bloom’s voice came from her right.
“Thank goodness!” Fluttershy’s soft voice replied.
Applejack felt something wet and cold being pressed against her forehead. She shook her head.
“Oh, my... please be still, Applejack, or you might get a headache,” Fluttershy worried.
Applejack groaned. “Ah think that’s exactly what’s happenin’, Fluttershy...”
Applejack could hear the clopping sound of hooves coming up the stairs.
“And you’re saying that she started glowing, and then just kicked the tree?” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Eeeyup.”
“Wasn’t there a random lightning bolt striking the tree at the same time? A meteor maybe?”
“Nnoope.”
“You’re not making this conversation easy, Big Macintosh,” Twilight sighed as she entered the room, followed by Big Macintosh. She immediately perked up when she saw Applejack awake. “Oh, Applejack! You’re awake! That’s good!”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed, walking up to stand right next to the bed.
Applejack’s eyes teared up and she looked away. “Ah’m sorry, Big Mac... what Ah’ve done... it ain’t right...”
She felt his hoof on her shoulder. “Ah’m just happy you’re okay,” the stallion stated.
Applejack held on to him as she started crying.
Twilight and Fluttershy stood to the side, letting them mourn.
“Hey, I thought I heard that she was awake now?” Rainbow Dash asked, flying into the room. “Applejack, that was awes-”
Rainbow Dash’s mouth was forced closed by a burst of magic.
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight whispered harshly. “Remember that the trees in Sweet Apple Acres are like family to the Apples! Show some respect!”
To her credit, the cyan pegasus cringed and looked remorseful enough for Twilight to let her go. “Sorry, Twilight,” she said a bit more quietly. “But you should have seen her! I’ve never seen anypony glow like that!”
Twilight frowned. “She was glowing? So it wasn’t just Big Mac that imagined it...”
“Hey, I didn’t imagine anything! She was glowing! It was this... gold and red light thingy around her...” Rainbow Dash recounted , waving her hoofs around as she fought to find a way to explain it. “She got to the tree, closed her eyes, then started getting all glowy. When she turned and kicked it was awes-”
“Lower volume, please,” Twilight growled.
Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes.
“Ah’m sorry,” Applejack’s voice was almost a whisper, and had Twilight not glued Rainbow Dash’s mouth together with magic, they might have missed it. “It won’t happen again, Big Macintosh... Ah just didn’t know what Ah was doin’.”
“What were you doing?” Twilight asked. “I’ve never heard of anypony kicking that hard before!”
Applejack closed her eyes. “Ah’m, sorry, Twi, but right now, we have a funeral to arrange...”
Twilight sighed. “I understand, Applejack... do you need help?”
“Nah... me an’ Big Mac should be enough... Ah... Ah have to talk to Granny Smith now...” Applejack looked at her three friends. “Ah’ll let y’all know when we’re ready.”
o.0.o
The dwindling light of twilight cast its purple and red hues over Sweet Apple Acres as Applejack, Big Macintosh, Sweetie Belle and Granny Smith presided over the pieces of timber that used to be Ironbark.
“Ah’ll always remember ya,” Granny Smith sniffled, her hoof touching the wood for a brief moment. “You grew strong and gave good fruit, season after season... Ah... Ah...” she couldn’t continue. Big Macintosh helped her step away as Apple Bloom left a small flower on top of the wood.
Applejack stepped up. “Ironbark... Ah... Ah’m sorry. Ah didn’t know that what Ah learned could be so destructive. Ah promise you, Ah’ll never use it for apple bucking again. Ah’ll be careful, Ah’ll remember this lesson y’all taught me at such a high price. Say hi to mom and pop in Apple Heaven.”
She took a deep breath and nodded to Twilight, who carefully levitated and lit a torch. Taking it in her mouth, Applejack threw it onto the wood.
Slowly, Big Macintosh led the weeping Granny Smith away, followed by Apple Bloom, who looked at her sister worriedly.
“Are you okay, AJ?” Rainbow Dash asked, walking up to her.
“No, Dash... Ah’m not,” Applejack said, looking into the flames. “An’ Ah don’t think Ah’ll be ‘okay’ for a while... even if it was an accident, Ah should have been more careful.”
Twilight looked down. “I’m sorry, Applejack... do you know what went wrong?”
Applejack sighed. “Ah do... Ah’ll tell you later Twi. Right now, Ah need to be alone.”
Twilight nuzzled her friend then stepped back. “Okay... but remember that we’re all here for you.”
The orange mare nodded as, one by one, the others approached and hugged her, before slowly walking away.
Rainbow Dash remained for a bit longer, gazing at her friend with worry before joining the others.
o.0.o
Once she was alone, Applejack simply watched the flames burn through the tree. The sap ensured that it burned thoroughly, and thanks to Twilight’s help, the wood was dry enough to burn thoroughly. She didn’t notice the passage of time until she felt something.
Her eyes shot up and her head turned to look in the distance, towards Canterlot. She felt it again. She narrowed her eyes. Had there been a flash of light coming from the castle?
“They’re here.”
“They? They who?” Applejack asked, looking around. “And Ah thought you’d actually be here when we talked!”
“I’m close by,” the voice said. “Follow the stars... go now... you have little time!”
Applejack ground her teeth in annoyance but complied, looking up into the sky and noticing a few stars seeming to shift in place. They twirled around each other and descended somewhere in the middle of Sweet Apple Acres.
“You’d better not damage any of the trees!” Applejack warned.
“I’ve made sure not to touch them,” the voice replied, sounding vaguely amused.
Applejack nodded as she galloped through the trees. When she saw a silver light ahead, she slowed down to a trot until she could see what it was.
The light was almost blinding when she stepped out of the trees, all she could make was the shape of a pegasus, standing before her.
“What...”
“We finally meet in person, Applejack,” the now-familiar voice said.
“Well, Ah can barely see you, that hardly counts as ‘in person’,” Applejack grumbled.
“I am here to give you a chance, since I cannot interfere myself... Equestria is being invaded, and your Princesses cannot handle this alone. Their battle will be hard, but they need something more than what normal ponies can do.”
“Ah- Ah don’t know if Ah can do this,” Applejack said nervously. “Ah’m a farmer, not a Royal Guard!”
“That is why I’m helping.” The voice replied. “Applejack, if you don’t step up to defend Equestria it will be lost. Are you willing to let that happen? Can you live with the consequences?”
“But- Ah don’t... Ah have to take care of the farm! Ah don’t know if Ah can do it on my own!”
“Applejack,” the voice said soothingly. “You won’t be alone, but you will be needed. What is your choice?”
Applejack closed her eyes and lowered her head. “Ah don’t have much of a choice,” she replied. “Ah wouldn’t want anythin’ to happen to the farm, or my family or friends...” she looked up at the silhouette inside the golden light. “Ah’ll do it.”
“I’m happy to hear that, Applejack. Good luck, and be strong.”
“But-!” Applejack wasn’t able to say much as suddenly the golden aura flashed, and she had to close her eyes tight. When she opened them there was no golden aura anymore, however... “What in tarnation?”
Applejack stared in awe at the metal statue in front of her. Made from several different parts, they all came together to form the shape of a pegasus.
“But... how is this going to help me fight?” She sighed, sitting in front of it.
A distant sound made her stand up again. “What the hay was that?” She heard it again; an explosion. Her eyes turned in the direction of ponyville, where she could now see fire reflecting from the clouds above it. “But... what’s happenin’? Why aren’t the pegasi making it rain to stop it?” Applejack shuddered as cold realization settled on her. “It’s an attack!”
She turned to look at the statue in a panic. “How do you help me?” she shouted. “Come on! My friends are there! They’re in danger!”
When there was no response she punched it with her hoof. The moment she made contact with it she felt something.
“Cosmo...” Applejack whispered, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath and opened herself to the universe inside her.
o.0.o
Ponyville was in a panic. Ponies ran from building to building, carrying buckets of water as the town burned. Above them, the pegasi tried desperately to make the clouds rain on top of the burning buildings, but were thwarted on every move by griffons in dark armor.
“What’s going on?!” Rainbow Dash shouted as another cloud was dispersed by griffons. “Why are you guys doing this?”
“Rainbow Dash!” Storm Chaser cried, flying up to her. “We have to do something! The town will go down in flames if we don’t act now!”
Rainbow Dash frowned. “Very well,” she took a deep breath. “Attention all pegasi! Do whatever you have to do to get rain into Ponyville! No more nice pegasi!”
Resolute looks replaced confused ones and soon the pegasi were working in teams, distracting some griffons while others would rush with a cloud on top of the buildings and squeeze as much water out as they could before the griffons could attack again.
“It’s working!” Rainbow Dash cheered. “But, where’s Twilight?” she looked around. “She could cast a spell and put out the fires!” She turned towards the library and her blood ran cold.
A griffon in silver armor stood on top of a still form, easily recognizable as that of a unicorn. Rainbow Dash’s eyes grew wide before she shot straight at the creature.
Time seemed to slow as the griffon looked up and noticed her. Before Rainbow Dash could do anything, the griffon was suddenly by her side, moving much faster than she thought possible. The creature’s claws grabbed her hoofs and suddenly, she lost all control of her flight as she was flipped upside down and smashed painfully onto the floor, right next to Twilight.
“R-rainbow Dash...” the unicorn gasped, opening her eyes.
“Twilight...” the pegasus shook her head. “You’re alive, thank Celestia...”
“Rainbow... it’s-”
“Don’t spoil the surprise, dweeb!” the griffon in silver armor said, back-handing Twilight.
“Gi-Gilda?” Rainbow Dash stammered, barely able to believe that the griffon in the stylized silver armor was her former friend. “What are you doing here? Why are you doing this?”
The griffon grinned evilly. “Maybe I’ll tell you, after all, it won’t matter when this place is finally burned completely. I came here to get revenge for you ponies humiliating me.”
Rainbow Dash growled as she launched herself towards Gilda. “Stop hurting my friends!”
Gilda chuckled as she dodged the attack, moving again unnaturally fast. “Give it up, Rainbow Crash, there is no pony that can move as fast as I do now.” She drove her fist into the pegasus’ stomach, making her wheeze in pain. “Not since I became one of Buluc’s God Warriors!”
“Who?” Rainbow asked, wincing as she clutched her stomach. She blinked through the tears at Gilda. “So you got pranked a bit, that’s not an excuse for doing this!”
“Buluc...” Twilight gasped, looking at Gilda. “But... that’s an old Griffon myth- aah!” Twilight cried out when Gilda pressed down on her back with her forepaw.
“Shaddup, stupid,” the griffon growled. “Proves how much you know, he’s real and he’s back! And he’s going to retake the lands your stupid false goddess stole from us!”
“Celestia never-”
“I said, shut up!” Gilda shouted, rearing back and readying her claws. Suddenly her eyes went wide and she jumped back, but not quick enough.
Something moving much too fast for Rainbow Dash to follow with her bare eyes pummeled Gilda, making her squawk in surprise and pain. The griffon rolled on the floor painfully bending her wings as she recoiled from the attack.
The other griffons stopped their attack on the town and rushed towards the fast-moving figure. It stopped for a moment, and Rainbow Dash had a fleeting second view of a pegasus in armor, wearing a hat.
“Y’all better give up now!” it shouted as it suddenly blurred and several griffons cried in pain.
“I-is that-” Twilight choked in surprise.
“Deadshot Calamity!?” Rainbow Dash completed in utter shock.
Twilight slowly turned to look at her friend. “Rainbow Dash... Deadshot Calamity is a character in a book. He’s not real.”
“But then, who-”
“Retreat!” Gilda shouted, jumping into the air and wiping a little blood from her beak. “She glared at the metal-clad pony. “You’ve got guts, I’ll let you keep your stupid town a little bit longer!”
The griffons shot into the air, and the pegasi wasted no time in making the clouds rain heavily on the burning buildings, finally able to bring the fire under control.
Mayor Mare slowly approached the pegasus standing in the middle of the town, followed by Twilight, Rainbow Dash and several other ponies. “Thank you, stranger, for helping us,” the Mayor said. “I don’t want to think about what might have happened if you hadn’t stopped to help.”
“Aw, shucks, Mayor,” the pegasus turned around to face them. “But Ah ain’t no stranger!”
Twilight’s eyes were wide. “A-applejack?! I thought it was you for a moment but-”
“Since when are you a pegasus?!” Rainbow Dash asked, staring at her almost slackjawed. “And where did you get the armor?!”
Applejack stood silently for a moment, letting Twilight look closer at the armor. It was made of a dark-silver-like metal, engraved with small golden inlays. She had front and back leg protectors, a chest plate from which two full-sized wings sprouted, made from the same silvery material. She could see that Applejack was wearing some sort of tiara or half-helm, but the farm pony had covered it with her hat.
“Ah reckon Ah’ll tell you all at the same time, but we have to tell th’ princess about this here attack, Twilight,” Applejack said.
“That’s right!” Twilight took a couple of painful steps towards the library. “Rainbow Dash, go get Pinkie and Fluttershy; Applejack, can you get Rarity?”
“Sure thing,” Applejack nodded, then hesitated. “Ah heard Gilda said somethin’ about somepony named Buluc? Does anypony know who that is?”
Twilight sighed, looking at the distant castle. “I hope not, Applejack... I really hope not.”
End Chapter 1
Author's Note
This is mostly an idea I had boiling in my head. I wrote this first chapter a while ago, but haven't gotten further, don't know if people would really get the references or be interested... still, thought I'd share it.
