The Shadow, the True Self

The Shadow, the True Self
Part 3: Applejack III

Not-Applejack wrapped the thin, golden chain around her arm a few times, grinning devilishly form under the brim of her hat. Her eyes flickered red, and she gave the chain a light tug. The monstrous, stallion-like creature snarled and tossed its head a few times. “Applejack ain’t even close to honest with herself! If a pony can’t be honest with herself, there’s no point to it at all!” She whip-cracked the chain and the monster started forward with purpose.

Twilight shrieked, throwing up a shield around herself as its massive hooves came crashing down. Her knees buckled and the floorboards around her exploded into a crater-like circle. She yelped at the pure, tectonic force of the beast’s weight, pumping her wings to gain a bit of distance. “I don’t know what you are, but you’re not going to hurt Applejack!” she turned, flaring her wings mightily—just in time to get head-butted right out of the air by the stallion-beast. She cried out, pinwheeling through the air until she struck a wall. Sliding down it until her butt hit the floor, she moaned and held her head.

The shadowy Applejack gave the chain a tug, nursing the open wound that attached it to her foreleg and arm. The massive monster scraped his hoof on the floorboards a few times, snorting steam and rolling his eyes ferally back and forth. She tugged again, barely able to contain his power and virility. He was her strength, after all.

Twilight coughed a couple of times, snorting a piece of straw out of her nose and rising to her hooves. Scowling angrily, she reared up as her horn ignited to life. An arc of pure arcane force blasted straight into the beast’s barrel, stutter-stepping his next charge. The alicorn gave her mane a toss, lowering her horn at him threateningly. He walked sideways, back and forth, as though he were a pacing lion unsure what to do. The thunder of his sheer weight back and forth on the floorboards was disturbing, and Twilight’s eyes kept jumping to his hanging cock. It was like a cart wreck in the middle of the road: she didn’t wanna look, but she kept doing it anyway. Blushing angrily, she ignited her magic once more and blasted him again! The creature grunted, but otherwise seemed unphased. She wasn’t strong enough to actually hurt him, it seemed.

Not-Applejack gave the chain another whip-crack, and the beast reared with a roar. She ran alongside him, under his barrel and between his hooves. The beast lowered his head. Twilight’s eyes shrank into dots. The impact was thunderous as the monster crashed headlong into a wall, Twilight having teleported out of the way. Turning, the alicorn grabbed one of the ceiling beams with her magic and ripped it free. The barn, or whatever it was supposed to be, only looked like it did for Applejack, she was willing to bet. The alicorn knew pulling beams wouldn’t bring the roof down. Wielding the wooden beam like an extra-large club, the purple mare waved it back and forth threateningly.

Steering her giant pet with the chain, the orange mare gave a mighty tug. The beast reared with a whinny, then crushed the beam between his massive draconic jaws. Wooden splinters went everywhere, driving Twilight back. The Princess grabbed another beam from the ceiling, bringing it down on his head with a sickening crack. The sound of a coconut hitting a bigger coconut rang in the room, and the beast snarled angrily. His slathering, working jaws sprayed wooden splinters to one side while she whacked at him over and over, trying to deal even a little damage. But, it was no good. He snatched it out of the air with his teeth and crushed it easily. The rush of straw dust and falling hay filled the room, obscuring everything from sight for a few moments.

Turning desperately to look for anything else to throw at the monster, Twilight hesitated a moment too long. The shadowy Applejack suddenly popped out from under her pet and tackled the alicorn to the ground. Both mares twisted wildly, curling and stomping and flailing hooves back and forth. The golden chain jangled, tangling itself back and forth between them. Twilight was no wrestler, and she was no physical combatant either. Applejack was, though.

The young alicorn yelped for mercy as she was face-planted into the ground, the chain around her neck. Standing atop her with her hoof on the back of her neck, Applejack gave the chain a mighty tug! Twilight gagged desperately, scratching at the chain and panicking. Red welts formed in rings around her neck as her windpipe was pressed closed. “Uhhhh! Uhhh! Uhhhhhk!” she cried, tears going down her cheeks. “Appleja----kkuhhh! App-aughhhh!” she gagged, flailing back and forth. Her wings flapped weakly, up and down and out of synch, as the shadowy creature pressed her face into the floorboards. She couldn’t focus, couldn’t concentrate hard enough to bring magic to the forefront. Not-Applejack held her there until her struggles started to wane, her face turning a sickly blue color. She listened to the heartbeat quickening as her body desperately heaved for air--- heaaaved--- heave-- hea—silence. The alicorn began to limpen under her. Her eyes were glazing over, and rolling into her head. Twilight whimpered, pawing at the floorboards weakly. Then… slowly… she lay her head down and resisted no more. Her eyes rolled into her head and slid closed.

The shadowy creature smirked, grinning from under the brim of her hat. She gave a few more good tugs to make sure Twilight Sparkle was dead. Her head lolled about, but she gave no other response. She gave a strong JERK on the chain, making double sure. No response. “Heh. That’s what y’all get for meddlin’ in family affairs.” She adjusted her Stetson, rising and turning to pet the beast. It leaned down with a drooly snarl, nosing at her a few times. She chuckled, seeming to understand his growly tongue. “Maybe later, big fella. We got one more mare to take care of.” She turned with a toss of her hips, bumping him with her flanks. He jittered a bit, grinning with all his massive fangs. “C’mon now.” She tugged lightly on the leash, but it was caught on something.

One of the links, in the middle of the chain between mare and monster, was glowing bright purple. Not-Applejack’s eyes widened. She whirled about. The spot where Twilight Sparkle lay suddenly burst into smoke and ash. “You’re not the only one that can make copies.” Suddenly Twilight Sparkle burst out from behind a wooden column, wings wide. When had she---?! Oh! When the dust had gone up! She'd copied herself! Holding the chain steady with her magic, she flew headlong into it and ignited her horn with all her might. Realizing only too late what was about to happen, the shadowy Applejack reached desperately to yank the chain out of the way. But no! No, an alicorn’s grip was almighty! Twilight’s horn struck the chain where she was holding it with her magic, and it exploded into pieces like so many pearls from a broken necklace. They rained all around the room like tinkling glass. “It’s not him I have to fight, it’s you!” Twilight had learned the trick.

“C’mon yah big galoot! Git her!” Not-Applejack shouted to the beast. The monster seemed at a loss. The collar and chain around his neck wasn’t being held. Nopony was directing him. Should he go left, or maybe right? His blinkers only let him look straight ahead, so he really wasn’t sure about either of his choices. He was stuck like a deer in headlights, unable to act. Sitting on his haunches, he puzzled about the secrets of the universe for a bit. Hmmm… “Hey! Hey pay attention!” shouted the angry orange mare. “Don’t be sittin’ up there thinkin’ about yer fancy mathematics and muddlin’ the iss—AHHH!?” Twilight took the rather dark opportunity to shoot her in the back with another arcane bolt of energy. She went down hard, her butt going first and then tumbling until she bashed her muzzle into a stack of barrels. They cascaded around her in a wooden avalanche that buried her. The beast didn’t seem to notice, he was too busy pondering.

“Applejack!? Applejack!” Twilight rushed to the real Applejack, shaking her roughly. “Wake up! We have to get out of here! Wake up!”

“Twilight…?” Applejack mumbled weakly, her eyes slowly sliding open. Twilight helped her into a reclined position. She looked at all the madness and debris around her, and her face went red. “Whut… whut you must think’a me…” she said softly, wilting and hanging her head. “Ah’m… A’hm just a stereotype! Ah’m so ashamed!” she buried her face in her hooves, starting to cry.

The great beast turned its head towards the crying. A couple of the barrels shifted, and the fake Applejack grunted and forced her way out. Staggering and nursing a broken front leg, she leaned on a few bales of hay to support herself. She fixed both mares with a cold, calculating gaze. Her hat was gone, she’d been partially scalped in the avalanche. Blood was going down one side of her face. She said nothing, only watched.

“Applejack…” Twilight said softly, sounding sympathetic. “I… I know how you feel.” Applejack looked up at her, dumbfounded, tears going down her cheeks. How could Twilight POSSIBLY--? “I have a great brother too. He’s strong, and smart, and it seems like he’s good at everything he does. Mares love him, and he’s a good example for everypony around him. What more could I want in a companion, right?”

“Yer in love with yer brother too?” Applejack said, blown away.

“Well, no…” Twilight said with a soft chuckle. “I was when I was a little filly. I swore we would get married someday, but that was just a little filly talking.” She cupped Applejack’s cheek gently, and held her gaze. “What I meant was, I wanted a stallion that was a lot like him.” She told her friend the secret to it all. Applejack’s eyes widened. “I wanted a stallion who was strong, and smart, and supportive of me just like my brother was. I wanted those qualities in a husband… er… even though I don’t have one yet.” She smiled coyly, looking away for a moment.

“All them qualities, but not him…?” It came out like a question from Applejack, and Twilight nodded. “But there’s not any stallions like Big Mac out there!” The beast harrumphed when she said that, and Applejack startled. She saw the copy of herself standing there bloodied and horrifically injured, side-by-side with a caricature of her brother. “Who-o-o-o-a, nelly!” The farming mare squirmed to rise, but Twilight stopped her so she didn’t get dizzy and fall over.

“Listen, Applejack.” Twilight said gently, looking over her shoulder at the monstrous pair. They weren’t moving, only watching. “It’s okay to love your family very, very much. And often times, children go looking for companions that remind them a lot of their family. Whether they realize it or not.”

“Big Mac was always there for me, even when we were just foals.” Applejack hung her head a little, her eyes seeing the past as she spoke. “Ever since ma and pa died, he never let me down and he never let me be on my lonesome when I was sad. He stood up fer me, and took care’uh me-- ev’r’thing I ever wanted in a stallion, y’know? Supportive and… and stuff…” she wasn’t very good at putting words to all this, but she was trying. “Ah thought he was perfect for me, even if he was my brother.”

“I don’t think you really wanted your brother as a husband.” Twilight said softly, leaning and helping her stand. “Just a pony like him, so you would feel safe and happy. You just need to look for a pony who’s that dependable, just like you.” She smiled when Applejack found her hooves, shakily standing and trying to right herself. The alicorn put on her hat, slowly tightening it on her head. Applejack smiled gratefully, adjusting it.

Not-Applejack and the beast stood there when Applejack approached. Golden chain still dangling out of the bleeding, puss-covered entry wound on her arm her twin stepped forward. The monster stayed still, blinking slowly. The two orange mares stared at each other, and the black aura of smoke slowly permeated in the air around both of them. The shadow was measuring her, peering into her heart. The farming mare hung her head, mumbling softly, “You were right.” She whispered. “Ah was in love with Big Mac. Ah thought he was the perfect stallion fer me. But… but…” tears began to brim from her eyes as she bore her soul. “I know it ain’t right. Not between siblings. I was just supressin’ it all, like it might really work out someday. But now he’s seein’ Cheerilee, and you and Twilight came to my rescue to show me it ain’t ever gonna happen that way.” The shadow stared at her with a calculating frown. The tendrils of living shadow slowly retreated from Applejack’s form, back towards the fake and her pet monster. “You really are… me.” Appljack admitted, staring at the floor. Not-Applejack and the beast slowly faded from existence, as though they never were. Twilight looked on in awe as her friend faced her deepest inner demons, and came out triumphant. The orange mare pushed her mane out of her face, smiling a little. Applejack took a deep, shaky breath. She stared at the ground for a long time, silent and shaking a little.
Twilight slowly came to stand beside her, lifting a wing and putting it over her shoulder. They looked at each other. Applejack looked exhausted, her face tear-streaked and her whole body shaking. Strong, stubborn and loud didn’t seem to be a part of her right now. The alicorn watched her sit on her haunches, then throw her arms around Twilight’s shoulders. She smiled, leaning into her embrace. They didn’t need words. They held each other for a long time. It was over now. Twilight finally let herself relax.

“I think I’ve got a lock on her!” Both mares looked up, startled. Where had that voice come from? The ceiling. They both looked around wildly. It was a strong, bossy-sounding female voice. Princess Luna? “It’s very faint, but it’s definitely Twilight Sparkle! There’s somepony else there too!” Applejack tilted her hat back, looking around. Who was that? Where was it coming from? “She must be deep inside somewhere, I’m shalt try and pull her out!” Twilight yelped when a vague aura of magic pulled at her inner being, behind her navel. She jittered, and it let go of her. “I’m trying again, I need more power!” the voice said. “Sister, lend me your aid!” The purple mare grunted aloud when she was lifted into the air by an unknown force. She grabbed Applejack around the middle and both mares cried out as they winked out of existence. The barn-like maze ceased to be.

=-----=-----=------=------=

Princess Twilight Sparkle and Applejack tumbled out of the television set and into the real world. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and a smattering of Royal Guards were crammed into the room. As soon as both mares hit the floor moaning, a trio of guard stallions smashed the television into a million pieces with a few bucks of their hooves! More of them rushed forward, stomping on the pieces until they were ground into nothingness all over the bedroom floor.

Twilight lay there on her back, legs and wings splayed out. Applejack was next to her, much the same, panting loudly and sweating. Celestia leaned over them both, “Twilight? Applejack? Are you two okay?” she lit her horn, waving it back and forth over both of them a few times.

“Princess Celestia! You would not believe where I’ve been! What I’ve seen!” The purple mare turned to help Applejack up, but the orange mare was curled up asleep. “Applejack? Applejack are you alright?!” she shook her friend a few times, until Celestia gently stopped her.

“I think she’s just exhausted, Twilight. We alicorns are far more enduring than even earth ponies.” Celestia said softly, steadying her.

Luna knelt down, putting a hoof on Applejack’s sweaty forehead. Her horn lit for a short time. “I shalt ease her dreams. Guards, come, we’ll take her to the medical wing.” The dark alicorn gestured and a few of them moved to bear Applejack on their backs. “Be careful with her, she’s a national hero, careful now!” her voice faded with distance, but she cast a look over her shoulder as they went. She was leaving Celestia in charge, but wanting for a damn good explanation later.

“How did you know to find me in the TV?” Twilight asked softly, folding her wings at last.

“You’re an alicorn, Twilight.” Celestia smiled in a motherly way, leading her from the room. She eyed the bruised muzzle and the ghost of blood here and there in her fur. “Even when you leave this world, a magical signature as powerful as yours is not hard to find.” Twilight blushed at being called powerful by her mentor, but they pressed on into a sitting room so the purple mare could relax. “Now please,” The solar Princess settled onto a sitting pillow, checking to make sure they were alone. “Tell me everything that’s happened.”

End of Part III