Corruption of Harmony

Chapter 2

Lies

Night had fallen by the time Spike returned to the library. Pinkie was inconsolable, though if the pony’s usual disposition was anything to go by she’d be back to her cheery self before too long. Spike had stayed with her until she’d fallen asleep, snoring loudly into her pillow. She’d blamed herself for Twilight’s outburst, and Spike had spent the majority of his time there convincing her otherwise. Hopefully he’d managed to get her to believe it.

As the tree came into view, Spike saw that the library windows were dark. Odd, he mused. He had been expecting the familiar candle glow, but it seemed that Twilight was having an early night. Perhaps that was to be expected; she must have been exhausted after the day’s events.

Twilight hadn’t gone to bed. When Spike pushed open the door and saw her sitting in the middle of the room, in the dark, head hung low, he realised something was terribly wrong.

“T-twilight?”

The alicorn slowly raised her head and stared at him blankly. Her eyes seemed to look through him, barely registering his presence.

“Oh. Spike. Hello.” Her voice was dull and emotionless.

“Are… are you alright?” Spike had no idea why he even bothered asking. She clearly wasn’t.

“I’m… I’m fine.”

Spike’s unease grew as she continued to stare at him. Through him. She hadn’t blinked once.

“Uh… maybe you should go to bed, Twilight… It’s pretty late, and you might feel better in the morning…”

“Late… Is it? I hadn’t noticed…” Twilight stood and climbed slowly up the stairs to her room, not even glancing in his direction. Spike was so busy watching her go he didn’t hear the footsteps behind him until Starbright grabbed him, covering his mouth with a hoof. Spike screamed into his captor’s leg, struggling fruitlessly against his grasp.

“Shut up, dragon! I’m not going to hurt you,” Starbright hissed at him. “When I let you go, I need you to be quiet. We can’t have her waking up again. Can you manage that?”

Spike nodded.

“Good. You’re not that stupid after all.” Star dropped him abruptly, sending Spike sprawling across the floor. The pony pulled up a chair and motioned for him to sit.

“What’s going on? Why was Twilight acting like that?” Spike was scared, and while right now Star was the pony he trusted the least, it seemed that he was the only one understood Twilight’s condition.

“Do you remember what I was studying, Spike? Tartarus: the lowest pit of hell. Do you have any idea why I would be studying Tartarus?” Star grunted condescendingly. “Of course you don’t. The truth of the matter is… something got out.”

Fear began to wrap icy cold coils around Spike’s mind.

“The reason I’m here in Ponyville in the first place is because this is where we tracked it to,” Star told him.

“So… Twilight’s… what? Possessed?”

Star sighed. “I don’t know. It’s clearly influencing her, but there’s none of the usual signs of possession. It would also explain her earlier outburst.”

“Oh man, this is bad. This is really bad.”

“Yes it is. And that’s just the start of it.” Star nodded towards the display case in the corner. When Spike saw the blackened and cracked jewel in Twilight’s crown, he began to realise just how big a problem this was going to be.

***

Spike paced back and forth whilst Star pondered over a large book.

“So what are we going to do?” the dragon asked, for the hundredth time.

“For the last time, Spike, I don’t know. But I know what we’re not going to do. We’re not going to tell anyone about this, not until we know what we’re up against.”

“But…”

“All that would do is cause useless panic. We can fix this ourselves.”

“What about the Princess? Surely she could-“

“Spike, do you have any idea what would happen if the Princess were to be corrupted by this thing? Why do you think she sent me in the first place? If she heard Twilight was in trouble she’d come running, and how do we know this isn’t a trap?”

Spike gulped, images of a demonic Celestia running through his mind.

“If Celestia were to fall, Equestria would burn,” said Star. “But for now, it seems it’s after the elements. There’s only one thing for it. Spike, you’re going to have to take me to meet the rest of the bearers.”

Spike shook his head vehemently. “I’m not leaving Twilight. She needs me.”

“If this thing gets to the rest of the elements it won’t matter. Nothing will matter. Once I’ve met with the other bearers, then you can come back here and keep watch over Twilight. That would help, in fact. I won’t be able to spend much time here, and you can come warn me if anything changes.”

Spike saw no other choice but to agree.

“Okay,” said Star. “Tomorrow you’ll introduce me to the other bearers. Hopefully we won’t be too late. Tonight, we’ll watch over Twilight.”

Spike looked troubled. “One last thing. What actually escaped? From Tartarus, I mean.”

Star’s expression darkened. “If you knew that, little dragon, you wouldn’t be asking.”

***

It was mostly my fault that I had to go to such extremes. I’d taken too much from Twilight, and nearly scuppered my plans in the meantime. It was only afterwards that I realised how lucky she was to still be alive; if she hadn’t been an alicorn, things would have ended very differently.

Pride comes before a fall, and that had almost proven the case here. Flushed with success, I had been… overenthusiastic, shall we say? I wouldn’t make the same mistake with the other bearers. It was fortunate Twilight was as reclusive as she was; her friends wouldn’t question her absence.

Spike, though… certainly a risk. I knew I had managed to convince him of my innocence, but not how much longer I could keep up the charade. At that point he was a valuable asset, a way for me to integrate with the rest of the bearers whilst avoiding suspicion.

If he caused trouble later, I’d just have to deal with him then.

***

The day dawned bright and warm. Spike would have found it difficult to believe what he had seen the previous night, were it not for Twilight’s empty expression haunting his thoughts.

“Remember,” said Star, stirring him from his reverie, “we have to at least act like nothing is wrong. If Twilight’s friends knew what state she was in, they might do something stupid.”

“Something stupid?”

“Bringing the Princess here? Trying to talk to Twilight? We don’t know what’s wrong with her, and I don’t want to risk the safety of the remaining bearers,” he chided. “Where are we going first?”

“You want to see all of them, right? If we go into town, we can see Pinkie and Rarity. Fluttershy lives on the outskirts, and Sweet Apple Acres is over that hill.” Spike pointed at a low mound. “Applejack’s probably in the orchards there. As for Rainbow Dash, she could be anywhere. We’ll probably run into her as we go.”

“Okay,” said Star. “Let’s go see Pinkie first, make sure she’s alright. From there we’ll go on to Rarity’s.”

“Gotcha.”

***

The smell inside Sugarcube Corner was mouth-watering. Mrs Cake bustled around the shop, arranging displays and icing various confectionaries. The motherly pony beamed at Spike as the pair entered. “Spike, honey, good to see you! Are you after the usual? I’ve just finished some cinnamon cookies, and I know Twilight likes those…”

Spike visibly jumped. “Um… h-hi Mrs Cake… No, Uh… we’re here to see Pinkie… Is she around?”

Starbright stifled a groan. Spike was terrible at this.

“And who’s this?” she asked, addressing Star. “Haven’t seen you round here before, new in town?”

“Ah, yes. I’m visiting for a few weeks, staying at the library. A pleasure to meet you,” Starbright replied. Spike marvelled at his calm demeanour.

“Ah, are you the one Pinkie was telling me about? Starshine, was it?”

“Starbright,” he corrected. “Pinkie told you about me?”

“Oh, she’s always excited to tell everyone about any new arrivals.”

A look flashed over Star’s face, quickly replaced by his usual, relaxed expression. Mrs Cake seemed oblivious, but Spike caught it out the corner of his eye. Concern? Irritation?

“Is she here now, do you know?” asked Starbright.

“No no, she went out early this morning. To see Applejack, I think she said,” replied the baker.

“Ah, well we’ll be off then. Thanks anyway.”

Mrs Cake smiled in acknowledgement and returned to the displays.

“Tell Twilight I said hi!” she called as they left the shop. Spike couldn’t help but wince.

***

“What the hell was that?” They were barely four steps out of the shop before Star began berating the dragon. “We’re supposed to be keeping this hidden. If you end up losing the plot every time somebody mentions her name, ponies are going to notice.”

“I’m sorry! It’s… Look, Twilight’s always been there for me. Ever since I hatched. And now… now she’s in serious trouble and I don’t know what I can do to stop it, and I can’t even tell anyone about it.”

Starbright sighed, and stopped walking.

“I appreciate that Spike, I really do, but if you want to help her you need to stop looking like you’ve murdered somepony whenever someone says ‘Twilight Sparkle’.”

Spike flinched reflexively, giving Star a guilty look. The pony simply shook his head and started down the road again. “Tell me about Rarity,” he said.

“What do you want to know?”

“For crying out loud, I’m not asking for an inquisition. What’s she like?”

“Um… Well, she’s the element of generosity, so she’s always helping others out, and thinking of everyone else…”

Spike launched into a wave of compliments about Rarity, and Starbright began to realise just how devoted to her the little dragon was. By the time the pair arrived at the Carousel Boutique, Star was pretty confident in what to expect.

***

Colours. The inside of Rarity’s store was filled with elegant dresses made with every colour of the rainbow, all tastefully arranged so none of them clashed with adjacent designs. Starbright was anything but an expert, but it was clear that Rarity put incredible care and attention into her work.

“Canterlot? Oh, I love Canterlot! The sights! The ponies! The culture! Isn’t it just wonderful, Starbright?” fawned the dressmaker. Since she’d learned about Star’s connection with Princess Celestia, he’d been unable to steer the conversation to anything else.

“Well, I spend pretty much my entire time in the castle, so I wouldn’t-“

Rarity gasped, cutting him off. “But the castle is the most incredible place there! Your life must be so glamorous!”

Starbright chuckled. “I’d hardly go that far. The castle library isn’t what I’d call glamorous, and I spend a lot of time away.”

“You’re a scholar, then?” she asked.

“Something like that.”

“And you’re staying with Twilight? She must be absolutely thrilled, having someone like you visiting.” Rarity’s smile faltered briefly and Star was thankful for her distraction. It meant she didn’t notice the small squeak from Spike at Twilight’s name, or the muffled thump as Star kicked him under the table. Recomposing herself, Rarity beamed at Starbright. “So, a mission from the Princess? Is that why you came to see me? I’m afraid unless that mission is to create her a new summer dress I can’t see how I’d be of much help. Although, if she does want a dress…” She squealed in sudden excitement. “Ooh, I know just the right shade of blue!”

Starbright laughed at her eagerness. “If only. All I’m here for is ask you to be careful. Tell me if there’s anything worrying you, or if anyone seems suspicious.”

“Someone suspicious? Is that likely?” Rarity asked.

Star’s silence didn’t reassure her.

“Why are you asking? Is… is Twilight alr-” Rarity never got to finish her question. The bell above the shop door tinkled, interrupting them as a couple of young ponies entered. “Ah, sorry, business calls.”

“Of course. Thank you for your hospitality. And as I said, if there’s anything unusual…”

“- and I’ll be sure to tell you,” she finished, waving him away impatiently. “And goodbye to you too, Spikey-wikey!” She leant and squeezed Spike’s cheeks in her hooves, leaving the little dragon looking positively ecstatic at her attention. Star couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the poor boy as they left.

***

“And ah’m tellin’ you, if ya miss you’ll end up a splatter on the side o’ the barn, and ah don’t much fancy wipin’ you off it.”

“Come on AJ, it’s just one measly loop the loop. I could do that in my SLEEP.”

“Normally ya ain’t tryin’ to do it through a barn door.”

“Pfffft, don’t sweat it. I’d find it difficult NOT to go through the doors.”

“Ah said no, and ah meant it.”

“Oh yeah? Try and stop me!”

The rainbow-maned pegasus launched into the air and soared off towards the barn. Or at least, she would have done if it weren’t for her tail being held fast between the other pony’s teeth.

“AH SAID NO!” yelled the farm pony around the tail in her mouth.

The pegasus thrashed in her grip for a while, before giving up, turning, and charging the earth pony into the dirt. They struggled on the ground, clouds of dust flying around them.

“These two are bearers?” asked Star, dubiously.

“Er… yeah…. They actually get along pretty well. Most of the time, anyway… I’m sure they’re just playing around.” Spike called out to the fighting ponies. “Hey, Applejack! Rainbow Dash!”

They froze, mid-scuffle, and looked for the source of the interruption. Spying the dragon and his companion, the ponies broke apart and clambered to their feet, Rainbow Dash flying slightly above the floor in an attempt to look taller than Applejack.

“Well howdy there Spike. Who’s yer friend?”

“This is Starbright. Starbright, Applejack.”

“A pleasure,” said Starbright, bowing his head courteously.

“Well shoot, we don’t really go in fer all that high-flying city stuff here, but it’s nice to meet ya. This bad-tempered mule here is Rainbow Dash.”

“Whoare you calling a mule?!” shouted the pegasus.

“You, ya dummy. Or was that a bit too much for yer poor brain?”

Rainbow Dash snorted and muttered something that sounded extremely offensive.

“So what’re ya here for Starbright? Cider ain’t ready ‘til next week m’afraid, if that’s what yer after.”

“No no, I’m actually here on behalf of Celestia,” Star explained.

“The princess? Ah guess that explains the Canterlot accent. In that case yer probably lookin’ for Twilight.”

Star threw a quick glance at Spike, but for once the dragon was keeping himself reasonably under control.

“I’ve actually been staying with her the past few days already,” he told them.

Applejack exchanged a meaningful look with Rainbow Dash.

“Hold on a minute; that was you?” asked the pegasus.

“Sorry, what?”

Both ponies were glaring at Star. Before either of them could answer him, a pink blur erupted from the nearby bushes and barrelled into Starbright, knocking him off his feet and sending him careering towards the ground.

“WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” yelled Pinkie Pie, as the pair of them fell into the grass. “That was fun!”

“Darn it, Pinkie! Ya about scared the life outta me.” Judging by the big grin on her face, Applejack’s anger was mostly feigned. Pinkie’s indomitable cheeriness was as infectious as ever.

“Hey guys, this is the pony I was telling you about!” said Pinkie. “Starbright!”

“Good to see you again too, Pinkie, but would you kindly sit somewhere else?” wheezed Star, his ribs crushed underneath her. With the amount of sugar Pinkie Pie consumed on a daily basis, it was no surprise she was pretty damn heavy.

“Oh, whoopsie!” She hopped off his chest and pulled him upright.

“So this is the guy, huh?” asked Rainbow Dash, sizing him up. “Alright Star, what’d you do to Twilight?”

If Starbright was startled by her apparent insight, he didn’t show it.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said coolly.

Applejack snorted. “Pinkie was just tellin’ us that she went to visit Twilight, and ended up gettin’ yelled at, kicked out, and told never to come back. Now ah’ve known that unicorn fer a damn long time, and that ain’t somethin’ she’s likely to do. Then Pinkie told us a pony we’ve never heard of is stayin’ there, and it don’t take a genius to put two an’ two together. So we’re asking: what in the hay did you do?”

“I can assure you, I-”

“It wasn’t Starbright’s fault!” interrupted Pinkie. “Honestly, sometimes you guys are so SILLY! You know Twilight’s been a bit weird lately, right?”

“Ah still don’t think it’s somethin’ Twilight would-”

There was a small cough. Everyone turned to see Spike waiting for their attention.

“It’s Twilight you’re angry with, not Starbright,” he said quietly. “And right now that’s not going to help anypony.”

Starbright sighed at their confused expressions. “I think we need to talk.”

***

The barn was musty and filled with the strong smell of hay. Sunlight streamed in from an open window, warming the backs of the three ponies within.

“So, hold up. Princess Celestia sent you?” asked Dash. Starbright frowned in exasperation. This would take half as long if she didn’t stop to interrogate him after every titbit of information.

“She did indeed. I need to be in Ponyville, and the library allows me to continue my research while I’m here.”

“And just what exactly are y’all researching?” This time, Applejack jumped in to ask questions.

“Tartarus, if you must know.”

“And you needed to be in Ponyville to do that?”

“No, but I do need to be in Ponyville. Look, I’m skirting dangerously close to what I can and can’t tell you, here.”

“Sounds like all the books on Tartarus would be at the library in Canterlot. So how come y’all needed to be here?”

Starbright told them. For a while, there was silence in the barn, until eventually Applejack spoke again.

“Ah can see why ya asked Pinkie to wait outside.”

***

I didn’t want to have to tell them, I really didn’t. Spike’s foolish openness gave me no other choice. I was sure to impress upon them the importance of keeping quiet, but it was still two more ponies knowing too much. I should mention, of course, that obviously I only told them half-truths. Lies mixed in with facts are much easier to swallow.

So what did I say? The same as I told Spike. Some unnamed evil had escaped from Tartarus and was running rampant in Ponyville. I was acting as a vanguard, an impromptu exorcist under Celestia’s orders.

I neglected to mention Twilight’s current condition. That would have been a step too far. Instead I merely suggested that the alicorn was busy assisting me in my studies, and if she had been a little terse with Pinkie it was most likely due to the stress associated with saving the entirety of Equestria. That sort of thing tends to take a toll.

Both of them believed me unquestioningly. They verified with Spike, who was all too happy to mention the letter he had received from Celestia. Honestly, even I felt it was a bit too easy, but that’s the beauty in planning ahead. Everything was already set out, already in place. All I had to do was act at the appropriate times and everything would fall into my lap.

Maybe I was being cocky, but if anyone deserved to be, it was me.

***

Fluttershy’s cottage sat upon the crest of a small hill, its windows looking down on the pony and the dragon as they trudged up the path.

“I already said I’m sorry, what else do you want me to do?” whined Spike.

“It’s fine; they agreed to keep quiet. And remember, they still don’t know what’s happened to Twilight, let’s keep it that way.”

Spike nodded glumly as they reached the top of the hillock, and Star rapped his hoof against the door.

“Um… Uh… Just a minute!” called a quiet voice from inside.

Starbright scratched a hoof irritably against the step. Eventually the door opened, revealing a pale-yellow pegasus with a long, pink mane. On each flank rested a trio of butterflies, one of the vaguest cutie marks Starbright had ever seen.

“H-hello?” the pony stammered. Her head was bowed timidly as she cautiously regarded her visitor.

“Hey Fluttershy! Can we come in?” Spike chimed in from beside Starbright, and Fluttershy jumped.

“Oh, Spike, it’s you. Sorry, I didn’t see you there. Um… s-sure, come on in.” She opened the door wide.

The cottage was small and homely. In the centre sat a peculiarly angry looking rabbit, chewing idly on a carrot and eyeing the visitors warily.

“Don’t worry about Angel, he’s always like that,” explained Fluttershy, sensing Star’s discomfort.

The rabbit frowned and bit a particularly large chunk from the carrot, crushing it loudly between his teeth. Fluttershy hopped up onto an armchair and smiled warmly at her guests.

“So, you must be the pony staying with Twilight?” she asked.

Starbright groaned. “Pinkie told you too, huh?”

“Oh, um… no… No, I saw you the other night through the library windows.” Her eyes shot open in sudden panic. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to intrude or anything, but I just happened to glance that way…”

“No harm done. Yes, I’m staying with Twilight for a little while. I’m Starbright, but Star’s fine.”

As the two ponies chatted, Spike reflected on how much Fluttershy had changed in the time he’d known her. When he and Twilight had first arrived in Ponyville, she’d barely been able to whisper audibly with ponies she didn’t know. Her nervousness was still apparent, but here she was, holding a conversation with someone she’d never met before. It lifted his heart to see how much she’d improved, and with recent events that little bit of happiness was well and truly needed. Speaking of which…

“…so all I’m asking, is that if you see anything out of the ordinary, or anything that seems worrying, no matter how small, to come and tell me.”

“Um… I… I wouldn’t want to be wrong and waste your time or anything… Are you sure?”

“Being wrong about this would be much better than being right, believe me. Just come find me if anything happens, okay?”

“O-okay.”

Starbright smiled amiably. “You probably won’t see anything anyway, it’s just a precaution. Now, I have to get back. I’ve already taken up far too much of your time and I have a report to write for Celestia.”

“Oh no, no trouble at all,” said Fluttershy. “Thanks for coming by.”

“Any time,” Star replied, as him and the dragon left.

“Bye Spike!” called Fluttershy. Spike gave a cursory wave and the door shut quietly behind them.

***

“No, I can’t,” Spike told himself, staring at the letter in front of him. Starbright had written it as soon as they had returned, declining Spike’s offer of something to eat. Instead, he had spent some time scribbling this letter, asked Spike to send it the Princess and disappeared to his bedroom.

Twilight was fast asleep, which seemed to be all she was really capable of at the moment. She’d eaten a little, but other than that she was pretty much comatose. And now there was this letter. Spike had no business reading it, of course, but he still wasn’t entirely sure what Star was up to. There was more to it than Starbright had told him, he was sure of that, but was it worth breaching the Princess’ confidence?

Would they even find out if he did read it? Probably not. As long as there wasn’t some great secret within that Spike could let slip, there was no way they could ever know he’d opened it. Regret, though? It was entirely possible Spike would be unable to remain quiet about breaking their trust, and would tell them himself. What would they do to him then? And if they did find out somehow… Spike dreaded to think of the consequences.

He couldn’t do it, he concluded; the risks were too great. Five seconds later he was unfurling the letter and scanning the text within.

Celestia,

We were right, it’s here.

The bearers are safe.

I will send word when I know more.

S.

Spike couldn’t help but feel somewhat disappointed. He knew Star intended to keep Twilight’s situation hidden from the princess, but he had been hoping for… well, something more. All he gleaned from the letter was that Starbright was not averse to lying to Celestia, even though it was for her own benefit. Lies mixed in with truths.

There was also the informal way he addressed the Princess. Spike couldn’t think of anyone with the gall to call the sun princess by nothing but Celestia; not directly to her, at least. Starbright was either higher up in terms of social standing than he let on, or he just didn’t care. If it was the latter, he’d still have to be of considerable importance to get away with it.

Other than “it”, there was no reference to just what had escaped from Tartarus, and the letter gave no clue as to the thing’s identity. Dejected, Spike rerolled the letter, affixed a seal, and blasted it with flames. Sparkling green smoke flew up from his claw, winding its way out of the open window and towards Canterlot castle. Spike watched it go until it was out of sight, disappearing among the stars in the night sky.

***

WHAM.

The tree shook violently, raining down leaves as Applejack’s hooves smashed solidly into the bark. Apples dropped from their stems, landing in carefully positioned half-barrels. There were several already full to the brim.

WHAM.

As the leaves and apples fell around her, she wiped a drop of sweat from her forehead. It was always one of her favourite jobs. Nothing but birdsong and the soothing beat of her hooves against the wood.

WHAM.

And yet, her brow was creased, her mouth a hard line. Her thoughts were of Twilight, and the strange earth pony that had dropped in with so little fanfare to warn of demons and evil things. The fact that he was an earth pony was odd in itself. What exactly could he achieve assuming the monster did appear? Wouldn’t a unicorn have been more appropriate?

WHAM.

Applejack wasn’t the bearer of the Element of Honesty for nothing. She knew Star had been less than entirely truthful about his time in Ponyville, but she had no idea why, or what he stood to gain from his secrecy.

WHAM.

“I think you’ve got all of them.”

Star’s voice took her by surprise. He could really move quietly when he wanted to. She spared a glance behind her. Sure enough, the tree was completely bare of fruit, and had been so for quite a while.

“Ah don’t see you jumpin’ up with an offer to help. Not that ah expect a city slicker like y’all to be much use anyhow,” she said, not missing a beat.

Starbright cocked an eyebrow, and kicked a rear hoof into the tree behind him. Nothing happened.

“And what were ya tryin’ to prove there?”

Starbright held up a hoof, effortlessly caught the single apple that fell, and took a large bite out of it. He grinned at her shocked expression.

“Okay, ah ain’t gonna lie,” she said, “that’s mighty impressive. But shouldn’t ya be busy findin’ demons and the like?”

Starbright sighed. “I most certainly should, and if I knew where to even begin, believe me I would be.”

This was a drastic change from his previous, confident attitude, and it was rather disconcerting to Applejack. What in Equestria was he doing here if he had no idea what he was doing? She said as much, and he laughed.

“Even if I was the most well-read demonology scholar in Equestria (and many would say I am), it’s impossible to track them down once they’ve gone to ground. The only way to know where they are is when they manifest in some way. That’s what we’re looking out for. Until that happens, there’s not much we can do.”

“And what’s Twilight up to while yer busy runnin’ around Ponyville, meetin’ and greetin’?”

“Everything she can. Research, mostly.”

“Hmph.” Applejack moved to the next tree.

WHAM.

“While y’all are there, ya might as well give me a hoof.”

“Of course.” Star began dragging barrels underneath an adjacent tree.

WHAM.

“Are ya doin’ this with all the bearers?”

“Hm?”

WHAM.

“Y’know, shootin’ the breeze. Ah still don’t rightly know why yer here, after all.”

“Not exactly. We know it’s likely to target the bearers, so it makes sense to be nearby, just in case. Unfortunately, there’s only one of me, and it’s not like I can be in six places at once.”

“So it’s just my turn, huh?”

“Lucky you, eh?”

WHAM.

“How come there ain’t six ponies here, then?” she asked. “Would make sense to me.”

“This entire operation is being kept as secret as possible. The best case scenario is that nopony even realises there was ever anything wrong. A full complement of guards and scholars descending on Ponyville would rather disturb that image, no?”

Applejack grunted. As unhappy with that answer as she was, it did make sense.

“Similarly, if it’s just me it’s likely the demon won’t know I’m here. That means we can catch it by surprise. Again, a team following every bearer would completely destroy that illusion. If it knows we’re here, it won’t reveal itself, and we’ll never catch it.”

“Make’s y’all wonder how in the hay the Princesses caught them in the first place,” Applejack mused.

“You seem to be implying they caught them all,” he said.

“They didn’t?”

“Only the big ones. The dangerous ones. The ones so powerful they didn’t think they could possibly fall from their thrones. Of course, that means any escapees are exactly that; big and dangerous.”

WHAM.

“And this time,” he continued, “it’s being careful.”

Lies wrapped in truths.

***

The corridor leading to Celestia’s room was wide and spacious, adorned with tapestries depicting the years of peace that Equestria had been basking in. Luna hated them. In her opinion, the times of strife were far more important to remember.

“Remember the troubles you have overcome, so they may never repeat themselves.”

Celestia told her that shortly after Luna’s return from her thousand year banishment, and yet she was content to line her walls with self-congratulatory embroideries. And then every time she requested Luna’s company, the Princess of the night was forced to walk down the same damn hallway, covered in images of laughing and playing ponies. Ponies laughing and playing in the sunshine. Not a single one of the tapestries depicted a moon.

The two guards at the end of the hall bowed their heads respectfully as she passed them. There was that much, at least. Fear had been all but abolished as a means of maintaining order in the time she had been absent, and sometimes she missed that wide-eyed stare from her subordinates. The rush of power it brought was unrivalled. Whether Celestia had gone soft in those thousand years, or if that was simply the change in culture that peace brought, she couldn’t tell. Either way, she didn’t like it. A soldier more scared of their own commander than the enemy fights twice as hard. When failure is not an option, the only outcome is success.

Luna’s magic illuminated the door and flung it wide, causing it to strike the wall with a resounding crash. Dramatic things like that were some of the few pleasures she could take, and it was worth it purely for her sister’s reaction to the sudden sound.

“Luna, I’ve told you to stop doing that,” the Sun Princess scolded.

“I’ll stop doing it when you stop jumping.”

Celestia sighed. Why was her sister so difficult to deal with? In public she was fine, the epitome of a princess. In private she was a completely different pony entirely.

“So,” said Luna, “how goes the Ponyville situation?”

“It could be better. He sent a letter last night; you should have a look at it.”

Celestia motioned to the parchment on her table, and Luna scanned it quickly. When she’d finished, she let out an irate snort.

“I should be there,” said Luna. “How can he tame a demon on his own?”

“Patience, sister. Our presence would not go unnoticed, and that’s our greatest weapon. Let the beast believe he is completely hidden, and he will make a mistake. That is when we show him his folly.”

“I hope you’re right, Tia.”

Celestia’s nose wrinkled at the pet name. “So do I Luna. So do I.”

***

“Ah’ll be honest, ah didn’t think you had it in ya.”

Between the two of them they’d covered far more than a usual harvest day, and Applejack was struggling to hide how impressed she was. Starbright had easily kept pace with her throughout the day, only faltering towards the end.

“I can’t feel my legs.”

“That’s how ya know it’s a job well done! Hey, if ya ain’t doing anything tonight, yer welcome to come round for a bite to eat. Least ah can do after yer help.”

“While I appreciate the offer, I don’t think I’ll be standing up for a while.”

“Come on now, up ya get. You wouldn’t want me to carry you back now, would ya? Can’t imagine that’d look good for yer reputation, huh?”

With a pained groan, Starbright lurched shakily to his feet, leaning against a tree. The way back to the farm looked incredibly far indeed.

“Atta boy.” Applejack clapped him on the back, and he nearly fell over again. “Now, ah have to insist ya stay for dinner. Ain’t nothin’ like Granny’s cooking after a hard day of apple-buckin’.”

“That’s a double negative,” grumbled Star.

“Beggin’ yer pardon?”

“Nothing.”

***

The pair walked back through the evening streets, an awkward silence stretching out between them. Applejack stayed a couple of steps behind him, her head bowed in embarrassment.

“Uh… Star? Ah just wanted to apologise again.”

Starbright took a deep breath. “It’s fine.”

The meal had been… well, it had been a disaster. When they’d first arrived at the farmhouse, Starbright had collapsed into the nearest chair with exhaustion, where he’d been introduced to the remainder of the Apple family. First he’d met Granny Smith; a wizened old pony that had seemingly infinite anecdotes about “back in the day” (which, to hear her tell it, was the best time that had ever existed). Applejack’s brother, Big Macintosh, had sauntered in from the fields shortly after. A giant of a stallion, he’d seemed friendly enough, even if he mostly talked in single-word responses. Privately, Starbright thought he must be a little slow. Finally Applejack’s younger sister, Applebloom, had blasted in through the door, wearing a red cape that streamed behind her and yelling about the day’s adventures, most of which seemed to consist of trying outlandish activities to find her cutie mark. From the family’s complete and utter disinterest, this was obviously a daily occurrence.

It had started off well enough, Granny Smith serving them all a thick vegetable stew. To the famished Starbright, it had seemed like the best thing he’d ever eaten. And then Applebloom had gotten a little excited at her recounting of the day’s exploits. Frantic hoof waving had sent her half-eaten bowl flying. Star had been sitting directly opposite, and ended up drenched in the stodgy, dark-brown liquid. Applejack cringed remembering the awful quiet that followed. And of course the one to break it was Granny Smith. “Uh… Young’un? I think yer spilled some on yerself there…”

So here they were, trudging back in the dark, Applejack accompanying him by way of apology. Sure, they’d run him a bath to wash himself, but that didn’t change the fact that they’d coated an emissary of Princess Celestia in stew. The clack of their feet against the cobbles was the only sound in the night. Finally they arrived at the library.

“You didn’t have to come with me,” said Starbright.

“Least ah could do after... well…”

“Yeah. Let’s keep that between just us, huh?”

Applejack chuckled. “Ah reckon ah can manage that. No worries, sugarcube.” Her face took on a concerned look. “Ain’t no chance ah could have a word with Twilight, is there?”

“Sorry Applejack, I really don’t think that’s the best idea at the moment.”

“Alright, ah understand. But tell her ah want to talk to her, will ya?”

“Of course. Goodnight, Applejack.”

“Same to you, Star.”

Starbright waited until she was out of sight before entering the dark library.

***

Applejack was an enigma to me at that point. Nothing she had done had given any indication of a weakness I could exploit. After an entire day with her, “shootin’ the breeze” as she dubbed it, I was still no closer to finding a useful flaw. After my success with Twilight, this seemed like a kick in the teeth. To fall at the second hurdle was little better than falling at the first.

Still, I had good reason for choosing Applejack. The embodiment of Honesty knowing what I had told her (even if it wasn’t all true) was too dangerous. Her difficulty with dishonesty could end up being disastrous if left alone, and her perception for the lies of others was equally hazardous. Rainbow Dash was considerably less risky, and I had other reasons for waiting, as far as she was concerned.

So Applejack it was. Everybody has a weakness, something they’re scared of, something that keeps them up at night. Applejack would have one too, and my job was simply to find it, no matter how well she hid it, or how much she held onto it. Everybody has a weakness.

***

Cold air ran through the dark library, gliding over Star’s back and making him shiver. The only light came from the pale moon, poking its head through the windows. In their display cabinet the elements gleamed, the reflection off the coloured gems sending flittering patterns against the walls. Twilight’s gem did not glitter. It sat there, blackened and dead, contrasting with the brilliant shine of the polished crown it was embedded into. Starbright considered for a while, and then unhooked the catch of the cabinet. As he lifted the glass covering, a voice spoke up behind him, causing him to drop the lid in surprise.

“What are you doing?”

Star turned to see Spike at the foot of the stairs.

“Ah, Spike. I was about to examine the tainted element. Care to join me?”

Spike shrugged. Star lifted the case again and pulled out the crown, before taking a seat at the table in the middle of the room. The dragon sat across from him, watching Starbright poke at the jewellery, something clearly on his mind.

“Will she ever get better?” Spike asked.

“Hm?”

“Twilight. Will she ever get better?”

Starbright stopped his tinkering, and looked at the dragon. He seemed… small. His eyes were watery and dim; his shoulders were slumped in defeat. In a lot of ways, he was broken. Without answering, the pony returned to his scrutiny of the crown.

“I… I don’t know if I can do this much longer,” said Spike. Starbright gave no indication that he had heard.

“I’ve been Twilight’s assistant for… well for years now, and all that time, I thought I was taking care of her. Y’know, looking after her. But I wasn’t, not really. She was looking after me. And now she really does need me to look after her, and I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I can keep going up to that room, seeing her with that… that nothingness behind her eyes. So, I need to know. If we beat this thing, will she come back?”

Star set the crown down on the table and took a deep breath.

“I don’t know,” he told Spike. At the dragon’s panicked expression, he took a hoof and rested it on Spike’s shoulder. “But I can tell you that if we succeed and Twilight does not return to us, then I will dedicate myself to bringing her back. I promise you that.”

Spike smiled gratefully. He sat up a little straighter. “Thanks, Starbright.” And then with a huge yawn, the dragon announced he was retiring to bed. Star nodded and returned his attention to the crown. The second Spike shut the door behind him Starbright stood, gathered the rest of the elements and returned to his room. He shoved them underneath the bed, next to the bottles.

***

Starbright was so concerned with working out an excuse to meet with Applejack again that when she turned up at the door the following morning, out of breath, he was caught rather off guard.

“What are-” he began, before she interrupted him.

“Timber Wolves,” she said, as if that explained everything. Star looked at her as if she was mad. “By the farm. We gotta head out there, sort ‘em out before they try anything.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Well, yesterday ya proved ya can keep up, and the best way o’ dealing with them is in pairs in case somethin’ goes wrong. Mac and Dash are already out there, but they ain’t gonna cover all that ground without another team.”

Starbright pretended to give it some thought.

“Okay,” he said. “Let’s go.”

***

For those of you who’ve never had the “pleasure” of visiting the Everfree forest, a short description is in order. Firstly, it’s dark. Dark dark. We were there in the middle of the day, but under the thick tree boughs, it was like night. Shadows creep and flitter between the trees, accompanied by strange, unearthly noises that chill you to the bone.

The second thing you notice is that it’s cold. With the lack of sunlight and the warmth it brings, that’s unsurprising. Bear in mind, though, we were only around the outskirts, maybe half a mile in. It seemed like that was almost irrelevant. At the edges the forest stops short, replaced by fertile farmland, but take three steps between the trees and it feels like you’re miles from civilisation. That wasn’t particularly reassuring given our quarry.

Timber Wolves: large quadrupeds with the appearance of regular wolves, except for the considerable difference in that they’re made from branches and logs. They’re constructs, formed by the residual magic energy present in any forest that’s old and bitter enough. Mean as a troll and twice as persistent, they won’t stop chasing you until either you’re dead or they’re broken. Certainly not the sort of thing you want running around by a farm, but I was hardly relishing hunting them down.

***

Star swore loudly as he disentangled himself from yet another bramble patch. Either Applejack was somehow resistant to their clawing thorns, or her skin was made of titanium. Given her performance in the fields yesterday, Starbright was inclined to believe the latter.

“Ah’ll bet yer glad you left yer saddlebag in the barn now, huh?” she joked.

“How many wolves are we dealing with here?” he asked, ignoring her jibe and pulling yet another branch out of his mane.

“Around four or five, by my count,” replied Applejack, picking her way through the undergrowth.

Starbright paled. “Five? With just the two of us?”

“You ain’t afraid of a bunch o’ twigs are ya?”

“That’s a pretty extreme understatement.”

Applejack laughed. The blackened trees pressed ever closer, their gnarled branches clutching at the ponies as they moved deeper into the forest. Neither of them talked much. Speaking felt awkward, as if they were pulling the attention of the entire wood towards them.

“Hey, did ya hear that?” whispered Applejack.

“What?”

“Shh, there it is again. Listen”

This time Starbright heard it. A high-pitched howl, some distance in front of them. It was hard to say how far, the noise masked by the tree trunks.

“Come on, we’re close now,” she said, before trotting forwards, not turning round to see if Starbright was keeping up.

He nearly lost her multiple times between the trees. Finally he stumbled out of a particularly thick bramble bush into a small clearing. Applejack was standing stock-still in the centre, staring at the rocks surrounding the far edge.

“Dammit Applejack, couldn’t you have slowed down? I nearly lost you there.”

“Starbright, shut up.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Shut the hell up!” she hissed.

A loud growl punctuated the air. For the first time, Starbright looked at the boulders capturing Applejack’s attention. Standing atop them, hackles raised, were five timber wolves. They were huge, easily twice the size of any pony. Twisted branches met in crude limbs, joined to a body made from thick logs and sticks. Their jaws were filled with row upon row of enormous thorns, razor sharp and strong as stone. Claws covered with equally large points gouged large scratches into the rocks as they restlessly drew their paws against them, and malicious green eyes glowed at Starbright and Applejack from the depths of their skulls.

“Applejack…?” Starbright’s voice caught in his throat.

“Ah think we might be in a spot o’ trouble here Star.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Run.”

They turned as two of the wolves leapt clear over their heads, landing between them and the relative safety of the trees. Pinned from both sides, their only option was to fight. Without hesitation, Starbright charged the two wolves blocking their escape, smashing into them and rolling between the trees in a tornado of flailing limbs and gnashing jaws, disappearing into the bushes. Applejack pivoted to face the three remaining wolves as one of the more ambitious beasts lunged at her. She ducked underneath its wild jump and delivered a strong kick to its underbelly. The wolf howled in pain, sent rolling to the floor. The two still standing snapped at her, and she jumped back to avoid their teeth. With a snarl, the largest of the pair sprinted at her, claws scything through the air. Applejack dodged to the side, spun on her hooves and kicked with both hind legs simultaneously. The wolf splintered down the middle, shattering into a loose collection of twigs. The first wolf was back on its feet, and the pair of them circled Applejack warily, keen to avoid their comrade’s fate. Applejack tried to keep an eye on both of them, a task they made as difficult as possible, snapping at her heels whenever she lost sight of one. With no warning, the pair dove at her simultaneously. That was exactly what Applejack was waiting for. She dropped to the floor, covering her face with a foreleg as the two wolves crashed bodily into each other, tearing each other apart from the collision. As twigs and snapped logs rained down around her, Applejack couldn’t help but grin. Tough bastards they may be, but they sure were stupid.

The pony stood and dusted herself off. She warily eyed the patch of thorns where Star had disappeared.

“Starbright?” she called. There was no reply. “Hey, Starbright, don’t be messin’ with me now.”

From the leaves burst a flurry of teeth and hate, bowling into her and knocking her onto her back. Tears welled in her eyes as the wind was knocked out of her. The wolf’s claws stabbed into her leg, and it regarded her with a cold, merciless stare.

“Y’all think ah’m scared o’ you?” coughed the mare. The wolf cocked its head. Its breath was foul, and it made it even harder for her to breathe. Together with being winded and the wolf crushing her, she wouldn’t be surprised if the thing suffocated her.

“Ah ain’t afraid of dying, gimme yer best shot.”

With that, Applejack spat in the creature’s face. Its eyes flared in anger. The beast’s jaws opened wide. There was nothing but those teeth, lunging towards her. She closed her eyes.

CRUNCH.

Silence fell.

***

Twilight moaned quietly. She had barely stirred all day, except for the occasional whimper. It broke Spike’s heart every time. He pressed a wet cloth to her forehead, trying to cool her down. If it had been any other situation, her ailment would be easy to explain as the flu. Spike wished it was that simple.

Around midday, Twilight sat bolt upright in bed with a ragged gasp. Spike had been dozing in a chair, and he nearly fell off it in shock. She started whispering hoarsely, too quietly for Spike to hear.

“Twilight?” he asked, nervously.

Her head snapped round, fixing on him. Her eyes were glazed and unseeing. There was no recognition, and yet:

“Spiiiiiiiike.”

The word was drawn out, her voice harsh and strained.

“Don’t trust him,” she said.

“Who, Twilight? Starbright?”

“The one with holes for eyes.”

Twilight collapsed back onto the bed. She was fast asleep, and Spike wasn’t sure if she had ever been awake at all.

***

Starbright kicked the remains of the wolf off him. He didn’t know where the other one had gone. Struggling to his feet, he limped back into the clearing, and his blood ran cold. The wolf was standing above Applejack, pinning her to the floor.

“Ah ain’t afraid of dying, gimme yer best shot.”

He watched in horror as Applejack spat fearlessly into the wolf’s face.
NO.
Starbright broke into a sprint, charging across the dead grass. The wolf growled low in its throat and its jaw opened. Star wasn’t going to make it in time; he wasn’t going to reach them. The wolf lunged.

CRUNCH.

The wolf’s head exploded into splinters, its final expression one of confusion and disbelief. Applejack cracked an eye open, wondering why the inevitable hadn’t occurred, to find Star retracting the hind leg he’d used to smash the wolf’s skull to pieces. She let out a huge breath she hadn’t known she was holding in.

“Ah reckon y’all just saved my life there, sugarcube.”

Starbright grinned. “Yeah, I reckon I did.”

***

I feel like some things need clarifying; namely, why I saved Applejack. I’m sure you’re wondering why I didn’t just leave her at the mercy of the timber wolf. The bearer gone, the element destroyed, right? Unfortunately it’s not that simple. Firstly, losing a bearer does not destroy the element. It simply causes it to find a new carrier, and there’s no telling who that might be.

Of course, there are other difficulties Applejack’s demise would have caused. It would have made it exceedingly difficult to get close to the remaining bearers (if they knew I had been with her at the time, nigh on impossible). It would also have drawn suspicion from Celestia, something I certainly wished to avoid.

That’s not to say Applejack’s brush with death was a bad thing. In retrospect, it was the key to finding her weakness, and sealing her fate.

***

The warm water felt incredible against Applejack’s bruised and battered skin. In lieu of turning up at the farmhouse covered in scratches and scrapes, Starbright had suggested they clean up at the barn first. Applejack didn’t really have much say in the matter; she was leaning heavily against him, a deep gouge running down her foreleg where the timber wolf’s claw had dug in. A sudden sting from her wound made her hiss through her teeth, and Starbright tutted.

“Flinching won’t help.” He pressed the cloth back against her leg.

“Ah didn’t flinch!” she shouted indignantly.

He didn’t reply, gently cleaning her injury. An orange glow flickered on the side of the barn, a gas lantern, sending their shadows dancing across the walls.

“Did you mean what you said out there?” he asked.

“Beggin’ yer pardon?”

“About not being afraid to die.”

Applejack frowned.

“That’s a serious question there, sugarcube.”

“You didn’t answer it.”

“Ah guess ah didn’t.” Applejack sighed. “An’ what if I did mean it?”

“Nothing. I’ve just never met someone who did. I’ve heard it said before, but it’s normally just for show. Yours wasn’t.”

“How d’you know that?”

“Because by that point you had nothing left to prove.”

Applejack glanced at Star. He had stopped rubbing her leg and was watching her intently. She shook her head.

“When ah was younger, ah ran away from the farm. Yeah, it was stupid, but ah did it. At the time it was because ah felt that the country life was too quiet fer me, too sheltered. Manehattan, that’s where ah went. My Aunt and Uncle used to live out that way, and they were yer typical fancy-pants city-slickers. Ah came runnin’ home back to the farm after ah saw how ridiculous they were, acting like their farts stunk like roses. When ah got back, I realised: this was my home, and ah got my cutie mark. An apple, jus’ like all the Apple family before me. Ah never questioned it, not once. When we lost Ma and Pa, Granny Smith looked after us, and ah looked after Applebloom. Big Mac, he could take care of himself. Ah spent most o’ my time apple buckin’. That’s what ah was born to do, after all. I took over the farm, my responsibility after my parents died. Ah’ve gone out into those fields every day for the past few years, and it starts to get to ya, after a while. It’s not that ah’m not happy or anything, but… Applebloom’s grown up now, she doesn’t need me. For a long time, that was what kept me going; my purpose. To look after her, be a good sister to her. An’ now ah feel… like there ain’t much left for me. So maybe, maybe ah ain’t afraid of dying, cause ah don’t think the world is gonna miss me much. Ah’m just another cog in the machine; another Apple in a whole long line of ‘em.”

She paused.

“Ain’t no chance you could get a thirsty mare a drink, Star?”

“Double negative,” he joked quietly, before heading over to the hose. Applejack stepped out of the bath and dried herself, oblivious to Starbright pouring a bottle from his saddlebag into the jug of water. “Emptiness” read the label. Starbright couldn’t help but appreciate the beautiful inevitability of the answer. The weakness of a pony that has seemingly no worries? Nothing.

Applejack drained the flask greedily before sinking down into a pile of hay.

“Alright Star, ya got me spilling my guts, least you can do is share.”

“What, you want a life history?”

“Nah, nothing like that. Just, y’know: What makes you tick? Why’d ya do what ya do, what keeps ya going?”

Starbright lay down next to her in the hay.

“You’ll laugh,” he told her.

“Pinkie promise ah won’t.”

“What’s a pinkie promise?”

“An important one,” she told him.

“What keeps me going?” he mused. “I suppose the fact that everyone else is just as important in the grand scheme of things as I am. We’re all pretty insignificant, really, which means what we do is only important to our friends. I think that’s enough. We mean a lot to the ponies close to us, I don’t think we need more than that.”

Applejack turned towards the pony next to her. Starbright was staring at the ceiling, thinking. She recalled the timber wolf earlier, how unafraid she’d been. When she’d told it she wasn’t scared of dying, that had been entirely accurate. Now she was less sure. There was still that feeling of hollowness, the uselessness that had been building inside her for a while. If anything it felt more prevalent than before, but there was something new, something fighting that feeling. A warmth in her chest as Star’s words rang in her head.

“Perhaps we should be getting back,” he said.

“Ah’m sure we won’t be missed, not fer a while.”

Applejack stretched her limbs around him and pulled him in close, nuzzling against his neck, and Starbright reciprocated, running a hoof through her still damp mane. It smelt of apples and straw, lying long and untied over her shoulders. Her hooves moved down his back and she began pressing her hips insistently against his, slowly rubbing against him. They began to get caught up in the moment, one of Applejack’s hooves moving round to his front and stroking his hardening length. Starbright went to caress her nethers, but she knocked his hoof away.

“Hold on a minute there,” she reprimanded. “Ah have an idea.”

Disentangling from his embrace, she vanished into a dark corner of the barn.

“Applejack?” he called.

In response, a lasso came hurtling out of the darkness, wrapping with pinpoint accuracy around his forelegs and binding them together. Applejack strutted towards him, the rope held between her teeth. Looping it round a beam, she fastened it tight as Starbright looked on, understandably concerned. Ignoring his protests, she continued by tying each of his legs to separate posts, splaying them out.

“Come on now, sugarcube. Ain’t ya up for trying something a little… adventurous?”

“This is hardly…”

His voice trailed off as Applejack settled between his open legs. Her head lowered as she kissed her way up the length of his erection. Upon reaching the tip, she took him inside her warm mouth, tongue gently circling the head of his cock. Starbright gritted his teeth and she giggled at his reaction, the vibrations only adding to his pleasure. Applejack began to bob her head slowly, staring at him intensely with her apple-green eyes. Each time she lowered her head, she moved further down his length, until Star could feel himself pressing against her throat. Using what little freedom the ropes provided, Star bucked his hips towards her, settling into a rhythm as she moved her head faster. Her tongue swirled around him, dancing over the sensitive skin. Surprising him, Applejack dipped her head and kept going, taking him into her throat, clenching around him. The ropes around Star’s hooves tightened and stretched as he pulled against them, trying desperately to fight the rising pressure, to fully enjoy the sensation for as long as he could.

Applejack changed tactic. She pulled back, licking and sucking the head of his member, while her hooves came up to rub his shaft. Unable to bear it any longer, Starbright thrust forward, shooting into her mouth. Applejack moved her head back instinctively, and his final spurts landed on her face.

“Ah gotta say,” she commented, towelling herself clean, “ah’m kinda disappointed. Here ah was thinking you’d last longer than that. Guess you ain’t that much better than all the other stallions after all, huh?”

He frowned. “Let me out of these ropes and I’ll show you exactly what I’m capable of.”

“Is that so?” She smirked. “Well, what kind o’ mare would ah have to be to say no to an offer like that?”

She leaned over him to untie his forelegs, fully aware of her body against him, and then turned to untie his hindquarters, giving Starbright a clear view of her rear. This was no doubt an intentional gesture; he could smell her arousal in the air. With his bindings removed, Star rolled to his feet to find Applejack had braced herself against one of the opposite stalls. She looked back over her shoulder with lust-filled eyes, wiggling her rump enticingly, tail flicking from side to side.

“What’re y’all waiting for? Ain’t ya gonna ‘show me what ya can do’?”

Starbright stepped towards her, mounting her from behind. He took a moment to steady himself and she shifted beneath him, her growing need getting the better of her.

“In yer own time, sugarcube. We ain’t got all da-AH!”

Applejack cried out as Star pushed forward into her. She tightened around him, drawing him further inside. Star began to thrust roughly into her wet box, pounding against her. Her tongue lolled from her mouth as he rutted her, shaking the wooden partition she was leaning against from the force of his thrusts. It was raw and primal and wonderful, beads of sweat rolling down her thighs from the exertion and heat. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, feel the blood roaring in her veins, Starbright’s weight atop her as he fucked her. She felt brilliantly alive, more so than she had in months. All this, merely hours after she had stared death in its glowing green eyes. She had spat in its face then, more a final gesture of resentment for this callous world than anything. Given the same situation now, she would rip and tear and smash her way free of death’s iron grip to escape; to live. And Oh Celestia Star was good, varying his position just enough to rub against every part of her. It was a test of endurance, she quickly realised; neither wanting to be the first to submit to the other. Applejack began to slightly regret her choice in position. Starbright was in complete control: she could do nothing but take him inside her, leaving him to set the pace. Her legs shook with the effort of holding herself up against his unrelenting assault.

No, she told herself, not yet. I can hold out. I can- ohgod.

Pleasure soared through her, threatening to take her over completely. Her hooves dropped from the stall sides, incapable of keeping her there a second longer, and her head followed, lowering to the wooden floor. She kept her rear as high as possible and Starbright quickly adapted to the new position, placing his front hooves either side of her. No longer having to bear his weight, Applejack was able to give herself to the sensation even more, and with his added mobility Star was able to reach even deeper inside her, pressing deliciously against her innermost walls.

Her mind blanked as she reached a shuddering orgasm, rolling unstoppably through her. Almost simultaneously, Starbright fired deep inside her, clutching her against him. Through the pleasant, murky haze that descended on her thoughts, Applejack found herself thankful for mare heat cycles. They collapsed together, exhausted, and lay a while in an embrace, neither of them capable of movement even if they had wanted to.

Applejack recovered first, climbing to unsteady feet. She felt completely spent, but not in a bad way. She was going to ache quite severely in the morning, but with no regrets.

“Whew, ah’m gonna need another bath after that one. Care to join me?” she asked, a playful hint to her voice.

“I don’t think so.” A whisper from behind her.

“Don’t be like that. Ah reckon you need it just as much as…” Her words fell to nothingness as Starbright stepped out of the shadows.

His eyes. That was all she could think, the only thing she could focus on. The barn seemed to darken around her, leaving nothing but his face, and the cavernous abysses within it. What the hell happened to his eyes?

She couldn’t tear her vision from them, couldn’t look away; couldn’t run, couldn’t scream. And she was lost to them.

***

Beneath Starbright’s bed, there was another loud crack. If you had pulled out the necklaces strewn beneath it, you would find the coloured apple embedded into one of them had faded and shattered into three pieces. Another element had fallen. Four remained.