Scorpion once again sat on his bed, pondering his thoughts. He had been once again mentally arguing with himself over what he should be doing. These ponies and their affections towards him were blinding him to what needed to be done.

‘Why should I care what happens to these ponies or their Princess? I have a chance to bring my family and clan back to the living, and I will see that it happens!’ Scorpion had had enough of these contrasting thoughts. He began to eliminate all thoughts of peace and happiness that involved these ponies. He didn’t care how many of them considered him to be their friend. He no longer cared for their kind words or gifts that they offered him. He was going to get his job done, and that was final.

Scorpion stood up and clenched his fists. He let his hatred rise back up in his body. This hatred was hatred he felt towards the Princess. He didn’t need to know her or who she was. All he needed to know is that she was his target, and that she would fall beneath him, whether it be to his blades or to his fists. Scorpion pounded his right fist into the palm of his left hand.

‘I say it’s time to finish these mundane tasks already! I have a meeting with Celestia that is one week overdue!’ Scorpion thought to himself. He couldn’t believe he had spent one week in Equestria now. The entire time, all he had accomplished was getting a few ponies to trust him. He still had two left that were incredibly stubborn. He didn’t know whether or not to have Twilight’s favor, but if he didn’t now, he would have it soon enough.

Scorpion stepped out from his room and into the main room of the library. His sudden entrance surprised both Twilight and Spike, who were going about their daily business. The look on Scorpion’s face told Twilight that he was in a bit of a mood to not be kept waiting.

“Scorpion, are you alright?” Twilight asked.

“I am tired of waiting! Where are Applejack and Rainbow Dash? They have kept me waiting long enough,” Scorpion said, his tone showing his impatience.

“I don’t know where they are. I’ve spoken to them both recently, but they both seem to want to just stay away from you. Plus, I can’t just make them think of something for you to do,” Twilight said.

“Then I will,” Scorpion responded. He walked out the door to Ponyville, leaving both Twilight and Spike both confused and concerned.

Applejack continued to buck away at the apple trees of Sweet Apple Acres. Cider Season was nearly upon the ponies of Ponyville, and this year, the Apple Family needed to be ready, especially for one rainbow maned Pegasus. Applejack brushed a bit of sweat off of her forehead and continued bucking away at the trees. Her brother Big Macintosh did the same. At this rate, they’d have enough apples to make all the cider they could need for two Cider Seasons.

“Phew, workin up a mighty sweat there, ay Big Mac?” Applejack said to her brother.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac answered. He was panting a bit, but he trucked on with his apple bucking. The two ponies had been at it since the break of dawn, but they were still just as energized to do the work. They decided to take a short break for an early batch of cider. Applejack took a long swig of the delicious drink and let out a good burp.

“Pardon me,” she said. Big Mac joined her in a laugh. He took a larger swig of his drink and let out an even louder burp. Applejack knew he would excuse himself, and they soon were both laughing together again. But, amidst their laughter, they were unaware of the guest that had joined them.

“Am I interrupting?” a hellish voice asked. Applejack and Big Mac turned to see Scorpion. Applejack immediately shot him a vicious glare.

“As a matter a fact, ya are. Wha doncha just git on outta here? We don’t need any a yer help here,” Applejack said, putting down her cider keg. Big Mac stepped in front of her. He didn’t look to Scorpion with a glare, but more of a reasonable look.

“Don’t mind mah sister here. She can be a bit stubborn at times. As it would happen, we could use a bit a help with the apple buckin. Mind lendin a… hand?” Big Mac asked. Before Scorpion could answer, Applejack pulled her brother aside.

“And just what do ya think yer doin?” she asked.

“AJ, you an I both know that we’re gettin tired out here. We could use his help with gettin the rest of the apples that we need. Besides, you’ve been puttin off his help fer a while now,” Big Mac said, getting serious with his sister. Applejack let out a huff and looked to Scorpion again. Shortly after, she looked back to Big Mac.

“Alright, fine. He can help, but soon as we’re done, he’s gone!” Big Mac nodded in agreement. They both looked back to Scorpion.

“So, must I leave, or do you finally have something for me to help you with, Applejack?” Scorpion asked. She hated hearing her name in that voice. Although, most of the ponies in Ponyville just hated hearing his voice in general. They didn’t hate how it sounded, they just hated how evil and demonic it was. It always would send chills down the spines of the ponies. Unless, of course, you were Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, or Twilight Sparkle.

“Ya can stay. Yer gonna help us with the apple harvest. But, once we’re finished, yer gone! Got it?!” Applejack said. Scorpion only chuckled at her. “An what’s so funny?”

“Your aggression towards me is quite misplaced. Have you not yet spoken with your friends? They seem to have taken a liking to me. You and Rainbow Dash, on the other… hoof, have not. You have been wasting my time here, and I do not like to have my time wasted. I have been waiting for you to come up with a task for me to do, and only now have you come up with something. It seems as though you may have needed some help all along, but you are too stubborn to ask the valuable asset you have available. You’re lucky I have decided to help you at all.” Scorpion could care less what Applejack thought of him. After his little mind cleansing from earlier, he could care less for what any of these ponies thought of him. Applejack merely looked at Scorpion with distaste.

“Like Ah said, yer helpin mah brother and Ah with the harvest. Nothin to it, hot shot,” Applejack said. Scorpion simply nodded at her and followed her back into the sea of apple trees. He could only wonder as to why the ponies of Ponyville enjoyed apples so much. His breakfasts for the past week had been mostly apple based. But, in any case, he continued on with the two ponies through the orchard of apple trees.

“So, what exactly will we be doing?” Scorpion asked.

“This,” Applejack said, bucking a tree. From the tree fell about four dozen apples, or so it seemed. The apples seamlessly filled the two baskets that were placed at the base of the tree. Scorpion could only wonder how the apples fell with such accuracy.

“So, you want me to kick your trees to make the apples fall out?”

“That ain’t a problem now is it?” Applejack asked sternly. Scorpion was getting tired of her attitude towards him. While he didn’t care what she thought of him, he didn’t want her to maintain that attitude towards him. He needed her trust to get to Celestia, so he decided to try being a little nicer to her, as much as it pained him to do so.

“Look, Applejack, I understand that you do not exactly trust me. I can tell, as a matter of fact, that you strongly resent me. But, maintaining your current attitude towards me will hinder both of us. You will continue to slander me, while I may continue to… threaten you. I implore you to try to see reason in this time. While that may seem like a bit of a stretch for you, something tells me that you are the kind of pony who knows the meaning of loyalty and honesty. You do not have to like me, but at least try to rethink your current ways.” With that said, Scorpion walked away from Applejack and her brother. While she still didn’t feel any kind of positive feelings towards Scorpion, his words seemed to have changed something in her. His words helped her realize that maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. Applejack simply shook her head and continued to buck away at the apple trees with Big Macintosh.

Scorpion took a moment to observe the trees that stood before him. They all seemed to be strongly rooted trees, filled with delicious apples. Scorpion took a step back from one and readied his leg. Moving towards a tree, he launched his leg up with a powerful kick. While the kick was powerful indeed, it only managed to get a few of the apples out of the tree. Apparently, his kick wasn’t even as strong as Applejack’s. He rethought his tactics towards the situation and came to the conclusion to use his fists instead.

Taking a step back, Scorpion wound up his right hand for a punch. He remembered that Applejack hadn’t kept her hindlegs in contact with the tree for long. Her kick was short yet powerful, so Scorpion would have to replicate that effect with his punch. Stepping forward, Scorpion threw his fist forward with a powerful punch to the tree. The hit was quick, yet strong enough to get every last apple out of the tree.

‘Well, good thing I know that that works now. Let’s see how many of these trees I can get without breaking a sweat,’ Scorpion thought to himself. He had gone through entire battles without breaking a sweat, so this probably wouldn’t be a problem at all. Scorpion went about his business, delivering punch after punch to the apple trees, causing their contents to fall down into the baskets placed below. Scorpion had quickly managed to alleviate twenty trees of their apples before drawing the attention of Applejack and Big Mac.

“He seems to know how to work hard,” Big Mac said to his sister, who was still trying to pay no mind to Scorpion. But, she couldn’t help but look over to the hard working demon. She watched as he picked up an apple and started to examine it. He looked back to meet the gaze of both her and Big Mac. He stepped behind a tree shortly after.

Scorpion removed his mask and took a bite out of the apple. He had been eating apple-based foods all week, but he hadn’t gotten a bite out of a pure, juicy apple in years. Ever since his demise at the hands of the Lin Kuei, Scorpion rarely ever ate. He was usually off completing missions for Quan Chi. It wasn’t like he never ate, but when he did eat, it was usually alone. And whenever he ate, it wasn’t always good food. Ever since he came to Equestria, he had been treated to some very good food.

Once he finished the apple, Scorpion placed his mask back on and came out from behind the tree. However, while he had been eating, both Big Mac and Applejack had moved in on his position. He looked at them with a confused look. Or, rather, he looked at Applejack with a confused look. She looked conflicted, and Big Mac kept nudging her.

“Go on,” he said to her. Scorpion was still a little confused.

“Scorpion, Ah… Ah’m a might sorry. I’ve been actin like a spoiled sport. I guess I judged ya by yer cover, an I never really took the time to git to know ya. But, Ah’ve seen you workin all day, and I guess yer not as bad as ya look. So again, Ah’m sorry for how Ah’ve acted.” Applejack’s words were completely sincere, and Scorpion knew this.

“It is quite alright, Applejack. I presented myself in a way that gave you a reason to hate me. You had every right to feel the way you did, but I am glad that you have seen the light. I only wish for peace between you, your friends, and myself.” Applejack could hear the sincerity in Scorpion’s voice. She smiled at the tall demon and nodded.

“Well, if it’s peace yer lookin for, you’ve definitely made peace with this pony,” Applejack said, still smiling at the specter. Scorpion smiled under his mask, but his happiness was for a different reason. He played this pony like a card, just as he had played the rest of the ponies. Now, he had his focus on his goal to kill Celestia. He didn’t care if he had to befriend these pathetic ponies anymore. He didn’t need them, at least, not forever. Soon enough, he would have Celestia by the throat, and he would have his family and clan back.

Scorpion put his thoughts away and returned to the moment at hand. He had been doing a great job at lulling Applejack into a false sense of friendship, and he was going to keep that false sense alive.

“Well then, now that we are on the same page, why don’t we continue with this harvest?” Scorpion said.

“You got it mister. And when we’re done, Ah’ll treat ya to some Apple Family Cider. Best Cider you’ll ever taste,” Applejack said. Her new friend was a hard worker, and in the Apple Family, hard work was rewarded. Scorpion, Applejack, and Big Mac continued to harvest the apples of the orchard for another hour or so. While Applejack and Big Mac were sweating bullets, Scorpion would always joke as to how he still hadn’t even broken a sweat. Both ponies would laugh at his jokes, and he would do the same. He had these two in the palm of his hand like puppets.

After their work was complete, both Applejack and Big Mac sat on the ground, tired from the day’s work. Scorpion stood tall and strong, but he had to admit that he was even now getting a little tired. The three of them headed back to the barn for some Apple Family Cider. Applejack served the three of them the cider, then held up her own mug.

“Ah propose a toast. To Scorpion,” she said.

“To Scorpion,” Big Mac added. Scorpion nodded his head in agreement.

“You have my thanks,” he said. Applejack and Big Mac both took large sips of their drinks, finishing with loud burps. They looked to Scorpion, who still hadn’t taken a drink.

“What’s wrong partner?” Applejack asked. She quickly realized that Scorpion was wearing a mask. “Oh, Ah see. Wha doncha take off yer mask and take a drink?” she asked.

“Well, as I told your… our friend Pinkie Pie, you wouldn’t see me the same way if you knew what was behind my mask. I am truly enticed to take a drink, but I do not wish to reveal what is under my mask.”

“We understand, right AJ?” Big Mac said.

“Of course we do. We’ll look away if ya want us to while ya take yer drink,” Applejack said. Scorpion nodded. With that, both Applejack and Big Mac turned away from the demon. Scorpion removed his mask and took a large drink. He managed to finish the entire thing in one go. He slammed the mug on the table, showing that he had completed his drink. He quickly put his mask back on. The two ponies turned around to see his empty mug.

“Yeehaw! Now that’s what Ah call drinkin!” Applejack said, showing obvious signs of joy towards Scorpion. He couldn’t help but chuckle, but he had to admit to himself that even he was enjoying the moment. But, even still, it was just for the moment.

Having finished their drinks, Scorpion bowed his head to the two Apple Family members. They did the same and they all said their goodbyes.

“Come on back anytime Scorpion. We love hard workers, and our friends are always welcome on the farm,” Big Mac said.

“Ya got that right. And don’t you worry about needing mah trust anymore. After today, you’ve shown me just how good of a friend you can be,” Applejack said. Scorpion thanked Applejack for her kind words. And with that, he left for the library. When he was a good distance from the farm, he laughed to himself.

“Another pony in the bag,” Scorpion said to himself. His laughs died down as he made his way through Ponyville. When he arrived at the library, both Twilight and Spike were out for the day, so he simply went to his room. He laid himself on his bed and sighed.

‘You’re next, Rainbow Dash.’

Author's Notes:

Wow, that's a first. I've never written something that heavily based on Applejack. And, it's made me realize something: I hate writing for Applejack. Making everything all western sounding is annoying. But, in any case, Scorpion has bagged Applejack's trust. I hope I got the point across that he no longer cares about these "friendships" with the ponies, because I feel as though it's getting a little tedious with me writing how he's got these conflicting thoughts. So, for now, he just doesn't care for them anymore. If it wasn't clear before, it should be clear now. Up next: Rainbow Dash.
DUN DUN DUUUUN!