The time has finally come.

The very moon itself seemed to ripple as it aligned with Equestria during the solstice, and the faint outline of her once prominent features skittered across the surface of the cold sphere for a single moment. The Mare in the Moon inhaled deeply, awakening from her millennium long haze. Massive, hatefully red sparks blistered the bare landscape of the moon as the eclipse took place for the first time since the occurrence one thousand years ago.

Even the stars themselves seemed to shudder as the ancient evil awoke, and cast it’s hungry gaze toward the lush countryside of Equestria.

The time has come to return to the world I once plagued, and rule forever more.

Applejack woke with a gasping start, listening to the thrumming beat of her own heart.

The filly rolled over in her bed, rubbing her eyes. She could have sworn that she was having a bad dream, but couldn’t quite remember what it was about. Something about the moon, maybe. Yawning, Applejack stretched her tired limbs.

“Up already, darlin’?” Granny Smith’s voice echoed in from the hallway as she poked her head into the room cheerily. “Rise n’ shine, Applejack!”

“Huuurg,” Applejack grumbled, slipping carefully down from her little bed backwards and landing on her two back hooves. “Don’t you think s’too early?” she moaned, trudging after her ancient grandmother faithfully as she shook the sleep from her eyes. Her small hooves clopped across the wooden floorboards quietly, as if synchronizing with the hearty chirrups of the birds.

“Well, darlin’, you know what they say,” her lime green grandmother grinned as they walked, Applejack finally catching up. “Early ta’ bed, early ta’ rise-“

“Makes a foal sleepy, and blind in the eyes.” Applejack grunted with a frown, but her grandmother only cackled good-naturedly.

“That’s the spirit!” Granny Smith beamed. “Sort of.” Without pausing, she continued down the stairs; however, instead of following her grandmother to a breakfast as Applejack had expected, she was carefully led down another hall. The old mare gained an odd, tired look in her eyes that belied a heavy burden.

“Uh… Granny?” Applejack asked curiously. “What about breakfast?”

“Applejack.” Her grandmother stopped in the middle of the hall, her voice taking on a serious tone. In the early morning light, Applejack could clearly see the rows and rows of painstakingly oiled paintings along the walls, each one telling its own story. “Y’know, I think I must’ve told you the story of the demon, Nightmare Moon ‘bout a hundred times now.”

Uncertain of where she was taking this topic, Applejack only nodded.

In a surprisingly somber tone, Granny Smith turned to the curious filly. “Long ago, when Nightmare Moon ravaged the land, I fought against the foul creature. Only by traveling to the heights of the Appleloosan Mountains and convening with a sect of holy monks were we able to forge an enchanted blade powerful enough to match the evil of Nightmare Moon.”

Applejack nodded again. It was a story she’d heard often. “And then, Nightmare Moon got banished!”

“That’s true, young ‘un.” Granny Smith said. “But only banished; not destroyed. There may come a time – “

The filly jumped when her grandmother cleared her throat.

“I’m gettin’ ahead of myself again,” Granny Smith smiled kindly, patting Applejack on the head. “Don’t you worry ‘bout it none, sugarcube. Let’s go get some breakfast.”

Applejack tossed her small wooden sword into the air with her tail, catching it deftly in one hoof. Grinning at her success, she swept both hooves forward and swiped at imaginary foes.

“Who-tcha!” she hissed, snagging the toy sword handle in her mouth and whipping her head around at imaginary ninjas.

Those sneaky ninjas were the hardest part.

Of course, Applejack was more elusive! Back and forth she bobbed and weaved, almost prancing as she swung her wooden sword about. Catching it once more with her tail, she brandished it in what she hoped was a threatening manner to dissuade any more of those sneaky invisible imaginary ninjas. Such a pesky nuisance was no match for the incredible speed and skill of the legendary Applejack – she should have her Cutie Mark any day now, and it was bound to be something that displayed kicking all kinds of flank.

Until a peculiar shadow began slowly creeping over her, that is.

Staring down at it wordlessly, Applejack followed the impossibly long and dark shadow further upward as the caster drew nearer. Heart pounding in her chest, Applejack’s eyes widened to the size of saucers as the looming horror lumbered over her.

The shrieking clang of the desperately rung cowbells alerted her first.

“She’s back! It's Nightmare Moon! She’s come back!”

Hardly daring to believe it, Granny Smith scrambled for the secret altar holding the magical katana that she had wielded so long ago. The sacred altar was a holy relic, too; even the base had been fortified by holy water, holy prayers, holy auras, and just an all-around look of holiness for the holy sword.

Which was currently safely stored in the liquor cabinet, of course.

“Gol-darned piece of-“ the aged pony fumbled with the lock, before finally kicking it open.

“Somepony, do something!”

Charging outside into the dark, Granny Smith held the katana aloft in her hoof. Her steps faltered when she realized just how dark it had suddenly become, however.

It was dark because there was something blocking the sun.

Nightmare Moon, having grown to an impossibly massive form, cackled maniacally as her shadow eclipsed the Apple household. The gargantuan behemoth’s horn alighted, casting down meteors the size of carriages from the tip and blasting into the ground. Spotting the cowering Applejack, she bellowed to the young Big Macintosh, the one clanging the bell.

“Get Applejack an’ run!” Granny Smith bellowed, tossing the sword to the startled stallion. It was all she had time to do before she was snagged up by an enormous black hoof, and dangled high into the air.

The mad laughter of Nightmare Moon rang in Applejack’s ears, even as her brother fearfully dragged her away while their home burned to the ground.

Author's Notes:

Gotta get back,
Back to the past
Samurai Applejack.

Watch out.