The drive to Trottingham was.... painful. Not having a top in the middle of winter is... stupid. But we made due with our jackets and scarfs. Though many of the mercs kept up conversations, Applejack and Fluttershy remained silent the entire trip. And it was a fucking long trip. We had to wrap around Canterlot, taking the path through White Tail woods, and make it towards the top of Equestria. I did save us some time by cutting paths and moving fast, but it was still an eight hour trip.

Though we did get some good laughs when we raced through a town or village, scaring the crap out of the locals. Hopefully they wont do anything to brash. We come to a stop when Twilight informs me that we've arrived within walking distance of Trottingham. The brick city mere kilometers away.

"Alright Storm, where's this connection you have?" I ask as I look over the brick buildings.

"They should be on the edge of town, he said the building would be obvious..."

"Found it!" Pinkie yells with a bounce as she points it out. On the edge of the city is a small stone building that's been painted yellow. Well... thank you Pinkie for making things easy. We drive over to the side of the building and park. A note has been nailed to the wall with a mark of cheese.

"From Cheesus." Twilight says as she takes it with her magic, opening it up to read. "A tarp has been left for us. We can move freely in Motown, but everywhere else the guards will try to give us trouble. And Storm, we're even now.... what exactly are you two even for?" She asks him.

"I helped a while back... that's all I'd like to say." He says nervously. We all stare at him before I break the silence by getting out.

"We'll bust his nuts about it later. We've got a time restriction on us so lets get moving." I say as I move to the back to get my gear on. "Twilight, start leading everyone towards the destination, I'll bring up the rear."

"This way!" Twilight says as she leads everyone down the street. I stop Applejack and Fluttershy from following, waiting for the others to be out of earshot before talking.

"Spill it." Immediately they both begin to argue with one another. Yelling and accusing each of.... I can't even tell due to their yelling. "ENOUGH!" I yell over both of them, getting them to stop. "Applejack, what's going on?"

"Fluttershy doesn't wantta be an Apple!" She barks with a spiteful look to Fluttershy. "We've been lyin ta Granny about it the whole time, but she found out last night and was furious!"

"I DIDN'T WANT TO LIE TO HER!" Fluttershy yells as she steps forward. "But I can't take your name either! If I did, after what he did to me, my parents..."

"YER PARENTS AREN'T ALIVE..."

PUNCH

Everything falls quiet as Fluttershy puts her hoof back down, wincing a bit from adding weight to it. Applejack just stands there stunned as a bruise begins to form on her cheek.

"Both of you are to stay here and watch the jeep. When we return, then we'll settle this." I say as I latch the last piece of armor on.They hardly acknowledge me. With a huff Applejack takes off for the back of the building while Fluttershy moves to the front. I sigh as I watch them leave. They need to cool off before anything can be fixed. With a huff I grab my rifle and head down the street.

.............................................................................................................................................................

I've been walking around Trottingham fer a couple of hours now, kicking snow and grumbling ta mahself. That darn.... varmin lovin... sona... GRAH! Why won't she jus say she'll do it fer Granny Smith!? Its... its... its GRANNY! It's not like we're askin for her to change her identity or anything! We jus wanna honor our family traditions, why can't she see that!

"Well, don't you look mad." I stop as some shady pony walks out from an alley. He's all tan with all white hair. His horn looks as if its been sharpened to a point, a process ah know that isn't too pleasant. He takes his sunglasses and rubs them clean before putting them back on. Ah tried gettin a good look at his eyes, but couldn't.

"Sorry partner but ah don't have time fer..."

"What? Too busy helping your friends down there? Oh, that's right. You aren't." He says as he canters around me. I shiver a bit when he walks behind me. There's something just not right with this stallion, ah can tell. I get a glance at his cutie mark and nearly vomit when I notice that its been burned off!

"Look, ah don't want any trouble..."

"Oh but I don't trouble either. I just want you to help your friends down there... they are going to the city, right?" He asks with an even larger smile. I eye him a bit as he begins to back away into an alley. I look around a bit as I follow him in. How does he know about the city? Can he get me down there? Ah don't like this... but iffin it gets me down there.

"What exactly are ya lookin for?" I ask him as we walk further down the alley. Ah make sure to keep my eyes open for anypony tryin to sneak up on me. If they think they could mug this mare they have another thing commin!

"Now where did it gooooaaaahh! There we go." He says as he walks up to a cellar door. He bites onto the handle and pulls it back. Cob webs pull back as a dank and musty wave of air rushes out. "Take this straight down and only take right turns at the forks. You will find yourself at a giant metal gate. That, is the living city. You're friends will probably be there, if they're still alive..."

"How can ah trust you... you lyin?" Ah ask him. He just giggles a bit as he steps back and looks at me.

"Do I look like a liar? You better hurry though, they tend to hunt at this hour..."

"They who?"

"You'll see." He says before turns and begins walking down the alley. Ah look between the tunnel and him as ah try to think of whats best to do. Ah wanna help mah friends... but... well... ah could tell he wasn't lyin.

With a deep breath Ah take mah first steps into the tunnel.

It seems as if these mines were abandoned a long time ago. Webs and dust cover all of the wooden supports and old lanterns. After what feels like forever the tunnel lanterns suddenly stop, leaving the rest of the tunnels pitch dark. Ah take the last hanging lantern and descend into the darkness below. Ah try to keep a constant pace, but.... all this.... emptiness. Jus aint right.

Hmm... first fork. Keep right. Ah stick to the right and move on. It seems the farther down I go the colder it gets. Ah don't like this at t'all. Ah find another fork. Right it is. This pathway is a lot more curvy and seems to drop a tun more. Ah had a couple of close calls, slipping down a bit. Sturdy as ever, ah kept mah balance.

"Wha mm duh hay?" I mumble with the lantern in my mouth as ah see something at the end of the tunnel. I begin to run towards it in the hope that its something ah can use. "Isth thert a elewbater?" Ah mumble as ah set the lantern down as to look over the elevator. Its old, using a pulley system to operate. And ah doubt that the rust on it is any help at all....

"Is somepony there!? Please, wait for me!" I spin around as Fluttershy comes around the corner... pointing her rifle right at me.

.............................................................................................................................................................

After my fight with Applejack I found a local park and hid away in a tree. I needed somewhere I could cry and wouldn't disturb anypony. I can't believe I hit her. I'm a terrible pony. Why does she have to be so stubborn about this though! What Big Mac did.... I can't take his name after what he did. What did I do to make him...

"Excuse me?"

"AH!" I yelp as I drop out of the tree and fall to the ground. Everything turns blurry for a bit as I try to regain my vision. I feel somepony help me to my hooves. I blink a few times before looking over to the mare beside me. She's a light green earth pony with long rose red hair that ends in curls. "What happened to your cutie mark!" I accidentally yell as I see her scorched back side. I cover up my mouth with my hooves as I feel completely awful for pointing it out. "I'm so sorry...."

"It's alright. Believe it or not, I don't mind it. Why were you crying?" She asks as she tries to look me in the eyes. I look away and wipe my face. I don't want to trouble her with my... "Is it because your friends left you behind for the city?"

"H-how do you..."

"I heard them heading to it. That, and it's a bit of an urban legend around these parts. An old mine found it years ago, but since nopony could make it inside, they left it. Would you like me to show you where it is?" She says gently.

"Oh... I don't know. Miles said that I was suppose to watch the jeep..."

"Well, this is just a rumor, but I heard another group of treasure hunters found a way inside. But only one of them made their way out... the city has been taken over by... strange creatures. Your friends are in danger and need your help. But... if you don't want to help them..."

"No! I want to! Please, could you show me the way?"

"Of course, right this way." She says with a gentle smile. I smile back to her before running back to the tree to grab my satchel and rifle. I follow her through the city until we come to an open field. The snow has piled fairly high out here, but there's a spot where it seems to clearly builds higher. "Under all of that snow is an abandoned mine shaft. Go down it and only take lefts. Its going to be dark, so if you have a torch or lantern they will come in handy. I'll help you clear the snow, but after that I'll have to get going. I have a flower shop to run after all."

"Oh, thank you so much for your help! What did you say your name..."

"Lets get digging!" She says as she runs over and starts pushing the snow out of the way. I run to her side and begin pushing the snow aside. After a few minutes of scooping we find a wooden doorway. I try to pull it open, but it's frozen shut. "Well.... unless you can pry a winters worth of snow off of that door, you're stuck here."

"I think this'll do the trick." I say with a grin as I pull my rifle out and point the barrel at the lock. "You may want to cover your ears." And I seriously hope that enchantment Miles put on me is still working. I pull the chamber back and load the first round, glancing inside to see the enchantment on it.

BANG

The rifle pushes back on me hard, slightly pushing me back as the round blows the door apart. I feel chips of wood blast all over, peppering me lightly as the other mare drops down. I pull the rifle back and check myself for any cuts.... all good.

"Are you alright?" I ask her.

"WHAT!?" She yells as she rubs her ears. "DID YOU SAY SOMETHING!?"

"Oh... my. Um... sorry about that. Your hearing should return.... I think... um.... thank you helping me...... but, I have to go now!" I say quickly before running down the tunnel. I feel awful leaving her like that, but there wasn't anything I could do for her anyway.

The tunnel is completely dark. The only light coming from the opening... and a white spec at the end. Curious, I head straight for it and inspect it closely. It must be the the round from my rifle... or at least what remains. White energy seems to coat a hole in the wall. The energy seems to move sporadically.... almost as if it's...

ZAP

"OW!" I yelp as a small bolt of energy zaps my cheek, right below my open eye. I rub it a bit as I back away. What...ever... it... what the? I stop rubbing my eye as everything turns dark. Some text is showing at the bottom of my vision, but I can't read it. Everything shines white for a second before my vision returns to the whole in the wall. Little lines point out the wall and the energy inside, giving me more of the Terradisian text. A little insignia appears beside the text, a lightning bolt.

"It must of been an electrical shot." I mumble as I look to my rifle. When I remove my hoof from my other eye all of the text disappears. Intrigued, I cover my free eye again as look around the tunnel. Everything stays dark until the white flash comes back. Hmm... still dark... I look down to my rifle and jump a little when my eye lens outlines it and begins to show some information on it.

"I wonder..." I say as I heft the rifle up to the left. The white flash comes back, making everything dark again.

"Come on." I mutter. I see an echo of white resonate down the tunnel. I squee in delight, making another echo that shows me the way. All I have to do is make some sounds and I'll be able to find my way down!

I start out slow. Walking slowly to in effort to not strain myself. This rifle is really heavy, but I'll manage. For my friends I'll handle anything. At first I was just humming a tune to show the way, but later I found that louder sounds travel farther. A little obvious now that I think about it.

"Sleep now, quiet now. Lay your sleepy head to rest..." I sing aloud as I begin moving deeper in the tunnel, making my second left. My mothers bed time lullaby has always been so relaxing, especially now in this deep, dark, lonely, scary....

"Sleep now, quiet now! Lay your sleepy head to rest..." I sing a bit louder as I try to ignore where I am.

After several versus of the lullaby I have to stop to take a break. The rifle was becoming too much for me to carry upright at the moment. I drink a bit of water from my canteen and find a few spiders to keep me company. They're a funny little bunch of black widows. Once I felt relieved I gathered my things and started back on my way. I hum loudly to guide the way, though it only shows a few yards it's easier. Up ahead I see something on the ground. It seems the echos stick around this area more then everywhere else. Curious, I walk right towards it.

"Oh... whew, they're just cracks in the ground." I sigh in....

CRACKLE

"Oh..."

CRASH

The ground gives out and I fall straight through, hitting the ground below quickly. I take awhile to get up, that... hurt. Luckily I didn't break anything... I think. I take a look around, then remember to close my left eye. Wow... that crash made so much appear. I think there's an elevator up ahead. As well as somepony else. As soon as they appeared they begin to fade away. I quickly get to my hooves and haul my rifle towards whoever is down there.

"Is somepony down there? Please, wait for me!" I yell as I reach the final corner. I come around and the lens automatically picks up a rifle, lantern, satchel with supplies.... and a stetson hat.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Whatter you doin here?" Applejack asks with a gruff as I lower my rifle.

"I'm helping my friends." I tell her as I look over the elevator. It looks a bit shady, but should work.... I think.

"Ah am to." She says as she steps onto the elevator. I sling my rifle and stand beside her as she works some ropes to the side, beginning our descent.

The cage squeaks and creaks as the elevator fights to drop down through the rusty shaft. The only light around us is Applejacks lantern. The only sound is that of the elevator. We don't even look at each other. I'm fine with this though. We won't say any harsh words to each other this way. I hate fighting with Applejack.... fighting in general but especially with Applejack. I know she only has my safety at mind, but she needs to learn that I'm a grown mare that can take care of herself. Still...

"I.... I'm sorry I hit you." I say as I look away.

"Yeah, ah sorry ah brought yer parents up like that. It was mean and ah didn't mean to... its jus..."

SNAP

We look to each other for a second before the cart begin to drop uncontrollably. We lift off the ground and tumble a bit into the air. I look back and see a latch to the top of the elevator. With a flap from my wings I grab it and push it open.

"APPLEJACK!" I yell as I reach out for her. She pushes off the side and grabs my hoof, getting me to push the two of us out of the elevator.

"NOW WHAT!?" She yells as she holds on to me.

"HOLD ON!" I yell as I widen my rifles strap to fit around the two of us.

"THAT DOESN'T HELP US FRUM FALLIN!" I ignore her as I close my eyes and focus. This is going to hurt. I pull her close and spread my wings wide, catching the air and slowing us down tremendously.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" I scream out in pain as the weight of everything fall upon my inexperienced wings. I tear up as they fold against the weight, making us fall faster.

"SHY, AH KNOW YER TRYIN..."

"I CAN DO THIS!" I yell back as I try again, finding the searing pain in my joints again.

"BUT AH HAVE TA TELL YA THE TRUTH!"

"WE'RE NOT DONE YET!" I yell as I flap my wings, slowing us down. The pain grows from my joints and down my back a bit. I fight through my tears as I flap again and again, each flap slowing us down more and more.

"Fluttershy... Granny had ta go ta the hospital recently.... they say she's startin ta get Alzheimer's.... Shy..... ah don't know how much longer she has."

".... Applejack." I mumble as everything becomes quiet.

"KEEP FLAPPIN!" She yells as we begin to fall a bit more.

"SORRY!" I yell as I begin to flap again, the pain seeming to disappear. "But, I saw Granny a few days ago, she seemed fine..."

"Yeah... well that's cause ya didn't talk ta her much. She remembers big things, yer weddin, who we are, stuff like that. But when ah told her ah was headin out with Miles, she told me she was excited that we hired him... he hasn't worked on the farm in a while Shy. Frum there ah started askin her more and more question... until she started to have an episode." She says as she looks away from me, trying to hide her tears. "She was freakin out, lookin fer Sunny Rind and... an ah had to take Applebloom to the other room while Big Mac took her to the hospital. Ah was so scared... an... Big Mac came home, told us what was goin on, an left. Applebloom was in tears an ah didn't know what to do, then the dinner happened an she forgot..."

"Applejack." I say, stopping her. She sniffles a few times as she tries to keep strong, but the tears are already flowing. I can't believe this. Granny was old and all... but she was always so lively. I... I can't imagine her not being on the farm. What they would do without her. This also explains what Big Mac did...

"Shy, ah sorry about everything. Ah guess Big Mac didn't really have time to tell ya everything."

"No... he didn't..."

"Ah so scared Shy." She admits as she holds me tightly. "Ah don't know what we're going to do without her! Who's going to watch after Applebloom? Make Zap Apple jam? What about the quilt, who's going ta knit it at the next reunion? An all that history, gone! Apple Family secrets, gone! Shy..."

"I'll do it." I tell her.

"Shy...."

"I know that there's a lot to learn.... but... I am an Apple after all." She leans back and gives me a warm smile.

"You don't have to...."

"This is far too important to me to let something like that bother me. I won't forget it... but... we'll work through it together."

"Heh, well, alright then. You an me Shy." She says right before the sound of metal crashing catches our attention.... then a searing pain that taKES OVER MY ENTIRE BACK! "Whoa there nelly! Uh.... stop flappin and pass me mah rope!"

"WHAT?!"

"JUS DO IT!" I stare at her for a few seconds before complying, my tired wings falling straight down from exhaustion. We immediately begin to pick up speed as I fumble through her satchel, pulling the long rope out and passing it to her. "ER GERS NUTTIN!" She mumbles as she swings it around and sends the loop flying.

SNAP

THUD

.............................................................................................................................................................

I wake up with a slight numbness taking over my head. I look around to find myself bundled underneath a thick wool blanket on the side of a tunnel. All of my gear, as well as Applejacks, is piled around me with the lantern in the center. What happened? Last thing I remember was Applejack...

CRASH

I jump to my hooves as something falls over in the darkness. I look around for any weapons, but can't find any sufficient ones... frying pan it is then.

"W-who's out there?" I call out as I raise the pan above my head. I hear hoofsteps coming towards me, so I begin to back up.

STEP STEP...

"I'm warning you..."

STEP STEP...

"I have a frying pan..."

STEP STEP...

"Don't make me..."

"Fluttershy!"

"AAAHHH!" I yell as I fall back onto the blankets.

"Uh Shy, it's only me." Applejack says as she walks over and lays down my rifle beside.

"O-oh.... right." I say as I sit back up, blushing a bit from my fears. "What happened?"

"Well... ah snagged mah rope onta a pole that was sticken out... but, we ended up slamming inta the wall instead. Well, you did at least... sorry." She says as she rubs the back of her neck. "This is all ah was able ta get back."

"You... got my rifle?" I ask as I pull it towards me.

"Yea, ah also got most of the ammo to, though the belt was destroyed." She shows me the inside of my bag before taking a seat to relax. I feel the lens on my face and sigh in relief when I find it intact.

"So... what now?" I ask her.

"Now? Now we grab our stuff an find our friends. That's what. How're your wings?" I give them a test flap and wince from the soreness. "Not good huh?"

"I'll be alright. Just.. have to keep my hooves on the ground." I say with smile. She gives me a worried glance but begins to gather her gear without another word. Once everything is put in its proper place we begin to head down the tunnel together. The walls here seem to have been freshly carved out, rather sporadically actually...

"There it is!" Applejack says as she runs towards a large metal bulkhead. I run but come to a stop as we enter the gateway. "Whats the..."

"We need to get to cover, NOW!" I yell as I dart beside a building. As soon as I get behind the wall I through my back against it and pull AJ beside me.

"Whats the..."

"SHH!"

"But...."

"SH!" I shush her again as I look back out to the city. An obvious war has taken place here, but that's not what concerns me. What concerns me are the massive spots where chunks of stone and debris have been moved. On the road, along the wall, along the dome...

"What is the matter Fluttershy?!" Applejack asks me in a hushed tone.

THUD

In the middle of the street a massive ant crashes down. It stands at least five feet tall and is three times longer. If I had to classify it, I would say its a Bulldog ant, not good for us. Its massive black body moves with total ease as its antenna twitch back and forth, its large yellow mandibles clicking out loud. It hasn't seen us yet, but it can definitely smell us. I go to point my rifle at it, but AJ grabs my arm to stop me.

"SHY! It's a bug, why don't you jus go talk to it? Ah know its big an all..."

"It's a Bulldog ant. Even the small ones don't listen to me!" I whisper back to her. I peer back over to see it lift a large metal carriage and toss it aside as if it was a peddle.

"So... should we jus try ta avoid it?"

"Even though they do have a hive they hunt alone usually. We don't want this one telling the others where we might be. One shot, and we can move on." She looks back out and nods to me, allowing me to take aim at it. I have to mentally remind myself not to squint my eye and to shut it to see out. The scope outlines the ant and begins to read off about its different parts. Though none of it makes sense to me, the one pointing to its neck seems fairly straight forward.

One...

It begins to crawl towards the gate....

Two...

It pauses and lifts its head up as its antenna begin to twitch around....

Three.

BANG

The round slams into its neck and send out a cone of energy, decapitating it with total ease. I rack the next round and run over to it, bringing the barrel it its head. The body it contorting a bit, but that doesn't concern me. I just want to make sure it doesn't call out for its friends. One of the antenna have blown completely off while the other one is hanging by a thread. I wait to see if it moves before motioning for Applejack to follow.

"OK, so those rounds send out a burst of energy, good." I mumble to myself as I load the next one, checking it before snapping it shut.

"Uh, Shy?"

"We need to find the others, I bet they're heading to the P.C.H..."

"Shy...."

"Lucky for us its easy to find huh?" I say with a slight giggle.

"SHY!" I look back to Applejack to see her standing by a pile of rubble. "Wasn't this onna those mercs?" I run over to see a crushed form in the center of a crater. All we can tell about it is the they had a tan coat and black hair.

"The poor thing must of been crushed." I say solemnly.

"Lets get going." Applejack says as she turns down the street. I look back to the form and thank them quietly before running after Applejack. After my first shot the city comes to life with an array of insects. What looks like a cross with a mosquito and a moth comes flying off of the dome. Dozens of them at the least. Cockroaches begin to crawl all over the P.C.H. and as a gigantic spider chases them around. In the distance I can hear the clicking of the ants again, so we move inside a building for cover.

"Where do you think the others are?" I ask AJ.

"Ah don't..."

CRASH

"MOVE!" Miles yells as most of the group pour through the hole in the wall. "Applejack? Fluttershy? I thought...."

"We're here to help!" Applejack announces as we stand to greet them.

"NO TIME FOR THAT!" Rarity yells as she turns and opens fire through the hole.

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH

"Oh...that sounds big." I mumble as the building begins to crumble around us.

"GET MOVING!" Miles yells as he flairs his hands. "WE NEED TO GET TO THE MONORAIL!" Before anypony could move the building around us is lifted up by a gigantic bulldog ant, surrounded by an army of lesser ants.

"The... the... the queen."

Next Chapter: Chapter 157 Jasper Truths Estimated time remaining: 47 Hours, 31 Minutes