It took several hours of flying around the world, but we eventually made it to Minotaur air space. Having to stop by Moosden was a pain, but we did it. Sixteen hours later, here we are. I groan in my seat and nudge Night Fury, waking him up. He grunts a bit, but wakes all the same. He wakes Yinbei who in turn wakes Hunter. By the time we're all awake the ship begins to shake as we descend into the Minotaur capital, Bovia. We land just outside of the large city and wait for the I.A.T. to leave before heading towards it.

The city is made up of two districts, or so it seems. The outer area seems like the common area, with large, colorful tents filling the area. The inner sanctum is made of adobe buildings with a large marble palace in the center. Everything seems built up upon itself, getting taller the closer it is to the palace. Just on the back edge of the city is a large Colosseum. Long red banners hang around the structure as it towers over the small tented district around it. It's easily the second tallest building in the city; the palace being taller.

As we approach, the heat starts to settle in. As if wearing a suit of metal wasn't bad enough, the low humidity and searing sun makes me feel as if I'm standing on the sun itself. It's almost unbearable, but we all force our way through the discomfort and head towards the city in silence. A group of guards are heading our way as well, so we meet up with them half way. They're wearing loose fitting cloths of gold and red, but I can tell they have more protection underneath. They also have a white cloth wrapped around their heads and parts of their faces with black writing going over their muzzles. Each of them are armed with swords and have nose rings of gold. I only get a glimpse of them, but they're there.

"Wie is jy die heilige stad te benader?" The lead one demands as they each rest their hands on their weapons. I step forward and hold out my Spartan necklace. He takes it roughly and looks it over curiously. I'm not sure he knows what it is or what it means, so I motion for Hunter to step up.

"Ons het gekom om te voldoen aan met die koning. Ons Spartans." They give him a quizzical look before talking to one another. I don't understand a single thing they are talking about. They start to ask Hunter more and more questions, but it all goes over my head easily. When they finish, the lead guard hands me back the necklace and motions for us to follow after him.

"What's going on Hunter?" I ask as we walk after them.

"They said that they're going to take us to the palace. But if they don't recognize us, they'll execute us."

"What a friendly crowd." Night remarks with a snort.

"This isn't Canterlot." Yinbei retorts. "I'll watch the left flank-"

"Don't worry about that." I assure him. "I've met Longhorn back at the Summit meeting, I'm sure it's hard to forget a being like me."

"And if he decides he doesn't? Then what?" Night asks.

"Then we do what we do best Spartan." Yin and Hunter nod along with me while Night simply shakes his head. I don't doubt that he'll try to fuck with us. But his threats are empty to us. Not to mention our transport could probably level the entire city and rescue us if the need arises.

We make it to the city limits after a short time and meet up with several more guards. Seems our sudden appearance has frightened the populace a bit, understandable of course. They form a perimeter around us and continue to lead us through the city. We each keep an eye on them, watching for any sudden movements. I doubt they would try anything public, but I'm not taking any chances.

Soon the sun is blocked by the various tents and tapestries hanging above us. The locals have gathered around to take a look at us, slowing our movement. Some of them are yelling while others are simply trying to push their way to see us. Oddly enough, they're almost all clothed. Robes, tunics, pants, and all sorts of body piercings are all present. It's mostly present in the women though, who all wear all black garbs that cover their entire bodies. The only thing I see from them are their eyes, and even then some of them have those covered too. The guards are doing a good job at keeping them back, but it's become much more cramped. I look to the others, who shrug, before waiting for he guards to push their way through.

With our progress slowed to a near halt, I motion to the others to halt. This seems to catch the attention of those around us. They go quiet and wait for... something to happen. Do they know who we are? Or are they just interested in the foreigners? I don't think regular foreigners get a receptions like this. What's going through their heads right now?

"They want you to take of your helmet." Hunter tells me quietly.

"Why?" I ask not so quietly.

"It's... complicated. Basically, they want to know if you're the demi god of Equestria." At this point we're stopped completely. The guards are trying their hardest to keep the crowd back, but it's a losing battle.

"The what?" I turn around quickly, but stop when the crowd gasps. I freeze for a moment when I realize they're all staring at me, watching my every move. They've stopped trying to get to me and just stand there now, waiting.

"Well, word has traveled about you Captain. They know you as 'Man Van Vuur' or the Man of Fire. You know, cause of your magic and all-"

"I got that bit. But what the fuck is a demi god?"

"Well...it's like a god, but not a god." I just stand there and wait for him to explain further. Yinbei sighs and steps forward, removing his helmet to look at me.

"It's like calling you a gun compared to a cannon. One that they worship as a... religious figure, or sorts." I try to process what he said, but it doesn't quite add up. The comparison made sense, but the worship part doesn't. Why worship me? Because I have fire sprout from myself? Do they worship dragons as well? What about volcanoes? And what does it mean to be worshiped? Am I a celebrity of sorts? This entire religious thing just doesn't make sense to me.

"So why do I need to take my helmet off?" I ask cautiously, glancing to my side. The crowd is still watching me with bated breath. They're right on the edge of thunderous applause and mass murder.

"I assume it's to make sure you're not some minotaur without horns. Your body build is... close?" I look back to Hunter again, unsure of what to do.

"Is this a good idea?" I ask as I press a switch in my helmet, deactivating it. Everything goes dark and I feel the bottom grips loosen.

"Probably not. But we don't really have a choice." Night tells me. I hesitate for a moment before lifting my helmet off. I look around and wait for... whatever religious people do in a moment like this.

...

...

...

"So... what now?" I ask as I look over the stunned crowd. They're just staring at me. No yelling, no gestures, just... stares.

"I guess we should just-"

"You!" We all turn to the front as an elder minotaur pushes his way forward. He has a thin, frail body with loose red robes. One of his horns is really long with a few holes bore into it while the other one has been snapped in half some time ago. The guards stop him but keeps trying to get to us; waving his walking stick defiantly. "You!"

"Old timer." I call back as I approach him. The guards look to each other before allowing the old man through. He steps up to me briskly and jabs me with his stick a few times.

"Black as the heart of devils! Known by all for his sins! Have you any shame!? Have you any honor!?" he demands, jabbing me with the stick each time. I let it bounce off my armor harmlessly, a little confused. I don't really get what he's talking about, but at least he speaks common.

"Um... what are you talking about?"

WHACK

If it weren't for the armor that probably would have hurt. The crowd gasps and backs away as the guard rush to the old man and force him to his knees. The crowd starts to panic as one of the guards pulls out his sword and sets it on the back of his neck.

"Whoa wait-"

THUNK

With a heavy blow the guard buries the blade into the back of his neck. The other one holds the horn up as he hacks away at the bleeding wound. Blood pours out rapidly when the head finally falls off, pooling at my feet. I look up to the guards and try to process what just happened.

"... WHAT THE FUCK!?" I demand as I rush up to the guard and push him back. He yells something at me and dismisses me with a wave of my hand. I reach for my pistol to shoot the fucker in the back when someone grabs my hand over my weapon. I look back at Yinbei and try to pry my hand free, but he won't let me.

"Don't add to it," he tells me sullenly. "We don't need to add more bodies to the fires, just let it go... sir."

"They just beheaded a man-"

"That attacked a demi god." Night cuts me off, stepping to the side of the corpse. Hunter joins him there and looks over the body.

"We should get going. I'm pretty sure things are about to get ugly around here." The crowd starts to gain volume as minotaurs start to yell. Some are yelling at us and the guards while others are actually cheering. I don't understand, why would they cheer for this? He was an old man! He didn't hurt anyone! Yeah he hit me with a stick, but it's a fucking stick! That shouldn't garner death! "Captain, we should get going."

"What the fuck!" I yell out, pulling myself free from Yinbei's grasp. I take a moment to look over the crowd again as they begin to chant something. They're fucking chanting! Why the fuck are they chanting!? How... what... I can't make sense of this!

"Captain-"

"Let's go already!" I yell back to them, done with this area. "We'll talk about it later. Right now I want to get as far away from... this, as possible!" I have to leave. I'll... I don't know what will happen if I stay here. I put my helmet back on and start to force my way to the palace. The guards lead the way, pushing yelling minotaurs out of the way. I didn't look back at the old man. I couldn't.

Once we make it past the crowd we pick up speed getting to the palace. We have a few run ins with locals, but nothing like before. I keep eyeing the guard that beheaded the old man from before. He doesn't even care about what he did. It's just another part of the job... part of the job...

"You don't hesitate! You don't falter! We are Spartans! We are effective killing machines! Humanity survives by the sacrifices of our morality! KILL! KILL! KILL!"

"Captain?" I blink a few times and look over to Hunter. "You alright?"

"What?"

"I mean, I know you've been through some shit, but that was a civilian. It's... different." He shrugs and looks away, slowing down slightly.

"I've seen an orc rip an ape apart before." Yinbei chimes in, gaining our attention. "Back when the Braves of my village were out fighting in the Southern Cliffs. At least his death was quick."

"It's different when it's another race killing." Night adds. "You could just blame them for being of a different culture. But, this was different-"

"It'll be best to forget this." I cut him off, returning my attention to the guards before me. "There isn't anything we can do about it now anyway. Whatever morality you come to won't change what you've seen. He's dead, that guard is a dick, and that's how it is."

"... so... life goes on?" We all pause and look back at Hunter. Once again, his impeccable timing for terrible humor strikes. He shies away from us before we continue on. Am I alright? Not even close. I'm pissed beyond belief over something I don't understand in the slightest. But, as I said before, there isn't really anything I can do. Nothing that won't add to the problem at least. I just need to get this over with and get back to base so I can work out my frustration one way or another.

We weave our way through the rest of the tented and stone city until we come to a tall marble wall with a golden gate. The gate itself has intricate etchings in it while the walls are covered in various purple symbols. Two guards stand by the gate. They don't wear armor though, having intricate purple markings markings over their muscular bodies instead. They're staring forward and are posed in a manner that seems to have them constantly flexing. The dick guard kneels before them and tells them something that I don't understand. They don't respond to him directly, rather moving out of our way and returning to their stances. The gate opens a moment later and the guards move aside, motioning for us to enter.

The interiorcomplex reminds me of the gardens back in Canterlot. Lush green plants and a wide array of colorful flowers fill the open area as a gentle stream works its way through the center of the landscape; obviously a run off from the main river nearby. The overall impression is relaxed, yet privileged. A paradise right in the middle of the desert. The only people I see are a group of women a bit further in. They're wearing thin garments that hang loosely around their frames, yet somehow accentuating their features. In stark contrast to the people outside, their clothing is made to be appealing to their form, rather than hiding it. They also don't wear the face covering either. I look around again and confirm that there isn't anyone else here, so I start to walk towards them.

"Captain, what are you doing?" Hunter asks worriedly as the three of them follow after me.

"Do you see anyone else around here?" I retort, gaining their attention. They gasp at my appearance but don't run. They do huddle closer together though, whispering to one another quietly. "Excuse me, do any of you speak common?"

"Captain-"

"I do." One of them says in a... somewhat sensual tone. Her cloths are light pink and... don't really cover much. Huh, I almost forgot what breast looked like when they're on the chest... and that they could get that size. The other two giggle at this, whispering to each other again while eyeing me. "How may I serve you?"

"Captain I really think-"

"I'm looking for Longhorn, where can I find him?" The women minotaur lets out a snide chuckle before stepping closer to me, running a finger down the front of my armor.

"If you follow me, I can show you the way." She's speaking in that lustful tone again. She can't actually be attracted to me... can she?

"Lead on then-"

"She's a concubine Captain!" Hunter practically yells out. The three of them laugh again while I just stare at her. "She's a whore for the King and guest of the palace!"

"Is that true?" I ask her, making her look down with a coy smile. Oh sweet Barbra, it is true! She's a... And she... And I... Luna is going to kill me.

"So, I'll ask again: How may I serve you?" she asks in her husky tone, sneaking a hand behind her self. A moment later her 'shirt' -more like a thin lace that she laid on top of her chest- comes falling down, blowing away in the wind. I've never been more glad to be covered in metal with my head in a bucket.

"Sappige Pruim, enough." I look to the right to see some guy walking towards us. He's wearing a purple and gold robe and is much slimmer than the average minotuar, almost being my size. His horns have been removed and smoothed out on either side of his head while a golden ring hangs from his nose. He carries himself in a proud manner, nearly bordering that arrogant area like Blueblood, but not quite there yet.

"Aww, Nederige Navolger, we were just about to show our guest to the lounging area. Perhaps you would care to join us?" Sappige asks in a playful manner, teasing Nedgerige obviously. He keeps his cool and looks to address me, eyeing me closely first.

"I am Nederige Navolger, head assistant to his grace Longhorn. How may a address you?"

"I'm Miles Eremita, Captain of the Spartan regiment. I'm here on behalf of the Summit meeting to investigate a possible lead. We need to speak with Longhorn." To add to my statement I remove my helmet, showing I'm not one of them. The three women show their surprise easily, but Nederige keeps his cool.

"I apologize, but he is not here. He left a few weeks ago on a business trip."

"Do you know where he went? It's urgent that we speak with him."

"I'm sorry, but I don't. I'm only in charge of the grounds and palace staff. Any that would know his location sadly left with him on this trip. Until he returns, we have no knowledge of his where-abouts."

"And it's been so lonely since he's left." Sappige moans, moving to hug my free arm. I cough as I try to pull my arm out from between her breast, but she has a grip on- NO! DON'T! Bad husband! Just, no!

"Sappige." Naderige complains, but is ignored. I look to the others for help, but see they're complacent in chuckling at my discomfort.

"With the Longhorn gone, I've spent many a nights alone, with no one to warm my bed." She tells me, moving a hand to play with my hair.

"Take a whack at Naderige, I'm spoken for." I tell her as I try to pull free again. She scoffs but doesn't answer immediately.

"He... can't. None of the servants may touch me. I am for the king and his guest. I live to serve his needs, and to please his guest." She loses her edge when she says this. It sounds rehearsed and mournful. I look at Naderige and stare at his blank face, quickly coming to the obvious conclusion.

"No Captain." Yinbei drones.

"What?" I ask defensively.

"It's really obvious what you're about to do, so don't do it." Hunter tells me.

"I was just going to- MMM! MMMM!" Yinbei lurches forward and covers my mouth with his giant hands. I try to yell at him, but his grip muffles my voice too much.

"If it'll please you, I may bring you to the guest quarters and you may rest for the rest of your stay. They nearest official who can receive you is three days away." Naderige tells me. I look to Yin and wait for him to release me. When he does Sappige immediately starts to drag me off into the ornate palace.

"Enough about me. I want to know all about you," she tells me, squeezing my arms between her boobs. On one part I'm glad for metal armor, on th- NO! NO! NO! BAD, BAD, TERRIBLE HUSBAND! I SHOULD KICK MYSELF IN THE NUTS FOR EVEN CONSIDERING THINKING THAT!

Luna is going to kill me.

---

My chambers window used to show a lush meadow leading to the Shearcliff Mountains. I used to love seeing all of the wild flowers in spring, how cubs would go out flying, running, living without worry. How the grass would wave with the wind, rolling off into the distance. The scent it would bring after a fresh downpour. I think I miss that the most. The smell of wet grass after a good, healthy rain coupled with a chilly mountain breeze. I remember the countless times I would sneak out of the city just to stride through the meadow during a downpour. The feeling of heavy raindrops hitting my pelt, and the lack of worry. Being able to walk out in the open rain without losing patches of fur, or burning your eyes. I still remember the last bloom we had, and how it burned away with the rain. I used to love the rain, but now it's become my number one enemy. An enemy that has very easily bested me, and forced my paw. Now... now I hate the rain.

"Father?" I look to Korir, my eldest son, and sigh. His being here means the others have arrived. I didn't want it to come to this, but the rain has forced my paw.

"Go to your brothers, wait for my return." I tell him solemnly.

"Father, you don't have to do this alone. I can-"

"No." I tell him firmly, getting him to stop. I sigh again as a bout of thunder rolls overhead. "It'll rain soon. About ten minutes or so. Different clouds, same pattern."

"Father?" I turn to my son and set my paw on his shoulder, feeling him tense up from the contact.

"Go to your brothers, I will return when the deliberations are complete. And then... and then I will explain it all there. Now go, and be sure to keep an eye on them." He nods and leaves my chambers just as another pang of thunder roars overhead. How I hate the rain now.

It doesn't take me long to get to the meeting hall. By the time I get there the rain has already started to fall, filling the halls with the echoes of my lost love. I ignore it as I enter the hall to meet with my guest, and hopeful allies.

Oni, leader of the Orc Tribes; Starke Herzen, leader of the Goblin Empire; Longhorn, King of the Minotaurs; and Kileh, the leader of the remaining Kroth. The four of them sit at the round table that is covered with a map of the world. They all stare silently at one another, keeping still. They're all sizing each other up, waiting for another to make the wrong move. The door echoes behind me when I shut it, but I don't gain their attention. I make my way to the last available seat and take it, looking to each of the leaders for a moment before I clear my throat to gain their attention.

"I'm sure some of you are wondering why I have gathered you all here today. First let me assure you, this is suppose to be as a sign of friendship-"

"Do not weaken yourself like the sun goddess has." Longhorn cuts me off, leaning back in his seat. "Friendship. The very word sickens me. It is clear why you have brought us all here. Do not attempt sully my intelligence-"

"Very well then. As you all may very well know, the gears of turmoil are turning. What the future will hold, I am unsure of. Kileh and I have been formulating a plan for the past few years and have come to a conclusion: We will join forces and attack Equestria." The room goes quiet for a moment, only denied silence due to the heavy rains. Oni begins to chuckle deeply with a toothy smile.

"Even your words falter Ulfric," he chuckles at me. "Attack, but not destroy. The sun goddess will not take kindly to such an act-"

"That is why we plan to kill her in the initial attack." Kileh informs him smugly. Oni barks out a laugh as he stands, getting the rest of us to rise with him.

"Do you really think us all fools? If the sun god dies, so do the rest of us. She is needed to keep the order of time, to progress the days. They-"

"That was how things were, but no more." I inform him, staring him down firmly. He glares back evenly, unfazed by me in the slightest. Still, he returns to his seat. As do the others. I look to Kileh, who nods and stands back up.

"In my short time on this planet, I have sent many scouts out into the world to bring back as much information as possible. A few have returned from the Equine lands with reports on the... 'sun god' and her actions. We believe that we can duplicate her actions, and raise the sun-"

"Bah!" Oni scoffs, waving a massive hand. "Over zealous and inexperienced little bug! Do not flatter yourselves with false dreams and empty promises! There-"

"Would you like a demonstration?" I ask coolly, gaining his attention. Oni stares back at me before huffing back into his seat. I nod to Kileh, who goes to a nearby window and motions out to the others. "It will be difficult with the rain, but look up at the high noon sun and watch closely."

The others all gather at the windows and look up at where the sun is. The clouds there are the lightest, but still make it hard to determine exactly where the sun is. After a few moments, nothing happens. Oni starts to get antsy while Longhorn simply huffs his annoyance. Starke... stays quiet. Uncharacteristically quiet. I feared this would occur. It was a long shot, but I had to try. Maybe they would be willing to-

"I don't believe it." I look over as Longhorn leans closer to the window. I follow his gaze and watch as the light patch in the sky begins to dip towards the horizon. I feel my own jaw begin to drop as I follow the lowering light. It's not moving very quickly, but it's enough to be seen by the average eye. It soon shoots right back to its original spot, but it was more than enough.

"So, do you still doubt the Kroth?" kileh asks smugly, crossing his arms in triumph. The others return to their seats, lost for words.

"What I have to ask of you, I do not do easily. But it is essential for the future of our people. Are you with me?" They all remain silent, eyeing each other questioningly. Even with the movement of the sun, I didn't believe they would turn in still. From here, it's up to me to convince them that we can do this.

"What is your proposition?" Longhorn asks.

"Kroth and Griffin forces will hit Equestria at its heart, killing all of the Alicorns and the Bearers of the Elements. When the other nations rise to rebel against us, our hope is that you will rise against them. The orcs taking the Bears in the north and the apes in the south. The Minotaurs taking the Equestrians in the middle east and the zebras in the south. And finally, the Goblins assaulting the apes north of them and the Elemental Union in the Southern Badlands. If the dragons become a problem along the way, the Kroth will be able to handle them, though some assistance will be required for any elders. Once our victory is assured in Equestria, we will deploy over the entire world until we have total control."

The room goes quiet again. Each of the leaders sits back and thinks over what I've told them. I know Oni will be swayed easily. Orcs have fought for years against the bears and apes. A chance to overthrow them and regain their lost homelands would be too much to pass up for them. Even more tempting is the opportunity to strike at their backs. The bears would surely pull forces from the borders to assault our homeland, giving them a perfect time to take them down.

Starke is a bit of a wild card. I know he has his eyes set on the Southern Badlands to gain a more steady supply of Elementals. The trick is getting him to also attack the Ape Empire. He really has nothing to gain from attacking them, but it is crucial that he does so. If the apes only have to worry about a single front, they will easily overtake the orcs eventually. That will halt the attack on the bears and find favor for them against us.

Longhorn should be the hardest sell. The minotaurs have attacked Saddle Arabia countless times before history, but have never taken the city. And, forcing them to also attack the zebras in the south is a tall order. Other than land grabs, they really have nothing to gain from this. My hope is to appeal to his blood lust and pride to actually go through with this. It'll be difficult, but not entirely impossible. After a few moments to reflect on what I said, Oni finally speaks up.

"Bolas respects one thing, and one thing only: power. He and I have an... understanding. If we can appeal to his thirst for power, we can gain him as an ally." I blink a few times as I stare back at him. It sounds like he's on board, at least in thought. "The others will not be swayed as easily."

"And how do you know this?" Longhorn asks.

"The cliffs of the Pit are a common nesting grounds for the dragons. We orcs know more about them and their culture than any here. Of the Elders Kiora will most likely remain neutral in any conflict outside of the oceans. In the seas... don't expect any favor. Zendikar will also more than likely remain neutral, unless the fighting takes place before him. Last I heard he was in the eastern mountains of the Ape Empire. Urza will be a problem. He has a strange fascination with Celestia, due to her connection to the sun. If she hasn't already won his favor, we must keep them separated. He's currently in the Southern Badlands attending Bolas' moot. Frost... is a wild card. He is the most open minded due to his time in Bear country. If we can call for aid due to your plight, we may gain his power. If not, then we must keep him at bay in the Frozen North. Zarek will also be problematic. He cares not for alignment, dragon or not. It'd be best to avoid him at all cost."

"What sort of offering would Bolas require?" Longhorn asks, scooting forward in his seat. I mirror his movement, trying to commit what he says to memory.

"One of power. All dragons are made up of two things: an emotion or element of their following, and power. The more power a dragon wields, the greater his form. Take Bolas for example. He does not have flesh. He is raw power. He will not be killed by any mortal weapon."

"If that's the case, it is pivotal that we gain his favor." Kileh comments, making me think. If he requires an offering of power, what do we have to offer? Telekinetics? Perhaps the Kroth could share their power. If it comes down to sacrificial offerings, we're sore out of luck. "What say you, goblin? You've been quiet throughout this entire ordeal, surely you have something to add?" We all look Starke and wait for him to respond. He cracks his knuckles a few times as he stares back at us, weighing his options. He doesn't say anything for a long time. He just... sits there, staring back at us.

When he stands the tension in the room rises drastically. What is he thinking? I could try to prod his mind, but that could have dire repercussions. He could go straight to Celestia after this, warn her of our intentions. Everything I've worked towards could be destroyed before they even begin by his actions right now. An entire war could end before it even begins. The lives of millions, lost, because of something he says or does right now. What does he have to say for himself?

He doesn't speak, not right away at least. Instead he steps forward and sets three small metal cogs on the map, right in the middle of the Deep Divide; the portion between the Southern Badlands and the Goblin Empire.

"It would seem my goals are obvious to the world. I'm just glad my actions are not." We all stare at him for a moment before he begins to walk away.

"Does this mean you'll fight with us?" I ask as he reaches the door. He pauses at the door for a moment before looking back to us, smirking.

"That all depends on whatever happens in Moosden."

---

I take one last look at the cart tied behind me before trotting along the path from home, to town. Since I don't have school today, being Sunday, it's my turn to do the evening shift at the apple cart in the market. It's not a big deal anymore, but I always do enjoy haggling with ponies over prices. I guess it's just something I learned when I was a filly. Applejack should be there now with my little nephew-Apple Slice- finishing up with the evening sales. If sales were good enough, maybe I can convince her to swing by Lickety Splits to get me a shake. Here's hoping.

It's a pretty nice day out actually. Maybe Soarin finally got to getting rid of those clouds from the Everfree. Not that he's bad at his job, it's just that Rainbow Dash was better at it. Given, she does it with two eyes. Either way, it's warm out with a nice cool breeze. Not a cloud in the sky today, just the way I like it. With nothing stopping or slowing me down, I make it to town pretty quickly. When I make it to the market though, I slow down when I see Applejack talking with some business pony. I slow down when I see the frustrated look on Applejacks face. She doesn't get that look often, so I know something is up. Apple Slice is crying, so I go to him to comfort him while I listen intently on what's going on.

"... under joint citizenship! We don't have ta file fer imports!" Applejack yells, as if it was for the hundredth time.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but the law strictly dictates that all imports from other nations must pay all tariffs and undergo all slating processes for foreign pests-"

"WE'RE IN EQUESTRIA! What vermin are we gonna have that ain't already here!?" She yells again, rubbing her face while sighing.

"I understand that, but the law is very clear in these things. You will have to pay the penalties if you wish to continue trading with Equestria-"

"Why would Ah have ta pay to trade on my front lawn!?" she yells in desperation.

"And undergo a government audit to assess the total amount owed from previous trading deals within Equestrian borders-"

"Are ya even listening ta me? Ah already told ya we don't have ta file fer this fancy smancy crap cause we're joint citizens!"

"And I've already told you that I'm simply an auditor. If you wish to file a complaint you'll have to go to the local government authorities and fill the correct paperwork. Until then we ask that you cease and desist any further transactions until you comply with all trading regulations and pay all fines-"

"WHERE AM AH GONNA GET TWO BILLION BITS!?" Applejack yells, making me nearly drop Apple Slice. Two billion bits!? How is that even possible!? We don't even make a tenth of that in a year!

"I'm sorry, but that is not my concern." The business pony says before he closes up his brief case. "My advice would be to file chapter seven and liquidate your assets-"

"AH AIN'T SELLIN MAH FARM!" Applejack yells as she takes an aggressive step towards the smaller pony. He doesn't seem to care that she's about to buck him back to Canterlot, but Apple Slice is starting to get scared.

"Applejack!" I yell out, trying to gain her attention. She glares at the pony before her before he simply nods goodbye and takes his leave. Applejack twitches a few times before cussing a bunch as she bucks the stall behind her, breaking several of the boards. Normally I would scold her for being reckless, but I can't wrap my head around the situation. How could we owe so much money? We're normally on top of things when it comes to finances. A few of the other vendors come over and try to consolidate Applejack, but she brushes them off as she starts to pack up. I walk over and try to get her attention, but she's too angry to get through to.

"Applejack-"

"Bucking pansy ass posh asshole! Sell mah farm! Over my dead body!" she rambles on, tossing tools into place and roughly locking up the stall.

"Applejack, Sis, what's going on? Who was that?" I ask again, but am ignored as she continues to ramble to herself.

"Ah aint payin ta trade in mah own backyard, he can count on that! Tariffs! Tariffs mah ass! Stupid colt cuddling bureaucrat!" I finally get fed up of being ignored and shove her a bit, finally getting her attention.

"Applejack! What is going on!?" I yell at her as I try to comfort Apple Slice as he cries his heart out. Applejack lets out a sigh as she takes him and starts to comfort him. She doesn't answer me, but I wait until my little nephew is consoled before trying again. "Sis, who was that? What does he mean we're being audited? What's going on?"

"*sigh* ya know how we're technically Terradisian and Equestrian?" she asks quietly, gently rocking Apple Slice back and forth.

"Yeah, what about it?" I ask cautiously. The other vendors that had come to try and calm Aj down leave to give us our privacy, offering their condolences as they go.

"According ta... that pony, we're strictly Terradisian. Which means that we should have been paying taxes on every sale within Equestria. That and we are being fined for not meeting international IPM regulations, so we're being fined for that as well. The reason it cost so much is because of the inflation taking place in the Griffin Colonies, due to the acid rains there. They're marking us for the past six years for everything! From the Cider ta apples, everything!"

"What did he mean chapter seven? What is that? Why would we have to sell the farm-"

"We're not sellin the farm!" she cuts me off firmly, pushing her stetson back to look me in the eye. "Chapter seven is bankruptcy. It basically is when you tell the government that you can't pay yer debts. There's more to it, but we'll go over them later. Fer now, let's just pack up and go home, okay?" I gulp and nod along with her. I get what she's saying, but it's not making sense. Why are we suddenly being fined like this? Are we going to be able to make any more sales? What about Zap Apple season? It's just around the corner, are we going to be able to sell our preserves?

What's going on?

Next Chapter: Chapter 222 Power Speaks Estimated time remaining: 19 Hours, 57 Minutes