Original Link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_7rRQP-IvP2mQlj-ObDuSb9KPALurGlQG5gx8Ph_qO0/edit?usp=sharing

As the days went by, Twilight and her friends found themselves to feel a lot better now with the new supplies. Every few days, another donation from their anonymous, ambiguous benefactor could be found nearby, though they were significantly smaller now. Still, it was enough for all of them, so they started constructing a tiny settlement, hidden in the densest part of the forest. A few improvised shelters, a partially buried fire pit to prevent excessive smoke and a small cache for their supplies was all they could manage to build within the timespan of two weeks. At the very least, it was some form of progress after being stuck fleeing for months.

Gradually, the reapers returned to their mistress. Each had their own way of tracking them down and they rarely came alone. There was always at least one additional survivor tagging along. One ally at a time, the rebellion was rebuilding and the few shelters turned into a small village with a total population of eighteen rebels and six reapers. The mare keeping herself in the dark caused them all to remain uneasy. She was like a constant shadow, hiding just outside of their view and sometimes, the rebels could hear screams at night. But every time they investigated, the victim was never one of their own. Even if she didn’t want to, her hunting, killing and eating of other ponies spread fear and distrust. After a while, they all decided to not investigate anymore at all when they heard screams. But judging by how little was left of each victim just a day later made it clear that she was exhausting herself, trying her hardest to continuously bring larger quantities of supplies as the number of rebels increased. Her body must be burning a whole lot of energy if she could eat an entire stallion within one night. Or perhaps she had friends that were like her and she needed to share her prey. A thought that only made the rebels even more uneasy.

Even though none of the rebellion leaders were all too willing to have her around in the dark, she was necessary. They just wouldn’t be able to gather enough food on their own. So with that worry being gone, they all could focus on planning and building. Twilight had just finished constructing a very basic shack for dry goods along with Applejack when one of the reapers approached them.

“We have spotted another group getting close,” he announced.

“Anypony we know?” the purple wondered.

“Perhaps. I am unsure, my mistress,” the reaper responded.

Twilight shortly turned around to Applejack, signaling her that she was going to check out the situation. Then she left, guided and guarded by the reaper. Applejack didn’t really think about it and just continued with the next project. They still needed a place to hang things once they got wet from rain. So she gathered some large sticks, some rope she made the other day and started constructing near the fire pit. Just as she managed to set up some sort of scaffolding, hooves covered her eyes from behind. For a brief moment, she was panicking. But then she realized that there were plenty of eyes around to spot a potential aggressor. This couldn’t be a pony with malevolent intentions, she summarizes.

“Guess who?” a very familiar male voice spoke.

Applejack froze in place, instantly knowing whom this voice belonged to. She remained quiet as the seconds passed, but the stallion let go on his own as he felt her tears coating his hooves, sending him into worry. Applejack turned around to him, seeing his nervous expression, fearing he messed up yet again. Words could not express what she was feeling at that moment. First, she got Babs back and now, she even had Caramel again. Nearly instantly, her expression shifted to anger.

“Ya gosh darn numb nut! Ah was worried sick about ya and this is how ya greet me? After months passed? That having happened to the empire?” she shouts.

“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I just thought that… a little joke from the get-go makes it clear that I’m okay!” Caramel apologizes hastily.

All eyes were focused on them. Applejack quickly relaxed again, letting out an audible sigh to alleviate herself of her frustration. She just couldn’t be mad at him. Not after not seeing him for this long. So she just came a step closer and tightly wrapped her front leg around his neck.

“Ah missed ya so much, Sugarcube. Boy, am Ah glad you’re doing fine,” Applejack mumbled, still crying.

“I missed you so, so much, too,” Caramel replies, holding her closely. “It was terrible not knowing if you are still alive or not.”

“How did ya get outta there? I saw ya get injured,” the orange mare wanted to know.

“Honestly, I don’t even know. One thing lead to the next, I guess. I thought I was done for when that spear hit my leg. But then reapers popped up. Then demons. Then… I don’t know. I think my cutie mark must have triggered again, because I lost something again. Balance, that time. The ground gave away and I fell a floor lower. It was all so hectic. I was pushed, pulled, eventually dragged. Before I knew it, I was outside of the empire accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Cake,” the light brown stallion explained, then turned to the side.

The married couple and their two kids were right behind them. While Pumpkin and Pound just looked very exhausted and traumatized, their parents showed expressions revealing all sorts of emotions going on in them right now as they awkwardly waved at Applejack. They all were in terrible shape. Bandages, bruises, dirty fur, messy manes and tails. The parents even had some small splatters of dried blood on them.

Next to them was another couple. Rarity’s parents. The undead mare noticed them way earlier than she did, being busy with Caramel. Applejack caught the moment she rushed over to them and wrapped her front legs around both. Strange noises were coming from Rarity. As if she was trying to cry, but due to her undead state had no tears inside of her anymore. Though it were her parents that were the most emotional of all.

“R-Rarity… Is that… What…” her mother mumbled, completely unable to understand what she was seeing.

“What happened to you?” her father finished, not quite crying in shock as his wife did, but still frozen in terror and incapable of handling the situation.

Rarity did not respond. She just squeezed them both even tighter to her chest. It was clear she had actually given up ever seeing them again. As all of this happened, Twilight kept a close eye on the three. Her parents were clearly very disturbed. This pony looked like Rarity, but it smelled off like a corpse. Having hugged Rarity herself in recent times, Twilight knew that her body felt unnaturally cold to the touch. The purple mare noticed that the parents were getting extremely uneasy, so she decided to tap on Rarity’s shoulder, followed by Twilight tilting her head to make her observe the reactions. Unwillingly, the undead mare let go of them.

“This needs some explanation and I am pretty sure you three have a lot to talk about,” Twilight states, waving them over to her and guiding them to a more secluded area of the camp.

“Umm… Twilight, deary… Can we talk?” Mrs. Cake spoke before the purple mare could walk away.

Twilight stopped again, giving the couple and their children another look. Judging by the multitude of emotions they tried their best to hide from their expressions, something must have happened. As much as she would have loved to help Rarity reconnect with her parents, this seemed to be of greater importance. The purple mare simply showed them where they could talk without being disturbed too much before she turned her focus back to the Cakes.

“How can I help you?” Twilight wanted to know.

“Can we… um… maybe talk about this somewhere else?” Mr. Cake requested before lowering his head to Pound and Pumpkin. “You two can go play now, or whatever you feel like doing. Just… don’t walk out of the camp, okay?”

The children barely responded. They must have been through a lot. A horrible time we live in where foals have to witness such horrors, Twilight thought to herself. Still, the two complied and slowly walked off. Applejack still was busy with Caramel, so the purple mare guided Cup Cake and Carrot Cake behind a tree. Instantly, they dropped their facades. Cup Cake even started to cry, her husband trying to comfort her. Twilight simply kept her own emotions in check and waited for both of them to calm down.

“We… we have quite a few terrible things to tell you…” Cup Cake eventually started. “First off… We… we relapsed… We had to use our old stalking techniques to escape the cult and there just wasn’t enough food… We had no choice but to eat another pony to survive…”

That explained the blood. Did Pound and Pumpkin witness their parents cannibalising on another of their kind? Is that why they were so traumatized? These two would need some special care later. At least Twilight could be sure that Caramel didn’t see them eat another pony, otherwise he would not have been so comfortable in their presence.

“How much do you two have yourselves under control?” Twilight instantly wanted to know.

“Barely, but we won’t be a threat to you or the others around,” Carrot Cake assured.

“Good. Also, don’t worry. I won’t tell anypony else. After all you two have done for us, I am convinced I can still trust you,” Twilight promised.

While Mr. Cake sighed, Mrs. Cake started crying again, this time in relief. They seemed to have been convinced they would get punished for this.

“We also got news from Equestria,” Carrot Cake started again. “Blueblood and the cult know you got away. The demons known as The Underworld League have been tasked to hunt you down and kill off any last remaining embers of the rebellion.”

“I expected as much… Seems like we won’t be able to stay here for much longer. We need to be on the move and look for a proper refuge to rebuild. Is there anything else?” Twilight wondered.

Suddenly, both Mr. and Mrs. Cake started to shake. They seemed to be completely terrified, even more so than the thought of a group of demons being after them.

“We…” Cup Cake started, but needed another moment before she could put her thoughts into words. “While we were fleeing from Equestria, we heard a lot of rumors and some plans of the cult. Word is going around that a ‘legendary cannibal’ is hiding somewhere. We kept hearing phrases like ‘She is an inspiration to all of us’ and ‘If we find her, we must have her on our side’. Finally, a name was dropped… Maudenette Evangeline Pie…”

Even Twilight’s eyes went wide now. Pie… Another member of the Pie family is still alive? How could she have escaped?

“We can tell what you are thinking right now,” Carrot Cake started again. “We had the same exact thoughts. Having to deal with another Pie… This would be beyond what we could take. We needed to make sure, so we searched the old burnt down rock farm of the Pie family. Buried deep in the rubble, we came across this.”

While still talking, he undid his saddlebag and pulled out a wittered and partially burnt photo. It was a bit tricky to make out, but it showed Pinkamena Diane Pie at a very young age, accompanied by her parents. To Twilight’s big shock, she could count not three, but four fillies. One looked significantly older than the others. Purple mane, gray coat, blue eyes. Then she noticed the cutie mark. Twilight couldn’t hold back a gasp. It was a rock, cut in a diamond pattern. The same symbol the mare hidden in the dark was using to communicate with them. This was just too big of a coincidence. It had to be her. The mare stalking and protecting them, the mare that saved Twilight’s life and held her captive. The mare that feasted on a stallion, tore him limb from limb and coated Twilight’s mouth in his blood. It was her. Maud Pie.

As Twilight’s thoughts returned to the moment, she realized that both of the Cakes were looking at her in deep worry, trying to read her expression. They instantly understood that she knew something they didn’t. Taking a deep breath, Twilight recollected herself.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news for you, too, then,” she spoke, using her magic to let one of the cut rocks she kept in the camp fly over to her and presenting it to the couple. “She’s here.”

The pupils of Mr. and Mrs. Cake almost instantly shrunk to tiny spots and they were just one moment away from screaming in panic, but Twilight lifted her front leg and made a small gesture, requesting of them to keep it together. They both visibly struggled a lot trying to oblige and only started to shake even more.

“She’s alive… I can’t believe she’s alive and even hiding somewhere nearby!” Cup Cake whimpered.

“She so far has been nothing but helpful. While she doesn’t consider herself a direct part of the rebellion and refuses to show herself, she keeps on bringing us vital supplies and seems to hunt down any cultist trying to find us. I have to admit, if I had known that she was the last living member of the Pie family from the beginning, I would feel not much different than you two do now. But now I understand why she neither wants to join the cult, nor the rebellion. She really must be skilled, never having been found out until just recently. In any case, her actions speak for themselves and so long as she doesn’t change, she won’t be a threat,” Twilight summarized.

“You don’t understand! Try thinking from our perspective! Our families were very close and we are the reason her last remaining sister was killed!” Cup Cake started, now constantly looking around in fear. “We are dead! We are so dead! Maybe the only reason she keeps sticking around is because she was waiting for the two of us to show up!”

“Don’t worry. She may be skilled, but even she can’t do the impossible. More and more reapers are returning to me and I myself have very keen senses by now. I will assign some of my reapers specifically to you and your foals. You are under my protection now, so you don’t have to worry,” the purple mare assured.

Neither Mr. Cake nor Mrs. Cake were too sure about her being able to keep this promise, but it was good enough for them to at least start relaxing again.

“Our lives and those of our foals are in your hooves now, Twilight. You trust us and we are very, very grateful for that. So we will trust you as well…” Carrot Cake spoke, then turned to his wife. “Come, honeybun. Let’s check on our ginger snaps.”

---

The rest of the day went by rather uneventful. The sun went down and most of the rebels were going to sleep. Only the reapers and some minotaurs remained awake for the night watch. The flames of the fire pit had become small and only gave off a dim light. The logs had mostly turned to ash and what remained gave off a soft crinkling sound as small glowing particles of ember rose into the air, only to completely vanish seconds later. The atmosphere of peace, protection and romance affected both Applejack and Caramel, as they were snuggled up to each other, watching the flames dance.

“I wished it could always be like this,” Caramel commented, breaking the silence.

“Like how?” Applejack wanted to know.

“Well, this whole moment. Just laying here, holding your beloved one close, not having to worry about a thing in the world…” the light brown stallion explained.

“Yeah… just with less war goin’ on would be nice…” Applejack mumbled, an expression of worry growing on her face. “It’s already hard enough to believe we were so lucky as to meet again after all that. That luck’s gonna run out someday.”

“Well, no matter what life throws at us, I’ll always be there for you, AJ,” Caramel promised.

“Thanks, Sugarcube. But still, Ah’m worried. Ya still remember mah big plan, right?” the orange mare wondered.

“You mean having foals and rebuilding your family? Of course I remember that!” Caramel ensured.

“Would ya still like to be part of that plan?” Applejack wanted to make sure.

“I still don’t know how good of a father I would be. But yeah, I can see myself having foals one day,” Caramel replied.

“Ah’m glad yer think so… But, the way things have been goin’ downhill for a while now, Ah dunno if we’ll ever get to that point…” the orange mare spoke, turning her head away as troubling thoughts filled her mind.

“I know what you mean. The situation isn’t going to get any better for the rebellion. There’s a good chance we might fail in the end. But if we go down, at least we will try to do everything within our power to go down together,” Caramel promised.

Applejack still seemed to be sinking in her thoughts. Caramel just leaned back, caressing her neck while he sleepily stared into the glowing embers. It was quiet again, the crinkling of the fire being the only sound filling the woods. Not even a breeze was moving through the trees. Caramel felt content like this. He wouldn’t mind just falling asleep with his beloved Applejack in his front legs. For so long, he dreamed of finally being able to hold her like this again, to just be with her. But while he was at peace, Applejack’s mind began to race again, making yet another big decision that would affect her life heavily. Without really being there, her eyes wandered along the top of her vision, scrutinizing, pondering, weighing out her options. Gradually, as she became more and more sure of her thoughts, her expression changed. While showing increasingly more determination on her face, a blush started to simultaneously saturate her cheeks.

Applejack turned her head, looking up to Caramel who returned the glance with a loving smile. She looked really cute to him right now. Big sparkly eyes, a strong blush on her cheeks. He didn’t really think about what this could mean until she suddenly got up.

“Going to bed?” Caramel wondered.

“Not… um. Just… just wait a moment, okay?” the orange mare mumbled.

This finally caught Caramel’s attention. Why was she suddenly so flustered and insecure? Did he say or do something bad again? The light brown stallion watched as she walked up to her reaper friend Fluttershy. While the yellow mare underneath the black cloak focused her without any form of expression, Applejack’s blush seemed to get even stronger now. With a slight smile on her face, she focused the ground while shily kicking a pebble with her left back leg.

“Can I help you, AJ?” Fluttershy wondered.

“Well, uh… Sugarcube… Can Ah ask ya for a lil’ favor?” the orange mare kept mumbling.

“Of course,” Fluttershy replied calmly.

Caramel still didn’t understand what was going on. He couldn’t even begin to fathom what she was planning and just kept observing in curiosity, his ears up and keeping his upper body upright using both of his front legs.

“Would ya… um…” Applejack kept on speaking unusually sheepish, but now looked her friend in the eyes. “Ah need ya for a bit. Can ya watch mah back while Caramel and Ah… retreat for a while?”

“Sure,” Fluttershy replied calmly.

Caramel was getting more confused by the moment. Retreat? Why would they… Suddenly, Caramel’s eyes went wide open and he himself began to blush heavily.

“J-Jackie? What are you planning?” the light brown stallion mumbled, looking for confirmation.

“Well… Ah reckon ya already got the right idea,” Applejack started as she turned back around and smiled at him with an even stronger blush now. “It’d be risky goin’ out of the camp on our own. We need her to… Well… Guard us while we… Um… Ya know…”

Now being sure they were talking about the same idea, Caramel’s heart started to race and he felt himself getting hot, even a tiny bit sweaty. This came so out of the blue and violated against everything they were just talking about.

“B-But… Wow, there! Don’t you think this is a bad timing, starting with your plans now in the middle of things?” Caramel questioned, trying to figure out if she was just acting out of emotion or being serious with this calculated risk.

“Ya just said it yerself. It ain’t gonna get better. So we best do this now while we can before it’s too late is what Ah say,” Applejack explained, slowly approaching the stallion again.

This expression was one he had never seen on her before. Flirty eyes, blushy cheeks, ears lowered to the sides. She even walked a bit seductively as she approached! Caramel’s heart was pounding out of his chest. Sure, he wanted this. He had been dreaming of the moment they would get this close for a very long time now. But the setup made him incredibly insecure and uncomfortable.

“I-I don’t know about this, AJ,” Caramel mumbled, visibly shaking while he glanced over to Fluttershy. “Especially with somepony watching us.”

Applejack stood in front of Caramel now. She sat down to the ground to free her only remaining front leg to caress his cheek lovingly and give him a warm smile.

“We don’t have much of a choice, Sugarcube. Sneakin’ away from the others in the middle of the night is just flat out dangerous and stupid. Ah’m askin’ Fluttershy for this because she’s the only one Ah’d trust with being around in such a situation. Ah know ya’ve wanted to do this for ages now. Just do both of us a favor and say yes,” the orange mare argued.

Caramel’s face was really hot at this point and he could feel drops of sweat run down his forehead. Applejack either didn’t mind or didn’t notice, as she just continued to give him suggestive looks. The stallion’s eyes jumped back over to Fluttershy. Even though it was now exceedingly clear what her friend was going to do with him, she still didn’t show the slightest bit of any sort of expression.

“Don’t worry about me. I won’t look and you won’t even notice me. Just pretend I’m not there at all and, of course, I won’t tell anypony,” the yellow reaper mare promised.

Caramel’s heart was pounding so heavily, he could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. Eventually, he let out a long sigh and started easing up a bit.

“Yeah... I guess that makes sense. A-alright... but give me some time, okay? I'm k-kinda nervous right now,” he mumbled, still not really secure or comfortable.

Hearing this clearly pleased Applejack, as her smile only grew wider. She, too, had a racing heart from what was about to happen and it didn’t help that Caramel was being so cute about this.

“Aw, mah little candy apple. Aren't ya just the sweetest stallion Ah've ever met. C’mere,” she spoke gently before pulling him closer and kissing him lovingly for a little bit.

This seemed to calm Caramel down enough for things to finally get in motion. While the couple exchanged happy smiles of anticipation and started walking, Fluttershy followed them nearly inaudibly. Even though she couldn’t feel, she still wasn’t too sure what to think. Of course, Fluttershy would protect her friends in any given situation, even this one. Even if Applejack asked for her protection a second time, she would instantly say yes again. But what she has seen so far between them and what she was about to witness… It will remind her a painful lot of Obsidian and what she had planned for both of their lives. Fluttershy already knew she would have a hard time swallowing these thoughts and impressions.

---

The moon was high up and everypony including the earth pony couple were long asleep when a shadowy figure approached the camp. Observing the reapers standing guard for a while, it soon found a gap and effortlessly slipped into the camp without being noticed. One tent in particular was of interested for it, but it was guarded by at least three reapers at once. But what Twilight figured as impossible to do for a normal pony, this one could do without any problem at all. Before long, the figure… she… was inside.

The Cake family lay before her on improvised padding. They were all clueless of the intruder, watching them with a knife hidden in one of her pockets. She approached them, mustering the parents and their foals. Then she reached into her mantle. But instead of a blade, a rock cut in diamond pattern surfaced. She placed it on the ground right in the middle of the tent, then simply turned around and skulked away. With the passing of the moon, a message cut into the stone became visible.

“I don’t hate you.”