"You call it ruthless ambition I call it taking your fate in your own hooves."

Twilight Sparkle

"We're going down!" Whooves shouted as he braced himself.

"Nah ya think!" Applebloom shouted as she frantically tried to correct their flight path and just managed to bring the copter up enough to soften their crash. The ride slammed into the ground and sent her and Whooves flying.

Applebloom sat up with a groan.

"Well that was fun," Whooves said as he stood up. A zebra rushed them and lunged at Applebloom. She closed her eyes, prepared for the inevitable but it never came. She looked up and saw Snails infront of her.

"Back off!" he said as he pushed the zebra off and slammed his hammer against the zebra's jaw, ripping his face clean off. Snails turned to Applebloom," Are you alright?"

"Umm yeah Thanks," she breathed. Snails nodded.

"Chap I've never been happier to see you in my life," Whooves said.

"Get behind me," Snails said as he readied his hammer.

Applebloom rolled her eyes and drew her mallet with her mouth. She galloped forward and landed a blow upside a wildling's skull.

"Pfft hxft yff dff fft," She said around her mallet as she faced Snails and Whooves.

""What?" Whooves asked.

She spit out her mallet," Ah said-"

Snails slammed his warhammer down on a timberwolf that made a lung at Applebloom form behind. He galloped forward and crushed it completely with a burst of gravitational force. He picked Applebloom's mallet with his magic," Rule one of combat never drop your weapon. Rule two." He bucked a lunging wildling, pivoted and crushed its skull under his forehooves. He turned back to Applebloom," Be mindful of your surroundings."

"Ya don't have ta be bossy," she shot back and took her mallet.

"Then don't pull stupid stunts," Sanils said glaring at her. She maet his glare with one of her own.

"I hate to interrupt," Whooves said from under a snapping timberwolf," but HELP ME!!!"

They shared a look then rushed to help the Doctor.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Spike's claws ripped through a zebra warrior's armor with ease and found his heart. He looked up form the carnage just in time to avoid being crushed by a hydra's body. The Spirit of Rage roared in victory from its kill before dissipating. Applejack pulled her warhammer from an Iron Bull's skull and trotted up bedise the dragon. Her chest was heaving and her fur matted with blood  despite this she had a smirk on her face.

"Not bad," she said.

"Meh I give it a six," Spike said.

Suddenly the battlefield was blanketed in a bright green smog. Spike and Applejack coughed and they heard a cackling.

"Little ponies with no where to let me give a good show."

Spike recognized the voice instantly. Out of the green mist stepped a zebra. A wooden cane was across her back and several bottles were attached to her barding.

"Zecora," Applejack got into a battle stance.

Spike gazed at the zebra. She still had a wise look about her," Zecora lets end this bloodshed."

"Ah so the rumors are indeed true," she said as she walked toward them," The dragon who has caused so much chaos is you. I cannot end this battle here for I must make the Earthborn know fear."  

Zecora lunged at them with her walking stick. Spike and Applejack jumped to the side. Zecora landed and quickly jumped again. She landed on Spike's back and pulled a potion from her barding.

"A little Everoot for a dragon most fierce," Zecora rhymed," For when the potion is done it will be your flesh I pierce."

She poured the bottle's contents over Spike's back and the liquid ran under his armor. Zecora jumped off Spike's back as he began to scream in pain. The potion began to eat away at his scales as he frantically tried to pry his armor off.

"Spike!" Applejack rushed over to help but had to block a swipe from Zecora's cane.

"It is most rude to intervene in others matters," Zecora said," For that I must teach some manners."

She stood up on her hindlegs and brought her cane around and landed a stinging blow under Applejack's chin. Her mouth snapped shut and her teeth clacked painfully together. Zecora slammed her cane upside the earth ponies head and sent her sprawling. The zebra uncorked another bottle and was about to throw it when she was blindsided by Spike. The dragon's armor was gone and the scales on his back and wings were smoking. Spike pinned Zecora but the zebra quickly pressed her hind hooves against his chest and pushed him off.

"You fight with all fury and little mind," she said as she balanced herself on her cane,"  You are most blind."

Applejack stood up and brought her warhammer swinging at Zecora only to have the zebra jump up and cock her upside the head again with her cane. Spike took his chance and rushed the zebra as she landed. Zecora flipped onto his back and drove a short dagger into his exposed flesh at the wing-joint.

"AAAHH!" Spike screamed and Zecora drove a second blade into his back. Spike brought his tale up and grabbed the zebra around her barrel and threw her off before collapsing. Applejack rushed to his side and grabbed the dagger. With a jerk she yanked it out.

"GRAAAAAH!!!"

Spike let loose a roar of pain, flames licking the inside of his jaws.

"You alright?" Applejack asked.

"Oh I'm fine just had a blade shoved into my back," Spike aid between clenched teeth," Pull the other one out."

She obeyed and Spike grimaced from the pain before struggling to stand up. Zecora walked up to the pair a smirk playing on her lips," Yours is a pairing most odd but your efficiency I must applaud."

"That ryning is getting annoyoing," Spike said as he unleashed a gout of flame at her. Zecora jumped out of the way but found herself looking Applejack's back hooves. She went flying as her muzzle gave under the pressure. When she landed she rolled out of the way as Spike dived at her with white hot claws. Zecora splashed a potion in Spike's eyes causing him to roar in pain. She stood up, blood pouring from her broken muzzle and grabbed her cane. With a flick of the steel barb at the end she made to drive it into Spike's exposed side.

Spike grabbed the cane and wrenched it from her grasp. He broke it with little effort and glared at her. His irises were a barley visible as his eyes glowed with power. Runes ran along his scales as rocks and pebbles began to rise up in the air. Without warning sharp spires of rock rose from the ground and floated around them. Zecora watched in awe as Spike raised a claw and the tips pointed at her.

"I give you a good death," Spike rumbled as the spires raced toward the zebra, each intent on skewering her. She dodged the first two but a third clipped her side and sent her sprawling. A fourth pinned her to the ground through her chest. Blood seeped the ground around her as she stared in shock at the object in her chest. Blood bubbled up from her mouth and she went limp. Spike then collapsed.

"Spike!" Applejack rushed to his said as the void of unconsciousness fell upon him. Next Chapter: Hidden Intentions Estimated time remaining: 11 Minutes