"You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

                                                                                               Sombra Redspire the Third

Blurgh

Applejack's nostrils and mouth were filled with water before she was brought back up again. Two massive Brood unicorns slammed her back into her chair. Moondancer was seated across from her inspecting her hoof looking quite bored. They had been at this for a while now, Applejack had lost track of time in this room. They had asked for the location of all the military bases that occupied Earthborn territory. Of course the orange mare knew where they were she had picked each and every location but they would have to break her first and Applejack Apple wouldn't break easy.

"So feel like talking yet," Moondancer said with a yawn.

Applejack glared at the unicorn and spat a glob of water at her catching the unicorn right on the muzzle. One of the guards proceeded  to slam the earth pony's head into the table.

Wiping the water from her muzzle Moondancer smirked," Now boys we can't go damaging her skull, bad form that as a good friend of mine would say."

They raised Applejack back up who continued to glare at the fuchsia mare, hate alight in her eyes. Moondancer couldn't help but enjoy this. At first she was shocked Lord Pyrequill had given her the go ahead to torture this mare for information. The fuchsia mare despised this earth pony for her crusade against unicorns. What had truly set her off was seeing colts and fillies that had been dehorned when they arrived in Fillydelphia. Foals going through the most traumatizing act that can be done to any unicorn sickened Moondancer to her core.

"Talk you inbred hick," Moondancer said as she frowned, slowly losing her patience.

Applejack spat on the floor," Alrigh' ah will. After ya bring the one holdin' yer leash so ah cin tell him exactly what ah think of him. That he's a yellow bellied coward for not tryin ta get the information he wants himself!"

The orange mare's voice a had rose to yell  by the time she was done but then added," That's if ya cin manage it princess"  

Moondancer was silent and still, her expression unreadable until suddenly she lunged forward with a snarl, her silver eyes reverting to that of a dragon's and glowing with power as well as rage. She slammed a hoof into Applejack's muzzle and used her magic to keep the mare upright as she pummeled her. When she was done she was breathing heavily, Appljack had several bruises begin to form and was bleeding from her muzzle. Spitting out a tooth and some blood the orange earth pony smirked," Ah see ah struck a nerve."

Delivering another blow to Applejacks muzzle, Moondancer then smoothed out her mane," Guards get this trash back to her cell."

The Brood unicorns saluted and picked the earth pony off the ground. reshackling her they escorted her back to her cell. They had mover her cell above ground  in a secured bunker. Moondancer followed the guards when they exited the building the sun caused Applejack to wince. Then there was a flash of metal as a dagger buried itself hilt deep  into a the guard's skull to her left. A lasso secured itself around the second guard's neck and he was pulled to the ground. Three Apploosan Rangers jumped from the buildings roof, one quickly making her way to the other guard.

"Whoa there tiger not sa fast," she said as she stopped him from getting up. The mare nodded to the others and one bellowed," All clear sir we got the target."

Moondancer had hung back and waited for the opportunity to strike  when three more earth ponies jumped down from the roof. One a yellow  stallion with an orange mane trotted over to Applejack.

"Braeburn whoo-wee boy am ah glad ta see ya," the mare exclaimed, relief thick in her voice.

"Howdy cuz," Braeburn said with a tip of his Stetson," thought you could use some help."

"That's all well and good but who's going to help you," a voice rumbled from above. All the rangers looked up as well as Applejack but the sun's glare stopped them from seeing the figures features. With a roar the figure jumped off the roof and landed atop one of the rangers, a mare, in a burst of green flame. Applejack had to raise her hoof and close her eyes at the sudden, intense heat. Two other rangers met their end to the flames. Braeburn and his remaining rangers rushed the figure who was still obscured by the heat and flames. Applejack heard screams of pain and the sound of metal breaking. Opening her eyes all she saw was a wall of green flame.

'Green flames,' Applejack thought as she tried to see through the flames,' Ah know Ah've seen em before but where.'

Then the flames parted revealing a large purple scaled dragon walking toward her. He wore a black armor and wicked serrated gauntlets cover his claws. Upon his back were a pair of powerful scaled wings with green scales lining the underside. Down his back were razor sharp toxic green spines. What caught Applejacks attention was his piecing green eyes that glowed with power. The dragon's powerful tale was coiled around Braeburn's neck, dragging the struggling stallion with him.

"It can't be," Applejack breathed.

Suddenly the earth mare found her muzzle slammed into the dirt, from her vantage point she could see Moondancer trot up to the dragon and bow," Lord Pyrequill forgive my negligence. I had no idea these ponies were in the city."

Spike nodded to the unicorn," That is quite alright Moondancer. I had been flying by to see your progress when I saw them on the rooftop. They had skill that is for sure."

'HIs voice is older but that's Spike alrigh.'  

The dragon looked at Applejack his expression growing grim," But I see you were unsuccessful  in retreaving the information."

"Spike," Applejack said as she struggled to her hooves," is that really you?"

Moondancer made a move to slam the earth pony back into the dirt but Spike lifted up a claw to stop her then turned to Applejack," Yes it's been a long time AJ."

"How in th' hay is this possible," Applejack growled," Yer workin fer twiloight ain't ya even after she betrayed ya yer still ridin her caot tails huh."

Spike rushed forward, earning a strangled grunt from Braeburn and lifted Applejack by her neck with a set of claws. A reptilian hiss escaped his maw as his green eyes bored into his with an angry leer.

"I have cut myself off from that whorse Applejack," Spike said, his voice cold like steel.

"Then why ya attackin Earthborn lands?" Applejack gasped out as she felt the claws dig into her flesh.

Spike dropped her in the dirt, a sneer creasing his face," Because your no better than Twilight."

Applejack stared up at the dragon with a furious glare as she caught her breath. She rose to her hooves and spat at Spike," Ah'm no better than Twilight?! She betrayed us, betrayed you. She killed Pinkie and she's been enslavin earth ponies."

"And you've been dehorning unicorns, innocent unicorns," Spike spat back," You've been punishing an entire race for the crimes of a single mare."

"Unicorns are a menace and ah don't jes mean Twilight," Applejack yelled," Sombra, Flim, Flam. And that jes off th' top of mah head."

"Holding true to that mantra, 'One bad apple spoils the bunch,' hmm" Spike snarled," Foals Applejack. You've dehorned foals! When I heard about that I didn't want to believe it. How could Applejack the most dependable of ponies fall that far?" The dragons expression softened, almost becoming mournful," When I saw it for myself I was still unable to believe it."

Spike's expression turned to that of stone as a dark thought crossed his mind,' Time to see how far she has truly fallen."

Spike pulled Braeburn up and set the earth stallion beside him. Until now the earth stallion had remained silent. The razor sharp spade at the end of the dragon's tail pressed up against Braeburn's neck. Spike stared into her eyes with a neutral expression," Moondancer you were trying to get the location of the Earthborn military bases correct?"

"Yes my lord," the fuschia mare said with bow.

"Well then Applejack I want the locations now or I slice open Braeburn's throat. You have five minutes."

Applejack knew he wasn't lying. 'What he said was the honest truth, he would kill Braeburn.' The orange mare remained silent as she and Spike Stared each other down. Braeburn gulped and gave a pained smile," Cuz its al-"

"Kill him."

Braeburn's face fell," Ah won't talk so kill him an' stop wastin mah yime."

Braeburn couldn't believe what he had just heard. She didn't even seem bothered by what she had just said.

"C-cuz Ple-please y-ya can't mean ," Braeburn stammered out as his eyes began to glisten not from the idea of death but from Applejacks complete disregard for his life. Spike remained silent then his expression became one of sorrow," So you truly have fallen."

With that Spike sliced the stallion's neck open and threw him on the ground at Applejack's hooves. She looked down at him, not a hint of sorrow or remorse in her green eyes. A single tear fell down Breaburn's cheek as his lifeblood drained from his throat onto the dirt. Finally he fell still, dead. Applejack looked up at Spike with a stone cold glare. Spike stared back pity in his toxic green eyes and sighed," Moondancer secure the prisoner. As well send a messenger to Dodge City. Tell them their surrender for Applejack Apple." Spike turned to Applejack," You have forgotten yourself AJ and for that I am sorry."

A squad of pegasi arrived then and secured the glaring earth mare at Moondancers order. They then dragged her off to her cell. Next Chapter: A Diplomatic Approach Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 19 Minutes