---

Applejack was parked two blocks away, car engine on and her hand ready to put the car in drive.

"Remember, everyone..." Dash's voice said over the car's CB radio. "I'll call Applejack and then you storm the building, okay?"

"Got it, Dash," said a colt.

The light orange mare sighed and leaned back in her seat, tapping the steering wheel in a rhythm out of boredom. She then sighed and leaned back, looking out the window. AJ then took out her phone and dialed a number, putting it on speaker and setting it on the seat.

After it rang, a gentle voice answered. "Hello?"

"Dawn? It's Applejack."

"Yeah yeah... I recognize your voice..." the mare replied, sounding relieved.

"Somethin' good happen? You sound happy."

"It's May. They're gonna release her tomorrow. Doctors said she was lucky it wasn't anything too serious."

AJ smiled. "Oh, that's good... Want me to come pick ya up tomorrow? Or do ya already have a ride?"

"If you don't mind... I would like to rest in the back seat with her..."

"Of course, Dawn... Ah'd be happy to."

"Thanks, Applejack..."

"No problem... Now, go comfort yer sister."

Dawn gave a light chuckle. "Right... See ya tomorrow, AJ."

"See ya, Dawn," AJ said, before putting her phone away with a sigh.

She then tapped the steering wheel rhythmically again before her phone rang. She quickly picked it up and answered it. "Yo?" she asked.

"Applejack. Go after Twilight."

"What? What's wrong?" asked AJ, putting the car in drive before pulling away from the sidewalk and driving towards the hotel.

"It's that bitch, Midnight. She's taken Twilight but I need to continue with the current plan. I need you to break off from the group and go after her."

"Ya got it, sugarcube. Where'd she go?" AJ asked as she was less than a block away.

"She went--"

"Hold on..." AJ interrupted, spotting Midnight leading Twilight down the sidewalk a good ways away. "I think I see her. Them. Ah'm heading out."

"Thanks," said Dash. "And be careful. Midnight's a bitch but she's a tough bitch."

"Heh..." AJ chuckled. "So am I."

She then put the phone away, stepping on the gas. She was about to catch up to Midnight and Twilight when she let out a gasp, pulling the car over and parking. On the other side of the street was a familiar red car with a familiar blue mare standing beside it.

"Trixie..." AJ growled.

The blue mare smiled and pulled out her phone, dialing a number before placing it to her ear. Just as soon as she did, AJ's phone rang.

She picked it up and answered it. "Hello?"

"Applejack..." said Trixie. "Trixie's gonna have to ask you to stop following her friend there..."

"Friend?" asked AJ. "What's going on and why are ya here?"

"A lot's going on right now but it'll all be over soon."

"Then, I don't see the need to wait," said AJ, setting ehr phone down and putting the car in drive.

"Then, I guess you'll never see your sister again..."

AJ gasped and looked down at her phone, staring at it before putting the car in park and picking the phone up. "Wh-What do ya mean?"

"The tropics, right?" asked Trixie. "Was that where she and her little friends were going? That's a nice vacation spot, I must say."

"Where's my sister, Trixie?!" AJ yelled.

"She's safe... For now. Her and her little CMC buddies... But, I suggest you lay off and run back to your group before something bad happens to them."

AJ gasped as the line beeped. She then saw Trixie put her phone away and get into her car. "No no no..." AJ growled. "GOD-FUCKING-DAMMIT!!!" she yelled, banging the steering wheel. She then let her head fall on the wheel as she cried softly. "Apple Bloom..." She then heard the sound of a car pull away and looked up to see Trixie starting to drive off. "No... Yer not gettin' away..." She then put her car in drive and watched Trixie leave. She then waited for a car to pass her before pulling out and using the car in front of her for cover. She carefully observed the sides of the car to see if she could see Trixie turn down a side road.

After a while, the car in front of her turned right at a light as Trixie went straight.

"Damn. Fuck..." AJ muttered, before spotting a nearby car garage. "Lucky..."

She quickly pulled into the parking lot and skidded to a stop, putting the car in park and getting out. She then rushed inside and ran up tot he desk. "Keys to one of my cars NOW!!!" she yelled. The mare at the desk yelled and opened her drawers, looking around inside. "FASTER!!!"

"H-Here..." the mare stammered, holding out car keys.

AJ set hers on the desk and grabbed the new ones, rushing outside and pressing the unlock button. She saw the lights of a nearby car in the lot flash.

"That one..." she panted, rushing over to it and climbing inside.

She quickly turned the car on and put it in drive peeling out of the lot and cutting off about three cars. She paid no attention to the sound of angry drivers honking their horns as she looked around.

"Where'd you go?" she asked aloud, approaching an intersection with a red light. She sped right through it and cut off another two cars. No sign of Trixie.

At the next set of lights she sped through, she saw Trixie down the right road at the far end, turning left at the set of lights. AJ gasped and kept going before taking the next right, her car skidding as she turned sharply and quickly. She saw that the road Trixie took didn't connect to hers, meaning it curved somewhere. She kept driving before reaching another set of lights. She quickly turned right and almost took out a nice gray minivan. The driver didn't even honk her horn. AJ was sweating nervously before stopping at the next set of lights.

"Shit... I lost her..." she whimpered, cars passing in front of her from the right side. Just then, she saw Trixie's car drive by, going straight. "Get... the fuck... outta here..." she gasped, getting ready.

Once the light changed, she turned left and followed Trixie, the mare not even noticing AJ as she had a different car with a much different color. After about three more turns, Trixie pulled into a large garage, the heavy doors closing behind her. AJ went a block further and parked next to the sidewalk with a deep breath.

She then took her phone out and gasped lightly. "Shit..." she muttered, noticing two missed calls from Dash. "Fuck..." She quickly called the blue mare and waited for her to pick up. It wasn't long before she did.

"The fuck, AJ?"

"So sorry, Dashie, but I--"

"Where the fuck were you? That being said... where the fuck ARE you?"

"Ah really do apologize, Dashie, but... Ah think I found the Fallen's base... What happened over there?"

"...Well..." Dash started.

Next Chapter: New Respect - CMC Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 12 Minutes