Chapter 25.

Applejack moaned slightly as she started to sit up putting a gloved hand to her head. She looked around and saw Rarity sitting next to her with a another smaller unicorn sitting across from her. Dropping her right hand to one of her two daggers Applejack heard Rarity say to her as she felt two hooves placed up against her shoulders gently pushing her back down.

“Darling please, relax. You're among friends here. Nopony is going to hurt you.” Rarity said as she looked into Applejacks forest green eyes.

Applejack nodded the removed her hand from the dagger’s hilt that she was about to pull out. Laying back down Applejack looked over at Sweetie Belle saying to her gently.

“I take it you must be the pony version of Sweetie Belle?” Applejack asked as She lay on the ground looking up at the smaller unicorn While Rarity trotted off and laid next to the fillies and colts by the small camp fire to get warm.

“I don’t understand what you mean by ‘pony version’ Applejack uh, if that is what your name is?” Sweetie Belle said as she looked at Applejack then over at Fluttershy who was starting to approach Applejack cautiously form behind her.

“That’s right you are among friends here Applejack please don’t feel like you need to get upset with us.” Fluttershy meekly said to her as she looked down at the strange being in front of her.

“I wasn’t upset I thought I had been captured the only pony that I met so far was Rarity so when I saw her little sister I wasn’t sure if she was a friend or foe. Thus I was trying to show that I wasn’t going to take being captured lying down.” Applejack replied to Fluttershy.

“My name is Fluttershy, Applejack uh, do you know Twilight by any chance?” Fluttershy said as she looked at Applejack.

“Yes I do although she said she had friends that all have the same names as my friends back home. I never really did think that when she told us you all were ponies she wasn’t kidding about that.” Applejack said as she looked at Fluttershy while she again tried to sit up only to be pushed back down by Sweetie Belle who said to her.

“Hey you never answered my question.” Sweetie Belle said as she gently pushed Applejack back to the ground trying to keep her from sitting up.

“Tell you what Sweetie Belle if you agree to get off of me I will in turn agree to tell you what I meant by ‘pony version’ deal” Applejack replied to Sweetie Belle who looked at her then slowly got off of her allowing Applejack to sit up.

Once Applejack was fully sitting up she looked around found her bow and her saddlebags. As she stood up and walked over to where her bow and bags were lying she said to Sweetie Belle.  

“Alright Sweetie Belle here is what I know and I am hoping you will be able to understand this. In my world we call ourselves ‘human’ not ‘ponies’. We all look similar to me yet different at the same time. Just as I am sure in your world there many different uh, ponies as well.” Applejack said as she bent over picking up her bow then picked up her saddle bag.

Placing the saddle bag over her left shoulder Applejack turned to Sweetie Belle and said to her.

“Twilight told us that in this world there are unicorns, Pegasus and something called ‘earth ponies’. Which sounds more like the type of pony is made out of the ground beneath your feet.”  Applejack said as she saw a amused look come over Sweetie Belle’s face.

Sweetie Belle fell over laughing when she heard Applejacks description of earth ponies. In a fit of hooves kicking out wards and loud belly laughter Sweetie Belle said to Applejack as Applejack looked at then at Fluttershy with a confused look on her face.

“No Applejack…(laughing hard)...earth ponies are not made from the ground.” Sweetie Belle said while in a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

“Earth pony means somepony that can not use magic but, are very strong physically.” Fluttershy said to Applejack as she smiled warmly to her.

“I see so then I take it my counterpart here in this world would be an earth pony seeing as how she is suppose to be a farmer.” Applejack said to Fluttershy as she continued to watch Sweetie Belle roll on the ground laughing.  

Before fluttershy could reply to Applejack's question. Applejack dropped her saddle bag and drew out her bow. Knocking an arrow to it she yelled to Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy as she raised her bow up towards the trees in behind Sweetie Belle.

“SWEETIE BELLE, FLUTTERSHY GET BEHIND ME NOW!” Applejack yelled as she pointed her bow up towards the tree watching a figure moving around in the branches above Sweetie Belle.

Fluttershy looked up towards the trees and saw something moving in them causing her to freeze in place with fear. Sweetie Belle who was still on her back raised her head so that to everything behind her was upside down. As she saw something moving in the branches above her she rolled over then jumped to her hooves just as Applejack let loose her arrow. Applejack had seen Fluttershy freeze her to let loose her arrow at the creature in the tree above her two friends. The arrow flew into the branches of the trees and hit the creature that was moving around in the branches above Sweetie Belle. With a loud thud the creature fell to the ground as a voice could be heard calling out to the small group from where the creature fell.

“Ow! Alright which one of you idiots did just shot me!” Barked out the voice of the creature that fell to the ground.

Running over to where the creature lay on the ground with one of Applejack’s arrows in his leg Fluttershy saw it was the blacksmith. Looking at him then at Applejack, Fluttershy said to her sternly.

“Put that thing away before you kill somepony and help me get him over to the fire so I can tend to his wound.” Fluttershy said to Applejack who looked at her as she was nocking another arrow to her bow.  

“Listen Applejack you just shot a friend of mine and a friend that is helping me no less. Now put that thing away before you really do kill somepony.” Sweetie Belle said as she looked at her wounded friend then back at Applejack who was drawing back the string on her bow and taking aim at the creature laying on the ground in front of Fluttershy.

Applejack let out a soft breath of air as she once again fired an arrow towards the creature only this time she missed as the arrow slammed into a tree right next to the creature's head. Before Fluttershy & Sweetie Belle could say anything to Applejack they heard Applejack yell out.

“You on the ground leave or die! The choice is yours to make.” Applejack yelled out as Sweetie Belle started to charge Applejack.

Applejack jumped over Sweetie Belle's head and corkscrewed her body while in the air she was able to nocked another arrow and fired it at the creature still lying next to Fluttershy. Rarity came running over at this point as she got within striking distance of Applejack, Applejack landed behind Sweetie Belle saying to her grimly.

“Don’t do that again unless you want that thing to tear you apart.” Applejack said as she knocked fourth arrow while quickly turning around and firing it at the creature this time hitting it in the left foot.

The creature screamed out in pain as Applejack dropped her bow drew out her ax and charged the creature. Seeing that he had clearly been found out and that Applejack wasn’t going to fall for his tricks the creature smiled slightly as he disappeared from sight just as Applejack got within striking distance of it. Applejack looked down at Fluttershy then knelt down in front of her saying to her as she looked her over.

“Are you all Fluttershy that thing didn’t hurt you did it?” Applejack said as she looked at Fluttershy who in turn said to her.

“How….how did you know that was not a pony?” Fluttershy said as she looked at Applejack who was moving her head from left to right then up and down while she looked for any signs of wounds on Fluttershy.

“Because I saw while that creature was moving around in the tree’s above Sweetie Belle it had a slight silver tint to his body. According the book that I brought with me there is only one creature that is able to look like that yet have a silver tint to its body.” Applejack as she placed a hand over her right knee then stood up.

“And that would be what type of creature Applejack?” Asked a voice from behind her.

Applejack spun around and raised her ax up to her shoulder placing it in a battle ready position as she narrowed her eyes at the pony that was walking up behind her. Looking in the ponies amber colored eyes Applejack saw in his eyes a pony that had seen much in Equestria. She very slowly lowered her ax and replied to his question.

“It was a shadow demon. One that can only be seen in a pale blue moon's light if and only if you know what to look for.” Applejack said as she slightly turned her head not sure if the pony in front of her was friend or foe.

Nodding to her, Applejack nodded back as she said to him.

“I would like to know how you know who I am.” Applejack said as she looked at the pony standing in front her watching carefully for any sign of betrayal or malintent towards her or her friends.

“Applejack I am sure he will be more than willing to speak to you if you only lower your ax fully and relax a bit.” Fluttershy said as she looked at her then over at the pony in front of Applejack.

Applejack sighing set her ax blade facing down on the ground then nodded again to the pony in front of her. Seeing that she was now relaxed as she was ever going to get the pony in front of her sat down on his haunches and said to all present.

“Young Applejack has had good reason to be….jumpy. She is in a strange land with strange creatures in it. We are currently in a state of war. She has been trained for this by her mother and father. I know of her because I was able to keep tabs on her whenever Twilight would go and come from the mirror world I would often talk to her when she got back. Twilight told me what Applejack looks like and who her mother and father were. Although I am sure Applejack didn’t say this to Twilight. But, please keep in mind Applejack that Twilight would have found out about your parents when she was looking for you during her first visit in the mirror world.” The pony said to Applejack and all present in front of him.

Rarity returned to the fire and used her magic to place another log onto it while she and Fluttershy both looked at Applejack who asked the pony in front of her.

“Who are you?” Applejack asked coldly to the pony in front of her.

“I am just a simple blacksmith my dear Applejack. Nothing less and nothing more.” The blacksmith said with a slight grin on his face.

“I have a better question.” Sweetie Belle pipe up as looked at Applejack then at the blacksmith.

“Yes Sweetie Belle what is your question?” Replied the blacksmith kindly to her.

“WHERE WERE YOU!?!” Sweetie Belle yelled out in anger towards the blacksmith who simply looked at her then at Applejack and smiled at both of them saying to her.

“I used my magic to cause the shadow demon to show up here. None of you were really in any kind of real danger from the shadow demon. I needed to see if Applejack was really worthy of her chance to restore her family's honor. So while you Sweetie Belle where crying in Fluttershy's shoulders I disappeared then reappeared in one of the many outcrops that line the forest. I watched from a distance and saw that the dragon attacked Rarity on her way back from ponyville. I didn’t think Applejack be foolish enough to take on the dragon Arighith by herself though. None of you bothered to try to find me and you didn’t notice I was gone until after Applejack shot that shadow demon.” The blacksmith said with a slight smile on his face.

“I noticed you were gone.” Fluttershy said as she looked down at the ground then slowly raised her head back up to see that both Rarity and Sweetie Belle were not happy with her at all.

“Darling why didn’t you tell us that you knew he was gone?” Rarity asked as she looked at Fluttershy then over at the blacksmith.

“I didn’t think it was my place to say anything besides I was also trying to keep an eye on the little ones.” Fluttershy said meekly as she heard Applejack chime in.

“If those little ones as you call them Fluttershy are all that is left of your home then we need to get them out of here. If that dragon should come back they won’t stand a chance against its attacks. We need to move out of this area once the sun rises and we can see where we are going.” Applejack said as she looked from the blacksmith to Fluttershy then over at the little fillies and colts all sleeping soundly around the small campfire.

“That shouldn’t be long darling Celestia will raise the sun and we can move once it is first light out. Now why don’t you sit by the fire and then tell us why that sadle bag of yours is so important to you

“It is not the bag itself that is important to Rarity it is what is inside the bag. Have any of you heard of the book of magic?” Applejack asked as she sat down next to Fluttershy then reached into her saddlebag and took out the book to show it every one.

“No darling I don’t think anypony has heard of it. I myself did use a book…..”Rarity's voice trailed off when she saw the book held in Applejacks hands.

Applejack held out the book so that Rarity, Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle and the blacksmith could all take a good hard look at it. As Rarity stopped talking for a few seconds once her eyes saw the book in Applejacks hands she exclaimed to Applejack.

“Thats the book that Spike found and gave me last season when I needed help with a overly picky client that wanted to me to create a puppet stage for him.” Rarity exclaimed.

Applejack put the book back into her saddlebag and said to Rarity as she looked at her and Rarity stared back in bewilderment wondering how Applejack was able to get the book.

‘If you're wondering how I was able to get this book Rarity I am not sure about that myself. I found it inside my saddlebag when I went to saddle up my horse. Who wasn’t as it turns out a horse at all but, one of the four riders of the apocalypse.” Applejack said as she looked at Rarity who looked at the book with a shocked expression on her face.

“That is because this is not the same book as the one that Spike gave to Rarity last season. That book although dark was a key stone. It’s magic was used to create things not bind things like the riders to keep them from coming back to Equestria. The book that Applejack is holding in her hooves is used to bind the riders to the one that reads from the last spell which is written on the last page with it. But, in order to get the spell to work and I am really hoping that Galathinus doesn’t know this she is going to need a demon queen that has been bound to one of us. Other wise the spell is useless to her.” The blacksmith said as he looked at Rarity and she at the book in Applejacks hand.

“How is that galanthus would think that the book Rarity had last season was the one she was looking for when this book is the one that she is looking for?” Asked Sweetie Belle with a confused look on her face.

The blacksmith smiled to her gently then said to her.

“It is simple because I switched the books around. I placed the book of magic in my workshop to keep it safe while placing the other one in Celestial Sparkles charge. I didn’t tell her that the book she was receiving that day from me was the one that could change things into all sorts of stuff while one uses it. I didn’t know that Silver Apple going to catch somepony trying to steal the book that was needed to bind the four riders to whichever pony uses it. Silver Apple caught that thief and chased him through out all of Equestria before they both fought and the book wound in mirror world. During the fight when the mirror was first conceived Silver Apple was able to get a hold of the book as was about to destroy it. When the thief knocked it out of her hoofs right into the mirror which sent it to the world that Applejack is from. Because there was no magic in that world at the time being the book was just an ordinary book.  And would appear as such to all that held it until magic was brought to that world.” The blacksmith said as he looked down at Sweetie Belle then over at Applejack who was still bleeding from her wound.

Walking over to her he looked at her and she at him then said to her gently.

“Let me see if I can heal your injury young Applejack then we need to move out.” The blacksmith said as he looked at her with kindness showing in his amber eyes.

“Very well but, I have a question for you.” Applejack said as she felt her body start to glow.

The blacksmith took off his leather cap showing that he was a unicorn then set about healing Applejacks wound as she asked him.

“Why did you banish my ancestor when she was not the one that stole the book in the first place?” Applejack asked as her body glowed bright orange then started to heal.

Sighing deeply the blacksmith said to her as he continued to heal her body.

“I didn’t banish her, she chose to remain there I asked her to return the book and she refused so I got angry and had her removed from the royal guard. Thus her family was removed from the castle and had to become farmers. I have regretted my decision ever since.” The blacksmith said as he finished healing Applejacks wound.  

“Wait are you saying that you wanted that book to be brought back here even though you knew how dangerous that book was. And when she didn’t do it you thus, had the gall to have her punished for doing something which was right!” Applejack said in shock at the blacksmiths confession to her.

The blacksmith looked down to the ground and replied to her with only one word.

“Yes.”

“How could you do that to her when she proved to be loyal to you?” Applejack said as she stared at him with anger in her eyes.

“I was angry I acted without thinking and thus I cost you and her family much. I do not ask for your forgiveness in this matter only that you try to understand. Back then when the first war was being fought for our home that you are now in. Power and the magic that went with that power were all that mattered to me I wanted to make sure that type of power was under my control. I became drunk on it. It took Silver Apple leaving Equestria for good to show me how obsessed I was becoming with that power.” The blacksmith said as he felt Applejack’s hand fly across his face leaving a small trickle of blood running down his lower lip she said to him.

“You deserve far worse than that. What you did to my family was wrong. If you really do regret what you did to my family then you will do all that you can to restore what was stolen from my family.” Applejack said as she got up to leave the area but, stopped when he said to her.

“I will do just that but, I am sensing you too have done something that you are beginning to regret. Please tell me what it is.” The blacksmith said as he watched Applejack stop in her tracks then spin around on her heel to face him again.

“WHY SHOULD I LET YOU HELP ME WHEN YOU STOLE MY FAMILY'S HONOR?”Applejack shot back with anger in her voice.

“I don’t know why you should let me help you, I only know that if you don’t talk about it you will wind up like me. Alone with nothing more than your regret to keep you company.”

Hearing these words slip from the blacksmiths mouth Applejack looked down as she said to him.

“I….I hit Amora the demon queen. I left a note for my friends about this yet what I put down in it was not the real reason I hit her. I wanted to give them something, anything to keep them from having it out with me later on about what I did to her. So I wrote my reasons down even though they were not the real reason why I did this to her.” Applejack said as she felt a tear slip past her eye and trickle down her cheek.

“I see what was the real reason you hit her if I may ask?” The blacksmith asked as he sat down on his haunches in front of Applejack.

“I told my friends in my letter to them that I hit her because she was responsible for all of this. Because she could have done something to prevent this from happening. But, that was not the real reason I did it. No that was not the real reason at all. I did it because I hate her for what she has put Sunset through. That demon has done more than just feed on her fear of us she has put Sunset through hell. Look I know I had a big role to play in Sunsets downfall. After we defeated Sunset at the Fall Formal and she changed back she didn’t have one single friend other than us. No one knows this but, I saw Sunset one day shortly after the fall formal arguing with herself in front of a mirror. Sunset didn’t see me because I was hiding behind a bathroom stall door in the girls changing room at the time being we're Sunset and I both were in. I was able to hear everything and saw through the crack of the doorway of the stall, Amora in the mirror.” Applejack said as she looked at the blacksmith and he at her.

“What happened next after you saw who it was that Sunset was fighting with Applejack?” Sweetie Belle chimed in as she trotted up behind Applejack then nuzzled her on the left side of her hip with her head.

Looking down and then kneeling so she was able to see Sweetie Belle’s eyes clearly Applejack said to her as she slowly reached out and started scratching Sweetie Belle behind the ears.

“Sunset told Amora she wasn’t to going to help her any more and Amora told Sunset that if she didn’t help her she would put her through hell until she got what she wanted. Amora wanted to be set free from Sunset she was pleading with her to let her use her body until she could return to Tartarus and take back her throne. Sunset refused to go along with it. Amora didn’t take too kindly to that has put Sunset through hell ever since.”

“And you know this how?” Asked the blacksmith as he looked at her with concern in his eyes.

“I know this because Sunset has not been sleeping and has not been able to get any sleep other than when she was with Pinkie Pie. Somehow when I saw her after Pinkie invited us to her home for a slumber party Sunset looked like she had slept for almost ten years even though it was only for a few hours. I can only assume that Pinkie is able to take away the nightmares that Amora is giving to Sunset as punishment for not helping her regain her throne.”

The blacksmith having gotten the information he wanted from Applejack. Slowly turned around then just as slowly walked over to the far side of the camp to nurse his wounded lower lip after Applejack slapped him for what he did to her family. As he laid down on the cold ground he thought to himself while listening to the others talk to Applejack about Amora. As the blacksmith nursed his wounded lip he also listened intently to everyone in the camp while he thought to himself.

“I deserve far worse than being slapped by her for what I took from her family.” The blacksmith thought to himself as he heard Fluttershy say to Applejack while he sat alone on the far side of the camp.  

“Tell me did Sunsets mother tell you about the glowing disc on Sunsets chest and what it can do?” Fluttershy asked as she too chimed into the conversation while sitting next to the campfire.

“I recall Twilight saying something about it being a representation of Sunsets soul but, No I don’t recall Sunset’s mother telling me about what that disc can do.” Applejack said as she looked at Fluttershy who in turn looked back her and smiled warmly to her.

“That disc can and will remove all the nightmares and pain that Amora gave to Sunset. Which is why Sunset looked so peaceful when you saw her at Pinkies slumber party.” Replied Fluttershy who looked down at her chest and saw that her own disc glowing.

“Ok that doesn’t make much sense to me when I saw that disc at the hospital there was a black sphere around it. Which started to disappear as Pinkie’s and Sunset’s bodies both started to glow brightly. But there was no sign of this sphere on Sunset’s chest when I saw her at Pinkies slumber party so how could Sunsets disc have been able to get rid of the nightmares that she was going through.” Applejack asked Fluttershy as she looked at her while she continued to scratch Sweetie Belle behind the ears who in turn closed her eyes and soon fell asleep next to Applejack.

“Darling the black sphere that would have shown up on Sunsets chest wasn’t from the nightmares she was going through. That was Amora as she fed on Sunset. The more Sunset feels like she is loved or needed the less Amora will be able to feed on her. So that means that Amora would have to show her self and force Rose Cherry to give her what she wanted.” Rarity said as she looked down at her sleeping little sister then back up at Applejack who also looked down at the sleeping little unicorn next to her.

Smiling Applejack gently started to get up only to have Sweetie Belle roll over and place a hoof on Applejack’s leg softly moaning out.

“Mommy.” Sweetie Belle moaned as she slept next to Applejack who smiled as she sat back down then stroked the little fillies head a few times as she said to Rarity.

“I know Amora wanted a new body. But what else does Rose Cherry have that Amora would want other than maybe the trinity bracelet?” Applejack asked Rarity as she felt Sweetie Belle move her head slightly on her leg and again heard her moan out.

Looking down Applejack sighed then looked at Rarity who said to her.

“I don't know what else this Rose Cherry might or might not have Applejack that is something you need to ask of her." Rarity replied to Applejack who looked at Sweetie belle who again moaned out.

"mommy" Sweetie Belle said as she nuzzled her head into Applejacks lap.

Looking back down at Sweetie Belle, Applejack gently stroked the little fillies hair with her fingers as she aked Rarity.

"Why does she keep saying 'mommy' to me I am uh, flattered and all but, I can't be her mother." Applejack said as she looked back up at Rarity who had she saw had a few tears slip past her eyes and trickle down her cheeks.

"We lost our parents in the attack the destroyed our home that is why she is bonding with you. You see Applejack our mother and father would do what you did to her to help her sleep. They like you would scratch her behind the ears until she fell asleep" Rarity replied as she allowed a few more tears to slip past her eyes and down her cheeks.

“I see tell me how is it you and Fluttershy know about Amora and her need to feed on Sunset?”  Applejack asked as she looked at a Rarity.

“We know about Amora Darling because Twilight told us about Sunset changing into a demon after Sunset put  Twilight's crown on. Three days after she got back from meeting Sunset in your world Twilight locked herself in her home and wouldn’t come out. Twilight as you know or at least as I hope you know likes to research stuff. She wanted to know more about the demon that Sunset turned into and if there was any way the demon could come here. All she could find though was a picture of that demon and a very brief reference about her in some dusty old tome. All that was stated in the tome that Twilight found was that Amora was a demon queen. Twilight spent four weeks searching for everything she could about demons and what they could do. Yet darling she found nothing Amora.” Rarity said as she looked at Applejack then down her little sister Sweetie Belle who was still softly snoring in Applejack's lap.

“I find that hard to fathom because Rose Cherry found all sorts of stuff including the trinity bracelet which she said she would give to Amora. Why she would want to give that monster more power is beyond me yet she does. I left before Sunset could be separated from Amora so I don’t know if it worked or not. I hope that it did work because I want that demon bitch to leave my friend alone for good.”

“Darling please language. I may not understand that word you just used but, I know when something sounds unladylike so please don’t say that again around my little sister. I don’t know why or even how Rose was able to find information about Amora when Twilight couldn’t find anything about her at all. Yes I know she found a very vague passage about the trinity bracelet. But, other than that what very little information I have already shared with you about Amora is all she could find.” Rarity said to Applejack who nodded to her then took out her daggers and looked the the blades then put them back into their sheaths.  

“I think Rose Cherry has some explaining to do but, for now you all should get some sleep I will take first watch.” Applejack replied to Rarity who in turn looked at her then yawed laying her head down and fell asleep.

The moon shown brightly in the cold nights sky as Applejack gently placed Sweetie Belle’s head down onto the ground then moved away from her. Fluttershy watched carefully as Applejack stood up collected her bow and ax then made her way to the outer perimeter of the camp. Looking around Applejack didn’t see any one or pony that would or could mean a threat to them.  As Applejack returned to the camp she nodded to Fluttershy who like Rarity yawned and fell asleep. Applejack walked to the other side of the camp then looked around making sure that the camp was safe while her new friends slept soundly. Applejack repeated this motion six times before the blacksmith nodded to her and took over allowing her to get some sleep. The blacksmith stood up from his place in the camp and took the second watch as the moon slowly moved from the east to the west side of the horizon. Next Chapter: Chapter 26 Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 55 Minutes