Author's Notes:

The chase/battle scene between Skyward and Stinging Nettle was set to the trailer music from the E3 2005 Twilight Princess trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHu7hvxjdww

Also, the Skyward Strike is an ability you get in The Legend of Zelda; Skyward Sword, and during the last boss fight of said game it gets supercharged if the Master Sword is hit with a bolt of lightning.

Applejack, under the cover of the fog and trailed by Pinkie Pie, snuck towards the rusty keyring hanging on the stone wall just out of reach of the imprisoned ponies. She knew Twilight or Rarity or even Skyward could've just melted/unlocked the prison door, but they needed stealth, not outright violence. As for Rarity...the clever ivory unicorn was using her magic and some ribbons to tie the brothers' hooves together under the table, a wicked smirk on her lovely face.

Flame was the first to notice the fog and he snorted as he took another drink of the cactus apple cider they distilled themselves. "Tch...evenin' already? Got some fog rollin' in."

Painted shrugged, not too concerned with the fog as he drank his own share. "Canyon fog, we get it all th' time, Flame. Ya know th' river runs through this here canyon."

The fog grew thicker, and then with a shove from unicorn magic, it enveloped the entirety of the cave and the stallions, who tried to get up, now knowing something was really wrong...

And stumbled, turning the table and the contents of such table over themselves in the process because of Rarity's tight knots and the way she had woven the ribbons together to keep them from being able to move without fouling another stallion's movements. The yells and cursing from their area was more than enough--Skyward galloped off, smirking as she yanked the warm (regrettably no longer hot) pot off the hook and slammed it into Flame Nettle's muzzle, making him shout in pain as she ran off. Applejack had managed to fiddle the lock open, and Trouble Shoes and the fillies were out. The Mane Six, plus the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Skyward and Trouble Shoes, dashed out of hiding and rushed out of the cavern.

Stinging Nettle cursed--the fog was clearing and it was easy to see now they'd been tricked.

"Get 'em! They'll ruin everythin'!"

Flame Nettle shot past his brother, gaining on the group of fleeing ponies. He licked his lips at the sight of so much mareflesh in front of him, but there was one mare in particular he wanted to sample. He leaped, catching her by one of her back legs and pulled her back towards him, pinning her up against the wall of the canyon. His hooves began to pull at her dress, a lustful smile on his muzzle as he winked at her.

"Now we're gonna have us some real fun, sugar..."

Skyward had about enough and she made her horn flare...she yanked her shield out of her mane and enlarged it, allowing a near demonic grin to cross her face as she faced Flame Nettle...

Her shield rammed home into the stunned stallion's muzzle as she thrust it right into his noggin...he went down like a sack of beans and she whirled, running for all she was worth.

"Not this time, ye cretin," she spat as she rushed away from an unconscious Flame Nettle, snickering at the look of utter shock the stallion had given her before she had shield-bashed him. The Mane Six rushed into the plains lands--it was night out, and Twilight and Rarity lit the way with their horns. Luna’s moon shone brilliantly in the sky, round and full, illuminating the land around them. Rainbow Dash was holding onto Scootaloo, Applejack had Apple Bloom on her back and since Rarity was in the lead with Twilight, Pinkie Pie had Sweetie Belle. Trouble Shoes brought up the rear, Skyward gaining on him as well, soon keeping pace with the huge stallion.

"Shame Ah didn' git' t' hit him."

Skyward laughed; feeling impish, she shot a wink at Trouble Shoes with a wicked grin. "Aw...I promise thou, ye can buck the blazes out of the next idiot that tries anything, wilt that suffice?"

Trouble Shoes blinked, then grinned back at her; now this was a side of her he really liked. "Knew Ah called ya sugarcube fer a reason."

Skyward laughed--her laugh turned into a yell of pain and surprise when a shadowy figure suddenly shot out of a bunch of milkweed and landed on her, pinning her down and leering down at her.

"Flame didn' git t' see whut's under this dress, but Ah'm gonna enjoy mahself. Have t' admit, mah little brother does have a good eye fer mareflesh..."

Poison Nettle however, didn't get to gloat for very long... not when a pair of huge hooves suddenly came crashing into his barrel with the force of a runaway wagon and sent him flying right into the plains grasses.

"AH WARNED YA; TOUCH HER AGAIN AN' AH'LL BUCK TH' LIVIN' CELESTIA GIVEN DAYLIGHTS OUTTA YA, YA SORRY 'SCUSE FER A STALLION! DON' YA EVER LAY A HOOF ON HER AGAIN, YA HEAR?"

Trouble Shoes stamped, snorting in fury as he stood over Skyward, who had managed to roll to her side, staring up at him in unabated shock. Never, ever in all her years on the battlefield and off it, had a stallion come to her defense like that. Trouble Shoes looked down at Skyward and offered her a hoof, bringing her to her hooves and he nudged her worriedly, supporting her with one forehoof as she stumbled a little.

"Ya okay, Skyward?"

Skyward bit back the sudden urge to cry--what the buck was wrong with her? Yet, she managed to nod at him with a shaky smile. "Aye, thanks to ye and thy swift action. Remind one to never anger thee."

He snorted softly at her in amusement as they both broke into a run--two down, four to go, and the Mane Six were far ahead of them. Fluttershy fell back, clearly meaning to come back for them, and Skyward shook her head.

"Go! The younglings art priority, Fluttershy! Keep flying!"

The yellow pegasus hesitated, but nodded and flew to keep up with the others. The group of ponies ran until they reached a big cul de sac created by two ginormous boulders that had been hollowed out over time by wind, rain, and a freak lightning strike about seventy years back or so. The remaining four Nettles, furious at losing two of their brothers, charged into the hollow after them and surrounded them, Silver Leaf Nettle and Prairie Nettle using bullwhips to herd them into place.

"Now we gotcha. Ya think yer all so clever, ain't cha?"

"You have no idea," Rainbow Dash snerked, jerking away from the bullwhip lash that snapped near her.

Stinging Nettle leered at the seven mares. "Yer all gonna make a nice addition to our fambly fer sure...seven bee-utiful mares, an' when those fillies grow up..."

"Ya ain't gon' get th' chance t' lay a hoof on any of 'em, Stingin' Nettle! Ya'll are under arrest!"

The group of outlaws found themselves surrounded by an entire mob of angry earth ponies, all of them holding pitchforks, axes, rolling pins, cast iron skillets, ropes tied into lariats and nooses, plus torches. And at their head wasn't just Sheriff Silverstar and his deputies but also a familiar white unicorn stallion with a sky blue/navy blue mane and tail, wearing violet and gold armor, and leading several guardsponies in golden and crystal armor.

"Though you'll be coming to the capital with us, Stinging Nettle. You and Flame Nettle both. In the name of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Princess Cadence, you are under arrest for multiple rape charges, assault and battery, acts of abuse and foalnapping of various mares and fillies. Sheriff, I realize they fall under your jurisdiction, however..."

"Take 'em wit' mah blessin, Captain. The others kin stay here an' pay fer their crimes. But those two..."

Sheriff Silverstar spat to the side, pure disgust in his eyes when he looked at Stinging Nettle, glaring at him as if he could incinerate him on the spot. "They gotta be removed, or Ah swear by Celestia's sun an’ Luna’s moon Ah'll end 'em both mahself."

Two unicorn guards moved in to clap irons on Stinging Nettle and Shining Armor looked around, a frown furrowing his brow. "Where's Flame Nettle and Poison Nettle?"

"Ah...likely thou shalt find Flame Nettle back in the canyon, Captain Armor. One forcibly introduced his muzzle to one's shield when he attempted assault." Skyward said with a devilish grin, and laughter erupted from the ponies around her.

“Wait wait wait…she did whut now?”

“Are ya serious?”

“Dang, and Ah missed that?”

“Shoooot! Why do we miss all the good stuff?”

"You should've seen her do it, it was awesome! One minute, Flame Nettle had her pinned and then--WHAM! Just like that and he was out cold!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed, and Skyward snorted up at her, one corner of her mouth twitching in amusement.

"Goddesses give me patience...Rainbow, I am not as heroic as thou make me out to be," she called up, and the rainbow maned pegasus waved a hoof at her.

"Yeah I know, you keep saying it. But that was so totally AWESOME how you just yanked out your shield and crammed it into his face like that!"

"Heh, Ah'd paid good Bits t' see her do that t' Flame Nettle," somepony in the crowd said, and laughter and comments went through the crowd, Skyward shaking her head in amusement.

"What about Poison Nettle?"

"The wretch got the drop on me...Trouble Shoes rushed in and bucked him clear off one...I suspect he is out limping in the prairie somewhere, or he too is out cold akin to his brother."

Four Canterlot pegasi guards flew off--about ten minutes later they came back with a still concussed Flame Nettle and a barely conscious Poison Nettle, and the laughter of the crowd increased at the sight. The sheriff and his deputies began securing the other four Nettles...Prairie Nettle tried to run but got smacked in the head with a well-executed shield toss, courtesy of Skyward.

Laughter echoed across the prairie upon seeing the unicorn expertly throw her shield at the fleeing Earth Pony criminal and nail him with a dead on shot to the head, then gave him a vicious kick in the ribs for good measure.

"That, wast for grasping me so harshly," she spat down at him. Prairie Nettle glared up at her and sprang to his hooves, ready to strike at her, but the glare turned into terror when she removed her sword from her mane and put it to his throat.

"Move, and ye shalt regret it."

"The buck kind of mare are ya?" Prairie Nettle gasped out as he was captured and led away by two more deputies.

"The kind that is 'way out of thy league', as my rainbow maned friend would so put it," Skyward sneered as she sheathed her sword, letting it hang against her side by means of the leather strap she had secured to herself under the dress she wore. She shook out her mane, using her magic to remove the pins and the bonnet, tucking them away and smiled in contentment.

"Have ta admit, I cain't decide iffen Ah lahke yer mane up or down."

Skyward started, her magic surrounding her sword as she turned around and flushed, seeing it was Trouble Shoes behind her. "Ah...thou startled me! One could put it up again, if thou wished..."

She shut her mouth and backed her ears; mentally she berated herself for acting like a foal. Sweet golden Goddesses, the buck was wrong with her? She NEVER wanted to do this for any stallion, why this one?

"Like Ah said--ya look lovely either way, Skyward."

"...Thank ye. Honestly though...most of the other mares here, one cannot hold a candle to..."

She went completely still when he put a hooftip to her mouth to shush her. "Ah've seen a lot o' th' mares 'round these parts, Skyward; an' none o' 'em are as purty as ya are. Never seen any of 'em so brave, neither."

"...well...mine sire was an earth pony, but...one took after my dam..."

"So what? Don' mean nothin' t' me. Unicorn or not, yer one special mare."

Damned if Rarity hadn't been spot on with that...Generosity was her element, but should it have been Honesty? Skyward glanced down and pawed the ground with one hoof before looking up again. Trouble Shoes had come to stand beside her this time, and he was smiling at her. His leaf green eyes sparkled, and she felt a real smile tugging at her muzzle.

"So...Ah really wanna know..."

"Hmm?"

"...didja really bash his muzzle in with yer shield?"

Skyward tried to keep an innocent face but the wicked grin playing about her muzzle gave it away, and Trouble Shoes guffawed heartily, pounding a hoof against the earth. "Too darn bad Ah missed it! Least Ah got t' see ya peg Prairie Nettle in th' back o' the head with that there thing! Now that was priceless!"

Skyward laughed openly. "Not mine fault he made such an easy target. And it wast not as if he did not ask for it anyway. He should hath known better than to run, the foal."

Trouble Shoes winked at her as he offered her a hoof, leading her away from the storefront they'd been talking by. "Ah'm surprised ya didn' yank out that sword of yers."

"I do not use mine blade if it does not merit as such. Besides, unless they truly meant to kill somepony only then would it mean me using it."

She stopped, a pensive look on her face, and her brow furrowed, a faraway look in her eyes. Trouble Shoes gently laid a foreleg across her withers and rested his head atop hers. He couldn't fathom the things she'd seen--he knew she was no stranger to fights, or to death, even--she had the look of a pony who had seen other ponies die, and in gruesome fights to boot, he'd bet his cutie mark on it. Unconsciously he nuzzled her, and she looked up at him, surprised. Biting her lower lip, she swallowed hard and leaned into his warm bulk, and he tucked her close, letting her lean on him.

"...What dost thou think shalt happen to them?"

She smelled so sweet: just like spring rain, he noted absently even as he spoke. "Th' Nettles?"

This close, he smelled like hickory wood...and something else she didn't want to think too closely about right now, but a warm, melty feeling began coalescing in between her hind legs. "Mm."

"Well...th' other four'll likely get hard labor, mebbe jailtime for a good while t' be sure. But Flame and Stingin'? Those two are likely goin' right to Canterlot fer life; Ah know Ah wouldn' want t' be in their horseshoes facin' both Princesses at their trial."

"I can think of one other place t'would be fitting for them," Skyward growled, stamping a hoof, then sucked in a breath when she felt Trouble Shoes brush her right ear with his lips when he spoke.

"Calm down, sugarcube. They're bein' brought t' justice now."

She nodded--her mane brushed his chin and throat when she moved, and since she wasn't looking at him she missed the flicker in his eyes and how he stood closer to her as a result.

"Aye, thou are right. Ah...mind if I ask thou something? You do not need to reply, mind."

A deep chuckle resonated against her left ear--the rich cadence of his country drawl sent waves of warmth through her body, yet she stamped down hard on the primal urge that stirred within her.

"Speak yer mind, Skyward."

"...Why dost thou call me 'sugarcube'?"

His laugh was warm and full, and she looked up at him, puzzled, the familiar 'needles in her chest' feeling welling up even though she hid her hurt at his laughter.

"Because, yer sweet, gentle, playful an' kind, an ya care so much 'bout other ponies' safety. Sure, Applejack calls ya that cause she sees ya as kin, most likely, but Ah call ya that because Ah think yer a right sweet mare that deserves t' know how much ya mean to other ponies. Especially me."

Needless to say, Skyward was stunned at his response, the sorrow and hurt at his laughter fading away. Both Applejack and Rarity had been right. He honest to Goddesses cared about her. Cheeks tinging red under her fur, she hastily gave him a clumsy, swift kiss to his muzzle and ducked her head as her face burned.

"...Ye truly art too kind to me," she murmured, but there was no fight in her words. She heard him chuckle before he gathered her close against his side and tipped her muzzle up with one hoof, gentle as could be, and he was smiling at her.

"Ya deserve it...sugarcube."

Skyward smiled and was about to respond when a sharp explosion echoed through the air and they jerked apart. Skyward lunged ahead, Trouble Shoes right behind her, and when they got to the train station...

The prison car was in ruins, smoke and flames rising from the interior, a screaming Flame Nettle rolling around to put out the fire on his mane and back. The guardsponies were trying to put out the flames, three of them dousing Flame Nettle with buckets of water…

“APPLEJACK! HELP! HELP MEEEEEE!”

The orange farmpony’s green eyes shrunk to pinpricks of fear when she spotted what was going on further away from the destroyed train care—the bastard had her little sister! Stinging Nettle was free; he’d gotten loose during the commotion and now he was running hay for leather away from the train station, and tied over his back, secured tight in a torn gunny sack with her head sticking out was little Apple Bloom, trying to wriggle free and crying out in pain and fear when the stallion cuffed her for moving.

Skyward’s breath came short in her lungs as the world seemed to close down around her. Hearing Apple Bloom crying in sheer terror, screaming for her big sister...

And hearing the filly's terrified cries, something snapped inside of her.

Skyward let out a roar of pure fury and reared on her hind legs, unsheathing her sword and raising it high with a Haylian war cry. She charged forward, easily outstripping the running stallion deputies that were trying to catch Stinging Nettle. Apple Bloom peeked out of the gunny sack and saw Skyward, running hay for leather after Stinging Nettle, sword and shield out and she looked downright furious. Skyward streaked forward, vengeance in her eyes; above her black storm clouds suddenly began forming, surging through the skies, thunder snarling overhead as a huge storm began to brew out of nowhere. Lightning suddenly cracked across the sky in a magnificent show of power and fury, as if Faust herself was showing her own displeasure at the sight.

Mane and tail flying like Haylian battle banners, Skyward surged forward, hooves savagely pounding the ground as she rushed like a vengeful wind right after the fleeing Earth Pony in the distance. Unconcealed wrath gushed through her like a fountain—that, and something else she couldn’t figure out. Whatever it was, it was giving her the strength to keep going at the punishing pace she was currently keeping. Under her dress, something flickered, glowing under the barding drape. Gauging the distance, she poured on the speed, concentrating hard as she formed spell runes in her mind…

And with a silent flash, she was gone.

Stinging Nettle smirked as he looked behind him...no sight of that damn mare anywhere. With a satisfied smirk, he turned to look in front of him...

And stars exploded in front of his eyes when something blue and indigo and seething with righteous fury rammed into him with the force of a large boulder rolling downhill. Apple Bloom went flying into the grasses somewhere with a frightened cry and a pained, choked sob when she hit the ground and rolled off somewhere into the grasses proper…but well out of the battle lines. Stinging Nettle bounced against the ground a few times before he lay there on the prairie, stunned...what the hay had hit him?

"Get up, thou vile excuse for a stallion. Rise and face thy fate."

It was that mare. That...that bucking unicorn mare. He slowly managed to get up, anger boiling inside of him as he faced her fully, pawing the ground. He was sore and he knew her impact had cracked something, but he wasn't about to go down without a fight. Lightning flashed overhead, revealing her for a split second and her blade glinted dangerously in the flare of light. The wind picked up a little, making her mane and tail wave in the breeze as she planted her hooves, narrowing her eyes and waiting...

She didn't have long to wait--he charged for her and aimed a buck at her head. She jumped back and circled, aiming a slash at his kneecaps. Back and forth they went, trading blows, biting, kicking, headbutting and stomping--Skyward had her shield and her sword, so she managed to get in a few good swipes and strikes with her blade and block some of his blows with her shield. But he being an earth pony he was strong, and when he did get a blow in, it did hurt, but she tried not to show it. The silk of her dress was ripped and torn, showing signs of dirt staining the hem of the barding drape, but Skyward paid it no heed. She was livid, and justice would be served. Like the Diamond Dogs, this bucking plothead of a pony had gone too Goddesses-damned far.

"Ya bucking good fer nuthin' unicorn. Ya ruined mah family, ya hurt two o' my brothers..."

Skyward scoffed at him. "Hah! Ye speak of kin, yet thou turn a blind eye to the hurt the lot of thy clan caused to other families! Hypocrite is thy watchword!"

She ducked a kick and sliced his right flank open, making him whinny in pain, and he danced away from her, kicking dust at her to make her back off. She brought up her shield from the stinging dust and grunted, feeling a driving impact and a 'clang' at the hooves striking her shield, which pushed her back further. She in turn pushed back, trying to throw him off balance.

"Ya got gall callin' me that...we wanted a family but damned if we were gonna shackle ourselves to a bunch o' gossipin' nags t' do so! Mares ain't s'pposed t' talk back, or have an 'pinion--they're jest there t' provide food, pleasure an' listen t' what th' stallion says!"

Skyward sneered openly. "Pity real life dost not work that way, thou chauvinistic pig. No mare would have thee, simply because thou would never treat them as thine equal. What thou did, ye and thine kin, was wrong in every sense. Ye hurt innocent ponies, ye took foals from their beds---mere foals, from their rightful families! Hath thou no heart, no soul to feel the unfathomable pain those bereft mares and stallions feel? Obviously not, since ye are unrepentant of thy crimes!"

Lightning cracked over head as she roared her last sentence, and it made Stinging Nettle flinch despite himself. The mare's horn burned silver and even though she was wearing a dress, which was now torn and ripped, she was still dangerous. And right now, she looked downright terrifying—those blue eyes burned with a savage light in them that made his blood freeze in his veins with fear. The storm clouds above them roiled menacingly, sparking with another surge of lightning ready to let loose at any second…

"I wilt NOT let thou harm anymore innocents, Stinging Nettle! Tonight thine cruelty shalt be put to an end!"

"Th' only end ye're gonna see is my hooves beatin' yer face in, ya buckin’ bothersome nag!"

Skyward's eyes flared and her horn blazed silver as she held her sword at the ready. She reared and charged him just as he yanked a knife from his vest and lunged right at her. The thunder of hooves was enhanced by the roar of thunder overhead...they closed the distance as the black sky churned above them menacingly...

Some would later call it a freak accident, random chance, or maybe Discord farted, who knew? Either way, it was certainly a sight none would ever forget anytime soon. A huge bolt of blue lightning split the sky and arced downward just as she drove her sword home/he lashed out with the knife in his mouth...and it slammed into the ground at their location just as they made contact with one another.

The group of pursuing ponies stopped short, almost colliding with one another, all of them slack jawed at the sight. There was movement in the smoke that was rising off the prairie where the bolt had struck...it was primarily white in hue, and everypony tensed…

But it was Skyward who emerged from the white smoke...she looked utterly exhausted, and she had a lot of cuts and bruises from the battle with Stinging Nettle. Her dress was in shreds, her makeup was gone, her mane and tail were sweat and blood soaked and so was her body. Her mane and tail were also disheveled, and the war braids in her mane had come loose. She was carrying Apple Bloom on her back...the filly looked relieved, if not more than a little teary eyed.

Of Stinging Nettle, there was little more than a charred corpse with Skyward's sword sticking out of his chest, still crackling with azure electricity. Applejack rushed ahead of the others, tearfully gathering Apple Bloom close and sobbing into her sister's mane. The Mane Six clustered around their friend and her little sister, relieved smiles touching everypony's muzzle...but then Skyward's legs buckled when she tried to take a step further; and she collapsed to the ground, cries of alarm echoing in her ears as she blacked out.