Chapter 2

Applejack swam quickly, the dull red glow was fading fast, almost blinding her in darkness. She managed to get out of the cave and when she looked up she saw the surface. She began to swim up but her tail was grabbed. She turned, growling as the former councilor held onto her tail, a red and black gleam in her eye. She kicked out and felt her tail come free. She began to swim quickly again and soon she burst the surface of the lake.

She gasped then looked around and found she was in the center of the lake. She looked around again then spotted the shore. Crying out in triumph, she began to swim towards it but felt a tug on her leg. "You will not be leaving! You will stay forever!" Applejack kicked out and swam faster towards the shore after she was released. A screech erupted from behind her and she turned, gasping in shock and fear.

The former councilor towered over her. She floated frozen in fear until she heard, "Don't just float their stupid! Fight the beast!" She turned and found Trixie on the shore, her horn glowing. Applejack managed to get out of the water then turned and growled.

"Let's get this done!" Snarled Trixie as she shot a blast of energy from her horn at the monster's face. The Siren beast batted the blast away like a fly and shot it's clawed hand forward. Applejack jumped to the side then onto it's hand and rushed up it's arm towards it's head. The beast tried to pull back but Trixie was holding it still with her magic.

Applejack craned her head back and gripped her battleaxe between her teeth. Her hammer had been lost on the road, and pulled it off her back. She slashed out towards the beast's head and was satisfied when a splash of warm liquid exploded, bathing the side of her own head. She slashed out again and moved back to escape the monster's other claw.

Two thin disks flew past her then spun back and chopped off the beasts spiny stubs. She looked down to see Vinyl glaring at the beast, her red eyes flashing. Applejack dodged another claw slash and slid down the beast's long arm, jumping off at the last second, landing on the ground in a gallop.

She rushed to Vinyl's side and they looked to see Trixie had been knocked back and was unconscious. Applejack rushed forward and cut the Siren's arm since it had grabbed Trixie. Trixie fell but landed roughly on Applejack's back and she bounded away. "Hold that thing off and Ah'll take Trixie to the house!"

"It can't exit the water! Let's both run!" Vinyl yelled. Applejack nodded and they turned running. The beast screeched and suddenly the ground shuddered causing them to look back. They gaped as the beast dragged itself onto the land and snarling at them. "OH BUCK!" Vinyl squealed as they both charged up a hill and crashed into the tiny hut, dropping Trixie on the ground. The room burst to life and everyone pulled out their weapons, rushing outside.

The beast was now at the base of the hill the hut rested on and screeching loudly. Shield Maiden frowned then tossed her shield at the beast, the spikes popping out as it flew towards it. It crashed into the beast's chest and spun, cutting it open violently, blood showering from the wound. She reared back and the shield flew back towards her. The spikes popped back into the shield as she caught it in her mouth.

The beast snarled, blood coming from its mouth and chest like a waterfall. Shield roared, "Destroy the beast!" Causing Braeburn, Vinyl, Applejack, and Spitfire to rush down the hill, beginning to slash at the beast. Shield stayed at the top of the hill launching her shield over and over while Applejack slashed at the beast violently.

Vinyl and Braeburn double teamed the monster's chest wound while Spitfire launched her spear into the beast's eye. The monster flailed around but froze when Applejack launched her axe into it chest. The beast shuddered, it's eyes glazed, then began to fall forward. They scrambled out of the way and it hit the ground with a thud. "Is it dead?"

"Ah destroyed the heart."

"But that...actually yeah...its dead." Spitfire stuttered out. Vinyl grimaced and shook herself.

"I don't know whether to be annoyed or concerned that the blood on my coat doesn't make me cringe." Applejack shook her head then body, grimacing.

"Ah'll go with annoyed." She grumbled before looking up at the top of the hill, finding Shield was running towards them.

"Guys we need to get a move on! Trixie is waking up!"

"Why do we need her?" Vinyl asked. Shield rolled her eyes then turned to the house and took off. They followed her after grabbing their weapons and found Trixie was holding a sea shell crown.

"What is that?" Shield whispered.

"The treasure of the Sea Ponies." They stared at her then Vinyl growled.

"You idiot! Sea Ponies are a myth! Plus if they were real then you put us in danger for nothing!"

"I-It's not my fault! Their queen gave it to me!"

"Bullshit!"

"Shut up!" They looked to Shield as she walked over and glared at Trixie. "What did the leader say?"

"She wants me to journey to Princess Celestia and present her the crown." Vinyl looked ready to hit Trixie but Applejack moved forward.

"So were headin' back to Ponyville?"

"I believe so."

Soon Applejack, Vinyl, Shield, Spitfire, Braeburn, and Trixie were walking on a rune path. Applejack looked up and sighed softly. It had been six months since she had last seen everyone. She hoped Ponyville had been able to rebuild. When they left Shield had created a set of runes around the town and a path from Ponyville to the farm so the town was okay as was the farm.

Applejack made a small face then looked to the others. Gone was the party ponies fun loving disposition, now a cold exterior. She didn't wear sunglasses anymore, her electric blue mane was now a deeper shade of blue and a scar ran across the bridge of her muzzle. Braeburn had no scars on his upper body or face but his left flank had a jagged scar running up the side. He still smiled but his stetson hat was gone and his mane was pulled into a low ponytail.  

Spitfire had a scar on her side from recklessness and one on her neck from a fight she caused between the both of them. She held herself with a bit more pride but not to the point of having her head in the clouds. Shield had changed from regal to more or less a humble pony.

She had no scars but her horn was a different color from a virus that they had barely been able to cure. She could do magic but sometimes she had to release bursts of extra magic to keep from overloading. Trixie looked the same as ever and she yelled once again for a break.

Vinyl looked ready to kill her but Shield nodded to Trixie and they paused at a lake. Applejack walked over to the lake, smiling lightly when she got a good look at herself. She had a scar at the bottom of her eye that was jagged like a thunder bolt from getting attacked by a crazy pony.

Her mane was just a bit past her shoulders and her tail was shorter because of the same accident. She shook her head then took a drink of water before trotting over to the group and settling down. The sun was high in the sky and she looked around. They had traveled all around Equestria and had found nothing. So far this was their real first break! She yawned then took a bite from an apple she had stashed away while the others talked.

As soon as Applejack and the group set off, Vinyl whined. "How far to Ponyville?"

"An hour!" Vinyl pouted but nodded and they continued on in semi-silence. Soon they found themselves on the edge of the Everfree Forest. The walked trough the forest and Applejack grinned when she saw Sweet Apple Acres and looked at them.

"Let's go!"