Fighting For Her: Chapter VII

-Aj-

We teleported into Twilight's house. She flashed a few spells from her horn so no one could listen in on us, "Whoever this force is, is trying to divide us. Even way back when to the Blast, they were working," she crosses her arms and looks to Aj with the most serious face, "That day. What happened?"

Aj closed her eyes and looks away angrily, "I can't say," she says through gritted teeth. She wants to, but what ever it is, she really can't say.

"You have to, Applejack!" Twilight balled up her hands to pump get fists in the air, "Someone has been keeping watch over us all these years. But it chooses now to make it's first move. You have to tell us who was responsible for the blast? Why do you only remember?"

"What would it take for you to let it go?" Aj growled, "I know that Honesty shouldn't keep secrets. However, I can't say this one. It's very hard to explain without telling you."

"God Damnit, Aj! Equestria could be at stake. Equestria's balance could rest on what you know and you won't even tell us who told you to keep the secret."

"It Was You Guys!" Aj blurted out. It surprised all of us. Even me. I didn't even know that, "All five of you chose me to remember because you knew I would tell the truth at the right moment. This wasn't in the agreement," she gripped her head, "Besides, whoever is pulling the strings hasn't met us yet, have they?"

"Silver Apple," Twilight sighed. She knew that Aj was speaking truth, "Is she safe, at least?"

"Perfectly," Aj gave a smug smile, "The magic you let me use was put to good use."

"Magic?" Twilight looked at her confused. Aj's smile grew a little bigger, "Aj, what's behind that smile."

"All of you," Aj looks around, "We need to head to Apple Acres."

-Dash-

We stood in the backyard of the Apple House. We looked out at the apple orchard that was being cleared of all apples. Apple members were sidekicking trees to knock the apples of their branches into baskets below. Aj stood there for a moment to absorb the sight before us.

Apples. The strongest of the Earthers. Their very DNA was changed over time to be very strong. So to be surrounded by so much raw power was both exhilerating and scary. If Apples wanted to, they could take the town. All one hundred and forty-seven of them.

Twilight has run DNA tests on them and has found nothing. There aren't any genetic markers to be found to explain the Apples. What's even more confusing, is the fact that every generation descended, is stronger than the last.

So that would make Aj one of the strongest in all of Equestria. It made me look back at her. She had an evil toothy grin. The thing she wanted to show us must be good for her to have that face on her. That's when she decided to speak.

"APPLES!" she booms with a strong voice. It caused me to flinch. The echo traveled through the hills of the trees. Apples started filing out into the empty lanes in between the lines of trees. The ones too far away to hear were brought to attention by those closer to us. After a couple minutes, all the Apples now looked up at us, "CLEAR ACRE! ONE HOUR!" she commanded in a loud strong voice.

Since the ripping of get family, she's taken over things on Apple Acres. Each Apple Clan flocked from all over after what happened. Most left to go back to run the satellite Apple Farms. The ones that stayed, couldn't bare to leave.

"Acre clear! One hour!" the Apples repeated to each other as they moved quick. They finished their trees before loading the baskets into wagons scattered across the fields. When the wagons were loaded, an Apple each pulled their wagon into the Barn. When that was finished, they all started walking up towards the house.

"Come," Aj takes a hand of Twilight's and Pinkie's into hers and pulled them along, "Come!" she giggled like a little girl as she soon let them go once we all started to jog behind her. An jogged all the way to the outskirts of the Apple Acres.

The train tracks were crossed over the river that ran through on the other side of the fence. We were almost a mile from the Main House. All that could be seen was clearing beyond the shrubs growing near the fence.

Aj moved to the fence corner and leaned over to whisper something. After she whispered, my hip started to tingle. It was a very familiar tingle. I look down and lifts my shirt to push the corner of my pants down a little. My Cutie Mark was glowing.

The girls, aside from Aj, did the same to look at their glowing Cutie Marks, "Follow my lead and say your full name," Aj said before raising s hand to the corner post, "Applejack: Honesty."

"Twilight Sparkle: Friendship," Twilight raised a hand to the post.

"Rainbow Dash: Loyalty," I close my eyes as I raise my hand.

"Rarity: Generosity."

"Fluttershy: Kindness."

"Pinkie Pie: Laughter."

The corner peg got instantly sucked into the ground. Right when it did, the Earth rumbled under our feet for a few seconds before stopping. A square in the grass matching the corner phased out and revealed stairs leading down.

"This way girls," Aj steps aside and extends a hand to the stairs. All of us were reluctant to go. She rolled her eyes and groaned, "Should I go first?" she places a hand on her chest, "I'll go first," she gives a smug smile before heading down the stairs.

We reluctantly followed her. The stairs went straight down to a white marble floor. The walls of the staircase were black with twinkling stars. I see Aj hit the bottom and then look up at us as we finished the last stretch of stairs. Aj moved into the room on the right. The room on the right had pulsating glows coming from it. It made me even more curious.

As we filed in, we all stopped and froze at the sight before us. The room was white and a single light in the middle of the ceiling lit the entire room. Large, almost hologram like, versions of our Cutie Marks hung from an all white tree. The tree looked old and ancient.

"Uh, Aj, what's up with these?" Rarity pointed at the tree.

"These are the Elements of Harmony."

"What?!" we all said in unison, "What about the Elements of Harmony in the forest?" Twilight continued.

"I'll tell you a little secret," Aj's evil grim came back, "They're fakes meant to look and act like the real things."

"What happened that day, Aj?" Twilight turnre serious again, "You have to tell us."

"I know I do. It's why I'm showing you guys this," Aj kept smiling, then turned sad at the thought, "The story is very sad and it will take me some time to tell."

"Well..." Twilight grew concerned for her friend.

Aj closed her eyes to breath in and out slowly. When she opened her eyes, she looked at us, about to speak.