-Dash-

I was supposed to be focusing on training the new cadets today. But my mind was elsewhere. Elsewhere on planet Aj. She was so far away now. So far from me bring able to just see her. My heart ached for her. A tear rolled down my face. I cover my face with my hands to let out a muffled groan. As I do, I fall back onto the cloud I sat on.

I heard the familiar sound of wing flaps coming from below, "Shit," I whisper to myself and sits back up. I wipe a few tears I had from my face to see three cadets flying up to me, "What is it?" I ask when they got up close to me.

"You okay, Commander?" Lily Frog asked. His green hait rusted in the wind.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I really wasn't, "Just overwhelmed is all."

"The awesome Rainbow Dash isn't feeling so awesome?" he raised a brow, "Is it Applejack?" I look at him with focused eyes, "Your mom can't keep a secret."

I groan and rolls my eyes, "Oh come on, mom!"

I then stand on the cloud, "We'll stop practice early today," I said with anger. Not at him, but at my mom. He didn't take it that way. He frowned, thinking that it was him. Now fear crossed his face because he thinks he's going to be out of the program. I wanted to blow off a little steam to be mean, "Since you clearly have no boundaries for your superiors, especially to one that is me. You're doing boot duty for the next month."

"The month would end two weeks after he graduates from the academy. Which meant that he would be a Wonderbolt. He smiled big at this realization, "Yes ma'am. Sorry for stepping over the line. It won't happen again. I'll go tell the others that practice is over."

"You go do that," I smile back at him. He salutes me before folding in his wings quickly. I watch him fall to the ground. When he got halfway down to it, he started to spin. Just meters from the ground, he juts his wings out to bring his descent to a grinding slow. It was impressive. He thought so too, because he looked up at me for confirmation. I give him a thumbs up. His smile grew bigger as his entire class of seven started to softly land around him.

Because of who I am. The competitor in me had a surge of energy. I felt my adrenaline starting to be pumped hard through my body. The power that granted me super speed started to set in. He may have a cool landing, but my take off will be the best he'll ever see.

I take a step forward and leans on my right leg. I was waiting until my charge was getting to much for me to contain. Within the blink of an eye, I blasted hard into the sky. A loud thunderclap followed behind me. My wings flapped like Hum Tooners (Humming Birds). I look back to see a rainbow sonic blast growing and pushing clouds out of its way.

-Gran It-

We made it back to headquarters. It was just a large room of science nerds that keep an eye on the planet. Their main focus was the EMT blast in Equestria. A few of them made note that the ambient energy in Canterlot is being drained. At the same time, there's a nice Spike of energy. So something is draining the energy there, I just don't know what yet.

"Here," one scientist came up to me and handed me a phone, "Shining is on the phone."

I take the phone and places it to my ear, "We're getting weird reports over there. What's going on? Where's Princess Celestia?"

"Princess Celestia's missing?" Was his first question, "I thought she went off with you. I know she left before Aj went nuts."

Aj was a new person to me still. I've heard Celestia mention that name before a few times, "Remind me again who she is."

"She's a Councilwoman of Princess Celestia's. She claims she's the actual rightful heir to the throne. She's the Element of Honesty, so it's a good chance she's telling the truth. There only thing she's done was kill death and banish Luna," he pauses, "And sent a spy through a wall. He'll live."

"So she must be the cause of Celestia's disappearance somehow. Has their been a blast of some kind? One followed by blackouts by chance?"

"Now that you mention it. Within the last hour or so, we've been getting reports of blackouts and machines going haywire," he explains, "It must have been Aj."

Thinking of the Mother of Apples made me even more curious about this woman, "Is there anything else I should know about her?"

"Ya know," I heard a smile on her voice, "I can tell when someone's a threat. Aj isn't. Which is why I can't follow Princess Cadence's command of arresting Aj. Aj is trying to set a right, I believe. She hasn't killed anyone, nor is she repeatedly doing such. All she's doing is waiting in the infirmary."

"Waiting for what?"

"For the spy to wake up."

The next question I asked, I didn't think there answer would be the answer to everything, "What does "Aj' stand for?"

"Aj stands for Applejack."

I gasp and covers my mouth, "Wh-what was the name again?"

"Applejack," he was now confused.

"We had faced these plasma elemental being things a few times before. Today one mentioned something about finding the Mother of Apples. I think you Applejack is a target. She may not be a threat, but they are. They may come to Equestria next."

"Why don't you come to Canterlot. Come meet Aj. I think that she might listen to you," the way he said it, he knows something I don't, "She lost a few close members of her family. One very recently," his voice grew sad, "Besides, you know more about those plasma things than I do. So you could tell her what you know about them."

"With tech being down over there, we need to get to Celestia first. I think she's in the Shuttle and the Shuttle is such in transit. With no at to use magic in that tunnel, we're going to need something very strong to push the Shuttle to the closest port."

He knew who to choose, "Aj and her family are almost giants. Woman at around six and a half feet tall. Men, over seven foot. I think I can snag a few of them to help. They're the strongest breed of people here."

"Then let's get it done. I'm having an Uniun teleport me to your front gates in a few moments. Should give you enough time to tell the right people I'm coming. My team will also be coming with me."

"No," he says quickly, "Come by yourself. Too much fuss and you may make things worse. Aj isn't a threat, but if she feels threatened, then she may fight. You don't want her to do that."

"Fine," I say bitterly, "I just hope that she doesn't snap me in half."

"Will you provoke her?"

"Why would I?"

"I'm glad you won't. Just get over here," he hangs up the phone.

-Aj-

At this point in my waiting, I had lied down on the cot across from the spy to watch TV. The small television was hanging from against a corner in the ceiling. I was going through channels until I came across the news channel. The picture and the text at the bottom caught my attention.

Two glowing liquid aliens had beeb captured in camera. One was yellow and the other was blue. The text at the bottom read, "Fourth Attack By Same Unknown Beings: Said To Be Looking For The Mother Of Apples".

I sat up and my heart clenched, "Mother Of Apples", now rested heavily on my brain. They're looking for me and they've attacked. The voiceover started to speak, "I don't know who this 'Mother of Apples' is, but whoever she is, she must be behind these horrific attacks," differing images of a few unknown cities started to fade in and out across the screen, "Just tell us what you want," he speaks to me, "Innocent children, mothers, husbands, have been lost because of you. Your goonies need to find you quickly and leave us forever-!"

I turn off the tv and sits in silence. Trying to figure out what really is going on. After a few moments, I swing my legs over to place my bare feet on the cold tile floor. I stand and looks at the spy. I lean over to brush the side of his face gently with the back of my hand, "I am not angry with you, yet you took an undeserved punishment. For that, I am sorry. When you wake, you will answer my questions before I try to restore my honour with you."

With that, I stand to go find Fluttershy. I just needed to figure out what's going on.

I scour the castle looking for Fluttershy. I couldn't find her and none of the staff knew where she was. The few that had the courage to talk to me anyways. So I found myself standing at a four way intersection of the hallways. I couldn't find my girlfriend and that was scaring me.

I stood in the hall looking around at all four directions. Trying to figure out how to proceed from here. Panic set in. It feels like Big Mac all over again. I mess up and they leave before I could fix it. This is why I didn't want powers. I messed up as a mortal. The ideas made me sad and I started to cry, "I'm not a bad person. I'm not a bad person," I told myself as I now just spun in a circle. I still couldn't decide which way to go.

So I just choose one. I almost ran into a wall because I grew dizzy. I stumbled a little until I got my bearings. I kept crying and telling myself, "I'm not a bad person," it's all I could think about. I really aren't a bad person. I didn't ask for any of this, but fate decided it to be as such. I wanted my old life back. I wanted my family back. But they won't come back.

The feeling of loneliness started to set in. When it did, it made me feel worse. Fate is putting me through all of this for no reason it seems. Being isolated. Treated like a criminal.

All these negative thoughts caused me to stop. My heartbeat and breath was quicker than ever. I couldn't take all this pressure anymore. I'm called to do something, but I'm made an enemy if the country now. I press my back against the wall and slides down spelt to sit. I hug my knees to cry in them, "Help," I cry out, knowing that no one is listening.

What I didn't know, was that help was coming.

-Shy-

I watched out over the stone walls in horror. A mob of people had started to form at the gates of the tower. These people know something I didn't. Something no one here knows. Guards lined the stone wall with me to look down at the people. They called out demands of the Mother of Apples. They called for Applejack.

I knew they were angry at the power outages, but this is someone new. It's impossible really. Aj had been in the infirmary this entire time. She never left. She is dead set on waiting for the spy.

"Uh, L-la-lady Flutter-flu-fluttershy," a hesitant voice beckoned for my attention. I turn around to look down at a floating Pixie. He was part of the royal guard. I could tell by his uniform, "I have some news for you."

"What is it?"

"Lady Applejack isn't in the infirmary anymore. Something spooked her on the television and she left. She was last scene wandering the halls. They say she looked really dazed,' he explains.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" my heart sinks.

"There is an eye on her, just not up close. Lady Applejack keeps talking about her not being a bad person. We need you to come check on her. It may have to do with the angry mob downstairs. She's near the South Wall, sitting in a hallway."

"Take me to her," I say.

"Follow me!" he flies in the direction he came. I followed.

The Pixie lead me back into the castle. The long hallways wrapped around the castle. In the distance I heard crying. At the end of the hallway, I see Aj sitting against a wall with get face buried in her knees. My heart wrenched at the sight. Her cry came from stress and confusion, "Clear the area," I say softly to the Pixie.

"Yes ma'am," here dips his chin before flying off.

I look back at Aj and starts to quietly walk over to her, "Aj, honey?" she didn't respond, "Baby?" she's lifts her head and looks at me. The hair that had fallen in front of her face his it from her tears on her cheeks. But I saw them in her eyes. The big green eyes that shown through the hair were dripping tears.

I slow my walk to a stop when I was a few feet away from Aj. I raise my hands slightly to show that it's okay as I kneeled. I take my time getting to my knees. I could tell that Aj was a little shaky. I didn't want to make any sudden movements, "There's been attacks," she says with a broken voice, "All across the world. The attackers are looking for me. The world is starting to blame me for the attacks," I inhale sharply at the connection. The people are related to the places somehow that she's referring to, "I'm not a bad person," she buried her face back into her knees.

"No," I scoot closer, "You're not. You just are having bad luck."

"YOU!" We hear shouted at the end of the hallway. I look passed Aj to see Celestia. Her hair and makeup was a mess. She was sweating bullets and breathing hard. It looked like she had been somewhere hot. Three Apples, Shining, and some random guy came skidding to a stop behind Celestia. When I looked back at Aj, she's had already begun to stand, "Banishing my sister, hurting Star, trapping me in that tube. Shining! Arrest Her!"

"I seek justice, Celestia," Aj says in a low voice. Celestia couldn't have heard it from all the way down the hall, "I'm so sorry, Celestia," Aj got into a fighting stance, "Shy," she calls to me without looking back, "Whatever happens, know that I am righting a wrong. Celestia will pay for her crimes. She will be the only person that I will break."

Celestia's horn started to glow before a pink blast of energy was shot out. Aj took a step forward to cover her face with her arms. The blast hit Aj's arms and exploded outward into multiple small strings of energy. In the blink of an eye, the moment I look away to protect myself from the blast of light, one beam I saw exciting my chest before it faded.

I didn't even fully realize what had happened. I felt a sharp pain where there beam left. By body went rigid and falls to the side, "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I hear Aj roar. My vision becomes spotty and I become lite-headed. The pain in my chest had me clutch it tight with both hands.

I watched Aj send a similar blast back at Celestia. The blast was almost like lightning, as it shot itself at the Princess. Celestia barely dodged it. She moved out of the way only to be caught by Aj. Aj moved fast and caught Celestia by the throat. Aj slams Celestia into the ground, "You will pay for your father's crimes and the crimes of yourself, for keeping secrets like the ones you have kept. Now you will pay for hurting Fluttershy," the last thing I saw before passing out was Aj grabbing Celestia's horn. Aj grabbed the opposite side of Celestia's head. Celestia screamed in pain before Aj broke the horn in half. Pink magic burst out of the base of the horn and dissapated.

Celestia kept making gurgle screames as she held her head and thrashed on the floor. I couldn't hold on any longer. The darkness was too strong for me to fend off anymore. As I closed my eyes, I felt someone grabbing me and a voice saying, "Shy? Shy!" the voice kept calling me as it and I faded out.

-Dash-

Ponyville seemed quiet. Too quiet. I flew overhead looking down at the town. A few houses looked like they had been ransacked. I couldn't even find a single soul to answer the questions starting to form in my head. When I grew closer to Twilight's home, I saw it too had been ransacked. The door was hanging by a hinge and a few windows were knocked out.

I flew faster to land in front of her house. I go inside and sees all of her books on the floor. Furniture had been tossed around. The destruction was more of someone doing it for fun instead of looking for something, "Twilight?" I call out and moves deeper into her house, "Twilight!" No response.

I move to her room that had been untouched because the tv was left on. The news was on talking about someone. I kept looking around the room trying to find clues, "...Apples is, I'm sure that she will face justice," I stopped ijnmy tracks to see an elderly man with silver and gold hair on the screen, "Many believe that this Applejack is who is behind this. Councilwoman of Princess Celestia, multiple world saver, and the Element of Honesty," I sat on Twilight's bed. Stunned at the fact that Aj made it to tv. Sadly not in a good light, "With all of that, she is now involved in over fourty counts of murder. My news cohorts in Canterlot report that people are flocking to Canterlot for justice. I do hope that the people get it. How q good person had everyone fooled. Especially the Element of Honesty. Tricking us into-!" someone said something in his earbud because he stopped and changed subjects, "This just in. A blast came from within Canterlot castle that bright down the North and South towers. People are starting to evacuate the city. Images now from our eye in the sky, Sky High. Sky?"

A pink skinned man with orange hair straightened his jacket. He flew over head the castle with a camera man pointing at him. His wings flapped almost clumsily compared to me, "Thank you Flame. As you can see, the castle is half destroyed," the camera man pointed the camera down. Upon closer inspection, it looked like some kind of entry blast sawed the building in half.

The survivors made way out towards the still open East end West entrances. Guards were directing people safely out. I slowly stand from the bed. Transfixed heavily on the screen, I knew I had to get to Canterlot, I just had to keep watching.

I even see a flash of purple on the screen. It was Twilight. She just flew onto the scene and landed next to a small group of guards, "As you can see, Ponyville's own, Princess Twilight has just made it to Canterlot. Hopefully she can shed some light on the subject," Sky said and started to slowly descend down towards the city.

He and the Camera-person land a few meters behind Twilight. Twilight was yelling at the guards. I caught the word Applejack. That got me ready to leave now. I knew I had to go there and help.

-Twilight-

"As an order from a Princess," I growl at the guard, "Move out of my way."

The five guards that stood before New, had fear plastered on their faces, "We told you, is dangerous in there. Aj has lost her mind."

I sigh and uses my magic to push them aside, "I need to go save my friends. With or without you," I knew it was too dangerous to just teleport in there at least. So I ran inside. Something big happened to cause the doors to be leaning against the castle, off their hinges. It sent a prickle of sadness through my heart.

It was too easy. I stop when I ran halfway down the hall. There was Aj. She was walking with Celestia unconscious, slung over a shoulder. Fluttershy was on her other shoulder. Aj looked down with sadness and tears in her eyes. The weight of her sadness looked heavier than the two women she carried.

When she saw me, she stopped. Her breath caught, and was about to start crying, "Celestia is trying to hide something about me that the people need to know. Those Plasmas aren't mine. The beasts rampaging and destroying towns. They are not with me," she states all of this with such a sad voice, "We fought. Shy," Aj leans her head right to lean it against the body of Shy, "got caught in the cross fire. She's okay, just unconscious. Like Celestia is now for different reasons," she keeps walking until she is outside.

Guards look at her and move into position to attack. Aj only stops to gently lay down the bodies of the women before moving into an attack stance as well, "I don't think telling you I'm innocent is what you want to hear. And I'm not going down as a criminal either. All I need is time for Celestia to wake back up and tell you. You either wait, or I make you."

Aj was so serious. She was willing to fight royal guards for her cause. She has to be telling the truth, "You banished one Princess and now you've harmed the other. You're in want of the throne."

"Of course I am," Aj says arrogantly, "It's my rightful title."

"And Celestia would confirm this?" the same guard asks.

"If she doesn't, she's lying and I'll remove her tongue next," he looked at her with an angry stare. She pulls a broken Uniun horn out of her pocket with a sick smikey. I look to Celestia to see that her horn was indeed missing. The horror of what Aj as done, "All of her power now trapped inside this. A wand of power. She either admits that my family is the rightful ruling family, or I swear, I will take what my family had been robbed of back. You don't need magic to rule the Earth. Manipulating the environment for one's better isn't even true magic. The energy that flows through the Earth. I have access to that. At the start of my rule, we will focus back on the Earth first."

"You've lost it like your sister," a female guard growled.

Everyone gasped, including Aj. She was lost for words until anger took over, "You want to see me losing it like my sister?" she shoves the horn into her back pocket before lifting get hands.

One hand was stretched out with the other at her left hip, "AJ!" I finally call out. She pauses herself as I walk around her to look at her face to face, "NO! Not Like This! You're Not Your Sister! You're not a bad person."

She lowered her hands and looked at me as a lost soul. I saw it in her eyes. She was so focused on righting a wrong, that she was willing to harm innocent people. I said something that resonated deep within her, "I'm not a bad person," she said softly, "I'm not a bad person."

"You're not," I smile weakly, "It's okay. Just please, calm down. Just go with the guards. If what you say is true, then you won't be-!"

"Oh, I'm not going to prison to wait. I will wait on the outside. But I will stop," she shrinks back a little.

"Ugh!" we heard groaned from behind us. Aj and I turn around to see Celestia sitting up. Her broken horn's base looked so sad. What used to be there.

"You're awake," Aj talks to Celestia like she was a child. She even leaned over and placed her hands on her thighs, "You ready to tell the people the truth?"

Celestia sighs, "Will I at least see my sister one last time?" she says sadly.

"I'll do you one better. You tell the people the truth and I'll bring your sister back. I'll even restore your magic to you. All I need is the truth. It's all I wanted from the start."

"I know how you feel now. Powerless," Celestia looks up at her, "I just didn't think what you didn't remember. Life seemed easier the way it was."

"And because of my sister, it led to all of this. The more answers I get, the more confused I get. The more questions I have. Help correct what your father had done," Aj sat down in front of Celestia, "These Plasma creatures. They mean business. That much is a certainty. They're coming here because of me. I say, 'Let them come'. They will find me and I will beat them for you. Because, that's what heroes do for their people. As the Element of Honesty, I am charging you with making peace by bringing the truth to light."

Celestia listened to her and only had a one worded respond, "When?"

"Now," Aj stands before helping Celestia to her feet, "As good faith payment, I will restore your body," Aj touched Celestia's horn as she pulled out the broken horn from her pocket. A flash of green caused all of us to flinch.

When I got my sight back, I saw the horn starting to dissentegrate into dust. A pink energy guided the white dust up to Celestia's head. Her horn grew until it was long and pointy yet again. Celestia took a deep inhale. A breath of fresh air. Some of her strength had been restored, "Your sister will come after you tell the everyone about this Prophecy."

Celestia looks down and simply nods, "Now that you know what kind of power I really have, it would only be wise to speak truths. You don't, I will strip you again of all your power before nanishing you to your sister's side. Where you will spend the rest of eternity only to help lost souls find their way to peace."