Author's note: This chapter was edited by Zoetic Zebra.
"Greetings, Mare of Steel," Celestia said, taking two steps towards the hero. "Or should I call you 'Supermare'?"
"Call me whatever you wish, Princess." Supermare gave a quick bow.
"Why don't you give me a normal name to address you with?"
Supermare raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"You know exactly what I mean."
Supermare chuckled. "I'm so sorry, Princess, but if you want my true identity, I can't give it to you."
"Maybe you can, but you don't want to."
"The result is the same both ways."
Celestia frowned. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"
"I'm not answering this." Supermare turned around and prepared to take off.
"Stop right there!" Celestia raised her voice.
Supermare stopped dead in her tracks and faced Celestia again.
"Don't you dare leave while I'm still talking to you." Celestia trotted towards the superhero. Control yourself, Celestia. Calm down, she thought.
Supermare took a step back. "Princess, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, but please, you don't need to know who I am."
"Yes, I do." Celestia placed a hoof on the hero's shoulder, her hoof slightly shaking out of anger.
"Trust me, you really don't." Supermare removed Celestia's hoof off her shoulder, which seemed to make her angrier. "Now, if you excuse me?" Supermare slowly turned around to leave, making sure Celestia wasn't going to shout at her.
Celestia hesitated, then put her foreleg on the superhero's shoulder again. "You have to listen to me."
"Princess, if you're worried about me turning against Equestria, then trust me, I won't."
"How can I make sure you're not lying?"
Supermare took a little pause, turning her gaze away. "You can't."
"You don't understand!"
"No, you don't understand." Supermare tried to remove Celetia's foreleg, but couldn't.
Celestia was glaring at that moment. She leaned closer to Supermare and spoke with a lower tone. "Listen, so far all I've been doing is talking to you, and I tried to ignore how you disrespected me, but you better believe that I am ready to resort to violence. I need to know who you are."
Supermare closed her eyes and tried to calm the princess down. "Princess, please, this is not necessary." This time, she succeeded in removing Celestia's hoof, but slowly. "Just calm down and forget about it. I mean no harm, and I'm sorry for any disrespect."
"When it comes to my kingdom's safety, it is necessary, and I can't just 'forget about it'."
"Princess, don't do this, you're no match for me." Supermare bit her lip and started to step back.
"Really? I'm no match for you? Why don't we make sure?" Celestia took a step forward.
"Princess…"
Celestia dashed towards Supermare and collided with her, but the impact sent Celestia rolling on the ground to Supermare's right, while the latter didn't move at all.
"Princess I told you…"
Another attack, with the same result.
"Stop this. You can't fight me," Supermare cautioned again.
"You...think so?" Celestia said while panting. She removed her crown, shoes and regalia, before her body started to glow yellow as if she was burning. "We'll see about that!" She charged her horn and hit Supermare with a blast of energy, sending her rolling on the ground several meters.
Supermare recovered slowly and stood up. "See? I told…"
Before Supermare could finish her sentence, Celestia had teleported in front of her given her a punch on the face, knocking her on the ground four meters away.
"Please, I've only just begun," Celestia said. I can't believe I'm doing this. My strength...it's back, she thought. Oh, Celestia, what are you doing?!
Supermare stood up and started floating. "I warned you."
"I warned you, too."
The two mares flew towards each other as fast as they could. Their impact created a crater around the point of impact, and Supermare was thrown into one of the houses. The rough collision caused the chipped wall to collapse.
Supermare recoiled, flew towards Celestia and swung her hoof, but Celestia avoided it. Supermare landed and swung her right foreleg once again, but this time, Celestia blocked it with her foreleg. Supermare stared at her hoof in shock, then swung her other foreleg, getting the same response from the princess.
Celestia parted Supermare's forelegs and pushed her on the chest with both forelegs, making her slide backwards a few meters. Celestia didn't stop. She flash-stepped towards Supermare and began to punch, but her attack was blocked.
Celestia and Supermare aimed several punches at each other, finishing with Celestia giving the hero a punch in the stomach and another on the face, knocking her on the ground face first. Celestia grabbed her and threw her high in the air. She teleported to her altitude and slammed both forelegs on her. Supermare was thrown into the ground like a blast, creating a short, shallow trench.
Celestia continued her attack by swooping at Supermare, sliding her across the ground at high speed and lengthening the trench. While still sliding her, she put one foreleg on the hero's face and pulled the other back, preparing to punch her.
Supermare hit Celestia with her laser vision, pushing the princess off her and making her roll on the ground to her left. Supermare stood up quickly, flash-stepped towards Celestia and punched her through the wall of one house.
Celestia rolled three times, before standing up and taking off. Supermare took off as well, and the two hit each other in the air several times, before Supermare slammed Celestia into the ground, the impact creating a crater around her.
Supermare flew towards the princess, but the latter avoided her by rolling to the side, leaving Supermare to hit the ground. Celestia attempted to stand up, but Supermare quickly dashed at the princess and kicked her on the side, knocking her several meters away.
"Princess, stop, please," Supermare pleaded. "This is enough."
"Why? Feeling tired?" A small smile crept into Celestia's face. She flash-stepped past Supermare, striking her hind leg and forcing her to kneel. She teleported back to her and slammed both forelegs on her side, pounding her through a house. As the house collapsed, Celestia flew towards Supermare, lifted her, then punched her, sending her flying backwards.
As Supermare regained control over her flight, Celestia was flying towards her once again. The hero glared fiercely and prepared to counter the attack. When Celestia reached her, Supermare spun around and kicked her in the stomach with all her might, pounding her through three houses. She watched as the third house collapsed, expecting Celestia to emerge from the ruins at any moment, but she didn't.
A worried expression replaced Supermare's glare. "No. No, please no!" She flew to the ruins quickly and started searching among the ruins. "Princess! Princess, where are you?"
Before Supermare could react, a hoof emerged from the ruins and grabbed her by her neck, before the whole Princess of the Sun emerged from underneath and slammed her on the ground several times. She then threw her at the ground, hitting her with a spell. Supermare wasn't damaged by the spell, but instead, her coat's color started fading.
"What the...what did you do to me?!" Supermare said, standing up slowly with shaky steps.
"It's a counter spell to the disguise spell you've been using," Celestia answered. "I had to beat you around a little to make sure you wouldn't escape once I casted it. Now, I shall see the truth."
In a few seconds, Supermare's coat turned orange, her eyes turned green, and her mane and tail became blond.
"Wha...it can't be..." Celestia took a step back, eyes wide at the sight of the pony in front of her. "Applejack?! You are the Mare of Steel?"
Applejack closed her eyes and sighed. "Yes, I am. I hope you're happy now, Princess!" She almost spit her last words.
"But this is impossible."
"You found out who Supermare is, and you're still not satisfied?" Applejack swooped at Celestia and pinned her to the wall of one of the houses, just as the disguise spell started working again. "Tell no pony else!"
"I still have more questions."
"But I don't have anymore answers." Applejack let go of Celestia and took off, disappearing in a few seconds.
Celestia sat down, took a deep breath and rested her back at a wall, taking a rest after the long fight. A thin line of blood was trickling from her mouth and nose, but she wiped them with her foreleg. She looked down at her torso and found two black lines, caused by Supermare's laser vision. What surprised her, and somehow pleased her, was that even though she looked all beaten up, the pain she felt was minor. Still, she was pretty exhausted.
"Tia!" Luna called, landing beside her sister. Starlight and Spike hurried towards her, too. "What in the name of Tartarus has happened here?!"
Celestia closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose before answering. "Me and Supermare had a little rumble."
"'Little'?! Are you kidding me? It looks like you two were using each other to demolish this neighborhood."
Celestia didn't respond.
"Did you...find out who she is?" Luna asked.
There was a short pause before Celestia answered. "Actually, I think you were right. I've been worrying too much. I don't want to know her identity anymore."
"What?!" Spike exclaimed.
"Are you sure?" Luna asked.
"Yes, I am." Celestia stood up and trotted past her sister. "Come on, Luna. Let's go back to Canterlot." Before Luna could respond, she took off. This time, she wasn't flying fast.
Luna, Starlight and Spike exchanged looks for a moment. Luna then shook her head and flew after her sister.
As the two sisters were flying, they noticed a little crowd in Ponyville.
"Those are...the three colts Supermare saved," Celestia said.
"And they're surrounded by journalists. Great," Luna added, rolling her eyes. "I wonder how will they tweak the events." She bit her lip once she said that. "Tia, please don't…"
"I need to make sure of something." Celestia flew down towards the crown.
"Wait, is she seriously going to...talk to journalists? Sister, whatever happened to you?!" With that, Luna followed her sister.
"Look, it's the princess!" one of the journalists exclaimed as Celestia landed beside them.
"Princess, what did exactly happen?" another journalist asked.
"Why did Supermare attack you?" another mare added.
That's what I was afraid of, Celestia thought. "Give me this." She took the microphone from the mare and cleared her throat. "Listen to me, everypony! I want to clarify something. Supermare did not start the fight. I started it."
There was a gasp from the crowd.
"Yes. I wanted to make sure she was trustworthy. She didn't want to harm me, and she only fought back to defend herself. I tested her, and she means no harm to Equestria. But rest assured, I'm completely fine, and she did not start the fight." With that, Celestia dropped the microphone and took off, followed by her sister.
-oOo-
Twilight opened her castle's doors and stepped inside, finding Starlight and Spike waiting for her.
"Uh, hi, Twilight! How was the visit?" Starlight asked, her ears folded back.
"When I arrived there, I didn't find Celestia or Luna," Twilight responded. "Cadance and Shining Armor told me they had left to who knows where for who knows what reason!" Twilight sighed. "At least Cadance is getting better."
"Well, we have an explanation for all of that." Spike scratched the back of his head.
"Really? Wait a minute, you two didn't shop?"
"Aaaand we have an explanation for that, too," Starlight said, looking down at Spike.
-oOo-
Celestia and Luna trotted down the hall of Canterlot Castle castle, heading to the bathroom.
"Tia, what about your injuries?" Luna asked.
"There's nothing serious, they will heal very soon." Celestia opened the bathroom's door. "All I need now is a bath to help me relax."
"Stop."
Celestia closed the door.
"Do you really want me to believe that you suddenly gave up on discovering Supermare's identity?"
A small smile managed to form on Celestia's face. "No. I was waiting for you to ask me."
"Look, I don't want to know who she is, but do you know her very well? Is she trustworthy?"
Celestia waited for a moment, then nodded.
Luna sighed in relief. "That's all I need to know. I mean, I am sure very curious to know who she is, but I think I can live without knowing her actual name."
Celestia chuckled. "Good." She was about to enter the bathroom, before Luna stopped her again.
"Wait!"
"What is it?!"
"How did you...how did you manage to go against Supermare hoof to hoof? And don't you dare tell me you're naturally that strong, because I know that's a lie...maybe? I don't know! I've been absent for one thousand years. I barely know anything about what you did in my absence."
"That...I'll tell you about it later," Celestia answered after a short pause, then entered the bathroom and quickly closed the door behind her before Luna could stop her again.
Celestia stepped into the tub, closed her eyes and let the warm shower water wash over her, helping her muscles relax.
I have so many questions for Applejack. I must see her soon, she thought. Fighting her...it managed to awake the warrior inside me, after all these years. I should've known that I couldn't stay a normal princess forever. There in the battle, that was who I really am. A warrior. But is this a good thing for me, or bad? She let out a long sigh. One thing is for sure: things won't be the same from now on.
-oOo-
Applejack landed in front of her house and opened the door, disabling the disguise spell before entering. She inhaled the sweet smell of dinner, but even that didn't change her mood.
"Welcome home, Applejack," Granny Smith said, but Applejack didn't reply.
"What's wrong, sis?" Apple Bloom inquired, noticing that her big sister wasn't happy. "Ya missed the Family Appreciation Day...again."
"Look, I had more important things to do, okay? I have priorities!" Applejack snapped, gaining a frown from Granny.
Apple Bloom's ears dropped and tears started forming in her eyes. "Yeah, I get it, yer a superhero now." She stood up and trotted towards her room.
Applejack's expression softened. "Apple Bloom, wait." She galloped to her sister and wrapped her forelegs around her. "Ahm sorry. Ah didn't mean to shout at ya. I...ah just had a bad day."
"What happened?" Granny asked.
Applejack sighed. "Princess Celestia knows mah secret now."
"What?!" Granny widened her eyes. "But why do ya look dirty?"
Applejack scratched the back of her head. "Because...she found out who I am the hard way."
"You...fought her?" Apple Bloom asked.
"She started the fight," Applejack responded. "She was so determined to discover mah identity. And ah didn't know she was that strong. I mean, wow!"
Granny sighed. "What are ya gonna do now?"
Applejack thought for a moment before answering. "Ah don't think Celestia would tell anypony else, but I must talk to her. Ah'll just take a shower and head to Canterlot." With that, Applejack headed to her bedroom to take off the costume.
"Please eat yer dinner before leavin'," Granny called.
"I will." With that, Applejack closed her room's door behind her.
-oOo-
"Wow...I...I can't believe you did that in my absence!" Luna stuttered, shocked with the facts her sister had told her. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"There was no need to," Celestia answered, stepping onto the balcony. She was wearing a yellow bath robe for she had finished her bath just a few minutes ago. "Why would I tell you about something that wouldn't affect you in anyway?"
"But I would notice eventually anyway when you go to visit your friends."
Celestia took a moment to answer, a small smirk appearing on her face. "Don't underestimate me, Lulu. I would've found a way to trick you."
"Pffft, I doubt that." Luna raised both of her eyebrows in a mocking manner.
"Sorry, Luna, but I really need to be alone for a moment now," Celestia said, leaning against the railing and staring at the night sky. She and Luna had lowered the sun and raised the moon while Celestia was still in the bathroom. Celestia didn't really like the idea of fulfilling her duty while taking a shower, but the shower was so relaxing she didn't want to leave it so quickly.
"Oh, okay. See you later, sister." Luna turned around and left. She did wonder why her sister told her to go away, but she just assumed that fighting Supermare and telling her secret to her sister was a lot to take in one day.
Mere seconds after Luna's departure, Supermare flew slowly towards the balcony and landed a few feet away from Celestia.
"Thank you for telling Princess Luna to leave, even though I think it was a little harsh," Applejack said, taking a step toward Celestia. She cleared her throat before speaking again. "Are you okay now?"
"Don't worry about me. I can take some pounding, even from you." Celestia turned to face Applejack. "What about you?"
"I'm fine. But that's not important. What's important now is, do you want to hear my story or not?"
"Sure I do." Celestia moved closer to Applejack. "Tell me your story, I tell you mine."