Applejack at the Edge of the World

by MagicS

Karza II

“Karza? What in the hay are you talking about?” Applejack asked Mayor Rooter while around her she saw all the dismayed faces of the other ponies in the lounge.

“You said you heard about our plight from Elmsville didn’t you?” Mayor Rooter sighed and let Applejack go, morosely stepping away from her. “I-I wanted us to make you feel welcome and comfortable here, I didn’t know you planned to travel west out of Equinestan...”

“So you all were going to act like nothing had been going wrong here at all?” Applejack put together.

“Not for any malicious reason or because we wanted to deceive you! We just didn’t want you to be afraid...” Mayor Rooter answered.

“Well I appreciate that, really, but it still doesn’t change things for me. I need to go west and get to Elysium’s View. Also, I may just look like an ordinary mare and all but I’m pretty good at taking care of myself. I’ve dealt with bandits and ruffians more than once in my life,” Applejack said.

“But Karza’s not a bandit or ruffian,” Peach Pit said.

Applejack saw the others in the lounge nodding in agreement and finally had her curiosity piqued. She sighed and dragged a hoof down her face. “Alright—can I get the news on just what I’ve stumbled into then?”

“Well, he just appeared out of nowhere one day,” Mayor Rooter said.

“And he looks like a normal earth pony,” Blast Miner added.

“But he can’t be,” Mr. Gust said, shaking his head. “He has magical powers!”

“And he can fly like a pegasus!” Mrs. Gust said.

Applejack looked between all of them like they were crazy. “Are y’all pulling my leg? This sounds like some kind of nutty tall-tale. How can an earth pony do stuff like that?”

“Maybe he’s secretly something else...” Sure Suture murmured.

“But he really does have magical powers,” Blast Miner nodded. “He can levitate rocks and move the earth itself.”

“And I’ve seen him flying—even without wings!” Mrs. Gust repeated.

Applejack rubbed her head, feeling a headache coming. “Okay, okay, hold on for a second. Can I get the story from one pony at a time please. Mr. Mayor?”

Mayor Rooter nodded, a solemn frown on his face. “It started only about two weeks ago. A pony from Maple Town—Sugary Sweet—was starting on a trip to Elysium’s View. You see, directly west from Maple Town there’s a small forest and it eventually ends in a big field of rocks and granite boulders, almost like you’re walking through a canyon or the rubble left over from a mountain. Once you’re past that though you come out into another road that goes right into the White Forest and then to Elysium’s View. Well, when Sugary Sweet was in that rocky passage, she was confronted by a mysterious pony. She said it was just an earth pony, but he called himself Karza and he told her that these lands and soon all of Equinestan would belong to him. Naturally she thought he was just some nutjob at first but when she tried to just walk past him he… he used some kind of magic to raise a wall of earth up right in front of her. Sugary Sweet said she screamed in fright and turned tail to run away, but he didn’t let her go so easily. She said spikes of rock shot up from the ground all around her, and then she saw him flying over her head while levitating boulders and he started to drop and throw them at her. She said she barely escaped with her life. On the way out of the rocky passage she heard Karza laughing and telling her to warn the others of Maple Town… that was the first news we got of him.”

“So he can really do all of that?” Applejack frowned.

“He can. And many others here in town have seen it happen personally,” Mayor Rooter continued. “Naturally when Sugary Sweet came back and told us what happened a bunch of us went out to find this “Karza” pony and put a stop to him.”

“It didn’t go well...” Peach Pit muttered, and the others in the lounge shook their heads.

“We came to realize that Sugary Sweet was completely right about what he could do. He didn’t kill or even really hurt any of us, but he tore apart the ground, lifted up huge boulders with his mind, created huge holes below our hooves that we fell in before spitting us back out...” Mr. Gust said and shivered. “It was horrifying.”

“It’s so strange… there was no magical aura like with a unicorn’s horn or anything. But he could control rocks and the earth and make himself fly...” Sure Suture shook his head.

“Some of those boulders would weigh several tons too,” Blast Miner said.

“After he chased us all away and repeated what he told Sugary Sweet, we tried getting help from other nearby towns and even called for soldiers from Birch Hall,” Mayor Rooter said.

“Figured ponies that actually knew how to fight might have a chance,” Mr. Gust shrugged.

“Well they didn’t,” Mayor Rooter sighed.

“After they went out to deal with Karza we didn’t hear back from them,” Blast Miner said. “So we went out two days later and found them all buried up to their necks in the dirt, unable to get out or move at all. Half dead from dehydration at that point too.”

“When we rescued them they told us that Karza said if we tried to go out and get help again or try to remove him ourselves he’d destroy Maple Town… and we don’t doubt him on that,” Mayor Rooter said.

“So it might be best for you to not try going to Elysium’s View—for all of us,” Melody Jewel said.

“But why’s he even doing any of this? If he wants to take over Equinestan or something this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” Applejack rubbed her head.

“We’re not about to go out and ask him for the details,” Peach Pit said.

“We’ve all been afraid to leave or do anything around Maple Town now...” Mrs. Gust said.

“Can’t exactly blame you if this is all true,” Applejack said, thinking about the crazy things she had just heard. How could an earth pony do any of that stuff? And who was this guy really and where did he come from? And if he was blocking the way to Elysium’s View and tormenting the ponies here… well there was only one thing that Applejack could do about it. She looked over at Mayor Rooter and raised an eyebrow. “So what’s this Karza fellow look like anyways?”

“Huh? Why do you want to know?” He asked back.

“Just curious, sounds like such a strange pony,” Applejack said.

“Well aside from being an earth pony he is kind of odd looking,” Sure Suture said.

“How so?” Applejack raised an eyebrow.

“Wears a cape,” Peach Pit said.

“A red cape,” Mrs. Gust nodded.

“And he’s got a shiny golden mane and tail, with bright blue eyes, and… I’d say a sandy or light-brown coat?” Sure Suture rubbed his chin.

“Can’t remember seeing his Cutie Mark though—but he also has black fetlocks,” Mr. Gust said.

“Makes him pretty colorful all in all,” Mayor Rooter said.

“Sounds like it...” Applejack said, staring down at the floor, deep in thought.

“Miss Applejack? You seem to be thinking something quite concerning,” Sure Suture said.

Applejack smirked and glanced up at him. “Thanks for the concern. And you’re right. You say this pony has been terrorizing you? Threatening your town? Blocking off the way to Elysium’s View. Well that’s three reasons right there I need to go and put a stop to him.”

“Hold on!” Mayor Rooter shouted at her while all the other ponies in the lounge looked stunned. “He’s dangerous, you’re just a normal mare aren’t you? And if you go bother him what if he decides to destroy Maple Town?”

“Sounds like he might destroy the town or try and take over Equinestan no matter what anypony else does,” Applejack shrugged. “The only way to really be safe from a wacko like this is to put a stop to him. I know that from experience. And I aint just a normal mare-” she sighed. “Unfortunately. But anyways, believe me when I say I’ve dealt with ponies like him before. I know how to handle myself in a fight. I promise I’ll stop him for you so at the very least he won’t trouble Maple Town no more. Besides—one way or another I need to get to Elysium’s View. Unless you’re planning on stopping me from leaving town, I’m gonna go through this Karza to do it.”

She saw a few ponies share uncertain looks with each other, Peach Pit and Blast Miner, Mr. and Mrs. Gust with each other, and finally Mayor Rooter with Sure Suture.

“It’s not like things could really get that much worse,” Sure Suture shrugged.

“Maybe an outsider is just what we needed,” Melody Jewel suggested.

Mayor Rooter still looked pretty dismayed but eventually he gave in and nodded. “It’s not like we can stop you—we wouldn’t do something like that. Just please be careful, and please win. N-Now let me show you where you can spend the night. You’re probably going to want a long rest...”

“Definitely,” Applejack agreed.

---

The bed at the local Maple Town inn was exactly what Applejack needed after a long day of walking and right before whatever trouble she ended up getting into today. She was fully rested, had a nice breakfast of carrots, and was now ready to go out and find this strange Karza pony. As she stepped through the western exit to Maple Town there were a number of ponies watching her go: The Mayor, Sure Suture, Melody Jewel, Blast Miner, and a few other ponies who it looked like word had spread to.

Applejack didn’t want any of them to worry but she knew they would. And she couldn’t exactly blame them for that. But they’d just have to wait until she defeated or convinced this Karza pony to stop and came back to tell them. Right now Applejack wasn’t going to waste any words on reassuring them, she had said everything she needed to last night.

Taking a deep breath she started walking down the road in the early light of dawn.

The forest and western edge of Equinestan was just as pretty as the rest, Applejack had to acknowledge that. She didn’t know why the city-states weren’t closer together (metaphorically, not physically) but it was still such a nice looking country. She could see a lot of Equestrians enjoy a visit or even a long stay out here.

Of course that wasn’t the reason she was out here. Maybe when everything was good and done with and she was back home. But right now she had found herself on another mission to help ponies she barely knew. Well that was just normal for her by now. Even with her own friendship mission still needing to be finished she just couldn’t abandon ponies in danger. It wasn’t right. Even if she wasn’t an Element of Harmony and didn’t have to think about what all her friends would say, Applejack still wouldn’t leave the ponies of Maple Town hanging. There was also the mystery of Karza and his strange powers that made her curious. It just sounded bad. How could an earth pony do the sort of magical stuff he was doing? And if he wanted to take over Equinestan that was even worse.

Discord’s words rang in her ears… could this be the big problem? Could he be the pony?

Applejack still wanted to hope Discord was pulling her leg but she wasn’t going to discount what he said just yet. Despite many things, he was still her friend. Applejack would be wary of anything that happened out here.

It actually wasn’t too long before the forest ended and Applejack saw the rocky passage ahead. With boulders, piles of rocks, split apart rock formations, slabs of granite and sandstone, all shooting out everywhere and covering the ground like a quarry that had been halfway excavated. This must have been the actual western edge of Equinestan and right beyond it was the White Forest. So dang close… she was finally almost right there.

Applejack stayed alert as she walked down the rocky road, with boulders all alongside her she could potentially be ambushed from anywhere. So she kept her eyes open, her ears perked up, and much more stealthily she started using her Hoof of the Earth scouting to get a read on the entire place. If there was a pony out here attacking those who came through—she would sense him first.

So far her tremors were only giving her images of more boulders and rocks and Applejack kept walking at her normal pace to not give anything away. There were no animals around either—not even any birds in the sky—they might have all become afraid of this place after what had gone on here. She had left Maple Town really early so maybe Karza wasn’t out yet either? Perhaps he had some hidden home or place he stayed before coming out here and watching the pass. It’s not like he could be here all the time after all, a pony still needed to sleep and eat.

If he was a pony. Applejack wasn’t going to count out the possibility that he was something else entirely—even if he looked like a normal earth pony the things the ponies of Maple Town said he could do made her uncertain. A changeling didn’t fit the bill completely. Nothing Applejack could think of did. She’d just have to figure it out when she found him.

Applejack had now been walking through the rocky passage for a decent while and she was starting to wonder how big it was. When would the rocks disappear and she’d walk out onto the road that went through the White Forest? If Karza could control all these rocks he certainly set himself up in a good place to fight. Well, Applejack could fight here just fine too. Though she was planning to at least talk to him and ask him why he was doing all this nonsense first. She hoped he would give her the chance to do that instead of just immediately assaulting her. Which is why she was still scouting with Hoof of the Earth to find him.

Another tremor was sent out, totally imperceptible.

And Applejack frowned.

She felt something. Movement. But it didn’t feel like a pony. There were no hoofsteps, no other typical vibrations or signals that came from either a pony or any other living creature she could think of.

And it was coming from underground.

She stopped walking and stayed where she was, not leaving her spot. She didn’t look around or act scared or do anything else to show she was intimidated. Merely stopped to let him know that she knew he was there. Applejack wanted to show that she was different than any of the ponies that had come after him before. But for the moment he didn’t show himself. Applejack could feel the strange movement underground near her but whether that was him or his magical powers doing something she wasn’t sure yet. Either way she had no intention to give him any satisfaction.

“I know you’re there. Why not come out and show yourself already,” Applejack said loudly enough to reach into the boulders around her.

The vibrations below ground stopped somewhere in front of her. And Applejack could feel something moving through the ground—rising up to meet her.

The crown of his head looked like it was melting through the dirt. Applejack’s eyes widened, it wasn’t like he had been digging or traveling through the dirt, but like he had become merged with the ground and was now separating from it. He was fairly tall and slim actually for an earth pony but otherwise he was exactly what had been described to Applejack. A shiny golden mane and tail, bright blue eyes, black fetlocks, and a light brown body with a flowing red cape over it. When he rose from the earth completely he flashed her a confident, mocking, sneer.

Applejack narrowed her eyes back at him. “Karza, is it?”

Comments

[RoboRed]

AJ's going to be getting a lot of mileage out of Hoof of the Earth over this trip. Jeez.

It almost sounds like Karza has a similar ability, though the levitation and phasing through the ground is a bit different. This sounds more along the lines of direct elemental control compared to the seismic tremors and kinetic redirection that Applejack can do.

This should be interesting.

[redmar]

Karza really doesn't seem to be an actual pony. Applejack is going to need the Hoof of the Earth very much here.