Jack Spicer in Equestria Part 29

>All they needed was a stretch of corridor to reach the doors leading to the throne room. Jack peered around the corner to see two rock unicorns guarding the door. He turned slid back behind the wall and looked over to his good self and whispered "I thought you said the guards were gone fighting the princess"
>"They were, those weren't there before....ohhhh, I knew I should have double checked!" Good Jack groaned in frustration of his own failure.
>"Ah don't think I've ever seen ponies like that before, where ya'll suppose they came from?" Applejack wondered.
>Jack pulled out his snare gun "Don't know, don't care. It just makes it easier on us. Let's just get them out of the way and move on"
>"Oh hey, that's a neat toy. Where can I get one?" Pinkie said as she stared at the snare gun.
>"It's not a toy. It's something only professional villains like me should use. Now, let the master work." Jack said
>"Jack, don't do anything hasty now. We dunno what those things are capable of" Applejack cautioned Jack
>"Don't worry Applejack, it's not like he's going to jump out and try to take...oh hey! look, he is doing that!" Pinkie said, as Jack jumped from the corner aiming his snare gun at the rock ponies.
>"Jack, what in tarnation are ya doin'" Applejack hollered
>"Relax, this never fails..ahrm." Jack cleared his throat as the rock unicorns became aware of their position and began to slowly approach. "come on bozos, let's wrap this up!" Jack aimed his snare gun and blasted both the rock unicorns.
>The nets didn't even phase them, they just looked at the bindings for a moment, then started eating through them.
>Jack pondered for a moment "huh.....that usually works..."
>"What now, oh fearless leader?" Applejack said in a sarcastic tone.

>"Well, I guess we can-" Suddenly, the unicorns started randomly blasting at their direction. "RUNNN! RUNN AWAY! AHHHHH!" Jack yelled in a high pitched tone as he ran down another corner of the hallway. Leaving Pinkie Pie, his good self, and Applejack behind.
>"Jack wait! Where are ya going!" Pinkie yelled towards him, extending her hoof towards his direction.
>"Darnit, I knew he'd get us in trouble. Forget about him, Pinkie. If he wants to be a yellow bellied coward then let em, we got work to do!" Applejack said as she tilted her hat forward and sprang into battle.
>"Don't worry Pinkie, it's just a small setback! I bet Jack will come around any second!" Good Jack tried to assure her
>Pinkie rolled her party cannon out, again, seemingly out of nowhere, and prepped it. "I know, but I think he's gonna need a little help...speaking of help. I get to see if my party cannon can actually shoot cannonballs!" Pinkie rolled her cannon into the fray.
>"mmm...." Good Jack rushed to the direction Jack had run off to., hoping he was coming back.
>But he wasn't, Jack made another corner turn and stopped behind a wall to catch his breath. "Almost became burnt toast back there...ha....ha" Jack panted.
>Jack peered over to the ensuing fight. It seemed even though they were able to land hits on the stone guards. They were only making dents and cracks. "Great...and the bumbkin has the comic book in her hat too...how am I supposed to do anything now?"
>"Jack!" A voice came form his side, startling him
>"Wha?! HEY!" Jack screeched, seeing his good self beside him "Don't do that!"
>Good Jack just stood there, giving a serious stare to Jack while tapping his foot.
>"...what..what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" Jack said, confused, he started to rustle through his hair "Is it my hair? is it out of place?"
>"Jack Spicer....I'm surprised at you" Good Jack said, in the most serious tone he's ever mustered

>"About what? that I made a mistake? eh..it happens. Good thing I had bait to throw those rock goofs off my back huh?" Jack said, in a reassuring way.
>".....is that what you see them as....as bait?" Good Jack was feeling a feeling he rarely..if ever...felt
>"Well.....bait that happens to be ponies. But bait is bait. Now we just gotta wait til their pulverized and get the comic book." Jack said as he peered over again. "Shouldn't be too long"
>"Gee Jack. Now I can really see why Scootaloo doesn't want to be your friend." Good Jack was feeling disgust.
>"What? pffft. it'll be fine. That pink horse said she'd come around. I gave it a lot of thought, and ya know what? I bet saving this world would actually make her like me again...pretty smart huh?" Jack tapped at his noggin "Something only a genius like me could think of."
>"What about them? You abandoned them. How are you going to explain it to everypony when you come back without them?" Good Jack was feeling both disgust and shame at this point.
>"eh, casualties of war" Jack shrugged
>"...I can't believe I just heard that, coming from you of all people!" Good Jack started to raise his voice
>"Really? you're surprised? I figured given..you know..That I'm evil...that'd you'd be used to it by now" Jack said, not getting what good Jack was trying to get at.
>"....and that's all you're ever gonna be ,huh? That's not very heroic, just cowardly. I bet if you were in trouble. That those two would come running to save you. But, I guess you don't care about that either. You can think you're gonna be a hero all you want. But real heroes do everything they can to save everypony they can. I really wanted to believe that you had some good in you, I really wanted to believe you and Scootaloo and maybe all the other ponies could be friends. But, I forgot where I originally came from" Good Jack couldn't even look at his other self anymore

>Jack crossed his arms "Yeah well, maybe if "EVERPONY" had just left things as they were, none of this would have happened. Scoots had her chance, but she decided all the "bad" stuff I did meant we couldn't be friends anymore. Her loss."
>"...I apologize, and I know i'm going to regret saying this...but...but...." Good Jack was struggling to say it "b-but...you make me ashamed that I came from you...now if you excuse me, I'm going to try and help out"
>Good Jack turned to run towards the battle.
>"ashamed to be me? I think you got it the oth- HEY WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! I'M NOT DONE YET!" Jack cried out as Good Jack ignored him, running towards the battle. "WHAT ARE YOU EVEN GOING TO DO?!?! YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY....ugh...forget it" Jack sighed and went back to hiding.
>"egh, he doesn't know what he's talking about. What does the measly lives of two stupid ponies compare to saving the world? It's not like he can tell Scootaloo what really happened. I just gotta come up with a story on how I tried to save them and everything will be good. Not like he'd be able to tell anyone differently. I'd be in the clear." Jack slid down the wall, sitting down "ugh, suddenly feel sick...what's up with my chest right now?"
>Jack peered over again "Look at em, they only got one of them down and still having trouble. Looks like they are getting tired...won't be long now."
>Jack looked up and sighed "What does he know anyway. Why should I care, they aren't my friends. They wouldn't stick their necks out for me if I was in trouble. So he's wrong about that. Besides...are there any real consequences for me not helping out...let's see. Well, on the one hand. I don't really need them to help with the showdown. And they;d probably get in the way. On the other hand though.....huh..I guess there's no bad side." Suddenly, Jack remembered something "oh right, Applebloom is Applejack's sister.and Applebloom is Scoots friend...and.....mnn. ngh" Suddenly, Jack felt a sharp pain in his heart


>He put his hand to his chest "Then Applebloom would be sisterless..and that'd make her sad...then Scoots and Sweetie Belle would be sad..and then maybe all the other ponies would be sad.....that's a lot of sad....wait...let me really think about that..." Jack entered a near meditative state, then tears started to roll down his eyes "WAIT?! IT' IS SAD..SUPER SAD...AGH! WHAT AM I DOING!? I DIDN'T KNOW I'D ACTUALLY BE MAKING SO MANY CUTE LITTLE PONIES SAD...I JUST WANTED TO SUBJUGATE THEM AND MAKE THEM SUFFER...NOT MAKE THEM CRY! AGHHH! WHAT AM I DOING?! GOOD JACK WAS RIGHT!? HE WAS RIGHT! DON'T WORRY STUPID PONIES...I'M COMING" Jack turned the corner and made a mad rush towards the Rock unicorn, who was about to blast both Pinkie Pie and Applejack with a charged shot, it looks like they got tossed into the wall. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Jack screeched as he took out his snare gun, he tried firing rapidly at the stone unicorn. But it was finally out of ammo. So with a hefty toss, he threw the gun itself at the stone unicorn. The gun hit the horn, causing it to break slightly. Which was enough to cause it's charged shot to backfire and make it explode.
>Everyone covered their eyes and faces as debris flew everywhere.
>Jack slowly peered at the headless stone guard as it fell over to it's side. "woah.....I beat it."
>Pinkie looked over first, seeing Jack triumphant over the stone guard. "Wow! You did it ,Jack! I thought you were gonna chicken out for sure! Good Job!" then she suddenly fell over, and began rubbing her foreleg "oh..that smarts. I think he got me..."
>Applejack looked over to Jack, surprised of his return "so...what made ya come back? Ah thought for sure you we're gonna leave us to fry."
>Jack crossed his arms and gave a smirk, to hide his true feelings "eh, part of my battle plan. Just had to strike when the time was right."

>"Oh really? Because it looked like you were runnin' with yer tail between yer legs....so really, what made ya come back" Applejack was interested.
>"what, you don't believe me?" Jack gave her a stare that seemed to lack confidence
>"ah know alot about truth tellin, and ah can tell that ain't the truth. So what really made ya come back?" Applejack returned the stare, one full of curiosity. This she had to hear.
>Meanwhile, Good Jack was both surprised and Ecstatic at the same time. His eyes glistening and his smile wide as he awaited for Jack's response.
>"....come on..don't make me say it." Jack took a step back, tapping his fingers together "besides, we got a world to save..."
>"it's only gonna take a second, so come on. Tell us" Applejack was really wanting to hear it.
>"...come on" Jack said again, but her stare only became more curious and deep, even Pinkie Pie had joined in.
>".....you guys are...c...fine.." Jack took a breath "I thought it over...and I guess I didn't want to see any of you sad...or for anyone to get hurt. I-I mean. If you're all gone, then who am I going to beat on a weekly basis if I can't get back to my world...right?"
>Applejack gave a small chuckle "Well, ah think giving you a weekly beating sounds fine.....glad ya came around,." Applejack looked to pinkie "you ok sugarcube?"
>"My leg hurts..but I think ah can still fight" Pinkie tried taking a step, but she tipped to her side "....or not"
>"hrm...Jack, yer gonna have to stay here with Pinkie Pie. Make sure nothen happens while I deal with Wuya. Got that?" Applejack said as she began to step to the doors, but it looked like she was hobbling.
>"Applejack, are you sure you're ok?" Pinkie was the first to notice
>"Ahm fine, just got nicked. ahm still good to go" She stretched her back leg out, but she made a noticeable cringe that even Jack noticed.
>"....ok...nope" Jack walked over to her and forcefully lifted her hat and took the comic book

>"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Applejack said, as she she painfully turned towards Jack
>"You're in no shape to fight. And I don't know about you. But I'd rather not see Wuya conquer that many universes. I'm gonna take care of this myself." Jack stuffed the comic book into his coat
>"Wow Jack, that's really brave of you" Pinkie said
>"yeah..and thoughtful. I thought for sure...well..let's not think about that now! Go Jack go!" Good Jack cheered
>"Ah don't think so, you may have saved us. But this ain't a job fer you. It's better suited for a pony who actually has somethin' to protect-HEY WHAT ARE YA DOIAHHHH" Applejack cried out as Jack just softly put his foot to her side and pushed  her to the ground.
>"yadda yadda bla bla, just stay down and let me handle it" Jack turned towards the door and started walking to it "yo, other me. Stay back here with them. I don't need you distracting me"
>"What are ya doin'. Ah said-" Applejack suddenly gets cut off by Jack
>"Yeah yeah, something to protect...got it. I'll keep that in mind when I'm kicking Wuya's butt. Now stay here and don't move." Jack was referring to himself, he finally realized he had something to protect. Not for any kind of evil intention. But merely for the sake of it. Even if Scootaloo would never be his friend again. even if the ponies would never actually trust him. He had to do his best.
>"Good Luck Jack!" both Good Jack and Pinkie said.
>"ugh....just don't screw up, ya hear?" Applejack groaned
>"I won't...guys who save the world usually have a good tendency of a low failure rate...so no worries...heh" Jack gulped as he internally thought "I hope"
>Jack opened the doors, and passed through them. The final showdown...was about to begin.