Traitors In the Apple Trees

Chapters

Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7

Preface

*** Preface ***

A young crimson unicorn stood on a dark blue, ethereal plane in the midst of an all consuming darkness. He closed his eyes, and his visions began to fill the empty space. A jet black alicorn threatening the Crystal Kingdom, a Changeling queen conquering Canterlot...

He focused harder, and images of a strange dragonequus and nightmarish alicorn also appeared before him. He squinted his eyes closely at the dragonequuus in particular.

"His name..." The stallion's horn flared red, and the image of Discord grew and pushed the other's into the darkness.

"Discord. HE was the first child. He came long before the others..." He trailed off as the glow from his eyes faded along with the image.
Suddenly, a bright flash rocketed through his mind, and the silhouettes of several unicorns appeared, surrounding him. The only thing he could see of them were their bared smiles, with teeth all sharper than any of those one could find in the Everfree forest. The smallest in front of him stepped forth, and smiled devilishly.

"Daddy has been waiting so long for us to come. " she chuckled. "The elements are useless to you now." The stallion recoiled. Was she speaking of the Elements of Harmony?

"What do you mean, they're useless to me?" he demanded. The silhouette only shook her head, her grin growing wider with each swing.

"Your master, our daddy, will return, and Celestia..." she paused, and frowned maliciously. "She will be the first to know."

The stallion stomped towards the silhouette, horn aglow.

"Tell me more! Why is HE returning? When?" He picked her up by the throat with his magic, but she only frowned more, before fading into the black.

"No! Come back!" He roared. One by one, they all began to fade, and the plane supporting him shattered, leaving him falling through the void.
***************

*thwack*
The sounds of hooves on tree bark could be heard echoing throughout the Apple family orchard as Applejack continued her mid-summer harvesting. She bucked the tree once more, and all of the apples hanging on it piled into the saddle-buckets at her sides.

She let them slide casually off of her back, and sighed, enjoying a rare mid-evening breeze. Silently, it faded away, and she cursed the weather pegasi under her breath, wiping large beads of sweat off of her brow.

"I swear, I don't even know what they're paying those ponies for, anyway. There ain't been a cloud in the sky for days." she grumbled.

And so there hadn't. The parched earth and all the citizens had been begging for rain, and yet the pegasi of Cloudsdale allowed the scorching heat to continue. Summer was scheduled for massive heat waves, and August was more than appropriate for one.

She collected another two bucketfuls of apples, and promptly sat beneath the tree she had just cleared of fruit. She kept expecting a certain cyan-colored pegasus to bring her one of the soft, fluffy life-savers and push it over her head as she worked. Applejack always enjoyed seeing her rainbow-colored mane, her powerful wings, even stealing glances at her flanks when she thought she wouldn't be caught. She looked forward to her company almost everyday that Rainbow Dash wasn't working with the weather teams. But she never came. She hadn't been around for months.

Instantly, Applejack regretted even thinking about her, and fought to hold back her tears. The weather teams had managed to get by without Rainbow Dash, and her friends, even Fluttershy of all ponies, had moved on to some degree, but Applejack couldn't bear the thought of her friend's passing lightly.

She began recounting the story Twilight had told her through gritted teeth and tear-swollen eyes. There hadn't been a murder recorded for decades, almost even a century. And yet, just back in spring, equine remains were found in the Everfree Forest, just a ways away from the horrified Zecora's hut.

Word spread across Ponyville, Cloudsdale, and Canterlot faster than a wildfire in a dry field, or orchard, as it were. Celestia herself came to examine the horribly mutilated corpse, and reacted less out of disgust, and more out of shame that such a crime had been committed. She sent word to all of her loved ones, but only after notifying Twilight through a heart-wrenching, not to mention mortified letter. She had insisted that Rainbow Dash be cremated, but Twilight and the others, and an especially concerned Applejack demanded to see her.

Though hesitant, the sun-godess sent for a royal escort of her friends, save Spike, to Canterlot, as well as a separate guard for the corpse. Days later, they were brought to the least used building in the palace: the mortuary. When they had all arrived, Celestia nodded to the elderly coroner, and he pulled the table out of the wall of preserved bodies. Applejack, much to the coroner's dismay, suddenly yanked the cloth off to reveal their fallen friend and fellow Element.

Applejack stifled a sob as she retched painfully, forcing the image to return to her mind once more.

The pegasus' wings were missing, having been cut off as if a wild manticore had gotten to them, and both of her cutie marks were absent as well. There were charred holes in all four of her hooves, and her entire torso had been cut open and emptied, leaving a husk of bones and rotting flesh.

Pinkie Pie held Fluttershy quietly as they both quivered relentlessly, mortified at the sight. Rarity turned a sickly shade of green and vomited, in a very un-ladylike manner, in the nearest wastebasket, almost fainting from the shock. Twilight only turned her head after scanning the body. All but Celestia backed from the table, leaving the alicorn and the farmer pony standing, shocked.

She barely managed to grasp the cloth and bring it back over to her friend's body, slowly backing away with widening eyes. She didn't want to believe, no, just DIDN'T believe this had happened. She turned her head to the coroner and asked the one question even Celestia had been hesitant to ask in front of her friends.

"H-h-how... did th-this happen...?"

He swallowed painfully, and glanced up at the princess, scratching his head in confusion. She shot him a look that told him that the choice was his to make. With everything but a small effort, he painstakingly pointed out the ways she had been tortured, and even estimated how long it had been before she had died.

"I think...about 4 hours, Miss Applejack..." he stammered, ashamed he had even gotten this job for a cutie mark, let alone doing it. A chill ran down Applejack's spine as she analyzed the calculation.

"She w-went through... th-that, for four hours?" she stuttered. He remained silent, unmoving.

"I think... no, I know I don't need to hear any more of this." Celestia announced. "I'm certain none of you wish to, either." She turned to the other mares in the room, carrying tear-lined faces plastered with looks of horror. Not one of them spoke. The coroner nodded, and pushed the table back into the wall with a dull slam.

And here Applejack was, expected to have accepted the permanent absence of her friend like everypony else.
She stood slowly, wiping the flowing tears from her eyes. "

C'mon, Applejack. G-get yerself together." she muttered through a sob.

Ready for a dinner she wouldn't have the stomach for to eat, she slowly trotted beck in the direction of the farmhouse. Big Mac'll probably do my work for meh, she thought. She chuckled bitterly to herself. She knew what would happen. He would see her slightly reddened eyes, and immediately head out to the fields of fruit-bearing trees. No matter how much she insisted on doing it herself, he did her share of harvesting while she was still in her heart-broken state.

She stopped moving, shaking her head. Heart-broken? Where did that come from? Sure, she missed her friend dearly, but did she really care for her THAT much? Sure, she had admitted to her friends and, more reluctantly, to her family, that she was a filly-fooler, but as far as she could tell, Rainbow had been completely heterosexual, despite her flamboyant mane and tomcolt-ish attitude. There wouldn't have been any chance for them to get together, so why did she feel this way?

She shook her head a second time, stomping her hoof. It doesn't matter, she thought, finally holding back the silver streams on her cheeks.

"It's too late... I can get through this. Just like the others." she declared to nopony in particular. She drew in a large breath, exhaled, and continued towards her home as it grew dark, a little more confidence in her step. Not much, she noted, but a little but more.

***************

Out in the Everfree Forest, a smal cave glowed a soft, pulsating red. It was nearly the same shade of red as the sun setting behind the trees. The eerie light subsided after a few seconds, and out of the cave stepped black-maned, crimson unicorn. He yawned quietly, and leaned his head back to stretch, loudly popping a few spots in his back.

Pleased with himself, he looked up towards the sky, and closed his eyes. His horn shone softly, and his vision began to leave his body. His mind raced past the trees in the forest, and began to ascend and descend the various hills outside it lined with apple trees. Soon, a small town of quietly mingling ponies came into view. They all appeared to be returning to their homes, including one orange Stetson-clad mare.

"It's her," he gasped quietly, focusing his magic on her. "She's safe. She's not like the others."

Slowly, the vision faded, and his sight returned to normal. He exhaled softly, letting the stress of his spell fade with ease. He turned in the direction of Ponyvillle, and began trotting towards it.

"Applejack, I will save you." he muttered. "I can't let him start this again."

Author's Note

Please be sure to comment! I would love nothing more than to hear your feedback!

Chapter 1

Off at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack walked into her home, carrying saddlebags full of various supplies. Big Macintosh and Granny Smith had been in the living room chatting away and Apple Bloom had been thinking of ideas to get her cutie mark when she entered, but they all turned and smiled warmly at the sound of the front door creaking open.

"I'm home, everypony! Got the tools to fix the shed..." She called out, pointing out a hammer and nails in the bags. "...along with some other stuff we can use to help around the farm if somethin' else gets broken."

She shot a particularly questioning look at Apple Bloom, who smiled sheepishly.

"How was I supposed to know the Cute Mark Crusader Catapult woulda' sent me into the shed? I was just seeing if mah cutie mark was something excitin'!" The filly's eyes sparkled for a second, until the look Applejack gave her turned into one of seriousness.

"It don't matter if yer cutie mark was jumpin' to the moon and back, Apple Bloom. You coulda' really hurt yerself."

Apple Bloom nodded solemnly. Granny Smith looked up at Applejack, raising an eyebrow. Applejack met her gaze, and rubbed her hoof across the back of her head.

"Just make sure you're more careful next time, okay?" she said quietly, cracking a small grin. Apple Bloom shot up instantly, pulling her sister into a big hug.

"I will! I promise!" she said excitedly. She turned around to Granny Smith, who was slowly heading to the kitchen to prepare everypony's supper.

"Can I help, Granny Smith? Maybe mah cutie mark is in cookin or somethin'!"

Granny Smith looked over her shoulder and winked at Apple Bloom, nodding her head for the filly to come in. As Apple Bloom excitedly ran past her, Granny turned to Applejack.

"Thank ya', Applejack. That was a might kind of ya, not scoldin' yer sister half to death." she grinned a bit more with every word.

Applejack blushed slightly, and turned to Big Mac who simply nodded at her. She smiled, and left her saddlebags by the door so she could pick them up in the morning. That might keep my mind offa' Dash, she thought.

Applejack actually managed to eat her dinner without even thinking of Rainbow Dash, preoccupied with Apple Bloom's vigorous tales of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' most recent adventures. After helping her brother with dishes, she began to ascend the stairs to her bedroom.

"I'm takin' a shower, Mac!" she called as she went up. "You alright with that?"

She heard a faint "Eeyup" come from the living area, probably Big Macintosh resting up or chatting with Granny Smith. He didn't do as much farm work as usual today, opting to finish Applejack's work in the morning while she started repairing the shed. She smiled to herself, and trotted down the hall to the bathroom.

"A shower sounds pretty good right now, actually," she said in anticipation. She set her hat gently on the counter of the sink and slowly undid her golden ponytail, so that her hair flowed past her shoulders. She turned the water on, and stepped into the tub. She winced at the sheer cold of the water coming out, but the old water heater turned on in a few moments, spreading warmth through the cowpony's whole body. She leaned forward, away from the shower head, and stretched her back, allowing the increasingly hot shower to undo the knots in her back.

"Aaaahhh..." she moaned softly. "I've been needing this all day..." She leaned farther and farther down, until her muzzle was practically touching the floor of the tub and her hair was draped around her face like curtains. The shower was still heating up, and Applejack could feel her face growing flush. The redness in her cheeks grew as she felt the steaming water run down the back of her flanks, just barely past her nethers. Inwardly scolding herself, she shifted her legs just enough for the trickling water to run right over her slit. She whimpered softly, and stepped farther forward to allow more water to run over her. She leaned forward and balanced herself on one foreleg, snaking the other between her hindlegs and stroking herself gently.

"It feels -hah- like it's been -hah- forever since..." Applejack gasped sharply as the edge of her hoof grazed her clit, letting out the breath in a throaty moan. Suddenly, her eyes went wide as she heard her brother outside the bathroom door.
"Are ya' alright, sis'?" he called, knocking on the door. She immediately straightened her back and nervously yelled back.

"I-I'm fine, Mac! I'm just really sore, is all! Don't worry about it none!" As the Element of Honesty, she was happy that Big Macintosh couldn't see through solid objects. Otherwise, he might have seen her darting eyes and scrunched lips as she called out to him from the shower. There was a pause, but she could hear him sigh indifferently and trot past the bathroom. She stood quietly in the tub, panting lightly as the water continued to drench her. I should probably take this somewhere else, she thought. Slowly, she ran her forehoof across her hardened clit, and her whole body spasmed for a second. Holding in a gasp, she leaned to the side and slowly turned off the water.

Yeah, I should probably do this somewhere else. Don't need Apple Bloom or Big Mac hearing, or worse, SEEING me like that. Deviously chuckling to herself, she jumped quickly out of the tub, grinning as she began to dry herself off.

***************

The crimson stallion walked slowly through Ponyville, thankful that its denizens were primarily non-nocturnal. Of course, it had always been like that. He'd seen how ponies from all walks of Equestria acted at night, and the vast majority of them preferred the light of day to the dim light of the moon. As he explored the small town, he took care to note some of the buildings and shops, particularly one that seemed to resemble a large dessert.

"Huh. That wasn't there the last time I was here." he said to himself. He stopped, realizing just how long it HAD been since he was here. In Equestria, even. He had been one of the most important stallions in Canterlot, and here he was, an exile, in a place as simple as Ponyville. He frowned, bittersweet memories flooding his mind.

"Mortal Coil... step forth."

Celestia's voice rang out in her moonlit royal throne room, and the mentioned red stallion surrounded by royal guards rose, his heavy shackles clanging against one another. He wore a thick white blindfold, but still seemed to look up at the princess. He remained silent, but took a few meager steps forward, an upset frown plastered on his face.

"You have been accused of bearing witness to the recent murders associated with the Canterlot Maniac. You have been tried in the royal courts, and each has found you... guilty." Celestia declared, slightly choking on the last word. A solemn look came over her as she awaited his response.

"I acknowledge the judgments of the courts, and am aware that I will be punished for my crimes." The words barely made it past his lips, as the pony speaking them had to keep himself from choking up mid-sentence. Am I really going through this?

Celestia closed her eyes and sighed, tears forming at the edges of her eyelashes. She motioned for the guards to leave them, who promptly abandoned the hall. A yellow glow enveloped her horn, and she slowly undid the blindfold on his head, allowing him to see her in her distraught state. She stepped towards him, looking him straight in the eyes as she moved.

"Why?" she asked bitterly. He looked straight at her, and his own tears began to form. "Why would you do something like this?"

"You mean to say that you... you actually-"

"That I believe what the courts and evidence say? That you deceived me, that you BETRAYED me?" Celestia muttered, interrupting him. Her face began to twist as her anger flared, her effervescent mane turning the colors of fire.

"Yes, I DO believe them! I DO believe that you are responsible for the murders of 12 different ponies and foals!" She fumed, her Canterlot voice almost coming to the surface.

She glared at him furiously, before her eyes welled up with more tears.

"And I DO believe that you knew it all would happen, and 'solved' the crimes, just to get to me..." Celestia whispered icily. "I put my trust in you and your abilities, and you used them against me."

She angrily turned her head away from him, too angry to say anything else. He stepped forward once, eyes widening. His head drooped, and he began shaking his head harder and harder as he stifled a few sobs.

"Princess... Celestia, how can you...?" he muttered quietly. Quickly, his head shot up, his gray eyes widened and his teeth bared in anger.

"HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! I HELPED YOU FIND OUT WHO COMMITTED THEM, AND YOU THINK THAT I'M RESPONSIBLE?!" He roared at Celestia. She didn't respond to him. She only shook lightly, holding back more tears as she fought to hold her composure. Seeing his rage get no answer from her, he closed his eyes and exhaled softly.

"I know how you feel about Aether, and that you can't do anything about it now but..." he whispered quietly, stepping closer to her so he was a few paces behind her. She opened her eyes slowly, and turned her head so she could face him again.

"I'm sorry, Mortal Coil. How you and I interacted in the past...it doesn't matter now. I thought I would find someone who could see me as something other than a ruler, or a teacher, or..." she stopped suddenly, like something had a vice grip on her throat. "...But I was wrong. You've shown me that your loyalty to him is greater than any other." No more tears fell from her eyes, only her wounded gaze remained, which pierced Mortal Coil like a javelin. He backed away slowly.

"Celestia, you're wrong." he pleaded. "If you'd just let me show you..."

Her horn began to glow a soft yellow, but then started fading to a dark gray, then finally black. Her saddened eyes also began to glow in an ethereal black, and the same light enveloped his body. She stood perfectly still, now frowning visibly.

"I don't need to see any more than what you've shown me already. Perhaps you'd be of more use to Aether, anyway." she muttered, malice lining her flowing voice. Mortal Coil began to respond, but the black glow around him began to grow, flowing into his mouth, his nose, his eyes, and soon every orifice that it could. He let out what sounded like a small yelp, which grew into a fierce, bloodcurdling scream as more and more of the black essence surrounded him, until he was no longer visible, covered in a ball of black.

"I'm sorry. I really did love you."

"Princess Celestia, I--"

Celestia's eyes shed one final tear as her horn flashed abruptly, shattering the ball of magic in thousands of fragments. They faded within seconds, and there was no sign of the crimson stallion to be found. Celestia silently returned to her throne. Only the echoes of sobbing remained with her for the night.

There was no time for regrets now. He had to show her that he was no traitor, and that all he wanted was for her to accept him. But he knew that couldn't happen. A curse from Aether, one only given by alicorns... He sighed aloud.

"Come on. The past is the past, and you've got to keep it from becoming the near future," he told himself. "You need to stop Aether's minions before it's too late."

He took a deep breath, and began galloping in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, determined to prove his worth to Celestia once more.

***************

Applejack eagerly squirmed in her bed, and let out a small giggle at her childish excitement for the night to come. She lay there quietly, listening to the sounds of the Apple Family as they were closing in on sleep.

"Apple Bloom is already asleep, and Granny Smith went to bed same time as I did..." she whispered to herself. "All that's left is- Yes!"

She quietly cheered to herself as Big Macintosh's snoring could be heard from down the hallway, a sign that he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. Slowly, she pulled her covers up off of her body a little, and reached a hoof down her body, making small circles in her fur as she did. She sighed lightly as her hoof reached her nethers, which were already wet with anticipation. Listening once more to make sure she wouldn't be heard, she pressed her hoof down into her slit.

She began to rub herself, up and down, and made little circles around the little nub at the top of her flower every time the edge of her hoof passed it. With each passing minute, her rubbing grew more forceful, and she began to let out small squeaks of pleasure, eventually growing to long, throaty moans. Her thoughts raced, picturing each of her friends pleasuring her in different ways.

She imagined Fluttershy in a dominatrix roleplay situation, where she had tied Applejack to the bedframe. Applejack broke into a sweat, and her foreleg began to go numb, but her mind was running at max and she couldn't care less. Her mind formed an image of Pinkie Pie licking whipped cream off of her well-toned body, all the way from her neck to her nethers. Still not satisfied, she imagined both Rarity and Twilight piercing her two holes with their horns, which still failed to send her over the edge. A pool of her juices began to form underneath her hindquarters as she rubbed herself, and she knew she needed something awesome to finish the job.

"Awesome..." she huffed, in a spark of brilliance.

She envisioned Rainbow Dash wearing Applejack's favorite strap-on, using her sleek, toned body to thrust into Applejack, looking her dead in the eyes...
Applejack furiously pleasured herself now, using long and erratic movements of her hoof combined with circling to reach her climax. Her body spasmed wildly, and she covered her face with her pillow to muffle her loud cry.

Several minutes and one sheet-changing later, Applejack pulled her covers over her spent body. She relished the bliss of her session, but the high immediately died when she remembered the previous mare she had just clopped to.

"Dashie..." she whispered softly.

She turned to face her window and stared off at the moon. "Rainbow Dash..." she repeated quietly, fighting the tears starting to re-form. She never moved as she fell asleep, her only thoughts before fading to dreams being that of her precious pegasus pony.

Chapter 2

*** Chapter 2 ***

Applejack turned furiously in her bed, a pain-stricken visage hinting to what lay in the depths of her mind. Her brow glistened with sweat and she was breathing heavily, the frown on her face twitching erratically. In her dream, she could hear the echoes of somepony screaming.

"Rainbow Dash..." she moaned quietly.

Her eyes shot open immediately, and she could see only black around her and her bed. She rolled out of it, and landed on something solid in the darkness. A quiet, yet firm stallion's voice rang in her ears, seeming to come from every direction.

"Applejack. I need your help." it said, almost pleading. Applejack jumped, and looked around frantically to find the source. Unable to see anything but black, she shut her eyes tightly and shook her head.

"Must be havin' one o' them 'lucid dreams' Twilight mentioned once," she muttered. "It'll go away soon, I guess."

"No, Applejack, it will not. And this is not a dream, so-to-speak. This is a vision, something I want- no, need- you to see." it called out, more serious than before.

"I'm not so sure about that... Who are you, and why am I here?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"You are here because your friends cannot be. Not even the Elements can help..." the voice seemed saddened, which only annoyed Applejack more, not having answered her first question. "Only you are able to help me save Equestria now."

"I still don't know who you are!" she yelled. She flinched when she heard quiet echoes of her voice. What's going on here? she thought.

"I know why the disappearances have been occuring as of late, Applejack. It's the same reason your rainbow-maned friend is no longer with us."

Applejack drew in a sharp gasp and froze. The disappearances...and Rainbow Dash? She furrowed her brow.

"Yes, your beloved Rainbow Dash. Such a pretty one, too, I've heard." The voice seemed to mock her now, only making her furious.

"Ya still haven't answered my question," she spat. "Tell me who you are. Now."

"My name..." the voice called out, sounding slightly nostalgic, like it almost missed using its own name.

"My name is Mortal Coil. I'm speaking to you now because the recent disappearances are not just coincident. Every single pony who has disappeared in Canterlot, Cloudsdale, and Ponyville has become victim to a group of murdererous ponies." The voice paused, and Applejack felt a chill travel up her neck, as if somepony were breathing on it. Suddenly, the voice dropped to a whisper, and spoke into her left ear. "All of which are connected to you."

Applejack couldn't believe what she had heard. Murderous ponies? That was just something out of the scary stories she'd heard as a foal. Nopony in their right mind would ever even attempt to kill in Equestria. Well, there were still ponies not in their right minds...

She shook her head in confusion. "Connected to me? H-how?" She asked, her voice laced with fear.

The voice said nothing for a moment, as if in thought. After what seemed to be an eternity, it spoke.

"I... I will show you. It is for the best. "

"Show me?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I will even allow you to see your precious pegasus' last moments." The voice's mocking tone resumed, ending in a bitter chuckle.

Hearing this, Applejack stepped backwards. "No... No, I can't watch that!" she whispered, her voice quickly rising to a shriek. "I'm not going to watch her die! I won't! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

Before the voice could speak to her again, she quickly turned around and sprinted into the absolute darkness. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she had to run away. Run away, just like she had been for months. Run away from the truth. Run away from the despair that her forbidden love was taken from her without so much as a chance for goodbyes. Her legs burned horribly as her bed grew smaller and smaller out of sight, but she ran as if her life depended on it. She almost thought it would.

Suddenly, a loud rumble thundered in the darkness. It shook the ground she ran on, shook her down to her very core, and soon she was stumbing over her own hooves until she was unable to stand up. As it grew louder, almost deafening, Applejack felt an intense pressure on her whole body, almost crushing her to whatever it was she was standing on. As she collapsed, the darkness began to redden, first as the color of blood, then into a blindingly vibrant red, making Applejack stop and cover her eyes. She heard a loud scream, one she recognized as Rainbow Dash's voice. Suddenly, everything turned became deathly silent, and Applejack was violently ripped from her dream.

***************

Applejack sat straight up in her bed, panting heavily and drenched with sweat. She looked outside her window to see the light of Luna's moon sneaking past some scattering clouds. Shivering, she curled up into a ball and shut her eyes tightly, hoping that she hadn't made any noise in her sleep to wake the other ponies in the house. The lack of hoofsteps approaching her door told her it was safe, and she sat up, her heart pounding. She tried forming a thought, but her ears were ringing too loudly for her to concentrate. Exhausted, she slid from her covers, silently opened her bedroom door, and slunk downstairs.

"Maybe a drink will help me clear mah head, " she muttered quietly, rubbing her sore eyes. She trotted towards the kitchen and gently retrieved a glass of tapwater from the sink. As she reached for it, she jumped as she saw something move out of the corner of her vision, quickly dissolving into the darkness of the house. She paused, and then thought the better of it. I'm still panicked from that dream, she thought, reassuring herself. I'll be fine.

While taking a hesitant sip from her glass, she turned her head towards the direction she saw the silhouette move, and instantly regretted the action. She froze to the spot as she looked into the eyes of somepony stepping towards her in the light of the kitchen window. It was a faded crimson unicorn, with a shaggy black mane. He appeared harmless at first, but when she looked into his misty gray eyes, she had to fight the urge to scream in terror. She couldn't understand what it was about him, but looking into them made her feel like she was staring into the largest hole imaginable, a hole so massive nothing could hope to escape from its dark clutches. They looked so lifeless she might have thought he was blind, were he not looking right at her. He stepped forward to her, and smiled as if he had just seen a long lost friend.

"Applejack," he said quietly, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "When are you going to realize that this isn't a dream anymore?" At that moment, Applejack slowly set her glass in the sink and began to back away. Her thoughts were a blur beween utter panic and strange curiosity.

"How did you know what I was thinkin'?" she choked out, the words put forth with much effort.

The stallion turned to the side, allowing her a glimpse of his flank. She saw that his cutie mark appeared to be a faceless pony head, but with a third eye in the center of its forehead. The head was also circled by several squiggly black lines that appeared ritualistic. She looked back into his eyes, which were focused somewhere outside the window.

"It's my talent, you could say." He chuckled bitterly, looking at her from the corner of his eyes. He frowned at her, making her flinch. What was it about him that scared her so much? Any other pony would have been bucked in the mouth, or would suffer the wrath of an awoken Big Macintosh. And yet, she felt like she needed to be alone with him, unbothered.

Still, she steeled her nerves for a moment and stepped towards him, matching his frown. "I don't know who the hay you think you are, but ya need to stop yer jokes and get out of here before I call my brother in." She grinned slightly. "Or, better yet, deal with you myself."

The unicorn sniffed, and narrowed his eyes. His horn glowed very softly, and he turned to her. "What are you going to do to me?" he asked mockingly.

In an instant, Applejack turned around and bucked him in his jaw hard enough to fracture his skull. That is, she would have, had she not been staring him in the face mid-kick and actually connecting with thin air. Stumbling, she backed away from him a few paces, startled. He opened his mouth to speak, but she charged at him quickly, intending to headbutt him in the chest. There was a small *whoosh* as he disappeared just before she connected, and she struggled to avoid running into the counter and knocking over the block of knives perched on it. She turned around, and saw the stallion behind her once again. He looked at her as a parent would a little filly who was having a tantrum: frustrated not out of anger, but out of pity.

"Are you quite finished?" he said nonchalantly. "I can keep doing this, but I know you're familiar with teleportation spells."

Applejack was already busy attempting to buck him a second time mid-sentence, but when she heard the sound of his spell being cast, she turned around without thinking and instinctively grabbed a large knife from the nearby block. In a blur, she closed her eyes and swung her head wildy. Her eyes shot wide open when she heard a sickening *shunk* instead of the knife slicing through thin air. She looked to her left of her head and saw the majority of the blade embedded in his left eye socket, blood pouring from the new hole. His mouth hung open, and his other eye looked dumbly towards the ceiling. She backpedaled away from him and the knife, allowing him to fall forward and send the rest of the knife into his head as he hit the ground. She felt her stomach turn in sickly knots as she watched the handle supporting his lifeless head become drenched in dark red which formed a large pool on the floor. Just as she began to fully realize the repercussions of her actions, she saw his body twitch. Once, twice, a third time. It spasmed slowly, and a small noise left his mouth. The twitching steadied quickly as the noise turned into breathing, and then into raspy laughter.

"Instinct. The least predictable element of a pony's mind." Applejack's mind reeled as the words escaped the unicorn's lips, and a horrified look spread across her face as his limbs slowly moved and lifted him up off of the ground. A soft red glow passed through his horn once more, spreading to the knife to silently remove it from his skull. The gouge in his eye had stopped flowing, and began to slowly repair itself, showing the same skill found in Equestria's best hospitals. He observed his blood on the knife solemnly, as if he might forgive the knife for its transgression. The look he then gave the transgressor, however, was full of malice and impatience. Applejack was left speechless and powerless as she watched the last of the misty orb return to its original state. She didn't move when he slowly turned towards her; she didn't scream when his magic removed all the knives from the block and pointed them all at her; she didn't breathe when he magically forced her to the ground and placed the tips of the knives to her throat.

"I will not tell you again, " he rumbled. "I need your help. You can choose not to help me, but only after I have shown you your full responsibilities." he stood over her, glaring at her down over his faded red snout. At that instant Applejack snapped. She shrieked uncontrollably, putting every bit of force in her toned body she could to try and escape his magical grip.

"BIG MAC! HELP! HELP ME!" The unicorn's ears perked up as he saw a much larger stallion start barrelling down the stairs at him, teeth bared and eyes full of protective rage. Quickly, he jumped out of the way and shot a bolt of electricity from his horn into Big Mac, who turned to charge again. He lost speed quickly, and struggled to get up after falling at the unicorns hooves. His struggling faded quickly, and Applejack's eyes welled up with tears as she saw him let out a powerful sigh of defeat.

"Big Mac!" She wailed. She vainly hoped that the others wouldn't have heard and come down, but she only cried harder when she noticed Big Macintosh had stopped moving. "BIG MACINTOSH!!!"

She turned her gaze from her brother lying on the ground to the unfazed unicorn, tears streaming from her eyes and body convulsing in full-on throbs. She gasped when she saw that his horn and eyes were glowing, much like her friend Twilight's during intense spells. As her vision became clouded with the same red she had experienced in her dream, she managed to scream out one final question.

"Who... WHAT ARE YOU!?!"

The unicorn stepped over to her and touched his horn to her forehead, a miserable look on his face. She could no longer see anything but red, and felt as if she were falling into a void. One last voice called out to her as trickles of black began to replace the redness.

"I am truly, very sorry. Sorry for what I have done to you, what has happened to you in the past few months, and most of all for the truth I am about to show you."

Author's Note

I had a sudden urge to write; don't expect me to publish these chapters so quickly!

Chapter 3

*** Chapter 3 ***

Applejack felt herself lying on something hard and unbelievably cold. It felt as if the skin she was lying on were solid ice. Barely opening her eyes, her dark environment was a blurred mess, and her head began to throb horribly. She could barely remember anything that had just happened, except for a nightmare, Big Macintosh falling to the ground, and a blinding red light.

"I gotta find a way outta here," she thought. "Wherever here is."

She attempted to move her legs in an effort to stand, but red-hot arrows of pain told her that mobility was not an option. Applejack winced, and exhaled heavily, trying to figure out what to do now. She opened her mouth to yell for help, but no sound came out other than her breath. Again and again she called out, with little to no sound reaching her ears.

"Alright, where in the hay am I...?" she thought, opening her eyes wider and trying to get a view of her surroundings. She noticed that not only was she lying on a concrete floor, but every surface of the room appeared to be concrete as well. The only exit she could see in the room was a large wooden door towards her left, bolted shut. In the middle of the dark room was what looked like a steel table or bench supported by a platform, too tall to see what was on top. An old lamp hung above it from the ceiling, flickering weakly. The air she was breathing was ice-cold as well, and she could see steam rising occasionally from the edge of the table. She gasped silently, anxiously eyeing the table.

"Maybe somepony there can help me figure out what this place is!" she thought. She tried moving her legs again, and was met with a burning, though weaker, pain than before. Deciding that her escape was more important, she ground her teeth together as she forced herself up on one leg, then another, and finally to a standing position. Her legs buckled uncontrollably as she trotted towards the steps leading to the table. She saw the steam coming from above the table rhythmically, confirming her thoughts that a pony was indeed there, and ignored her aching limbs as she started up the steps. She kept her eyes glued to the top of the table as she ascended the stairs, stopping halfway up. The pony on the table was unconscious, her cyan chest moving up and down slowly.

"Wait a second..."

Applejack could see the mare's lightning cutie mark, as well as the stand-out rainbow-colored mane and tail. Applejack took a slow step forward, unable to think. Another step forward, and she was able to see the unconscious face of Rainbow Dash. Applejack's brain did a double-take as it processed this new information. How could this be? She saw the pegasus' body in the Canterlot mortuary, but here she was, safe and sound. Her only love was supposed to have been forever taken from her, but something brought them both here to be in each other's presence once more. Tearing up, Applejack reached out to stroke the pegasus' hoof, only to have her own phase right through it.

"What in tarnation...?" she thought, shocked. She pawed at Rainbow Dash's hoof, and then different spots in her side, her hoof going right through without feeling every time. "Why can't I touch her? Why can't I speak?" She looked around the room, only able to see what the little lamp above her shone on directly. "What is goin' on here?" she thought miserably. Just then, a loud creak made Applejack turn around to look at the door. A large cart covered with a tarp rolled into the room, followed by a familiar pink earth pony.

"Pinkie Pie? What's she doing in a place like this?" Applejack wondered.

The fun-loving mare had a blank look on her face as she trotted in, not noticing the cowpony next to the table she was approaching. "Must not be able to see me, I guess" Applejack chuckled in her head, sweat beading on her forehead while she stared at Pinkie. Applejack moved to the other side of the table to get a better view of the pink mare as she withdrew a small syringe from under the cart and silently made her way up to Rainbow Dash. She hovered the needle over the pegasus' chest and plunged it in, slowly pressed down on the end, injecting Dash with a clear fluid. She left the needle in for a moment and studied the pegasus' face for a moment, then her body. She moved the ends of Dash's limbs towards the edges of the table, and yanked out several strange-looking brown straps from under the table. Applejack stared the pink pony down for several seconds, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. A voice in her head broke the silence: I will show you...

Applejack blinked several times, unable to remember what the voice was talking about. She couldn't even remember why she recognized the voice, either. Pushing the thought back in her mind, she re-focused on Rainbow Dash, who was now bound in multiple places by the straps. Even her wings were splayed out on either side and tied down near the base. Pinkie Pie now wore a small grin on her face, seemingly proud of her work. Dash's face began to contort, and she moaned softly.

"NNNNNnnnnnn..."

The party pony's ears perked up, as well as her smile. "Wake up, Dashie!" she chirped. Applejack frowned slightly. She had always disliked the pink mare's use of her special nickname for Rainbow Dash. "It's time to get ready!" Pinkie Pie giggled, her eyes widening as the pegasus' eyes cracked open. She looked around dumbly, blinded by the lamo hanging above her. She turned to the pink mare.

"Pinkie...Pie?" she groaned. The mentioned mare nodded excitedly, her poofy mane bouncing in unison. "What's going on here...my head hurts..."

Rainbow Dash slowly regained feeling in her body, and a shocked look broke on her face when she realized she was unable to move. She struggled against her bindings but couldn't make them budge anywhere. She flapped her wings vainly, unable to make more than a light breeze.

"Pinkie Pie! What are you doing? Where am I?" she demanded. Pinkie only giggled hysterically, staring her right in the face.

"Where are you? You're in my basement, silly!" the pink mare had to fight giggling in the middle of her sentence.

"WHY am I in your basement, then? You said we were going to your place for dinner after Pound Cake's first flying lesson!"

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes, patting Rainbow Dash on her bound head. "We ARE here for dinner, but I'm sorry to say that little Pound Cake will have to find another teacher." she said the last few words while pouting her lips like she was speaking to a foal, making Dash cringe in anger.

"What?! What do you mean?"

Pinkie Pie's grin got even wider as she clambered up on top of the table, and leaned her face right over Rainbow Dash's.

"We'll be having dinner, of course. But first, let's have some dessert, hmm?" A sultry tone took over Pinkie's voice as she spoke, sending a chill up Dash's spine. Applejack's mouth fell open as Pinkie pressed her lips to the side of the pegasus' neck, earning a small coo in response. Applejack blinked slowly as a blush spread across her face. Rainbow Dash struggled slightly as Pinkie kissed her directly on the lips, but soon calmed down as the pink mare slid her tongue into the pegasus' mouth. The kiss lasted forever in Applejack's mind, and she felt a twinge of envy strike her heart. Dash exhaled slowly as Pinkie leaned away from the pegasus, a smug grin on her eyes and eyes half-lidded as she studied the now aroused pegasus.

"You know I'm not that interested in mares, Pinkie," Dash huffed, looking towards the ceiling.

"I also know that you're a very flexible mare," Pinkie added nonchalantly. Dash flinched, looking back down towards the pink mare, who began to nip gently at her chest. "A very experienced, flexible mare." Pinkie kept pressing kisses down Rainbow Dash's body and began stroking the inside of her thigh, making Dash roll her eyes towards the ceiling, her cyan cheeks now burning red. Applejack's heart began beating faster as she watched the pink mare draw closer and closer to the pegasus' thighs, and felt that familiar burn between her haunches. Never before had she been so confused and so aroused before, and she couldn't force herself to look away. Finally, Pinkie paused at the very center of Dash's hindlegs, and looked up towards her face.

"It's not so wrong to eat your dessert before your meal, is it?" she asked innocently, earning a frantic moan from the pegasus. She closed her eyes and nodded her head. "I suppose not." Applejack's heart skipped a beat when she heard her favorite mare groan deeply as Pinkie buried her snout in between Dash's haunches. She began to lick up and down the pegasus' leaking marehood, making her grunt in arousal and struggle against her lower bindings. Pinkie stopped to look up, and recieved a small whimper in return.

"Why did you sto-ooop?" the pegasus whined. Pinkie chuckled softly.

"I forgot to bring something. Give me a moment." With one final kiss to Dash's nethers, the pink mare hopped off of the table and started down the steps, heading towards the covered cart. Applejack shook her head and began to organize her thoughts, walking around the table towards Dash's hindlegs. "What just happened?! Why is Pinkie doing this?" She figured the pegasus had the same thoughts, but was probably more concerned with the unanswered burning in her nether region. Pinkie soon returned with a long, black floppy object sideways in her mouth, smiling coyly. Applejack couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Do you see this, Dashie?" she mumbled over the toy. Dash looked down and her eyes widened and gasped.

"Do you want this, Dashie?" Pinkie asked, placing it in between Dash's hindlegs and climbing atop the table once more. The pegasus' head shook in small movements as she tried to nod.

"Yes, yes, oh PLEASE, yes!" she begged, her marehood clenching for a moment.

Pinkie Pie nodded, sliding one end into her own marehood, and positioned herself over the desperate pegasus.

"Since you asked so nicely..." The pink mare grinned and slowly pushed her hips forward, sliding the toy into the cyan pegasus. Once she felt her crotch connect with Dash's, she rocked her hips backward, and forward once again. The pegasus moaned loudly in bliss, her face nearly crimson. Applejack backed up and nearly fell off the pedestal trying to analyze the situation. The mare she once thought to be dead, in front of her but still so far away, being rutted by one of her closest friends. Minutes passed as the pink mare quickened her pace, making Rainbow Dash writhe even more in her bonds. Her moans shortened into breathy, high-pitched squeaks as she began to reach her climax. Applejack had to fight the urge to snake her hoof towards her hindquarters, and the smell of her love's arousal made it even harder to focus.

"Aaah~hhh... Pinkie, I'm gonna... AAAH-" Rainbow Dash moaned out, her face contorting slightly as she rode the waves of pleasure going through her body. Pinkie stopped suddenly and pulled the toy out of herself and Dash, a wild grin spreading on her face. Throwing the toy off of the pedestal, Pinkie dived her face into the pegasus' haunches once more, eagerly lapping up the remnants of Dash's climax and making her squeak loudly in surprise. Applejack turned her head away in both shock and embarrassment. Just when she thought it couldn't have gotten worse, she looked over her shoulder to see the look on Pinkie's face. Her grin had turned into a ravenous smile, and her eyes had a strange twinkle in them, something that sent chills up Applejack's spine. Pinkie was enjoying this more than any normal filly-fooler would. Then again, Applejack couldn't think of anything normal about Pinkie.

"Ah! There we go! Done with dessert!" Pinkie chirped, jolting her head back when she was finished cleaning Rainbow Dash of her juices. The pegasus only stared at her with a half-closed eye, breathing heavily. Pinkie Pie wiped her face with a hoof quickly and breathed in and out a few times to calm herself. "Time for dinner now," she said slowly, almost disappointed that her "meal" was finished so quickly. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"What- HAH- are you doing now?" she asked, watching Pinkie trot down the steps once more. The mentioned mare only turned and giggled eagerly, and ran down the rest of the way to her cart. "This doesn't make sense..." Dash muttered under her breath, observing the large cloud of steam escaping her mouth. She waited a few moments in silence before watching Pinkie return with the handle of a wooden box in her mouth. "What's with the box?" she asked.

"It's for our dinner, silly!" Pinkie laughed, rolling her eyes. "You'll see, Dashie." She ran her tongue over her lips as she opened the box, removing two wide, steel tubes and a small, flat mallet. She set the tubes and mallet in between Dash's hindlegs and set the box below the table on the platform. With some difficulty, she took one of the tubes up in her mouth and set it vertically on top of one of the pegasus' front hooves. Dash looked at the tube and then back to Pinkie nervously.

"What? What are you going to do with that?" A bead of sweat formed on her brow as she watched Pinkie Pie pick up the mallet in her mouth and walk over to the side of the table with the tube. Pinkie's grin turned into a focused frown with her tongue sticking out as she lifted the mallet in her hooves and brought it above her head.

"Please try not to move, Dashie. If you do, I might mess this up." she said calmly.

"Wait, mess what up- !" Rainbow Dash froze mid-sentence as Pinkie slammed the mallet down on the tube, driving it into the pegasus' hoof and sending small spurts of blood into the pink mare's face. Dash immediately cried out in pain and surprise, and flapped her wings vainly, her flight instinct trying to take over her thoughts and lead her away from her prison. Pinkie leaned down to inspect her work, squinting at the half-inch of tube sticking out of the top, and nodded decisively before returning to the end of the table to pick up the other tube. She trotted over to Dash's other side and repeated the action, sending blood into the air, some of which flew towards the shocked Applejack and fell through her, landing on the floor.

I will show you...

Applejack's temples throbbed horribly for a second, making her fall to the platform and hold her head. That voice... where did she remember it from? She slowly stood back up as the pain subsided, just in time to see Pinkie Pie take some strange looking wires out of the box under the table. They were very thick, and had large-toothed clips on the end. One end of both wires fed into a small control that Pinkie held carefully in her mouth. She spat it out onto the table, and proceeded to attach the clip-ends of the wires onto each of the tubes protruding from the pegasus' hooves. "What's going to happen now...?" Applejack wondered, now terrified of the pink mare, who now wore the same manic grin and eyes she had just earlier.

"Are you ready, Rainbow Dash? Oooh, this is going to be so cool!" she said, interrupting every few words with a stifled laugh. Rainbow Dash only looked at her with terrified eyes, holding back tears and biting her bottom lip in pain. Pinkie Pie slammed her hoof down onto the control, and it began to emit a slowly increasing whine, until it became an almost silent siren. Applejack watched the pegasus begin twitching slightly, her eyes rolled back into their sockets. Her spasming increased in intensity as the control got quieter, and the metal tubes in her hooves began to char around the ends. Applejack rushed over to the pegasus and tried to yell out her name, but still no sound came out. Tears began to stream from her eyes, and she laid her forehead down next to the twitching mare. Moments passed, and the only sound that could be heard in the room was erratic gurgling escaping the pegasus' mouth.

"Alrighty! Done!" Pinkie yelled excitedly, pressing the button on the controller eagerly. It's whine gradually loudened and the pitch dropped dramatically until the noise became undetectable. The pegasus' body twitched occasionally as Pinkie withdrew another syringe like the last and injected Dash with it. Slowly but surely, her eyes drifted open, and she moaned pitifully, looking around in a daze. Pinkie Pie bent down and retrieved a pair of fireproof mitts from the box underneath the table, and trotted over to Rainbow Dash's side.

"Safety first, Dashie!" the pink mare giggled as she undid the clip on the first tube. The skin around the tube had turned black, and the remaining hoof inside of it was thouroughly darkened and had shrunk slightly, with cauterized blood coating the outside of the chunk. Pinkie carefully removed the darkened tube from the pegasus' hoof and retrieved the piece of electrocuted flesh inside. With a blissful smile, she removed the small bits of bone inside and popped it into her mouth, moaning softly as she chewed. Applejack's stomach lurched and she nearly vomited on the floor. Rainbow Dash's composure was not so strong, and she vomited violently away from Pinkie, some of it covering her other front leg. The pink mare stopped mid-chew and gasped so hard she nearly choked on her morsel. She slapped Dash across the face with the back of her hoof, a look of pure malice on her face.

"Hey! I was gonna eat that!" she roared, before stepping back, ears turned backwards. Her anger quickly turned to a disappointed pout. "And it was pretty good, too." Suddenly, she perked up and the manic grin plastered itself on her face once more. "You know, there's a word for what your straps are made of! Leather!" Rainbow Dash only looked at the insane mare confusedly. "It's the skin of some animal all cooked-up and dried and stuff! It's really strong, but it doesn't taste nearly as good as pony skin." She frowned slightly before shrugging her shoulders. "Anyway, it's time for the next course!"

Applejack shuddered violently and closed her eyes as the pink pony left her alone with Rainbow Dash once more. There was no way she could watch any more of this. She laid on the platform and covered her head. "Go away, go away, go away," she pleaded in her mind. "Please be a horrible, awful nightmare!" A sudden scream from Dash made her eyes pop open, tempting her to look above her head. She could see Rainbow Dash's limbs fighting incredibly hard against her restraints, and she could hear the table creaking slightly from her fighting.

"NO! DON'T DO IT, PINKIE! I'M YOUR FRIEND, SO WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!" Dash wailed, grunting as she failed to escape her binds. A dull slap could be heard, followed by the pegasus' wimpering and Pinkie's calm, yet sinister, voice.

"It's time for dinner. Everypony who's had my special dinner has gotten the same treatment." Applejack could see a large cleaver rise towards the lamp, and disappear behind the edge of the table. Large droplets of blood flew up and coated the ceiling as well as the lamp, and Rainbow Dash wailed in agony. The cleaver rose again, and hit its target even harder, sending more blood into the air and causing Dash to scream louder. More and more Applejack could hear the *shunk* of the cleaver landing on the pegasus, who continued to cry and beg and scream with each successive hit, until there was a loud snap and Dash screamed so hard her lungs hurt. Applejack had to resist the urge to jump up and try to soothe her precious mare, knowing that nothing she did would help. She also knew she couldn't bear to see what had happened to Dash. Still, once the hacking resumed and Dash's screams grew more frantic, Applejack reluctantly stood up and surveyed the mess on the table. She had no clue what drove her to continue watching the pink mare's brutality, but she instantly cursed herself for it when she saw the state Dash was in.

"Almost... there..." Pinkie grunted, sufficiently covered by the pegasus' blood, and hacking violently at her with the cleaver. Dash's right wing was crudely severed, and in a matter of moments, the bone in the left snapped under Pinkie's assault and came free with a large splatter of blood, causing Dash to squeal and cry out in pure agony. Her face was covered in her own blood which flowed from the open wounds, and her eyes fluttered weakly around the room. She had damaged her vocal cords so much in screaming, all that came out of her mouth was a weak mewling as Pinkie voraciously bit down on one of the bloody stumps attached to her body. Dash's eyes slowly shut, her breathing going steady and her body relaxing. Frustrated, Pinkie dug under the table for another syringe, but came up empty.

"Awwwww, looks like I'm gonna have dinner by myself now. Note to self: buy more of the active-wake-me-up-stuff. Adre...Adreena...Adrenaline!" Pinkie shouted to no one in particular. She stepped backwards towards the steps and surveyed Rainbow Dash, now going into shock from the pain. "I figured she wouldn't need it, so I didn't buy as much. Wasn't THAT silly of me?" she muttered, smacking herself lightly in the head before starting down the steps again.

Applejack leaned over the table, her headache returning. She began to cry over the body of her only love, and pounded soundlessly on the table again and again. Her silent cries turned into sobs as she hit the table even harder, and then became full on shrieks of inaudible grief and confusion. She didn't know what else to do; there wasn't anything she COULD do. She froze as she saw Dash's lips moving slightly, and leaned her head down close to the tattered pegasus.

"Apple...jack..." she whispered weakly. "I can... hear you..." Applejack's heart shattered as she heard her name leave the mare's lips. "I... I'm sorry... for not... loving you..." The cowpony's breath stopped as she recieved Rainbow Dash's agonizing last words, and she stayed silent as the mare passed away before her. She was unable to cry, unable to think. Her head pounded violently with the rhythm of her heart, and she lost all feeling in her limbs. As she fell off the platform and to the floor, she heard something speak to her while her vision clouded with red once more.

"Speak not to your friends nor family of what you have seen. It must remain with you and you only until the time is right to reveal the truth," She closed her eyes slowly, allowing the numbness in her body, mind, and spirit to take over, and blacked out the moment she struck the floor.

Author's Note

Hope you enjoyed reading. I recommend you read this while listening to the orchestral piece, "Lux Aeterna."

Chapter 4

Applejack woke slowly, her head pounding. She opened her bleary eyes and rubbed them with her hooves, her mind in a haze.The early morning light coming through her window made her flinch, and suddenly, her heart stopped and she drew in a painful gasp. Within moments, the memories of her sleep rushed forth, one making her jump straight out of her bed.

"Big Macintosh!" she gasped worriedly, bounding out of her bedroom and down the hallway towards her brother's bedroom. She paused when she reached the door, and nervously pushed it open. Through the doorway she could see a large, quiet mass in the bed, snoring softly. Applejack sighed in relief, and quietly shut the door as to not wake the sleeping stallion. She leaned against the wall next to the door, wiping her brow with the back of her hoof and slumped to the floor. She was both relieved and confused as to why her brother had been hurt so badly, but was in his bed as if the previous night had never happened.

"That couldn't have been a dream,,, could it?" she muttered, looking up towards the ceiling. "I coulda sworn that weird unicorn had killed Mac fer sure." She stood up slowly, and made her way downstairs to confirm that the mysterious stallion had been there. As she walked in, she first noticed the knife block sitting on the counter, all of its inhabitants accounted for. She pulled the largest out and looked at it curiously. No blood, wet or dry, and not a single nick in the blade. She scanned the floor for any stains, but there were none to be found. Her cup remained in the sink, and she stared at her reflection in it while she thought. The unicorn... Mortal Coil... She shuddered at the sound of his name. It felt out chilling, unnatural, and she could only agree that it fit the stallion perfectly. For a moment, she considered the last words she remembered hearing in his voice.

"I... I can't tell anypony? Why not? If that really happened to Rainbow Dash... shouldn't somepony know about it?" Applejack smacked herself across the face mentally. "No! You know Pinkie wouldn't do anything like that! It ain't like her, and she seemed so upset back in Canterlot." She shook her head, unsure of what to think next. Sure, Applejack thought the pink party pony was a couple apples short of a cider barrel, but she was an Element holder, trusted by Celestia herself. There was one thing she did know: keeping quiet about this was her only option right now. Even if she said something to the pink mare, she probably wouldn't say anything.

"I hate keeping secrets, but it looks like there ain't much I can do," she muttered, closing her eyes. "Mortal Coil, whoever you are, I really hope you're lying to me..."

*****************

Later that afternoon, Applejack relished the strong breeze as she strolled through Ponyville. Applebloom had been kind enough to help fix the shed in the morning, only because Granny Smith had guilted her into it. Applejack had shown great hesitance in letting the little filly work with such large tools, but Applebloom demonstrated well enough that she knew what she was doing. Spike had dropped by just as she was hammering the last nail into the roof, with an invitation to Pinkie Pie's shop for Applejack. The pink mare had apparently created a new dessert, one that she was certain her friends needed to try. Applejack pondered whether she had the time, but she was reminded by Applebloom that Big Macintosh was already taking care of her work. Applejack guiltily accepted the invitation, and had taken a quick shower in order to better present herself. Now, she was just a few paces away from her dessert-like destination, partially curious and partially nervous at what this party pony had created. She knocked on the door, and was immediately knocked back by a blur. A large. pink blur.

"OmigoshApplejackit'sgreattoseeyouIhavesomethingyouneedtotry-mmMMMmmm" Applejack stuffed her hoof into the chattering mouth above her, rubbing her now aching head. She stared up at Pinkie Pie, but instead of returning the pink mare's wide grin, she panicked and rushed to back away from her, accidentally smacking Pinkie in the face in her retreat. Pinkie recoiled harshly, and stared at the hyperventilating cowpony.

"What's the matter? I was just happy to see you..." she whined, rubbing her sore cheek. Applejack froze, realizing she had failed to keep face. Forcing a nervous grin, she sat up on her haunches and laughed.

"I-I'm sorry, I just remembered something. A bad dream I had last night, is all." she stammered. The pink pony's ears perked up, and a curious look appeared on her face.

"Really? What was it like? Was I in it?" Pinkie questioned, drawing closer to Applejack.

"Erm... yeah, you were in it." What am I doing? Applejack thought, struggling to change the topic.

"Oh really? What was it about?"

"Uhhh.... I was... I was afraid... one of our friends might not get to eat your desserts ever again! That's it!" Applejack sputtered, knowing that she would be able to keep from lying and blowing her cover. The pink mare deflated visibly, and her sad frown drooped slightly.

"That is sad! But..." she said, instantly changing back to her happy mood and patting Applejack on the back. "We're here now, and everypony else is already inside! You don't have to worry anymore!"

Applejack let out a relieved-sounding sigh, and brought herself to her hooves. Satisfied, the party pony bounced happily back through the door to the shop, followed by Applejack. She saw the rest of her friends chatting quietly near the far corner of the shop, and trotted over to them happily. They all exchanged greetings, pulling up a fourth chair to the table while Pinkie disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve their treats. Several minutes later, the pink mare exited with a tray of six small cakes on her back, each coated in a vibrant icing.

"Uh, Pinkie? Haven't you made these cakes before?" Twilight said, a confused smile on her face. "I thought we were getting something new today."

The pink pony beamed. "It's what's IN them that's new! Watch!" she said as she bucked her hips and tossed an orange cake into the air. She caught it in her mouth and bit down hard, sending a dark red jam spewing out of the back and making everypony at the table flinch. Rarity dodged the projectile sweet by millimeters, and looked at the party pony hesitantly, who was grinning wide with the pastry in her mouth dripping more jam onto the floor.

"Can we at least get some napkins to keep ourselves tidy?" she asked. Fluttershy nodded from her hiding place behind her chair.

"Sure! One sec!" Pinkie chirped, setting the tray down on the table and heading into the kitchen again. Each of the ponies took their own cake from the remaining five, Applejack's wearing a coat of robin's egg blue. Rarity was busy trying not to get the red icing of her own cake in her mane or coat as she lifted hers with her magic, and Fluttershy gently lifted her green one with her hooves. Twilight levitated a pink cake to herself and sat patiently, watching the kitchen doors for the pink mare to return. Within moments, she stepped out of the doors, carrying a comically large stack of napkins atop her head, looking up at them as she balanced them with every step. Leaning her head forward at the edge of the table, she let the stack slide gracefully onto it, and each pony took their own as they began to taste the cakes. Twilight was the first to try hers, and as she chewed the morsel she closed her eyes and moaned blissfully, earning a curious stare from the other seated mares.

"Pinkie, these are absolutely WONDERFUL! Such a great combination of sweet, sour, tart... what's in these?" she asked, slowly savoring each bite of the dark red filling.

"Ah-ah, can't tell you!" Pinkie giggled, placing her hoof in front of her mouth. Rarity daintily nibbled at her cake, a smile spreading across her face as she ate. Fluttershy only blushed silently as she begain to peck away at her treat, stopping between bites to mumble her thanks. Applejack, satisfied that her friends had enjoyed the desserts, took a hearty bite out of her own, but slowed to a stop while she was chewing. Something was odd about the filling. It was mildly sweet, but tasted strangely bitter and as if there were traces of metal in it. She swallowed the bite quickly, and tapped pink mare's shoulder to get her attention.

"Uh, Pinkie? Mind tastin' this? Tastes kinda... funny. I was wonderin' if you might've given me the wrong one?"

Pinkie Pie trotted over happily and took a curious bite out of the cake. She froze mid-chew, her eyes growing to the size of dinner plates. In a single movement, she swiped the cake away from Applejack and rushed back into the kitchen. The other 3 ponies stopped eating to watch the panicked mare dash off, and exchanged glances with a confused Applejack once Pinkie Pie was out of sight. Just before Applejack was about to say something, Pinkie Pie burst back into the room, carrying a white-iced cake and a nervous grin.

"Here you go, AJ! I'm sorry you got one of the bad ones. You know, 'baked bads', not baked goods, right?" she chuckled awkwardly, almost slamming the pastry in front of the cowpony. Applejack looked at the cake dumbfoundedly, and then to Pinkie for a few moments. Pinkie returned her stare, plunging the empty shop into an awkward silence. Slowly, Applejack returned to her treat, and the remaining ponies begain to return to their own, shrugging off the pink mare's "strange-but-not-strange" behavior.

*****************

Applejack continued to ponder Pinkie Pie's antics as she trotted towards home later that evening. She wasn't so worried about the way Pinkie acted; it was the fact that she tasted the cake and then reacted odd that concerned Applejack. Pinkie Pie never worried about her treats that much. She even recalled a story Twilight had told her about the pink mare trying to teach Applebloom how to bake, and how she had eaten several of Applebloom's charred desserts without so much as a complaint.

"What was it about that darned cake that tasted so familiar?" Applejack wondered aloud. She couldn't quite place the taste, trying to bring it forth in her memory. She could remember the metallic sweetness of it, and how disappointing it was to have been served the wrong one. Sighing in defeat, she pushed the thought out of her mind as she turned another corner, down the long road towards Sweet Apple Acres. She increased her pace as she saw storm clouds begin to move in. As she travelled along the worn path, she could see a figure sitting underneath a tree halfway between her and the farmhouse. It looked like Big Macintosh, but was too small and too idle to be her brother. A surge of both panic and anger welled up inside of Applejack as she realized it was the unicorn from her dream again, appearing to be asleep under the small tree. Rather than rush towards him like her white-hot rage willed her to, she approached him slowly and cautiously. She saw a flash of light out of the corner of her eye and froze, but calmed down as a rumble of thunder echoed through the hills, and continued to step towards him. Their last encounter showed that he had a decent reaction time and minute senses, but his sleep appeared to be much deeper than it did at first. Smiling evilly, she turned away from him and planted her rear hooves between his eyes.

"Wake up!" she yelled angrily, inwardly hoping that he actually never woke up again. Silence.

"I said, WAKE UP!" she kicked again, this time connecting with the tree. She turned around to see him slumped over on the ground, staring up at her passively. Blood was trickling down his forehead and one of his eyes was slowly swelling up.

"I was hoping to finish my meditation before you got home, Applejack," he muttered, slowly pulling himself to a sitting position. It took every ounce of will Applejack had not to kick him again, but she knew he would simply teleport away again. Instead, she drew closer to him, failing to keep her voice lowered.

"What the name of Celestia is wrong with you?! What kinda trick are you trying to pull, messing with somepony's head?" she barked at him. He recoiled a bit, but sighed and looked away from her.

"I told you before. I needed your help."

"Help? Help!? You're the one who's gonna need some help when I get done with you!" Applejack's head started to ache as her patience with him began to wear thin. She just couldn't stand his neutral attitude, like she wasn't even worth his attention. For a moment, he stared her in the eyes, making her flinch. His eyes no longer had a feeling of dread in them, though. Now, they seemed... hurt. Guilty, even. The unicorn remained silent, and his eyes remained locked with hers.

"I'm...I'm..." he muttered quietly, hanging his head. "I'm so sorry... I never wanted any of this, really I didn't." Applejack's anger almost faded into concern, but something in her head told her to keep being mad at him. He doesn't deserve your forgiveness, she thought.

"What exactly is going on, then? How am I supposed to believe that stuff you told me before, about my friends?" she spat, the malice in her tone subsiding. "How do I know that what you're saying is true at all?"

The unicorn kept his head down. "I really don't think I can prove anything. All I can tell you is that you're in danger." He lifted his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Celestia is in danger as well." Applejack's mind lurched into gear, pushing aside her anger and focusing on what this strange unicorn had to say.

"Danger? What kinda danger? Does it have to do with these disappearances that keep happenin'?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know what's going to happen to her. All I can find out is that the people closest to her are going to turn on her-"

"You mean my friends, don'tcha?" Applejack yelled, jumping up to her hooves. She walked over to him and slapped him across the face, half-surprised he didn't evade the swing. She narrowed her eyes and drew closer to his face. "You quit talking about them. We're talking about me and you, right now. And I want answers."

Unfazed, the stallion shook his head. "You're not getting it, Applejack. Your friends are the problem. Something's not right with them, but you're perfectly fine."

"What do you mean, 'I'm fine'?"

"I mean that your behavior has followed normal patterns. I've studied you and the other Element holders for several weeks now, and your friends have not been acting themselves when they are alone." Applejack stared at him for a moment, befuddled.

"You've... been watching us?" she stammered.

"Yes, and for your own good. I had a vision a long time ago that Celestia was going to be betrayed, much like the vision I had of each of your friends being responsible for the recent murders." Applejack shivered at the last word, and looked at the stallion with concern.

"Listen, Mortal... Coil?" she started, earning a nod from him. "I don't know why you showed me any of that... stuff.... before, but I'd certainly like to know what it has to do with Rainbow Dash. Why did I see Pinkie do those things to her?"

"I showed you exactly what I saw myself so long ago," Mortal Coil's face lowered, his eyes closing solemnly. "I'm so sorry your friend got mixed up in this. But, with your help, we can set things right. You can warn her of what's been going on. All I need is for you to see the evidence." Applejack looked at her hooves, unsure of what to say next.

"So, you mean to tell me..." she whispered.

"Yes. It really happened that way. Like you, I am a terrible liar, and have no need to keep the truth from the only pony who will believe me."

Applejack sat still, her body shaking slightly. She pressed her chin to her chest and fought to withhold her tears. Large, fat drops of rain begain to fall erratically, ending in a soft *plunk* as they bounced off of her stetson.

"I...I-I can't..." she mouthed, barely any sound escaping her throat. "You want me to see..." Mortal Coil's eyes widened slightly as he saw her lift her head and glare at him, tears streaming down her face. "You really want me to see my friends do...these things?" He remained silent.

"Well, I can't! I can't see anything like that again!" she roared. "I'm not going to help you! I don't care what kind of danger you say I'm in! I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE!"

Applejack screamed at Mortal Coil again and again, the rain now becoming stronger and wind winding its way through the trees. She screamed until her throat was raw, and then screamed even more. What made her the angriest of all was the look of pity on his face. He felt sorry for her for reacting this way, when it was his fault in the first place. She could have forgotten Rainbow Dash eventually, but he reopened her wounds without so much as a second thought. As she stopped to regain her breath, he reached out to her slowly, earning another slap from Applejack. She backed away from him, and then turned away. Her trotting turned into galloping and finally a full canter as she rushed through the rain that blinded her, running off the road and away from her home, from Ponyville, from him. He made no sound as she ran away. At least, she didn't want to hear him to. She didn't want to hear from him ever again.

Author's Note

Again, sorry for the wait. Hope you guys enjoy.
/)

Chapter 5

*** Chapter 5 ***

Lightning rippled through the clouds as Applejack ran desperately through the storm, dodging low-hanging tree branches and narrowly missing trees in the darkness of the forest. She lost track of how long she had been running, and was completely drenched in rainwater as well as her own tears. Her hat had fallen off of her head a ways back, but she didn't care. All she could think of was running, trying to get away from the terror that was Mortal Coil, the one who had torn her away from her peace of mind, just when it was within her grasp. She had worked so hard to fight the pain inside, and he only twisted the knife more. She hated him. She wanted him to go back wherever it was, and just-

"Gah!" Applejack cried out as she tripped over a tree root, barreling head-over-hoof along the ground. She landed on her back, and stared up at the sky for a moment. The purple, threatening clouds were blurred by the rain falling on her face, and she rolled over onto her stomach, her eyes beginning to water once more. She didn't think she could possibly cry anymore, but she didn't know what else to do. She pulled herself to her hooves and made her way to the nearest tree to try and shelter herself from the rain. The flurry of thoughts in her head had subsided, and was replaced by only one: Rainbow Dash.

"I miss you, Dash..." Applejack said aloud, stifling a sob. "I can't lie to myself, or anypony else anymore. I really, really miss you. I miss the way you used to pull pranks on me and our little gang with Pinkie Pie, and how you'd show up to the farm, makin' shade with the clouds even when you were supposed to be clearin' 'em..." Applejack held her breath for a moment, starting to lose what was left of her composure, and let it out in a shuddering sigh. "I just wish I could've stopped this, all of this. I don't know what or who to believe anymore, and all I want is to have you back again, to hear you tellin' me 'it'll be okay.' I just wish I had told you how much I cared about ya', and I now can't forgive myself for being so darned stupid..."

The cowpony stopped suddenly when she heard a snap come from in front of her, and jumped to her hooves. "Is that you, Coil?" she whispered, nervous. Lightning struck in the distance, lighting up the sky and revealing a very soggy cowpony hat lying on the ground in front of her. The pony next to it nudged it towards her, and Applejack felt her heart seize up for a moment when another flash of lightning revealed the mare who had brought the stetson to her.

"R-...Rainbow...?" Applejack stammered in disbelief. The pegasus nodded her head slowly, a pained look of concern on her face. She stepped towards the cowpony, but froze when Applejack took two steps farther away. Applejack picked up a short stick in her mouth, and aimed it at the pegasus defensively. Panicking when Rainbow Dash stepped forth again, she lobbed the stick at her target, which, much to her surprise, sailed right through the silent pegasus and landed on the sopping wet ground behind her. Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak, but Applejack was already sprinting in a random direction in terror, her brain fully unable to understand what was going on around her. The pegasus spread her wings wide and bolted towards the cowpony, catching up to her in a matter of seconds and tackling her to the ground.

"Stop! You're not Rainbow Dash! Get away from me!" Applejack screamed as she struggled vainly against the pegasus, who planted the cowpony on her back and sat on top of her, holding her front hooves down. Applejack glared up at the pegasus for a moment, before her brain began processing what had just happened. She looked to both of her hooves, and back to the pegasus. Her eyes widened in shock as she noticed that she could just barely see the rain falling above her and landing on the pegasus' back from underneath her. The mare's whole body was slightly translucent, but here she was, holding Applejack down like she had done long before. Applejack remained silent as the pegasus stared at her intently, searching for something in her expression.

"Applejack..." Rainbow Dash whispered, just barely audible above the slowing rain and wind. "Do you really love me?"

The question threw Applejack off, and no sound came out of her mouth when she opened it to speak. Her head ached as she tried to form an answer, but the only reaction she could give was a stifled sob as her eyes started to water painfully. The pegasus backed slowly off of her, and the cowpony sat up for a moment, her head hanging as she began to cry softly.

"Applejack...?" Dash said, confused.

At that moment, the last strand of control Applejack had broke. She pushed herself into the pegasus' shoulder and sobbed, embracing her tightly. Rainbow Dash leaned her head against Applejack's and returned the embrace, running her hoof through the cowpony's wet mane. The wind had died almost completely and the rain began to subside to a light drizzle, making Applejack's pained wails audible through much of the forest. As Rainbow Dash stroked Applejack's mane, she turned her head slightly to whisper into her ear.

"It's going to be okay, alright?" she said lovingly, making the cowpony go silent as she looked up.

"W-what did you just say...?"

Rainbow Dash held the broken mare's face closer to her own, stroking her cheek softly. "I said that it's going to be okay. I'm here now. Isn't that what you said you wanted?"

"I-I was just... and you were... but..." Applejack stammered, feeling heat rush to her cheeks as she noticed the proximity of their faces. Rainbow Dash felt her own cheeks redden as she drew even closer.

"I heard you say that you cared about me, too," Dash whispered. She looked away slowly, closing her eyes in shame. "I'm so sorry, I should have seen it before. I should have gotten over myself and started paying attention." In her haste to speak, she released Applejack who suddenly stopped the pegasus, nudging her face back with a hoof.

"It's alright, sugarcube..." she said, the tears on her face flowing less than before, her mouth turned up in a weak, nervous smile.. "I... I just want you to know now... here..." Slowly, she closed the distance between them, embracing Dash desperately, fearful of the mare's reaction. Instead of freezing up like Applejack expected, the pegasus closed her eyes and wrapped her front hooves around the cowpony and pushed her onto her back, returning the kiss with sincere passion. Applejack's mind reeled as she felt warmth emanating from the cyan pegasus, but found great comfort in it and relaxed considerably. Rainbow Dash released Applejack to look at her once more, and felt a pang of guilt when she saw Applejack shiver slightly.

"Are you alright, Applejack? I think we need to get out of this weather." she said hesitantly, watching the cowpony's expression intently.

"That'd be nice, I think," Applejack chuckled. "But I don't even know where we are."

"I do, kinda. I've been here before when I was younger. There's a cave not too far from here we can crash in for the night."

"I hope ya' don't mean that literally, Dashie." She smiled sheepishly as she could see a faint blush on Dash's face from hearing Applejack's pet name.

"Here, just hold onto me. I promise I won't let go." Rainbow Dash said, lifting slowly into the air and reaching for Applejack's sides. The cowpony donned her soaked stetson and hesitantly heaved her forelegs around the pegasus' body, careful as to not hinder her wings. Rainbow Dash gripped tightly onto the mare underneath her and began to take off through the trees and away from the forest. Applejack looked down for a moment and instantly pressed her face to Rainbow Dash's chest, wanting to un-see the several hundred feet of air between her and the solid ground. Rainbow Dash reassured her, and used her rear legs to support Applejack and press her closer to her body. Applejack blushed again, and this time looked ahead of where they were headed. There were mountains nearby, one of which had an enormous waterfall coming out of the cliffside. Smaller caves dotted the area around it, and an especially large one appeared to be the pegasus' target.

"Are we headin' over there?" Applejack yelled over the wind in her ears, pointing towards it. Rainbow Dash nodded once, leveling her wings and beginning a wide, curved descent towards the treeless mountainside. Moments later, the two mares landed gently inside the mouth of the cave, just as another flash of lightning lit the whole cave and the rain began to pound the forest below. As wide as the entrance was, it was shallow enough that they could both see the end, and were happy enough to know that no other creature would be bothering them. Applejack carefully released her grip on the pegasus, and looked at her with some concern.

"That was a might, dangerous, ya' know, flying in a storm with all that lightning. Something coulda'-mmmmm" Applejack started, silenced by the lips of the pegasus in front of her.

"You're welcome," Rainbow Dash chuckled, enjoying Applejack's half-shocked look. "Now that we're out of the rain, I guess we'll have to do something while we wait until morning." She eyed the cowpony up and down for a moment, winking at her. Applejack froze, her brain unable to form a thought and her mouth unable to form words. Her cheeks flared as various fantasies flooded her mind. Rainbow Dash stepped forward and nuzzled her cheek. "I know you think I'm not into mares, but I think I can make an acception," she whispered, nipping the cowpony's ear in the process. "...just this once." Applejack closed her eyes and exhaled softly as the cyan pegasus drew her tongue down the side of Applejack's ear, making her crane her neck to the side as the pegasus continued down. Her heart steadied, and beat slightly harder as she felt a hoof press against her chest.

"Please, let me make this up to you," Rainbow Dash pleaded quietly, placing small kisses along Applejack's neck and pressing forward into her chest, encouraging her to resume their earlier postition. Applejack slowly leaned back onto her haunches and finally onto her back, completely subdued and at the mercy of the mare above her. Rainbow Dash looked down lovingly and pressed her lips into the base of Applejack's neck and shoulder, earning a small sigh from the cowpony as she relaxed more onto the floor of the cave. It was hard as hell, but she couldn't care less.

"Is... Is this a dream, Dashie?" She whispered, making the pegasus pause. Dash lifted her head and looked Applejack in the eyes for a moment.

"I have no idea, but I want you to enjoy it anyway, Applejack." she whispered softly, placing a small kiss on her nose and rubbing her hoof in circles along Applejack's side. The cowpony squirmed slightly, giggling adorably.

"That tickles, Dash," she said, sighing when the hoof reached down and started caressing her cutie mark. "Oooh, right there, sugarcube..."

Rainbow Dash reached her other hoof over to stroke both cutie marks at the same time, alternating her movements and making the cowpony's breathing quicken slightly. She leaned her head down and bit down softly on Applejack's collarbone, tugging gently at the toned muscle and skin, releasing it and eliciting a small gasp from Applejack. She repeated the motion again and again, moving down the mare's body and pressed even harder on her cutie marks. Applejack was in bliss now, her whole body tingling as her brain registered every little massage, every single nip and bite, until she realized that Dash had reached her stomach and was still moving. She moaned quietly as she felt one last nip just above her hips, and felt the mare's massaging hooves let go. She looked down, and saw the pegasus looking back nervously.

"I-is it alright, if I... you know..." she stammered, turning her head suddenly and staring at the cave wall. Applejack's pleasure induced mind put two and two together, and she smiled gently, reaching a slightly shaking hoof down to the pegasus' cheek.

"Sugarcube," she whispered, a sultry tone overtaking her voice. "You can do whatever you want."

It was Rainbow Dash's turn to blush as she saw Applejack's lust-filled glance, and leaned her head down, smiling cutely. She slowly spread the mare's hindlegs, and ran her tongue across Applejack's inner thigh. The cowpony sighed heavily, biting her lip in anticipation. Rainbow Dash's tongue continued up Applejack's leg until it reached her swollen marehood, and dipped tentatively in as she pressed her mouth to Applejack's crotch. Applejack moaned softly, arching her back slightly as the pegasus ran her wide tongue up and down her slit, and felt it tap teasingly at her now-stiffening bud. She gasped as she felt Rainbow Dash stroke it deftly with the edge of her hoof. She held in a second moan, but failed to keep silent as she felt the hoof return and join the mare's eager lapping. Dash's ears flicked playfully as she heard the cowpony's moans, feeling herself become aroused as well. However, her attention stayed with the mare she was servicing, the one who she had so selfishly been ignorant of for so long.

"A-ah~!" Applejack let out a slightly deeper moan, pressing Dash's head closer and grinding her hips upward. "Please..."

Rainbow Dash pulled her hoof back and drew the small bulb of flesh into her mouth, making the cowpony's muscles clench and release erratically. She flicked it with her tongue lightly, applying the weakest of suction to send the mare over her limits. Applejack was now groaning and wriggling on the cave floor in ecstasy as she felt surges of pleasure flow through her body. She struggled to form words as she felt the pegasus begin massaging her rump with both hooves and grazing her teeth gently across her clit.

"Rainbow, I'm gonna- Aaah-... you need to...- A~aah-... stop..." she moaned loudly. She expected the pegasus to withdraw and finish her with her hoof, but took in a lungful of air in surprise as Rainbow Dash doubled her pace and pressed her hooves roughly into the cowpony's cheeks, kneading the toned flesh eagerly. Applejack's moans increased in volume and turned to short squeaks and squeals of pleasure as she felt her body reaching its breaking point. As if by magic, Dash redoubled her efforts and Applejack's mind was filled with static. Her whole body spasmed erratically, and she felt a familiar release between her legs, which the pegasus eagerly gathered into her mouth and swallowed quickly. She rode the climax to its finish, her body going numb as the waves of pleasure subsided. The pegasus finished cleaning both Applejack and herself, and slowly stood herself up and laid down next to the spent mare.

"Did... Did I do well?" Dash asked, sounding and feeling as if it had been her first time with any kind of sexual encounter. Applejack responded with a quick and passionate kiss, pressing her body into Dash's and wrapping her hoof around her neck. Applejack tasted herself as she slowly slipped her tongue into the other mare's mouth, but ignored it as she felt Dash's tongue wrap around hers in kind. The two remained on the floor of the cave as the rain poured and the wind howled outside the cave, making them draw closer to retain their body heat. Applejack's vision started to weaken as she felt sleep begin to overtake her, but allowed it to take hold of her mind as the last thing she saw was the mare she once loved, in front of her, holding her and staring passionately into her eyes.

Author's Note

Yeah, yeah, I know I jumped onto the AppleDash bandwagon.
So sue me.
Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. More to come soon.
/)

Chapter 6

*** Chapter 6 ***

“Man, I'll bet you a hundred bits nothing happens tonight, rookie.”

“You're on! I'm sure something's gonna happen, Halberd!”

The elder of the two guards outside the Royal Palace chuckled, patting the younger Chain on the shoulder. He'd been at this job for nearly 20 years now, and the only real action he'd seen was when that strange changeling broke into the captain's wedding. Under the moonlight he barely listened to his shiftmate as he was regaled with the young stallion's bouts during his training, admiring this newbie's spirit and passion for fighting.

“You know, being a guard isn't all about fighting threats.” Halberd motioned for Chain to stop, scratching his head and stretching his wings. “It's also about being able to detect them.” Chain's eyes widened slightly as he began to take in this new information, making Halberd smile warmly.

“Aren't you supposed to be able to fight off anything that isn't safe?”

“Well, yes, but sometimes you come across something much stronger than you. Bigger, too. I remember one of my commanding officers when I was green telling me about a bunch of manticores that tried to get in. Some idiot unicorn had tried casting a spell to attract other mares, and wound up attracting everything BUT them.” Chain laughed, imagining what a surprise it would have been to be assaulted by aroused manticores.

“That's pretty funny, but how did he solve the problem?”

“He called for help. He spotted the pack of them at a few hundred yards and let out a signal that alerted other guards.” He slapped the younger stallion on the back. “Teamwork is crucial to our city's defense. Without guards communicating, we'd never know if something were to happen.” Halberd looked up at the rest of the castle, wishing there were a few other guards around to help out, just in case. Chain's mouth opened as a thought clicked in his head.

“Oh, so that's why you said nothing would happen, because we haven't heard anything yet- !”

Suddenly, the younger stallion reached for his throat, pupils shrinking and hacking relentlessly. He raised himself on his rear legs and began to lean backwards, still choking. Halberd looked around frantically but could see no wires, no magic, no source of his shiftmate's attacker. He was about to call out when his larynx suddenly felt like it had collapsed on itself. He couldn't get any air in or out of his lungs, and he felt himself being lifted up by the neck by some invisible force. His vision began to darken as he watched the other stallion go quiet and slump to the ground. Slipping into unconsciousness, he only wished that whatever this was turned out to be a dream.

A hooded figure sprinted past the guards on the ground, silently opening the side door they had been guarding and closed it behind him. A red glow shone out from underneath the hood, and the figure slowly grew transparent until the thin, distorting lines of his silhouette were visible. He walked calmly through the small hallway and into a larger corridor whose ceiling was lined with stained glass. Various guards patrolled the smaller paths intersecting with the room, but none noticed as he slunk along the wall and into another chamber. He scanned the area for more guards, but was relieved to know that they were far behind him. His horn glowed weakly as the light returned to him, revealing his misty eyes beneath his cloak. He brushed it off of his head, and walked through the corridor, noticing a strange stone door ahead of him. Unlike the rest of the well-decorated palace, this door was completely bare, aside from a half-sun carved out near the top. Using his magic, he cracked them open slightly, and his heart stopped when he peered inside.

It was Celestia's chamber of judgment, the room that should have been his resting place in Equestria.

Near the back wall of the long, narrow room sat a large throne cut from the same stone as the doors. Rows and rows of stone benches for those who might view the judgment of a traitor to the crowns. He pushed the doors farther open, checking behind him to make sure he would not be followed, and closed himself in. He stepped slowly towards the throne, recalling his last hoofsteps here.

"Mortal Coil... step forth."

His vision pulsed black for a moment, making him pause before continuing. He could remember the tight blindfold over his eyes, the shackles that cut deep into his legs to the point where they would bleed if he walked too fast. He was halfway to the throne when he felt burning behind his eyes, and stopped completely to stare at the throne.

“I believe what the courts and evidence say? That you deceived me, that you BETRAYED me?”

The burning remained in his head, but no tears would come forth. He looked up above the throne and stared at the pattern in the glass on the wall. It was a portrait of Celestia, casting her bright yellow magic, eyes aglow. Instantly he remembered the same stare she gave him nearly a century ago, but one of rage, dark and malicious. He felt the searing, torturing pain rending his body once more, falling to the ground on one knee as the memory flooded his mind.

"I'm sorry. I really did love you."

At that moment, the pain grew to a climax and dissipated, making Mortal Coil arch his back and let out a fearful, blood-curdling roar. He slammed his hoof into the tile floor, making it crack and sending splinters of it into his face and mane, panting frantically. He hoped nopony had heard him, but there was still the urge to take out his despair on any guard who thought they would try to find the source of the noise. Fortunately, the Royal Guard was out and about among other stretches of the palace, and were unaware of the stallion lurking around the palace. He had always known that the guards lacked in night security, but he hardly believed that it had actually gotten worse while he had been in exile. A bitter feeling rose in his throat as he reminisced the way Celestia had always teased them when they weren't around. He swallowed it back down harshly and started up the staircases to the Princesses' chambers.

The crimson unicorn paused when he ascended the final step and reached the large, heavily protected doors leading to Celestia's room. He observed that the magical barrier to Princess Luna's was no longer there, smiling inwardly. He knew that they would reconcile eventually; he only wished he could have been there for it. Under the effects of his cloaking spell, he retreated to a corner far from the door and began to chant under his breath. His horn remained undetectable, but channeled magic towards the guards, who began to asphyxiate. Each panicked and attempted to reach for the door handle, or cry out for help, but were pulled up by their necks and drawn towards his corner as his chanting changed in rhythm. He sensed their pulses dwindling and the words stopped flowing from his mouth. Each guard fell to the floor unconscious and Mortal Coil stepped past them, disrupting his spell and letting his cloak fall to the floor. To his surprise, the chamber door opened without his command, and his muscles tensed instinctively. Within the room, Celestia lay on a large, round bed, staring towards the door, disoriented from sleep.

“Who goes there?” came the weak voice of the tired princess. She assumed it might have been one of the newer guards anxiously approaching to check-in on her, and rose in her bed as she rubbed her eyes. Mortal Coil knelt instantly and bowed his head, now acting purely on fear and instinct.

“It's... It's me, Celestia.” he muttered calmly. Celestia's ears perked at the sound of her name, rather than “your highness.” Her eyes widened as her vision cleared and revealed the crimson unicorn kneeling at her chamber door. Mortal had only moments to act as he sensed a vigorous pulse of magic, and rolled to his right as he heard the thin, lightning-like bolt fly towards where his head had previously been. He looked up and felt a pang of terror as he saw Celestia's look of horror and confusion.

“You... H-how did you return to this place...?” she stuttered, raising up on her bed. “WHY?”

“Please, Celestia, bear with me-” Mortal raised his hooves in defense as he saw her charge her horn, readying another shot.

“No! You break into my palace, attack my Royal Guard, rouse me in the night, and you ask me to bear with you? What is wrong with you?!” She fired at him once more, and he jumped towards the left, now sprinting towards the bed. He sailed towards her as she charged her horn again, and a loud electrical crack could be heard as she cried in surprise.

“Please, your Highness. Just listen...” he pleaded calmly. Celestia sat against the backboard of her bed, violently struggling against him. He had collided horns with her, and her magic was now locked with his as the two horns glowed brightly. She glared at him as she realized the spell he was channeling used its target's magic against them, neutralizing any spell being cast, at the cost of immobility. He stood in front of her, legs locked still and sweat running down his forehead.

“Why should I listen to you? You were exiled, and yet you have the nerve to return...” she growled through clenched teeth, still trying to overpower his spell. Mortal felt himself weakening, and knew that in a few moments his magic would fail and he would be vulnerable. The burn returned to his eyes once more, and he shut them rapidly, feeling his whole body shake as his horn's glow began to fade. Celestia let out a triumphant yell as she threw Mortal off of the bed and onto the floor. She leaped quickly from the bed and stood over his paralyzed body, glaring bitterly down at him over her snout. He looked up towards her, his vision blurry but clear enough to see the hoof raise high over his head. He closed his misty eyes and looked away, feeling the burning in his eyes begin to fade as the wet tears flowed silently onto the floor. Moment's passed as he prepared himself for the blow, but he only felt his face on the stained carpet floor. He heard a sharp breath come from above him, and felt something land on his exposed cheek: a small drop of water. Another fell, and then another, and another. He looked up to see Celestia bent over his stiff body, crying silently and staring him down angrily.

“Why...” she sobbed weakly. “Why did you have to make this so hard for me, for yourself?"

She turned around wearily and returned to her bed, resting her legs underneath herself and faced the stallion laying on the floor. She had gained control over her sobbing, but tears still flowed slowly towards the bedspread as she looked at him in pain.

“All you had to do was stay away, and nothing else would happen to you...”

He lay still on the floor, silently watching her as she hung her head and let her breath deepen as her crying intensified. He could feel his body's senses returning to him, but chose to remain motionless for fear of alarming her.

“I came back to warn you of something, your Highness.” he whispered, causing her to quiet down and stare at him, confused. Very rarely had he ever referred to her as “your Highness.” She wiped the tears from her face sharply and regained her outer composure.

“Warn me of what, Coil? What could you possibly have to say for yourself?” she demanded.

“The citizens of Equestria are in danger, Celestia. You are in danger.” he choked out. “I'm not sure what from, but-”

“But what?!”

Mortal Coil paused for a moment. “I think it has something to do with your brother, Aether.”

Celestia remained silent, narrowing her eyes. “You still dabble with my brother?” Coil jumped up in alarm, raising his hooves up defensively once more as Celestia's horn glowed softly.

“No! Never!” he shrieked, momentarily unable to control his voice. He dropped his voice and looked away from her. “I abandoned him after... after you banished me, Princess.”

Celestia stifled a sob as she remembered the spell she had used to erase him from Equestria, and to erase him from her memories.

“I had a vision where the Element holders took you hostage, and summoned him to come to you. He... He killed...” Mortal Coil dropped off his sentence there, not wanting to remember it again. Celestia's expression softened, and she spoke to him half-reassuredly.

“That couldn't possibly happen. The Holders are loyal to me, and would never ever be willing to do that-”

“They aren't willing!” Mortal Coil broke in, keeping his head down. “They're not themselves. All except one: Applejack.”

Celestia raised a concerned eyebrow. “What do you mean, 'not themselves'?”

“I mean it's like they're being controlled by some kind of magic. I believe that they all have a part in the recent...” Coil's voice disappeared again as he saw the expression on Celestia's face. It told of an untrusting mare who no longer had the time to fall for the unicorn's tricks again.

“Please, Mortal, not this again, “ she whispered, her eyes misting up in anger. “Why do you torture me like this?”

He stood up and approached her slowly, a look of certainty across his face. “I'm not lying, Celestia.” He tentatively reached a hoof up towards her head, which jerked back slightly. “I never did.” His hoof stopped midair, and slowly Celestia returned her head to its position, allowing him to gently wipe away the streaks of pain on her face. The alabaster mare now stared into his gray eyes, desperately searching for any signs of insecurity. She found none.

“I didn't want this to happen to us, Coil...” she began, now shaking.

“Neither of us did. I was a fool to trust him, and I've suffered the consequences, “ Coil muttered, looking out of the corner of his eye at the black marks on his flank.

“I don't know if I can believe you now, or ever, Mortal Coil.”

“What if Applejack were to prove my innocence?” Celestia's eyes widened in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I'm trying to show her that her friends aren't themselves, and that they are responsible for the 'disappearances' in Ponyville, Cloudsdale, and Canterlot.” Coil continued eagerly. “I want her to be able to see exactly what is going on, and that maybe she could clear my name...”

Celestia remained quiet, analyzing this new information with a calmer expression.

“I will hear of this from Applejack herself, without your accompaniment. “ she declared. “You have one week to persuade her. However...” Mortal Coil shrunk back slightly as Celestia glared at him. “Should I find out that you are doing anything to betray me-”

“CELESTIA, PLEASE!” He begged, grabbing her face quickly and pulling it towards his own. She peered into his fearful eyes and held her breath.

“I don't want to believe you did that before, “ she whispered, hardly any sound escaping her lips. He gasped and slowly released his grip on her cheeks. Instead of shirking away, though, he watched Celestia leaned forward slowly and closed her eyes. His addled brain forced his head forward and his lips met hers, making his heart ache as he felt the alicorn shake with another sob. They both slowly retreated, silently observing the other's reaction.

“I don't want to believe you, Mortal Coil.”

Moments passed, and their heads lurched forward as they embraced each other tightly and kissed passionately, afraid to give up the last moment they might ever have together again.

Author's Note

I'm sorry for the long wait, you guys.
I've been dealing with some familial issues, and I've felt more remorseful recently than before (which actually helped me write this chapter).
I hope you all enjoy. Expect another chapter on this or Baker's Delight in the somewhat-near future.

Chapter 7

*** Chapter 7 ***

Applejack remained quiet as Rainbow Dash carried her along in the cool air of early dawn. The cowpony was still new to flying, but had mustered the courage to look down a few times, amazed at the sight once she got over her fear of falling. The sun hadn't risen yet, so she was unable to see details among the trees they sailed over, but the sheer vastness of forest told her that she had gotten much farther away from Ponyville than she had intended. Something suddenly clicked in her head.

“How did you manage to find me out here, Dashie?” she yelled over the wind, making the pegasus flinch unexpectedly. She slowed down gradually and extended her wings in a lazy glide, silencing the wind in her ears.

“I didn't just find you, I followed you when I heard you crying, is all.” she responded quietly, her eyes narrowing. Applejack only became more confused.

“But how did you know I was? How are you even here?” She felt guilty about not asking these questions before, and even more so for ruining a perfectly good morning with them. Still, she wanted to know why the pegasus had even shown up, let alone why.

“I... I don't know how to explain it, really. After Pinkie, I-” Rainbow Dash stopped speaking for a moment, her body shuddering. Applejack looked up at her, concerned.

“It's okay, sugarcube, I didn't mean nothin' by it. You don't have to talk about it if-”

“I want to talk about it, okay?” Dash said adamantly, almost yelling. “I need to get through this.

“I felt really weird after all that pain. Like, it hurt so, so badly, and then it just kinda got all warm and disappeared. I remember opening my eyes and I was in this huge, flat desert, with black sand and a completely white sky. The sun was there, but it was just as black as the sand. I flew around for who knows how long, and there was just... nothing. Nothing but sand and the wind. I could hear a voice telling me something, though. It came from just about every direction, like it was in my head or something. I don't remember what it was like, but it kept telling me 'go back.' I flew exactly where it told me to go, and after a while I found this really big stone gate.” Applejack nodded quietly as she listened, hoping that an understandable answer might come out of this.

“The voice told me to go through it, so I did. There was a big flash of colors, all the colors you can think of, and even a few I'd never seen before! Anyway, I covered my eyes after it got bright, and when I opened them, I suddenly saw you running through the rain, crying. And then, all I wanted to do was help you. I wish I could tell you how I got here, but...”

“It's alright, Rainbow Dash. We can figure it out together once we get home.”

“Applejack...” Dash started solemnly, her eyes going vacant for a moment. “Can we stop somewhere first?”

“Sure, I guess,” Applejack replied, startled. “Is there someone ya need to see?” Rainbow Dash nodded her head, remaining silent as the sun rose up over the small buildings of Ponyville.

******************************

“Rainbow Dash, what are we doing back here?”

Applejack ran frantically after the translucent pegasus flying towards Sugarcube Corner at a vigorous speed. It had been nearly 15 minutes since she had last spoken, and Applejack was now beyond worried. When they drew near the building, Dash dropped to the ground in front of Applejack and put out a hoof, stopping her.

“I need you to wait here until I come out and get you,” she said, suddenly smiling. “You'll know when.” The cyan mare flew up towards the roof and slowly drifted into it, leaving Applejack alone in front of the bakery. She looked around a few times, noticing just how alone she was in the town. Nopony was up yet, but she inwardly panicked as she realized that the rest of her family would probably be worried sick that she had been gone. She started pacing nervously as the minutes dragged by, and was startled by a noise inside the shop. She could clearly hear the sound of chairs being knocked around and tables being flipped over. Instinctively, she ran headlong into the front door, certain that if anypony had been asleep, the noise would have gotten them up first. She saw Pinkie Pie laying among chairs and tables strewn about as if there had been a bar fight. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked up at Applejack.

“I told you to wait until I called you, AJ,” she said, a look of annoyance across her face. The cowpony stared in disbelief at the pink mare, who stood up and began examining herself. Her voice didn't sound as perky as normal, and her eyes weren't the same color, either. When she had looked at Applejack, they bore a strange reddish hue, almost like...

“Rainbow... Dash?” she asked, cocking her head. Pinkie Pie nodded quickly, smirking.

“Yup. And Twilight said that the stuff in those comics wasn't possible! This is so cool!” she exclaimed, bouncing slightly in place.

“How... What did you do to her, Rainbow?”

Pinkie Pie shrugged her shoulders. “I just flew at her and thought of those movies where ghosts take over ponies' bodies, and I went right in.”

“Well, that's all nice and good, but what was all the ruckus for? You might've woken up the Cakes' or somethin'!”

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes. “They aren't here, silly. Do you hear babies crying, or anyone coming down the stairs?” Applejack stopped and listened for a moment, relieved at the lack of sound in the room. “Besides, she was the one putting up a fight.”

“But why did ya' even do it?” Applejack said, rubbing her temples, annoyed. “What are we doing here?”

“I told you, I need to show you something, but I didn't want anyone to catch us. Come on, AJ.” she said, leading the cowpony into the kitchen.

Applejack stared on at the pink mare in front of her as Rainbow Dash trotted up to a large shelf on the far wall of the kitchen and began pushing it aside, careful not to let the dishes and pans on it fall off. Behind the shelf was a rectangular outline, like somepony had cut it into the wall. Dash gestured for Applejack to approach it, and gave it a swift kick, making it swing inwards and reveal a narrow staircase lit my small lanterns. Every bit of Applejack's mind screamed for her to stop as she followed the pink mare down, silently contemplating just what was going on. She hated how all of this was happening so suddenly, how she had no idea what was going on, but everypony else knew just what to do-

“Applejack, are you alright? You don't look well.” The cowpony stopped moving and noticed Rainbow Dash looking at her concernedly through Pinkie's eyes.

“What makes you say that?” Applejack asked defensively, hoping that she hadn't said any of what she was thinking.

“You just got quiet for so long, I didn't know if you were okay. Sorry.” Rainbow Dash replied bitterly, turning back into the growing darkness. Soon, the staircase leveled off and turned into a small hallway ending in a thick, wooden door. As they approached the exit, Applejack felt a sharp pain in her stomach as she recognized it as the door she saw in the vision Mortal Coil had given her.

“Dash, what is it you want to show me?” Applejack said calmly, her hat covering her face as she stared at the floor.

“I need your help with something. Something important.” Rainbow Dash replied. She kept walking forward, leaving Applejack to sit in the middle of the hallway by herself. The cowpony flinched as she heard the familiar sound of the door creaking opened, and slowly looked up to see the pink mare waiting for her. Reluctantly, she pulled herself together and trotted through the doorway past Rainbow Dash. She looked around the room once more, recalling the stark concrete walls surrounding the table in the center. She walked up the steps and heard Pinkie's voice in her mind, shuddering with each step.

Are you ready, Dashie?

It's for making dinner, silly!

Hey! I was going to eat that! *smack*

She stopped and inspected the table, surprised that it was clean and showed no signs of that horrible night. She rubbed her hoof on it gently, letting the cold metal run underneath her coat as she fought to push the memory away. Suddenly, a loud *clang* rang out behind her, making her jump. She turned and saw Rainbow Dash carrying a large knife in her mouth, smiling as she joined Applejack on the pedestal.

“Applejack, this isn't going to be something easy to ask, “ the pink mare began. “I know you've gone through a lot recently, but I really need your help on this.” She set the knife onto the table before Applejack, her face now cold and serious.

“What is it, Dash?” Applejack asked, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.

“I need you to kill me, with that knife.”

Applejack's stomach did a double take as the last word left the pink mare's mouth. The shock of hearing Rainbow Dash say that, after all of this... she didn't think she could take much more. She opened her mouth to refuse, but Dash placed her hoof over the cowpony's mouth.

“Don't worry, I don't mean 'me' me. I mean Pinkie.” Applejack's eyes widened as the realization of Dash's plan to stop at Sugarcube Corner hit her. Dash lifed her hoof away from Applejack, who proceeded to pin her to the table in anger.

“What are you talking about, asking me to kill Pinkie Pie? What in Celestia's name were you thinking?”

Rainbow Dash looked up at the mare above her, her eyes glazed over.

“I... I thought you would understand, Applejack, I really did...” she said quietly, tears forming in the pink mare's eyes. “Don't you get it, though?”

“Get what?” Applejack demanded.

“She did this to me. To herself. She's nothing but a monster, but you're still defending her!?” Rainbow Dash's voice rose as she spoke and she furrowed her brow in desperate rage. “You saw it for yourself! Can you even IMAGINE what kind of pain she put me through? She deserves this! No, she deserves worse than this!”

Applejack went to take the knife away from Rainbow Dash, who knocked her to the edge of the pedestal and towered above her. In an instant, her anger dissolved into tears as she stared down at the confused cowpony.

“All I want is your help, Applejack. I don't want her to be able to hurt anypony else. There's something wrong with her...”

“Wrong... with Pinkie?”

Dash nodded her head. “When I went into her body, there was some creepy voice screaming at me. I didn't understand what it said, but it felt like she was something completely different.” The pink pony leaned her head down close to Applejack's, staring intently down at her.

“Please, Applejack.”

The cowpony shook her head once, closing her tear-filled eyes. Rainbow Dash's face went blank, and she turned around and stepped away after a few moments, allowing Applejack to get up off of the pedestal.

“Dash, I... I'm-” she began to apologize, just as a pink hoof came crashing into her snout. She reared back in surprise and fell from the pedestal, landing heavily on her back as the possessed mare roared down at her.

“I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME, APPLEJACK!” The words rang out in Applejack's ears, making her ignore the pain in her skull long enough to watch as Rainbow Dash took the large knife in her hooves. She cradled it gently, gazing at it longingly like a filly.

“I do love you, Rainbow Dash, but you don't have to do this!” Applejack called, raising her hoof up. “We can ask Twilight, or the Princess, or somepony!” Rainbow Dash silently moved her hooves and pointed the tip of the knife towards her pink chest.

“I'm sorry, AJ.”

Applejack felt her senses go numb as she watched the mare close her eyes and exhale deeply. She wanted to scream as the knife plunged into the pink mare's chest, but her throat closed tightly as she watched Rainbow Dash begin to fall from the pedestal. Almost hitting the ground, she suddenly stopped falling and was surrounded by a soft red aura, making Applejack gasp in surprise. The pink mare's body slowly floated to the ground as the knife slipped out of her scarlet-stained chest. She turned her head to see a set of red hooves on the other side of the room, leading up to a familiar unicorn, one Applejack had hoped to never see again.

Author's Note

Hope you all enjoyed, those of you still keeping up.
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