AUTHOR'S NOTE: When you get a music cue to play the song "runforit" Play it! I'm serious! This track is NOT OPTIONAL IF YOU WANT THE FULL EFFECT OF THE UPCOMING SCENE!

A RACE AGAINST TIME

PART 3

Applebloom once again shielded her eyes from the blinding light as she stepped through the door. Once the light had faded however, she found herself in yet another familiar setting.

The door swung closed behind her as Applebloom walked through it to see Babs' annoyed expression staring at her as she closed the door. “Sorry for comin back so late again but after Ah got done singin mah fans wouldn't stop pesterin me for autographs so Ah stuck around for an unscheduled autograph signin.” Applebloom remarked with a guilty expression.

“Whatever, we need to talk.” Babs replied dismissing her lovers apology as she motioned for her to follow her to the kitchen.

“Can't it wait till mornin? Ah'm gettin a might sleepy.” Applebloom replied with a yawn as she followed her into the kitchen.

“No, it can't.” Babs replied simply as she took a bottle of apple juice from it, popped off the lid and took a drink from it before she set it down on the counter.

“Why so serious all the sudden? If it's about me havin to go on mah day off then Ah'm sorry but if Showtime-”

“Buck Showtime!” Babs exclaimed suddenly cutting off the farm filly mid-sentence as she slammed the bottle of apple juice on the counter causing Applebloom to look on with a shocked expression for a few moments before she regained her composure.

Applebloom hesitated for a moment. “Wait a second, why does this feel so familiar?” she thought to herself before she finally replied. “Ah know it's hard on us but if we just-”

“No, it's not hard, it's impossible! You've been gone later and later every time that bucking stallion shows his ugly face! I barely see you anymore!” Babs roared once again cutting off Applebloom as she looked at her.

“Okay, somethin is really strange bout this... Ah know I've had this conversation before!” Applebloom thought to herself as something nagged at the back of her mind. Regardless, she replied with yet another all too familiar line feeling as if the words had been programed into her mouth to say aloud.

“It's only been a consarned week Babs! You've gone longer than that without seein mah face when I was livin in Ponyville and you were livin in Manehattan! What's the consarned difference this time?!” Applebloom exclaimed becoming agitated by Babs cutting her off every time she opened her mouth to speak.

After a few more moments of silence she finally spoke. “Please quit the singing career Applebloom. Do it for me, please?” She asked her tone of voice suddenly switching from pissed off and angry to sad and desperate.

“Q-Quit it?! Why in tarnation are ya askin me to do that?! Listen, Ah know things are hard on us right now and Ah know I haven't been able to spend as much time with ya as Ah'd like but it will get better Ah promise!” Applebloom exclaimed as she reached over and placed a hoof on Babs' cheek.

“When?!” Babs exclaimed as she pushed Applebloom's hoof away from her face as her anger came back to her tone of voice.

“Huh?” Applebloom replied. By now the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she was trying to pin point the cause for seemed to be screaming the words “Ah know this happened before!!!”

“When will it get better?! Because as far as I can tell it's only getting worse!” Babs exclaimed as she walked past Applebloom and placed a hoof on the wall as she looked at the floor. Her entire body was shaking by this point.

“Babs... your shakin. Are ya alright?” Applebloom asked with a concerned expression once she had noticed this herself and walked over to Babs to place a hoof on her shoulder.

“No Applebloom, I'm not alright. Do you even realize what this singin career is doing to you? To us?!” Babs asked as she turned her head to look at Applebloom as tears formed in her eyes and began to drizzle down her cheeks.

“Babs Ah...” Applebloom began but trailed off with a sigh as she looked away from her lover with an unsure expression which soon became one of realization. She finally understood. She now knew she was reliving that fateful night when Babs left her in the hotel room and seized this moment in time to use all the willpower she had to change the course of this memory.

“Babs, Ah'm gonna quit, Ah promise! Ah'll do it right here and now!” Applebloom exclaimed as she put her hooves around Babs and looked at her.

Babs looked at her for a moment and sighed. “I wish I could believe you... but I don't.” the city filly replied as she turned away from her lover and walked out of the kitchen and towards the front door.

“Wh-Where are ya goin?” Applebloom asked as she followed the city filly to the door.

“I'm going to Swift, at least he won't put his job before me. Goodbye Applebloom. I don't want to see your face ever again.” Babs replied and opened the door to leave.

Applebloom's world seemed to freeze around her in an ice-cold aura. Babs was leaving her... forever. She watched in slow motion as her lover walked through the door and closed it behind her.

“No... No... This can't be happenin'!” Applebloom said aloud in a horror-stricken yet stunned tone as tears streamed from her cheeks the fact that she was reliving a memory from her past seemingly gone from her mind once again until...

NO! Ah won't let this happen! Ah pushed her away once, Ah won't do it ever again!

Applebloom shouted as she yanked the door open, ran up to Babs just before she stepped into the elevator door, whirled her around and locked lips with the city filly for a short time before she broke the kiss and looked at her lover whom had a bewildered expression on her face.

“Babs, Ah swear to ya. Ah'm a changed filly. Ah won't leave ya ever again. Ah promise.” Applebloom said softly as she looked into her lover's eyes.

Babs then embraced Applebloom in a tight hug and began to sob softly. “I was afraid I had lost ya forever...” she remarked between sobs.

“It's alright. Ah'm here now.” Applebloom said softly as she held her lover tightly.

The door behind the two fillies now swung open revealing a blinding white light.

“Dat door, I've seen it before.” Babs remarked softly.

“Wait a second, how can ya see that door unless...! You're the real Babs?!” Applebloom exclaimed in shock as she looked at the city filly.

“You're the real Applebloom?!” Babs replied with an equally shocked expression.

“I thought you were only an illusionary version here to test me!”

Both fillies shouted at each other nearly simultaneously.

“Wait a second, how did ya get here?” Applebloom asked curiously as she looked at her lover.

“Princess Luna appeared before me and told me I needed to face three tests in order to find you. My enemy, my worst fear, and-”

“Myself...” Applebloom said, finishing Babs' sentence for her. “Ah guess both of our worst fears were losin each other forever.” Applebloom replied with a warm smile.

“No, mine was leaving to cheat on you with Swift.” Babs confessed and sighed.

“Well that explains why when Ah seized control of this here memory of ours you were insisting on goin to Swift.” Applebloom replied as she wiped tears from her lover's eyes.

“I didn't want to but it was like my body had a mind of it's own.” Babs replied with a worried expression.

“Ah know ya didn't want to, it was part of the test for both of us.” Applebloom replied as she ran a hoof through her mane.

“So if we found each other, why aren't we wakin up?” Babs asked curiously as her gaze fell upon the door once again.

“Looks like we both got one more test. Ourselves.” Applebloom replied with an uneasy glance at the door.

“Then lets face it, together.” Babs replied with a smile at Applebloom whom nodded in agreement.

The two then began to walk towards the door when Applebloom spoke up. “Just out of curiosity, who was the enemy you had face?” Applebloom inquired curiously.

“My parents.” Babs replied simply.

“That must of not been easy.” Applebloom replied with a sympathetic expression.

“Heh, nope it wasn't. What was yours?” Babs asked as the two neared the door now.

“Mah singin career. Kind of ironic considering Ah was sure Ah was through with it but it was actually hard for me to turn down the chance to be singin for a stadium of ponies.” Applebloom replied sheepishly.

The two then stepped through the door together and shielded their eyes from the blinding light...

“Can I have some time alone with them? It's my fault they're like this after all.” Henry requested as he looked at Applejack who seemed unsure of the idea.

“Ah guess it wouldn't hurt but make sure to tell us immediately if something changes with either of em'”Applejack replied finally and motioned for Silverspoon and Diamond Tiara to follow her.

“Henry? Is something the matter?” Marry asked with an unsure expression at her husband.

“N-No. I just want some time alone with my daughter and cousin-in-law. You should take this time to get some fresh air honey.” Henry replied though he stuttered slightly as he spoke.

“Okay, I'll be back soon.” She said, gave him a peck on the cheek, and left the stallion alone with the two fillies.

Henry stared at his daughter and then glanced down at the ribbon she held. Barely an inch remained. He then looked over at the photograph Applebloom held. About one-fourth of the photograph remained in her grasp...

“What is this place?” Babs asked as she looked about herself with a scared expression.

“Someplace Ah've been before...” Applebloom remarked as she looked about at the floating images playing seemingly live action movies of her past though Babs' past now appeared as well in some of movie-like images.

“Well, well, well! Looky who finally showed up! Come back for another round have ya? Oh and Ah see you brought our cunt-buddy too! Didn't our last encounter teach ya anythin?” A familiar voice shouted and seemed to echo around the two fillies.

“Dat sounds like you but it can't be, can it?” Babs asked as she looked at Applebloom.

“Nah, it's me alright, just a twisted version of mahself that could have come to be if Ah continued to let mah singin' career come between us.” Applebloom replied in a serious tone as she looked about herself for any trace of the dark and twisted version of herself.

A mere moment later, Applebloom's dark and twisted counterpart landed in front of the two with a cruel sneer on her face as she looked at them. “Well now, this just ain't fair! How about we even the odds!” She shouted.

“Dat sounds like a plan!” Another familiar voice agreed at which point Applebloom and Babs whirled around to see what could be non-other than Babs' dark and twisted counterpart.

“What the-?! Dat ain't-” Babs began to shout only for Applebloom to slap her hooves around her lovers mouth. “Listen to me, that's you and you're you, if ya tell that thing that it's not you, it gives em' power. No matter what it says, don't tell it that it's not you.” Applebloom whispered into Babs' ear.

“How do ya know dat?” Babs asked once Applebloom finally let go of her mouth.

Applebloom then turned to look at her dark and twisted counterpart. “Lets just say Ah learned it the hard way.” she replied as she stared at her counterpart who continued to grin.

“Ha,ha! Looks like ya finally figured it out didn't ya?” The dark farm filly remarked with a smirk.

“Yeah, Ah did. You're me and Ah'm you but this time, ya ain't gettin the best of me.” Applebloom replied as her eyes narrowed at the filly.

“Heh, heh, heh... we'll see about that.” Applebloom's doppelganger replied as she began to pace around the two at which point Babs's doppelganger followed suit.

“I don't know why I'm buckin my cousin when I could be gettin pumped full of warm colt-milk by Swift! We both know dat we find dat colt hot, so why ya stickin with her for?” Babs' doppelganger remarked with a sneer as she paced.

“Dat's a lie! I love Applebloom and Applebloom only! I could care less about Swift!” Babs shouted at her doppelganger with a glare.

“Don't let em' get to ya! It's tryin to get under your skin!” Applebloom whispered.

“Oh come the buck on ya city filly! We both know dat we've fantasized about gettin our cunts plowed by him more than once!” Babs' doppelganger jeered with a smirk as she continued to pace around her as did Applebloom's.

“Dat's... Dat's not true!” Babs retorted though her voice sounded far less confident as she shouted these words.

“Babs, listen to me, even if it is true. Ah won't think any less of ya.” Applebloom said in a comforting tone to which her doppelganger laughed hysterically.

“That's a lie and we both know it!” she jeered.

“Shut ya pothole!” Applebloom snapped at her doppelganger before remembering she was just trying to get under her skin as well. “Consarn it...” Applebloom thought to herself and sighed. “Okay, maybe that's not true but it don't mean Ah will love ya any less than Ah do if it is true.” Applebloom corrected herself.

“Oh it is! We've had the most wonderful orgasms in the hotel room while you were off singin. We even used your brush when we fantasized about gettin bucked by Swift!” Babs' doppelganger replied with a sneer.

“Ya what?! No wonder mah brush was sticky and wet one evenin when Ah got back at the hotel!” Applebloom exclaimed with a glare at Babs whom simply cowered slightly.

“I-I'm sorry Applebloom, I don't know what came over me but it wasn't about Swift, I swear.” Babs admitted feebly.

“Dat's yet another lie! We used dat brush cause we were horny and Applebloom was too busy singin so we wanted to picture somepony who actually gave a buck about us and fantasized about him makin love to us!” Babs' doppelganger shouted with a cruel sneer.

“Is that true Babs?!” Applebloom asked with a hurt yet pissed off glare at the city filly.

“N-No! I admit dat I used your brush to get myself off but I didn't fantasize about Swift doin me, it was about me and you, I swear!” Babs replied and turned to glare at her doppelganger. “She's mixin lies with the truth!” she exclaimed pointing a shaking hoof at her doppelganger.

“Consarn it, Ah nearly forgot about em' doin' that.” Applebloom remarked with a glare at her doppelganger as she remembered it doing the same thing the other night.

“Why haven't they attacked us yet?” Babs whispered to Applebloom.

“Ah don't think they have the power to yet. Just keep ya cool and we'll pass this final test with flyin colors.” Applebloom whispered back.

“Oh and didn't ya know Applebloom? Dat night we got drunk, we weren't drunk enough to not realize we were tryin to land Swift in bed for some good old-fashioned buckin! Too bad we passed out before he got it up!”

“Nice try thar but Ah know what really happened, right Babs?” Applebloom replied with a cocky smirk only to realize that Babs had gone silent. “Right... Babs?” She asked once again, the confidence in her voice faltering.

“I... I...” Babs replied but trailed off. “I thought dat I had lost ya forever, between bein as drunk as I was and Swift bein there, something snapped inside me, I really don't know what I was thinking...” Babs admitted as tears streamed from her eyes.

“I do! Applebloom didn't love us! She cared about her singin career more than us! We didn't care if he blew ten loads of his colt milk inside us, we didn't care if we got pregnant! The only thing that mattered was feeling somepony make us feel loved! Isn't that right?” Babs' doppelganger jeered with a smirk.

Applebloom looked crestfallen as she stared at her fillyfriend now. It wasn't merely a matter of being drunk, if she could have, she would have ridden Swift till dawn and most likely gotten pregnant with his foal to boot.

“So the real truth comes out... now of all times.” Applebloom remarked as she looked away from Babs, tears of pain streaming from her eyes now.

“Told ya she wasn't worth it! We could have had any colt or filly we wanted if we stayed with our singin career! We were a foal!” Applebloom's doppelganger jeered as the two doppelgangers paced around them.

“Applebloom, please listen to me. I wasn't thinkin clearly! I love you!” Babs cried out as she wrapped her hooves around Applebloom and held her tightly.

“Drop her Applebloom. Drop her like the whore we both think she is now and we can escape this world and even get our singin career back!” Applebloom's doppelganger said as she stopped pacing to look directly at the farm filly.

“You really don't think I'm a whore... do you... Applebloom?” Babs asked her voice cracking as she broke her hug from the farm filly and stared at her with a desperate expression which said she was hoping it wasn't true. That it was yet another lie used to try to drive a wedge between them.

The problem was...

It wasn't...

Applebloom stood in place, seriously weighing her options. Was the doppelganger telling the truth when she said if she left her now, she could live? If that was true though, what would happen to Babs?
Furthermore, did she really want to leave Babs?

“Times tickin away Applebloom! We don't have long until this world dies along with us! Leave the whore and come with me!” Applebloom's doppelganger exclaimed in a semi-urgent tone as she pointed a hoof up at the photograph which floated just above them. Less than a fourth remained.

“Ah'm sorry Babs but she ain't lyin'.” Applebloom replied finally much to Babs' horror.

“S-So... you think I'm a whore and you're going to leave me?” Babs asked her voice cracking between sobs as Applebloom's doppelganger grinned deviously.

Applebloom walked up to her doppelganger much to Babs' horror and stood next to her. “Ah really can't believe ya would knowingly try to sleep with Swift Babs, that was so wrong of ya.” Applebloom replied in a solemn tone as she looked at Babs with a disappointed glare as she placed a hoof on her doppelganger's shoulder.

“Applebloom... Please! Don't... Don't leave me, I'm beggin ya!” Babs pleaded as she fell to her rump and looked at Applebloom.

“Lets go!” Applebloom's doppelganger said with a smirk and began to walk away followed by Applebloom until the filly stopped less than three steps away. “What's the hold up?!” She asked with a glare.

“We're both the same pony, ya should know.” Applebloom replied with a smirk at which point the doppelganger's expression became outraged.

“Don't you even-!” The doppelganger began to say only for Applebloom to turn around, rear up, and buck her doppelganger squarely in the face which sent it flying until it disappeared from sight.

“It was an act? You're not really leaving me or think I'm a whore?” Babs asked as she stood up to hug Applebloom only for the farm filly to stop her.

“After we get out of here, we've got a lot of issues to work out, ya hear me?” Applebloom said in a stern tone with a disapproving expression on her face now.

“Y-Yes. I understand...” Babs replied and sighed.

“Bah! Fine! Keep your cunt-buddy!” Babs' doppelganger shouted before it faded from existence.

It was at this point one last door appeared though this one was different from the others. It glowed with a warm yellow and red light rather than the blinding white light in previously seen doors.

“This is it, we made it.” Applebloom remarked with a smile as the two walked towards the door.

“So why did you act like ya was leavin me if you were gonna do dat all along?” Babs asked curiously.

“Ah needed to know if Ah could actually touch mah doppelganger and to keep her from gettin suspicious and readin' mah thoughts, Ah played along with her.” Applebloom replied with a smirk.

Applebloom walked up to her doppelganger much to Babs' horror and stood next to her. “Ah really can't believe ya would knowingly try to sleep with Swift Babs, that was so wrong of ya.” Applebloom replied in a solemn tone as she looked at Babs with a disappointed glare as she placed a hoof on her doppelganger's shoulder.

“Oh, I see. Don't scare me like that, I thought you were going to leave me for real.” Babs replied with a relieved expression.

“Ah won't lie to ya, Ah did seriously consider it for a moment. But we both bucked up and Ah figured ya deserved a second chance because it was mah fault you ended up goin back to that Apartment complex to begin with since Ah pushed ya away.” Applebloom replied only to gasp in horror as Babs fell to the ground holding her sides. “What's wrong Babs?!” Applebloom asked as she looked at her fillyfriend for any sign of injury. It was then she saw it, the remnants of a ribbon, the last of it was slowly fading from existence.

Applebloom then lifted up Babs by the mane and chucked her lover through the glowing door, looked up, and saw the ribbon reappear in its entirety and glow a bright golden color. “That was close.” The farm filly remarked with a relieved sigh and began to walk towards the door herself until she fell to the ground unconscious...

The hospital room slowly faded into view as Babs wearily opened her eyes, a steady beep could be heard. Babs sat up in her bed and looked to her left, Applebloom lay next to her however Henry also stood there holding a photograph in his mouth which he promptly dropped to the ground upon seeing Babs look at him.

“Babs! You're okay! Thank Celestia!” he exclaimed as he ran over and hugged his daughter.

Babs however looked at the life monitor, it's steady flat line, and listened to the steady beep for a short time before she shoved her father away and shook Applebloom. “Applebloom? Applebloom?! Wake up! We both made it! Come on! Wake up!” Babs pleaded as she shook the farm filly's lifeless body.

“I-I'm sorry Babs, it was you or her...” Henry said softly at which point Babs snapped her gaze at her father.

“What did you do?” She seethed, the hatred so thick in her voice it could be cut with a knife if it were a tangible object.

“S-Showtime told if I removed the item she was holding, that it would cure you.” Henry stuttered slightly.

Babs' pupils shrunk to their smallest sizes as she stared at her father before she flung herself over Applebloom's body. “Y-Y-You bucking idiot!!! You didn't save me, Applebloom did! She threw me through the door to save my life and she was going to be coming right after!” Babs exclaimed between sobs as she cried into Applebloom's chest.

Henry slowly stepped away from his daughter's side until his rump hit the wall and slowly slid down until it was planted on the floor as he continued to stare at his daughter crying over her lover. “What have I done?” He asked his voice hollow long with an expression of horror and guilt.

It was at this point Applejack, Twilight, Silverspoon, Marry, and Diamond Tiara came rushing in and saw Babs crying over Applebloom's lifeless body. “What happened?!” Silverspoon asked in a panicked tone as she looked at Applebloom's life monitor which had a flat line along with a steady beep.

For sometime no pony said a word...

“He killed her...” A low voice full of hatred and anguish could be heard saying but in a hollow whisper.

“Wh-What?” Applejack asked making sure she had heard the filly correctly.

Babs then flung herself up and pointed a shaking hoof at her father “He killed her!!!”Babs shrieked at the top of her lungs staring at her father, her eyes full of hatred,pain, and loathing.

“I-I-I didn't know! Showtime told me that if I removed the photograph that I could save Babs! I just wanted to protect my daughter! I just...” He shouted before he trailed off and began to sob loudly into his hooves.

Twilight was first to notice that Applejack's face had become full of an unspeakable rage and halted the farm mare with her magic before she could even get close to the stallion. “You low-down, connivin', piece of horseapplin', pony manure! Ya best be glad Twilight's holdin' me back or Ah'd be sendin' ya where Applebloom is about now!” Applejack shrieked at the top of her lungs as she fought with every ounce of her strength to break the lavender unicorn's hold on her and beat the living tar out of Henry as tears streamed from her eyes.

“She's not dead yet Applejack!” Twilight shouted at which point everypony looked at Twilight.

“What are ya talkin about? Look at the life monitor!” Applejack shrieked pointing a hoof at the minitor showing a flat line and emitting a steady beep.

Upon hearing this, Twilight let go of Applejack with her magic, focused it on the mechine, and proceeded to crush it until the beeping whirled down to nothing and all that was left was a ball of scap metal. She then chucked it out the hospital room window which shattered glass behind Henry who flung hooves over his head to shield himself from the shards of glass. “Buck the life-monitor Applejack! This condition is magical in nature! We don't know if she's really gone or not yet!” The lavender unicorn shrieked back.

“S-So what do we do then?” Babs asked her voice cracking as she spoke.

“You stay at Applebloom's side and don't leave it no matter what. There's still a chance that you can call out to her and bring her back!” Twilight said to the city filly and turned about-face. “Everypony else with me. I need all the help I can get if we hope to find anything on this condition in the hospital's archives before it's too late.” Twilight instructed everypony else.

“What in tarnation do ya hope to find Twi?” Applejack asked as the group followed her.

“Something, Anything that can give us a clue as to anypony else who may have suffered from this condition recovered.” Twilight replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Just as they passed the waiting room however, the unmistakable sound out Showtime's voice could be heard by Silverspoon as they walked past the waiting room. “H-Hey! That's Showtime!” She blurted out only Applejack, Diamond Tiara, and Henry heard her however.

“Oh, yes. It's heartbreaking to lose my star so early in her youth but we will press on!” Showtime said feigning the saddest voice he could muster as she spoke to the reporter pony.

Applejack's eyes narrowed at the stallion and could only see red...

MEANWHILE JUST OUTSIDE...

“And I said, that's not a moon cutiemark, that's a space-station cutiemark!” a random stallion could be heard saying followed by forced laughter.

KER-SHATTER!!!!!!!!

The sound of glass being broken rang through the air followed by shards and Showtime's body as it flew through the window of the hospital and landed on the ground outside only for Applejack to leap through the exact spot Showtime's body had flown through as the ponies outside ran in a panic from the scene.

Applejack rushed up to Showtime, lifted the barely conscious stallion by the scruff of his chest first and socked him squarely in the nose which snapped him mind back to full alertness. “A-Are you crazy?!” He shrieked only to get another hoof to the nose in reply. “I'll take that as yes!” he exclaimed nasally as he glared at Applejack.

“You're the low-down varmint who gave Henry that bogus idea to remove the photograph from Applebloom's hoof!” Applejack shouted into the stallion's face at which point a sneer creeped onto his facial expression.

“Heh, so he really did it eh? I didn't think he had it in him! She was a dead filly sleeping anyways!” Showtime replied only to get another hoof to the face. “What are you going to do? Kill me?” He asked after he recovered from the punch.

“As temptin as that is, no. Ah'm gonna bring ya to the police and yer gonna confess to killin mah little sister!” Applejack exclaimed only for the stallion to laugh hysterically at her.

“And you think they'll actually believe me when I tell them that I told a stallion to remove a photograph which resulted in her death? You'll be laughed out of the police station!” He exclaimed and laughed more until Applejack socked him in the nose once again.

It was just about this time that a red Pegasus could be seen landing close to the hospital now carrying a bag of bits but this with ignored by Applejack as she continued to glare at the stallion. “By the sounds of it, ya know exactly what was wrong with Applebloom and Babs, how could ya do it?!” She roared at which point the stallion's expression became pissed off.

“No pony crosses Showtime and gets way with it! Even after I went through the trouble of making sure she stayed out late to dive a wedge between her cunt-buddy, she still wouldn't let her go. Even after I made sure she found that colt with Babs!” he shouted with a glare.

“So it was yer doin all along?! Ya drove Babs and Applebloom apart? Ya made sure Applebloom found Babs with Swift?!” Applejack exclaimed with a glare.

“Teh! The dumb filly didn't even follow my instructions correctly! Blues was supposed to use her magic to give Babs the desire to buck that colt and wait until after the filly banged the colt to trank her! Sounds like the brat got a case of conscience before it got to that point since my sources tell me aside from her own juices, no colt spunk could be found on the bed.” Showtime replied angrily yet a grin washed over his face now. “But none of that matters now. Applebloom made me a lot of bits when she was alive but she'll make me far more now...” Showtime replied snapped Applejack's hooves away and began to walk away.

“I'd think twice about that if I were you!” Diamond Tiara's voice erupted at which point Showtime turned to stare at the two fillies then the reporter pony whom was writing down every single word he had said.

Showtime's jaw dropped in horror. “Y-Y-you can't! They aren't paying you a dime!” Showtime shouted as he ran over the reporter pony whom held up a bag of bits in front of him.

“No, but he is!” The reporter pony replied with a cheesy grin as he pointed to Henry.

“B-But how? When?!” The stallion stuttered.

FLASHBACK

It was just about this time that a red Pegasus could be seen landing close to the hospital now carrying a bag of bits but this went ignored by Applejack as she continued to glare at the stallion. “By the sounds of it, ya know exactly what was wrong with Applebloom and Babs, how could ya do it?!” The Pegasus could hear Applejack shouting as he landed in front of Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon.

“Hey! Your that Pegasus that mugged us on our first day here!” Silverspoon exclaimed in shock.

“Y-Yeah, listen, I'm really sorry about that. When I heard Applebloom was sick through the grape-vine I had a guilt-trip,grabbed the bits I stole from ya, and thought I'd bring em back as a respect to Applebloom since she under the weather and all...” The Pegasus replied sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Those are my family's bits! I'd recognize the family crest from anywhere!” Henry exclaimed in shock. It was then an idea occurred to him. The stallion picked up the bag of bits, walked over to the reporter pony and shoved the bag in his face. “You see this? It's all yours as long as you write down every single, conniving, word that low-life stallion spouts from his manure-hole and make sure it gets printed on every single news article in this town!” Henry said in a fashion that said he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

“Holy Luna! This is more than I make in six months!” The reporter point exclaimed in shock as he stared at the bag of bits until a grin appeared on his face. “I don't know, every single news paper in town? That's gonna cost me a lot to do.” He said with a smirk.

“Fine! Here's the deed to our home in Manehattan and our summer-home in Griffon's territory!” Henry exclaimed as he shoved the deed to his home and summer-home into the bag of bits as well.

“Heh, you got yourself a deal my friend!” The reporter pony replied and began to write down every single word Showtime said...

END FLASHBACK

“Oh...” Diamond Tiara began to say only to trail off as if giving Silverspoon the cue to chime in.

“Burn! Ha,ha,ha,ha!” Both fillies shouted simultaneously and laughed in unison afterwards as Showtime walked up to the filly and slapped her a crossed the face which knocked her tiara off her head. Showtime then promptly crushed the tiara under his hoof as if to add farther insult to his attack on the filly.

Diamond Tiara however, narrowed her eyes at him. “That was a five-hundred bit tiara, mother-bucker.” She said calmly though the anger could be heard in her voice clearly. She then without warning knocked the stallion onto his back and before he could recover, crushed his balls under the full weight of her hind hooves at which point the stallion's high-pitched wail of agony could be heard by everything within a two block radius.

“Ohhh, now that's gotta hurt.” Applejack remarked with a devious yet satisfied grin on her face.

MEANWHILE, SOMEWHERE ELSE...

Applebloom lay unconscious as the world around her began to crumble to pieces...

Applebloom...

The farm filly didn't stir...

Applebloom!!!

Applebloom's eyes snapped open yet she could barely keep them that way.

You're awake.... Now get up!

Applebloom struggled to stand up, falling to her underside several times before she finally stood shakily on all four hooves. In a far distance she could see the doorway still gleaming.

You know what you must do....

now...

(Play “Runforit” now!)

RUN!!!

Applebloom broke into full gallop now following what the mysterious voice had told her to do, one look behind her told her that the world behind her was being consumed by a blurry darkness that seemed to rub the world out of existence from behind her.

Debris fell in front of her, beside her, over top of her, and behind her as she frantcially dodged every piece of debris that fell her way as she continued her mad dash for the door.

Soon the scenery around her changed to reveal her running through what looked like the a recording studio. Microphones, headsets, and random pieces of metal fell around her and one particular fragment of metal nearly impaled the filly on the spot. It would have if she had not frantically skidded to a halt just as it fell in front of her and her body slammed against it before she looked behind herself to see the blurred darkness closing in fast now.

Applebloom's hooves skidded a crossed the floor as she frantically ran past the large piece of metal and nearly fell flat on her face in her mad dash but managed to regain her balance in time.

Applebloom now ran through what looked like the gala she had just got done singing at a mere few days ago. Pieces of the stage set fell around her and fragments of glass shattered around her threating to cut her as she ran past them along with seats she recalled from the gala falling dangerously close to her hindquarters as she ran.

She soon realized she was running through what looked like the hotel room she stayed in with Babs and Silverspoon. The fact that pieces of the room fell in front of her reaffirmed this belief as she continued to run for the door that seemed to be slowly getting closer now.

Applebloom cried out in surprise as the hotel room bed fell right next to her, the sheer impact knocking her to her underside. The farm filly struggled with all her might to get back to all four hooves and resumed her run for the door.

Applebloom soon found herself running through what seemed to be the bar that she had worked for Dancing Hooves in. Beer bottles and trays of food fell around her. The poor filly couldn't dodge the countless trays that managed to connect with her head,body, and rump as she ran but this didn't deter her in the slightest.

She could now hear a faint voice calling out to her as she ran through what could be non-other than the apartment complex room she had stayed in with Babs and Silverspoon. This voice didn't sound like the one she heard before. In fact, she could have sworn it sounded like Babs' voice.

Applebloom was now running through what could be non-other than apple arces. Apple trees collided with the ground around her, apples pummeled her mercilessly but she pressed on, the voice now, louder and more clearer. She knew it was Babs' voice she was hearing now which caused her to push even harder to make to the door which looked very close now.

Applebloom was now running through what could be non-other than her room, the door resting on top of her bed. However, just as she made it to the bed, the floor disappeared from under her hooves leaving the filly holding for dear life by the mouth onto the bed sheets which were clearly and quickly coming off the bed.

It was then at the exact moment the cover was about to give way and allow the filly to fall to her death, a dark orange hoof reached out from the glowing door way, Applebloom frantically flung her hoof at it, missing it twice but grasping onto it the third time. With the help of this dark orange hoof, she pulled herself up and through the door...

Babs' face slowly faded into view, the filly looked down and saw her hoof firmly holding onto her lover's. “B-Babs?” Applebloom said weakly.

“Applebloom! You're okay! Thank Luna!” Babs cried out joyfully as she hugged Applebloom tightly...

Author's Note

A cookie to anyone who understands the nature and metaphoric reasoning behind the running scenes. X3

Oh and anyone who wants to help me out, please plug this EVERYWHERE!