Pandora's Mark

Applebloom finally stopped when she saw the other Cutie Mark Crusaders at the school playground,

"Hey Applebloom!"

said both fillies, Applebloom stayed silent and slowly started walking towards them. Scootaloo broke the silence,

"Uhh... Applebloom? What's in your mouth?",

Applebloom stopped and dug a small hole with her hoof, spitting the plant into the hole and patting the dirt around it flat, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both walked over to her,

"Applebloom? Are you ok?"

"I got one question for you two... Do you have your cutie marks?"

Scootaloo looked shocked,

"What?! How did you kn-...",

Sweetie Belle placed her hoof over Scootaloo's mouth,

"What she meant was, we don't know what you're talking about.",

Applebloom looked at the unchanged flower, then back at them,

"Why are you lying to me?"

"What?! We're not lying!"

"Yes you are! This flower will only blossom when you tell the truth!".

Scootaloo pulled Sweetie Belle's hoof out of her face, panting for air,

"Ok, first off, I couldn't breathe! Sweetie Belle! Second, I told you that she would find out sooner or later!",

Scootaloo spit on her hoof and wiped away the orange paint that was covering her cutie mark, Sweetie Belle looked sad and defeated, doing the same with her hoof and showing her cutie mark under her white paint. Suddenly, the flower started to bloom, Applebloom hung her head and tears fell to the ground from the young filly's face, Sweetie Belle held in her own tears,

"We're sorry we never told you about these... We just saw you being bullied by Diamond Tiara, we couldn't stand to see you like that."

"And seeing me like this is any better?!"

"Applebloom, we wanted to tell you, but at the right time!"

"Well, there is no more 'right time'! And it doesn't matter...",

Applebloom started to giggle, her eyes still wet from her tears,

"Soon, I'll be just like you two...".

Applebloom ran off, smiling and leaving a trail of tears behind her, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other, sad and confused,

"What... just happened?",

just then Twilight showed up,

"Girls! Was that Applebloom just now?"

"Yeah, why? What's going on?"

"No time to explain, but Applebloom is in extreme danger!".

The two fillies looked at each other and followed close behind Twilight. Applebloom ran back to Sweet Apple Acres, only to be scolded by Applebloom,

"Where in the hay have you been?! Granny, Big Mac and I were worried sick about you!"

Applebloom ignored Applejack and ran past her before she could stop her, Twilight gaining up with her,

"Applejack, hurry! We have to stop Applebloom!",

Applejack didn't know what was going on, but from the concerned and scared looks of the 3 ponies, she didn't care and followed Twilight. Applebloom got back to her tree, and grabbed the apple, Twilight finally getting to her,

"Applebloom! Don't do it!",

Applebloom let out a loud insane cackle and screamed

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CUTIE MARK GETTERS!!!!!",

with tears streaming down her face, she bit into the apple, but quickly let it go as she held her head in pain,

"AAAAAHHH!! IT HURTS!!!",

Applebloom fell to the ground and passed out,

"Quick! Get her to the hospital!!!"