Chaos Reborn: The Corruption of Harmony

Chapter 7: Baked Bads

“Hurry up, Scootaloo! We got to get those cupcakes out of the oven before they burn.” Pinkamina ordered the little amber pegasus, as she rushed to stir the next batch of cupcake mix and pour it into an empty baking pan.
“We’re low on the special ingredient, so if we mess up this batch, there won’t be enough for everyone at the party.”

"Sure thing, Miss Pinkamina." The little filly rushed over to the oven and pulled out a tray of medium brown cupcakes. There was just a hint of smoke coming off of them.
“Oh no!” Scootaloo exclaimed, looking at the treats she held.

“Don’t worry Scootaloo.” Apple Bloom stepped in to comfort her friend. She was wearing a white, bloodstained apron and a matching surgical mask.
“They always darken up a lil’ when the blood begins to bake. You got em' out just in time. Take them over to Rarity for frosting, while Sweetie Bot prepares the rainbow sprinkles.”

“Right” Scootaloo nodded and rushed the freshly cooked batch to the scarred white unicorn, while Pinkamina threw the next batch in the oven.

“Miss Rarity, the work you’ve done icing these is amazing. You really have an eye for detail” Apple Bloom applauded her.

“Of course, darling. Momma knows best when it comes to making things look fabulous.” She boasted.
“Besides, considering the quality of the ingredients, I felt it was my duty to make these look positively 'Dashing'.”

They both smiled at each other as Apple Bloom walked over to the counter where a few finished batches already sat. Her mouth watered. She looked around, trying to ensure nopony was looking, then picked one up.
“A little taste test won’t hurt.” she thought to herself as she opened up to take a bite.

“And what do you think you’re doing?”
Trollestia snuck up behind Apple Bloom and whispered to her.

The fright almost made the little filly drop the tasty treat.
“I was just…uh” Apple Bloom looked at the cupcake and hid it behind her back.

“Those are for our guest of honor. If I catch you sneaking a bite, the next thing you’ll be eating is a moon rock. Understand?” Trollestia smirked as the terrified filly gulped on fear.

Apple Bloom put her would be snack back on the tray and returned to her work supervising the group.

Trollestia walked to a corner of the room, kicked back in a lawn chair, and munched on a banana while shouting orders.
“Come on, chop chop! We still need to work on the decorations before we can go retrieve the guest of honor.”

It was night now, and along the way as Dash led Twilight and Applejack to Sugarcube Corner, she explained to them who she was and where she came from. She told them of the Rainbow Factory and what went on there. About how she had been approached by Doctor Atmosphere after achieving her first sonic rainboom as a filly, and how she came to work in such a terrible facility. The girls were horrified.

“Now...let me get this straight. Y’all took all the fillies and colts that couldn’t pass their tests, and herded them into some sort of big cider press that crushed them into rainbows?” Applejack struggled to wrap her brain around what was being described to her.

“Basically, yeah, that’s one way to describe it.” Dash confirmed, a little cautious going into too much detail. Years of being sworn to secrecy had her constantly looking over her shoulder.

“That’s awful! I can’t even imagine such a horrible place. It must have been difficult to live with.” Twilight said with sympathy.

“Look, I don’t need your pity, Twilight.”
Factory Dash snapped harshly, stomping her hoof and giving Twilight a stare. Twilight looked back, and Dash could see only compassion in the purple unicorn's face. The short tempered pegasus hung her head in shame.
“Look, I’m sorry. It’s just that after all those years…Showing any kind of weakness back at the factory made you a target. I got my job when the old manager tried to let his daughter go free. We threw them both into the machine. There was only room in Cloudsdale for the best of the best, no exceptions.”

“It’s ok, Rainbow. No one’s gonna hurt you here.” Applejack assured her.

Dash smiled briefly. It was the first time in what seemed like forever, that she’d been able to truly relax, and sharing her story helped alleviate some of the burden she’d been carrying for all those years. Her comfort was short lived however, and her face fell serious once again as Sugarcube Corner became visible in the distance.

Inside the pastry shop, everypony had finished with snacks and moved to putting up the decorations. Trollestia was still sitting in her chair giving orders, only some of which were helpful. She laughed as Rarity fell and landed flat on her back after the princess instructed Sweetie Bot to move the ladder she was standing on.

“Mommy’s ok” Rarity announced as she picked herself up, though no one seemed to care.

Suddenly Trollestia’s horn flickered momentarily, and a spark of amusement washed over her face.
“Looks like we have a party crasher.” She said aloud.

Everypony looked at her to see what she meant.

“My little ponies, why don’t you go outside and meet up with Rainbow Dash and her new friends. We can’t have them spoiling the fun just yet.”

They looked at each other in confusion, then back to the princess as she gave orders.
“Apple Bloom, bring your big sister inside so we can have a little talk with her.”

Apple Bloom stopped for a moment and acknowledged. She took off her apron and mask and headed out the door with Pinkamina and the others.

“And Rarity…”

The white unicorn stopped to see what her orders would be

“You stay here. Show any guests we have a good time. When the girls get back in, tell them I’ll return momentarily. I need to take care of a few loose ends before we start the party proper.”
Without giving the Miss Rarity a chance to reply, Trollestia’s horn gave off a blinding flash, and she was gone.

Outside the shop, Pinkamina met up with Twilight and friends, the three fillies hiding behind her.
“Hey girls! Whatcha doin’ here?” She put on a smile and asked in a playful tone.

Twilight stepped forward in defiance.
“We know you’re not Pinkie Pie.”

“Oh Dashie, what kind of stories have you been telling them?” She locked eyes with the pegasus and asked through gritted teeth.

“This isn’t right Pinkamina, and you know it.” Dash tried to reason with the pink pony.

“Really Dashie? I have someone who might disagree with you.” She motioned for the first of her associates to step forward.

Scootaloo walked up. As soon as Dash saw her, she tensed up and grew pale. The horrors of what she had done came back to her again. It was almost too much to bear.
“Hey sis, Pinkamina wanted me come out here and talk to you.”, Scootaloo approached her, attempting to toy with Rainbow’s emotions.
“We've all worked so hard on this party, and you came to ruin it? Why would you hurt me like that? I thought you loved me.”

The cyan pegasus’s eyes filled with tears.
“Scootie…is that you? But you...in the factory...”
She gulped in disbelief and began to walk towards the filly resembling her little sister.
“Scootaloo, I’m so sorry. I love you so much. Big sister’s sorry. Please forgive me.”
Rainbow pleaded as she stepped toward the filly.

Scootaloo smirked. She knew she had the rainbow maned mare eating out of her hoof.
“I forgive you, Rainbow Dash. Come on, let’s go back to Sugarcube Corner and work on the decorations together.”
She turned and walked back as Rainbow Dash followed her whimpering.

“No, Rainbow! That ain’t Scootaloo!” Applejack called out, but Dash was too far gone dealing with her personal demons to hear anything anypony else had to say.

Apple Bloom stepped out next.
“Hey there, sis! You should come too. I could always use some help fixin’ up the place.”

Applejack was surprised momentarily, but quickly came back to her senses.
“You’re not my sister.”
She said sternly to Apple Bloom.
“You ain’t trickin’ me. I know what you’re up to.”

“Well ain’t that too bad.” The she frowned at Applejack
"I was hoping we wouldn't have to kill you just yet.
Apple Bloom motioned for the last little filly to step forward.
“Sweetie, you mind doing the honors?”

Sweetie Bot’s eyes lit bright red, as she spoke in a heavily modulated voice.
“Acknowledged… Applejack neutralization and acquisition program activated.”
Sweetie Bot’s horn glowed red with energy and the sound of a laser warming up buzzed from her head.

Applejack tried to dodge but a shot fired from the little unicorn’s horn and grazed the left side of her skull. Applejack fell instantly, smoke rising from the charred flesh where the blast made contact. Twilight looked down at her. Blood was beginning to pool around Applejack’s head. The purple unicorn stepped back in fear and screamed.

Applejack’s vision was slightly blurred from the impact, but she could see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bot closing in on her. There was no chance for escape, not in her condition, but maybe Twilight... With the last of her strength, Applejack pulled herself up on her hooves. Blood ran down her side and she winced in pain.

The two fillies stepped back for a moment, unsure of what she was planning to do.

Applejack turned to Twilight Sparkle.
“Get out of here! Go and get help! I’ll hold em’ off as long as I can.”

“But Applejack” Twilight protested.

“Go, Twilight! NOW!”, she yelled, and lunged at the purple unicorn.

Twilight turned and fled, reluctantly leaving her friend behind. Galloping away as fast as her hooves could take her, she looked back to see one more red blast fire off as Applejack fell to the ground.

Pinkamina looked down at orange pony that lay before her. The last shot punctured a small hole through her chest, causing her to bleed out profusely. Applejack looked up defiantly, but was already beginning to enter a state of shock. She tried to say something, but all that came out were choking noises as one of her lungs filled with blood.

Pinkamina smiled at Applejack.
“Girls, get the kitchen ready. It looks like we’re making a last minute apple pie.”
They turned around and headed back inside. Apple Bloom licked her lips in anticipation as Sweetie Bot ejected a net from her horn and dragged the body behind them.