The Maze

Chapter 6: Drawing Sticks

It had been over an hour, and Sweetie Belle still sat there by the wall, staring ahead and twiddling her hooves. She could just stand up again and look at what was going on in there, but that would mean risking she’d see Apple Bloom. And she didn’t want that; not in her condition.

She should’ve been faster. She could’ve easily escaped the doctor sooner – he’d have been too tired to stop her anyway. She should’ve tried attacking the barrier with her magic– maybe it was weak and would give in easily. She could still try that now, but what was the point? The damage had been done.

Even if they got out of the maze – something that seemed more and more unlikely by the hour – Apple Bloom was irreversibly crippled. Even if she got that stupid cutie mark, what good would it do? How could she go on more adventures with her leg missing? And not just adventures. How would she even do simple things like applebucking or running?

Apple Bloom’s life was over, and it was Sweetie Belle’s fault! She guessed wrong at the gate. She sent her to search the water tub at the spa. She led her inside this accursed hospital. She, she, she, and only she! Maybe she should’ve just listened to Dr. Shrink and taken that step.

Then again, what else could she have done? She couldn’t have known what a wrong guess would do, and if she had dived into the cold water, it’d just be her who’d fallen ill instead. And going to the hospital, despite getting her her leg chopped off, was probably preferable to a feverish death.

That, however, changed nothing of the fact that she should’ve tried harder. She should have stood her ground at the very beginning! She convinced them not to go into the Everfree; she could have convinced them not to go in here either.

Something made a loud, zapping noise, and Sweetie Belle toppled on her back, staring at the opening door. Her eyes widened. A white pony, his face completely obscured by his doctor’s mask, pushed Apple Bloom out of the operation room and walked back inside.

“A-Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle looked her over with tears in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

In hindsight, it was a stupid question. Apple Bloom stood there with her eyes wide, staring forward, and a frown frozen on her face. Her leg was gone. Instead, she had some weird, metallic rod growing out of her thigh. It seemed to meld with the flesh. The lack of any sort of bandage made the bright-red veins under her skin easy to see, as well as how they circled the contraption. It was as if they’d cut the leg off and then used the metal as a plug to stop the bleeding.

Whatever it was, Sweetie Belle was certain she had never seen a peg leg like this before. Its shape was vaguely similar to a regular pony leg, except it was much, much thinner – like somepony took the leg’s bone, put skin on it, and turned it into metal. There was even a metallic knee joint.

Apple Bloom flinched when Sweetie put a hoof on her side.

“No. I ain’t okay,” she said and looked at Sweetie Belle. “They cut it off. They didn’t even give me anything for the pain; they just... started hackin’ at it. Over and over and over, until… until...” She sniffed and fell around Sweetie Belle’s neck, her body shaking with sobs and wails.

Sweetie Belle returned the hug, pressing Apple Bloom towards her chest and squeezing her eyes shut. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve come soo—”

“I passed out. I... I couldn’t help it. Then I woke up and... and saw... saw...” Apple Bloom dug her face deeper in Sweetie Belle’s coat and let out a long, muffled scream, followed by incomprehensible cries, as well as waterfalls of tears.

They stood like that for several minutes until, finally, Apple Bloom’s tears ran dry. She released her grip and wiped her eyes, turning her bloodshot gaze towards the entrance. “We got to get out of here. I don’t like this place. I... I hate it!”

“The hospital?”

“This whole labyrinth. It’s tryin’ to kill us. And it will if we don’t get out soon!”

Sweetie Belle nodded and pulled out the compass. “Hopefully the exit is near. Can you walk?”

“I... I don’t know yet,” Apple Bloom said, taking a few steps forward. The leg moved like the others, but with a short delay. Walking might be okay, but anything faster would probably cause a limp again. She scoffed at it. “It’ll do.”

“Okay. Just tell me if you need anything.” Sweetie Belle forced a smile and headed towards the reception area.

They walked past Redheart’s remains – Sweetie Belle made sure to block Apple Bloom’s view of it – and finally escaped the infernal hospital. Unsurprisingly for Sweetie Belle, the Ponyville she saw from Doctor Shrink’s office was nowhere to be seen, as was the sun. Once again, her horn played the role of a torch.

“Alright, which way now?” Sweetie Belle asked, reaching for the compass.

“Uh... I think I know.” Apple Bloom pointed forward. A wide path was blasted through the vegetation ahead, filled only by decaying, dead leaves and rotten, shrunken tree trunks.

“I guess Scootaloo got tired of waiting for us,” Sweetie Belle said and smiled, looking around. “She’s not here, though. Weird.”

Apple Bloom shrugged and walked forward. “I ain’t waitin’ for her. If she can do this, I’m pretty sure she can get wherever she wants, no problem.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s her waiting for us at the exit right now.”

And I’m not sure I want to meet her.

Scootaloo’s newfound strength and apparent insanity weren’t a good combination. Even if she had helped them so far.

Sweetie Belle shook her head and followed Apple Bloom. No sense worrying about that before they actually met her.

The path was straight – no turns whatsoever. There were also no crossroads. Rather curious, considering how many paths there had been in the maze. Shouldn’t Scootaloo blast through at least a few of them? Or did she think them so stupid and incompetent that she plugged all the side-paths she could find, just so they couldn’t get off-track? In the end, however, it wasn’t important. All that mattered was reaching the exit.

As they went, mist slowly began to form around them. At first, it was just a haze at the edge of Sweetie Belle’s light. Then it drew closer and closer, and they were soon encased in a greenish, glowing pillow of cold steam.

“Fog ain’t ever good news,” Apple Bloom said, pressing closer to Sweetie Belle.

“Yeah. But we have the compass. We won’t get lost,” Sweetie Belle replied, peering ahead. When she dimmed her horn’s light, she could actually see a bit further. There was a small blur in the distance that kept drawing her attention. It was probably just the mist playing tricks on her eyes, but she could swear it was slightly greener, more concentrated than the rest.

“I guess.” Apple Bloom sighed. “I just hope I won’t catch a fever again from this. I ain’t too keen on spending more time at the hospital. Even if it was in Ponyville.”

“No wonder. Bad memories, right?”

Apple Bloom chuckled. “Nope. I ain’t squeamish like that. It’s just really boring there.”

Sweetie Belle giggled. If Apple Bloom could recover her sense of humor, maybe things weren’t that bad after all. The blur, however, refused to disappear.

“Hey, Apple Bloom, do you also see this green blot there?” Sweetie Belle asked, pointing ahead.

Apple Bloom squinted. “Hmm... Yeah. I mean kinda. It’s blurry. Might be just a part of the fog.”

“Probably.”

Hopefully.

As they neared, the spot grew bigger, and so did tension in Sweetie Belle’s muscles. Maybe they should go back. Surely there was a go-around there somewhere.

“We should turn around,” Apple Bloom said, her eyes glued to the blur as well.

“Yeah.” Sweetie Belle pulled out the compass. “Show us some other way to the exit.”

The compass kept pointing forward.

“I suppose that settles it,” Sweetie Belle said, sighing. “Do you think you can run?”

Apple Bloom looked at her prosthesis. “Maybe. I ain’t really sure what it can do.”

“Alright. Just get ready.”

The spot was getting near. Whatever it was, it would emerge from the mist at any second.

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and whispered, “On three. One... Two...”

The white spot dissipated before their eyes. Just a particularly dense piece of the fog.

Sweetie Belle laughed, her muscles relaxing. “I guess we were a bit too jumpy this time, right?” She breathed out and looked at Apple Bloom. She was staring right into two obsidian eyes.

Sweetie Belle stumbled back and fell on her hocks. The mare’s eyes weren’t paralysing this time. In fact, she didn’t do anything at all; she just looked at her. Apple Bloom, in the meantime, cowered behind one of the trees by the edge of the path.

“W-w-what do you want?” Sweetie Belle asked, inching back.

The mare’s horn lit up with its black aura, and a small package landed in front of Sweetie Belle. It was wrapped in gifting paper with a big blue bow, and the tag on it read ‘From: Rarity’ and ‘To: Sweetie.’

Sweetie Belle shakily reached for it, pulled at the ribbon, unwrapped the paper, and lifted the lid of the box. Inside lay a photo.

“What does it mean?” she asked, looking back at the mare. The photo showed Apple Bloom and Scootaloo having fun on a swing. Sweetie Belle remembered it – she took that photo about a month ago.

The mare stayed silent and motionless.

Sweetie Belle, her gaze jumping between the photo and the mare, turned the picture around. ‘Don’t trust them.’ She turned it around again. The picture was gone, another message in its place. ‘Come to me.’

“No.” Sweetie Belle frowned and got back on her hooves. “I-I’m not playing another one of the maze’s mind games!”

The mare tilted her head towards the box.

“What? I-is there another message, or...” Sweetie Belle glanced towards it, and her eyes widened. Inside lay a beautiful, silver dagger, its edge honed to perfection.

The knife levitated out of the box, surrounded by a dark aura, and as Sweetie Belle looked back in the mare’s eyes, she could feel her limbs and tongue stiffening. The dagger aimed for her head.

No! No, no, no, please don’t! I came too far to—

The dagger slipped itself into Sweetie Belle’s mane, and the power holding her in place vanished. The mare turned around and started silently walking away. She looked back, as if checking whether Sweetie Belle was coming, and then slowly disappeared into the mist. Sweetie could swear she saw her lips droop again.

“W-well... That was weird,” she said, turning to Apple Bloom, who was still huddling behind the tree. “It’s safe now. I... guess we should continue.”

Apple Bloom peeked from behind the trunk and nodded. “What did she... it... whatever want?”

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “Beats me. But she didn’t try to kill me this time, so that’s a plus.”

“I saw her give you a box. What was in there?”

“Nothing important, really. Just another weird photo.” Sweetie Belle reached to her mane and checked that the dagger was still well hidden. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Apple Bloom, but she didn’t need to know, did she? The mare left them alone this time, and Sweetie Belle really didn’t want to press her luck by going against the monster’s wishes, written or implied, when she didn’t have to.

Apple Bloom nodded again and walked back onto the path.

The mare wasn’t the only thing that had vanished. The mist dispersed after she left, revealing a stone staircase not farther than ten meters ahead that led to an elevated platform. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exchanged glances.

“Do you think we might be gettin’ close to the exit?”

Sweetie Belle reached for the compass again and moved it from left to right. The needle moved by a significant bit. “Very close.”

They climbed up the stairs and froze. The only thing above the platform was a long, metal spike set in a solitary wall. It was covered in dried blood. Scootaloo stood next to it, a smirk plastered across her face. “It’s been a while since you passed me by,” she said, nodding at Sweetie Belle. “May I ask why?”

“It’s–”

Apple Bloom brushed past Sweetie Belle and jabbed her hoof into Scootaloo’s chest. “You! You wanted to leave me behind!” She put her new leg in the air and pointed at it. “This is all your fault!”

“Apple Bloom. Hi. Again trying to play the tough guy?” Scootaloo chuckled and swathed the hoof away. “We all know that’s just a lie.”

“Why you...!” Apple Bloom gritted her teeth and raised her front leg, hovering it in front of Scootaloo’s face.

Scootaloo pressed the hoof back down. “Sometimes, you should try to standby, and on your brain instead of muscles rely. Now, now. Don’t look at me all wry, or it’ll be you, not Sweetie Belle, who will die.”

“What?” they shouted in unison.

Scootaloo grinned. “Didn’t you know? If escape one wants to try, sacrifice she can’t deny.” She pointed at the spike.

Sweetie Belle pulled out the compass again. This couldn’t be it, could it? After all they went through, all the trouble to survive and press on, one of them had to ‘sacrifice’ herself? Unthinkable!

The needle pointed straight at the spike.

“So that’s why you wanted me to follow you so badly?” Sweetie Belle asked, the compass falling out of her hooves. “So you could just throw me at this thing?” She felt her eyes welling up. “You... you monster. If somepony will end up ‘sacrificed’, it sure won’t be me!”

“Yeah!” Apple Bloom said, scowling. “If I have to choose between a good friend and a crazy one, I know which one I’ll help!”

“The water’s effects, I can no longer defy, but once I escape, its power will dry,” she said, giving them a smug smile.

“What?” Sweetie Belle asked, and Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

“She means it ain’t clear which one of us should... go.” Apple Bloom gulped. “I mean, she’ll be the same old Scoots once she gets out of here; she ain’t the obvious choice.”

“Go? You can’t be serious! There’s got to be some other way.” Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo. “Tell us!”

Scootaloo shook her head, still smiling. “All the other ways will lead you awry.”

“Sweetie Belle.” Apple Bloom laid her hoof on Sweetie Belle’s back.

“It’s not true! It can’t be.” Sweetie Belle blinked and sent tears rolling down her cheeks. “We... we can’t go along with this!”

Apple Bloom sighed. “And what are we supposed to do then? I ain’t waitin’ for a rescue that ain’t comin’.”

“But... but...” Sweetie Belle stared into Apple Bloom’s eyes. “How can we just... pick one of us to die?”

“Straws.”

“What?”

“Straws.” Apple Bloom pointed at the nearby trees. “We’ll take some sticks and draw. The shortest one goes.” She looked at Scootaloo. “That okay with you?”

Scootaloo shrugged.

Apple Bloom nodded and stumbled down the stairs.

“Are you crazy?” Sweetie Belle glanced between her friends. “She’s charmed! She won’t respect the result if she loses!”

“At least then we ain’t gonna hesitate, though.”

Apple Bloom climbed back, three sticks in her hoof, their bottoms covered. “You each take one; I’ll get the last.”

Scootaloo stepped closer and pulled out a stick.

Sweetie Belle bit her lip and reached for one next. It was significantly shorter than Scootaloo’s. “Dang.”

Apple Bloom held up the last one. About mid-size between the two.

“Oh, come on. This just isn’t fair.” Sweetie Belle made a step back, her voice shaking like a leaf during a thunderstorm.

“It’s the fairest method we got,” Apple Bloom said and slouched. “I’m... I’m sorry. I wished it’d be...” She sighed. “Doesn’t matter now, does it?” Her voice constricted.

Scootaloo laughed. “It’s time to say goodbye.” She moved towards Sweetie Belle, her eyes glowing like two lamplights.

“No!” Sweetie Belle pushed Scootaloo away and levitated the knife out of her mane. “Stand back, both of you!”

Apple Bloom backed away, but Scootaloo merely stood in place. “Oh my. Is there a place where similar I could buy?” She laughed again.

“Is that the unimportantthing that monster was givin’ you?” Apple Bloom asked, scoffing. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“There was no reason to!” Sweetie Belle kept looking at Scootaloo. “I don’t know how we’ll escape, but we’ll do it. And nopony will die!” She shook the knife against Scootaloo. “Got it?”

“To that, I can only reply...” Scootaloo leapt at Sweetie Belle, knocking the knife away and breaking Sweetie Belle’s spell. “Different escape is just a lie!” She pinned her to the ground and pressed her hooves against Sweetie Belle’s neck. “It doesn’t matter how you’ll die!”

Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom. “H-help!”

“I’m sorry, I... We drew the sticks and... and... I...” She took a step back, bowing her head.

Coward!

Sweetie Belle clenched her teeth, drawing small, laborious breaths, and looked Scootaloo in the eyes. “You... won’t... kill me!”

She kicked Scootaloo as hard as she could with her free hooves, adding all the raw, unrefined magic she could muster to the blow. It was inefficient, but it worked – Scootaloo, for about the first time in her life, finally ‘flew’. Straight at the giant spike.

A quiet ‘splort’ reverberated in the air as her body hit it, and the glow in her eyes died in a matter of seconds.

Sweetie Belle stared at it with her mouth open. “I... I...” She looked at Apple Bloom.

Her friend gaped at Scootaloo, then at Sweetie Belle, and then started shaking. “You... you killed her. W-why?” Her face drained of all colour, tears quickly forming under her eyes. “How... how could you? Go to Tartarus!” She galloped away without any sign of a limp.

Sweetie Belle heard a door slamming shut. “What?”

Slowly, like morning mist disappearing under the barrage of noon’s sun, the maze vanished. The trees and brambles wavered like waves on a pond, and disappeared. The platform suddenly had walls and windows, and the floor turned into a wooden one. Sweetie Belle stared at the dagger and saw it change into a regular gouger they used to make woodcuts. The maze slowly transformed into their clubhouse.

Finally, the spike changed into a table. Scootaloo lay by it with her skull split open, the rest of her body completely intact.

“B–but...” Sweetie Belle heard tinkling, as of somepony breaking glass. She turned around. The Mirror of False Vision stood right behind her, its surface still showing images of dark trees before even they shook and vanished, leaving behind only Sweetie Belle’s own reflection.

The end.