Pinkie Has Coping Issues

“Are you okay, Sugar?” Applejack asked.  Rarity didn’t reply.

Looking at her bandaged leg and the throbbing in her haunches was beyond extreme.  She couldn’t think about anything to talk about not could she through her clenched teeth as she did her best to not scream in pain and horror; her perfect body was ruined, her tail was gone, she had defecated on herself in front of her friends.  She really was at the lowest she had ever felt and wanted no part in humoring her friends.

Dash had awakened and, even though she did her best to hide it, was sobbing.  Her wings were destroyed and she might never fly again, her days in the clouds would be over and she’d be an earth pony.  What would she do if her cutie mark was meaningless?  Work at a lumber yard or shovel holes for the rest of her life?

Twilight had stopped crying, focusing on drinking water that was running below her cell and trying to ignore the random tastes of what was probably blood from one of the mares at either end of the water source.

Hearing clopping in the distance they tensed up and moved to the back of their cells, all except Applejack, who knew it was her turn and Rarity who was so broken and hurt she couldn’t move at all, she only laid her head on her hooves and looked at the back wall of her cell.

Holding out her hoof Applejack waited for Pinkamena to place a cupcake in her hoof.  Placing the bag, full again she walked upstairs and returned with Fluttershy carrying a mannequin and colorful bag, as well as the paint bucket.

Pinkamena walked to twilight and placed a cupcake in front of her cell and backed away.

“Hey, what d’ya think you’re doing, I’m up, I volunteer for the next round Pinkie Pie, I’m ready.”

Taking a step back Pinkamena glared at applejack, “Pinkamena,” then turned to the bucket and opened it, grabbing piece of glowing metal with pliers she walked to applejack, who backed up to the rear of her cell.  Tossing the screw at Applejack Pinkamena made her mark and hit the strong mare on her front right leg making her yelp in pain.  Holding her burn she glared at Pinkamena who walked back to put away the pliers.

Fluttershy walked to Twilight, “It’s not about strength, it’s about why.  Twilight is next, or we choose someone else.”  Her eyes wide, twilight contemplated what would happen to her, then thought of what would happen to rarity or dash if they had to go back before they had more time to recover.  Walking hesitantly to the cell door twilight grabbed and ate the cupcake in one bite.

It was as delicious as the last one she ate, her wings trembled and her heart raced from the sugar, but she didn’t smile this time.  Laying down she rested her head against the cell door and slowly waited until she  fell asleep.  The duo opened her cell and carried her out, walking her over to a wall and locking her into leg shackles at the wall, placing a claw hammer by her, they went to Applejack and gave her a cupcake.  “Now it’s your turn.”

“Oh, okay Pinkamena.  Just don’t hurt the others, please,” applejack said as she ate the treat.  A smile was on her face but her heart was empty.  She laid down and fell asleep fast.  Opening the cell the duo picked her up and started carrying her to a table when Applejack bucked and fell on the floor, she looked at Pinkamina and charged her, slamming into her with enough force to seriously injure any other pony, but pinkie rolled with the attack landed on her feet.

Applejack saw Fluttershy coming up from behind her, and she bucked with all her might, connecting with Fluttershy on her side as she twisted away from the strongest mare they knew.  Coughing blood Fluttershy fell to the floor and grabbed her sides.  Knowing she didn’t have long, applejack charged Pinkamena again, suddenly feeling faint her eyes unfocused, and she ran full speed headlong into a wall.

Wobbling she stumbled sideways and fell over, her head bleeding slightly.  Smiling Pinkamena trotted to Fluttershy and helped her stand up, a large bruise on her side Fluttershy smiled as she looked at the swelling wound, “I guess this is going to slow me down helping you carry them around, huh?”  The two chuckled as Pinkamena wiped some blood from Fluttershys cheek.

Then they began to prepare Applejack. Double strapping her with the straps and rope they checked twice to make sure she was very secure, then strapped her chest and waist as well.

Rolling the bed vertically they waited, sitting and watching the orange mare twitching in her wounded limbs.  Taking red hot screws they hammered it into applejacks legs and one into her right wrist.  Startled awake she shouted in pain, eyes wide and her voice cracking, she began pulling violently at her strapped arms and wrists, coughing as she gasped.

“Oh, she’s awake now, that was faster than I thought it would be,” Fluttershy said sheepishly, “you hurt me, a lot.  See?”  She turned to show her flank to the screaming mare, “You’ll pay for that, applejack, and you’ll always know that it’s your fault.”

Gaining her senses she was able stop crying, regaining her strength, she looked at her body and saw the still burning screw in her wrist.  Gritting her teeth she looked at the duo and glared, not saying a word, she spat at Fluttershy.

Walking to the table Pinkamena picked up a hammer and walked to applejack, a smile on her face, she swung without a word and cracked applejacks knee, breaking it.  Applejack shouted in pain and tensed her body, making the burning screws tear her skin and press against her bones.  Without a few seconds passing applejacks other knee was broken.  Her eyes filling with tears and her heart broken she began to bawl uncontrollably.

How could she ever buck apple trees again?  Her life as she knew it was over, would she ever walk again either?  Her mind was awash with fear and concern as she cried.

“She broke easier than anyone ever has, what a weakling,” Pinkamena said as she whacked applejack in her left knee one more time.

Awaking to the sound of applejack crying twilight stood up and felt the cold metal on three of her legs.  “What are you doing to her!” cried twilight, having only a slight view of applejack.

“You’re in the best position of all, twilight sparkle.  You’re the ring leader.  You hold their freedom in your hooves,” Fluttershy said with an odd confidence, and placed a key on the tool table, “all you need to do is get the key and you can open the doors, leave this place, and get medical help, a real meal, and all the luxuries the life out there has to offer.”

“That’s all?  That’s all I need to do?  Okay, unlock me and we’ll leave and never tell anyone about this place, ever,” begged twilight.

Laughing timidly Fluttershy said, “Unlock yourself,” and pointed to the hammer.

Picking up the hammer twilight began hitting the lock and the hinge, causing a sting with each strike, so she turned to the chain, to no avail.

She dropped the hammer as she realized and snapped her neck to the duo, “You mean I have to break all my legs to get out?”  Twilights voice asked while shaking.

Smiling the duo nodded and turned back to applejack leaving twilight shocked at the prospect.

“Okay applejack, we’re going to continue where we left off.”  Pinkamena said.  Switching her hammer for a knife, she cut a deep ‘X’ on applejacks right cutie mark and peeled it open, the flaps of skin hanging loose, Fluttershy did the same to the other side.

Gritting her teeth applejack bore the pain, her brow furrowed as she shut her eyes and thought of the apple farm, distracting herself from the pain.  She could feel the blood going cold as it slowly dripped down her leg.

Walking to Rarity, who was hiding under her hooves at this point, Pinkamena asked, “Rarity, I need to see your sewing skills, can you help me?”  Shaking her head still under her hooves rarity declined.  “If you help we’ll stop on her for the day.”

Turning her face to Pinkamena Rarity smiled as she saw the mare.  Raritys eyes were red and her face had scratches from her unkempt hooves rubbing her face.  Slowly rarity nodded, rising her best on her front legs she began turning around, screaming in her throat as she made the turn.  Pinkamena unlocked the door and heaved it open, bowing slightly in a form of fake respect, holding one arm towards applejack.

Crawling at a slow pace unable to keep her balance from her missing tail, pain in her flanks, the feeling of blood running down her leg, she arrived at applejack after a few tense minutes.  With a happy slap on her bleeding flank where her cutie mark was, Fluttershy gave rarity a gleeful, “Hello.”

Causing rarity to fall over crying, unable to choose which side to grab since her broken leg twisted when she jumped from the slap, she fell face first into her hooves and cried as Pinkamena shoved a needle in rareties back.

Not noticing the poke the pain began to subside in rarities lower half and she heaved herself up, red eyes full of tears, she spoke in a normal voice not unlike twilights, “Pinkamena, I’m sorry for all this, please, I’m not better than you or anyone else.  I talk fancy because I am hurt too.  I didn’t have friends until I started being something I wasn’t, just like you two,” sobbed Rarity.

Pinkamena and Fluttershy laughed for the first time, like it was just another joke but they were uncertain of how to react.

“Rarity, sew her closed, or she’ll die,” said Fluttershy.

Trembling she grasped a needle in her mouth she threaded a needle with a lot of effort, having used her magic for so long it was a difficult task to perfrom with her hooves and mouth.  Lowering the table and offering a boost, rarity began to sew the wounds closed.

Applejack stayed still as best she could as rarity sewed both her cutie marks closed with almost surgical skill.  “Oh my, this is some of the best work I’ve ever done, not that I’ve ever sewn another living thing before,” rarity beamed in her fancy accent again.

Taking a knife Fluttershy cut a ‘+’ across applejacks left cutie mark and said, “You missed one, fancy girl.  Looks like she lost her apples.”  Smiling she cut around the mark, removing two of the apples on each side of her legs’ cutie marks.

“You’re crazy!  Why are you doing this?  I did what you asked me, I fixed her, like you said,” cried rarity as she fell under the weight of her body on her pain filled legs as applejack clenched her teeth and coughed.

“Because, you missed a spot, so you have to start over,” Fluttershy said, as the skin fell to the floor.  Picking it up she placed it on rarity’s sewing kit, which was placed on the floor in front of her, and then Fluttershy smiled, “Go on, sew it back on, and don’t miss this time.”

Sobbing hard and getting to her front hooves she reached for the flesh laying in front of her with her mouth; pulling back she couldn’t touch it, “Raw flesh from a living creature, I can’t touch it, I can’t, I’m so sorry applejack, I can’t do it,” rarity apologized,  “Please, applejack, I’m so sorry.”

Looking down applejack smiled at her friend, “It’s okay, Rare, I understand.  I’m sure I’ll heal up nice like either way.”

Grabbing a leg each Pinkamena and Fluttershy dragged the screaming and crying rarity back to her cell and locked her in.  Dash didn’t say anything the entire time, her attention was focused on her broken wings as she to distract her as best she could.

Picking up the sewing kit the flap of skin fell to the floor with a squish and Pinkamena stepped on it, slipping slightly, then she kicked it over to the cells, it landed almost near the tail and rarity’s cutie mark, which were drying quickly.

Doing their best the mares choked back tears and sobs, trying to understand the pain their friends were in.  After securing Rarity back in her cell, this time facing out of the cell, the duo returned to Applejack and released her legs at the same time, causing her grunt in pain as the weight of her legs pulled on her broken knees, then in unison her hips and chest were released, finally her arms were released and she fell.

She caught herself instinctively and tried to stand, then the pain in her knees shocked her, she fell forward with a shout, face first onto the stone floor unable to catch herself in time she bloodied her muzzle and nose.  Standing to each of her sides, she was guided back to her cell, dragging her broken body behind her, doing her best to stay strong she moved smoothly.

Coughing softly Fluttershy spoke just before applejack entered her cell, “I guess she won’t be bucking anyone ever again, right, Pinkamena?” then the duo shared a laugh.

Scowling and gritting her teeth applejack stopped and laid her head town, gasping to catch her breath, “You don’t know what I’ll do next,” she said with confidence, looking at Fluttershy from the corner of her eye.

Approaching her exhausted friend Fluttershy leaned in to speak, then applejack hopped up and brought her hoof down onto Fluttershys, cracking her right ankle causing the quiet mare to scream at a surprising volume.  Rolling over the orange mare rolled over to her back ignoring the throbbing in her legs and punched Fluttershy in her neck, making the mare begin to choke as she fell over.

At the same time Pinkamena reared and fell with surprising force landed on applejacks chest, creating an audible series of crack sounds, “Go to your cell,” Pinkamena said, sharply.  The orange mare was shaking and coughing as the pink mare hopped off applejacks chest and turned to Fluttershy, who was laying on the floor coughing weakly and breathing softly.

Then Pinkamena grabbed applejack by her mane and began dragging her back to her cell, the orange mare gasping in pain, frozen in place trying her best to not move.  After being dragged back to her cell Pinkamena went to her bag, produced two small boards and some cloth, then brought them to applejack, then locked the door.

“Here, fix a leg.  Just because you don’t deserve to live doesn’t mean Fluttershy is without heart,” with that Pinkamena picked up Fluttershy and began to gallop out of the room as quickly as she could in a blur, her hooves becoming distant  echoes in only a few seconds. ‘She’s always been fast, but it’s crazy to see her move that fast,” though Dash and twilight.

Still sobbing both applejack and rarity began thinking of the future of their lives in their current shape until Dash spoke up, weakly, “Guys, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but we only have three ways out of this.  Find a way to be her friend again, twilight breaks 3 of her legs and tries to get us out, or, we die.”

All the others were silent after hearing dashes options, knowing them to be true.  “What if twilight gets out and they torture her next before she can let us out?” asked rarity sadly.