It was a pale comparison to the feeling of waking up in your bed to what was felt right now. A frigid cold compromising the skin and a questionable idea of where you were or what was going on. Of course, it felt like she was in some kind of plastic bowl, but she couldn’t move and couldn’t feel her body. Just her head thinking about what to do at the moment. She can scarcely remember what happened before this. There was wondering if she had a name. Something to call her by, and she remembers a single word.
Apple.
That’s it, of all the thought waves in her brain, all she had was that single word. It must be something she is related to in some way. Either way, she had to start moving sooner or later. Why a quick shot of pain went through the back of her head is beyond her. Though, she could understand that wherever she is, it wasn’t her own fault. Somepony else must had done this to her..
Then, she could hear a flicker and the lights inside this place were brought up. It seemed to be a bathroom, her in a tub and a broken mirror on the upper corner near. She looks down at her own body to find yellow skin with hind hooves sitting down. A wave of power goes through the nervous system and she can feel the will to move again. It was a painful feeling that shocked her. It was a quick jolt of energy that she didn’t expect.
“Hello?”
The voice that was uttered from her mouth was young and female. She knew this and couldn’t decipher what it all meant. Of course, she was just a filly and could move that body she had with some ease.
Then, she noticed something that you haven’t before. Words on the wall of this bathroom. It said, “Applebloom” in bold red letters, with a note on its surface.
It was safe to say to who that it was addressed to.
“What in the world is goin on?”
So, Applebloom got out of the bath tub with a little difficulty. Managing to get out albeit with shaky movement. She couldn’t see very well because of the weak light overhead, but was able to get to the sink below the mirror. She took a gander at herself and was surprised by what she saw. A young filly with a beautifully long red mane, and a buttery yellow color on her skin. The curious thing was the cut on her forehead that stretched to her nostril.
She reached for the cut and cautiously neared her hoof to it before touching it as she watched the mirror. Suddenly, a wave of pictures went through her head. Images of horrid monsters in black silhouettes, decriped landscapes and a longer orange mare with terrible teeth that looked like they could rip off flesh easily, posing like she was in a picture of some sort.
Applebloom stepped back from the images she saw before she felt something below her left hind leg. She turned around and found what seemed to be a firearm of some type. It looked scratched a bit and was cold to the touch.
“A… Gun?”
Applebloom picked up the weapon and cocked the barrel with her teeth, it gave a distinct “tink” sound as if it was ready to be fired. The gun seemed to be fully loaded and easily graspable. She looked to the door nearby and opened it carefully. Something was definitely not right about all this.
As the door opened, it seemed something heavy was on the other side. Making it hard to push through. Applebloom decided to stay her force and turned to the letter on the side where her name was written on. She took it with her other hoof and found the bold written letters on it.
Survive
Applebloom just stared at the message before dropping it to the ground. Bewildered at something so scare inducing. Yet, she felt some kind of confidence in herself that she didn’t know what to make of. Now with that out of the way, she pushed through with all her little fillies might and dropped whatever that was impeding her exit.
She screeched it open and found what seemed to be a body sitting on the floor. It’s eye sockets filled with nothing, but darkness. Its expression that of terror and the ponies orange skin faded to a more greyish color. A rancher hat that sat near the corpse that was light brown and seemed like it was damaged with a cut on it’s base. Applebloom instantly wretched in disgust at it until she noticed that it bared similarity to the image she saw before.
Although, it was not as terrifying as the image she saw. It still had a resemblance to that same creature. Applebloom started walking away from the disgusting display, to notice that she was in some type of room. There was a bed that had scratches over it, making it seem that there was a fight. Everywhere there was dust, it seemed like it had been some time since this has happened. From behind, Applebloom felt a presence that was behind her. Standing motionless with a crack. She turned around with her gun aimed to find it was exactly what she had expected.
The corpse had risen up, the eyes blood shot with red circles and black ichor foaming from the mouth and eyes. It made a gurgling sound and watched Applebloom gleefully.
The young filly stood motionless, absolutely frozen at what she was watching. Her gun shaking at whatever this thing was.
“Don’t come any closer!”
Applebloom took a few steps back at this zombie creature, before making a breakneck run for the door. The creature followed after her, puddles of ichor following each step. She ran through the corridors with the monster behind her before the floor broke open, spiraling Applebloom to the basement. She watched atop some storage packages at the thing watching her before leaving out of sight.
Applebloom looked around the darkness and heard the familiar gurgling somewhere near. There was no way that it could have come to the basement that fast. But, it seemed somewhere close under all the darkness. She stayed within the light, her gun aimed to whatever threat. She kept circling around herself while being terrified and sweat pouring from her brow. Then, fast hoofsteps approaching, the creature was about to attack. Applebloom aimed to where the sound originated and fired. The hoofsteps quieted down and she kept breathing for her life. She felt a presence behind herself and her eyes blanketed out as the creature watched her still.
Tears poured out of her eyes, before she swiftly turned around and fired again. The shot pierced through the head as it screamed a bellowing demonic cry. It fell to the ground and melted into a puddle of black fluid.
Applebloom scurried away from the fluid that was spreading towards the floor, before finding herself back to a door, and she swiftly turned its knob and went up the stairs towards the double door exit. As she reached the top, it seemed with each force she pushed onto them, they would not budge. She looked down, the black ichor crawling up the stairs after her. With no other choices left, Applebloom screamed in terror as the black ichor continued up. Then, suddenly, something could be heard, some kind of chanting and the double doors suddenly opened with ease.
From outside the exit was a striped pony, she grabbed the small filly and threw her on her back and ran like no other. Applebloom could only vomit before closing her eyes.
The scent of some kind of soup enveloped the senses. It was tantalizing to smell and made a certain yellow filly’s eyes open up. She stood up with a jerk and aimed her gun straight away at the Zebra who was currently mixing a batch of soup with a big stick.
“Applebloom, You're awake, and you’ve escaped your dire fate!”
Applebloom looked around herself, a place so familiar, yet she couldn’t put her hoof on it.
“Who are you!? And how do you know my name?”
The Zebra stopped mixing and went on all fours, she didn’t want to be shot and feel all sore.
“Please, I thought every pony was dead, you are all that i’ve found that is left.”
Applebloom lowered her weapon. She frowned at what she heard.
“It seems you have a huge concussion, something that has caused brain interruption.”
The Zebra poured a cup of soup and gave it to Applebloom. She smelled the flavorful waters and took a sip. The warmth of the soup and its delicious taste made Applebloom not give a single drop to waste.
“My name Zecora, I will explain much, my little one, there is so much that has been done.”
Applebloom nodded her head, her face filled with so much dread.
“You see, Nightmare Moon had returned, and a curse upon this land at worse,
She wanted all life on Equestria to die. The Elements of Harmony tried to stop with a cry,
Ponies dying left and right, a curse of undead that spread outright. Soon, all of us will be in death, if we don’t stop this threat.
I have been trying my best, but to here I must rest.
All I’ve done is overwrought, the curse of Nightmare Moon has been brought.
For you see young filly, there is not much there is to do, when all that has been done does not solve what is and what who.”
“So, your sayin that this place is called Equestria, and an evil entity has taken over. And now all my family, friends and fellow ponies are all dead?”
Zecora nodded.
“The only way I’ve escaped certain doom, is from my magical power that goes ZOOM.”
Zecora took the cup out of Applebloom’s hooves. She seemed quite happy and not terrified to what was happening.
“Uh, Zecora, I would feel something horrible, but I can’t seem to remember anything.”
Zecora peered near Applebloom’s face, to see the scar that was a disgrace.
“Hmm, well, Now rest my little filly and hold on tight, to sleep you must tonight. For you are safe.”
Applebloom rested on the bedswing that she was on. She felt that after all that was revealed, there would be remorse. But, in fact, all she felt was nothing.
How strange.
It was the middle of the night. So dark it was, that it seemed so perfectly calm. But, Applebloom awoke in the middle of it from the sound of far off screeches.
What is that?
Applebloom looked towards Zecora who was silently watching what was outside. She looked curious at the lone Zebra standing so still.
“Zecora?” she said. The Mystic didn’t answer back and only stood motionless.
“You're scaring me.”
Zecora sighed at her words, only to begrudgingly stand still for longer.
“Applebloom… it’s over… prepare for your coming end.”
The little filly bolted up at what she said.
“What do you mean!?”
Zecora turned towards her, tears pouring through her eyes.
“I’m sorry… if only we could have had more time…”
Applebloom went to Zecora’s side and saw exactly what she had feared from the view inside. Many screeching, undead ponies crawling and running towards the little hut they were in. There were so many that it couldn’t be helped.
“I will keep them at bay.” she whispered. “Applebloom… run for your life.”
Applebloom went and grabbed her gun, ran out of the hut and kept on running for what energy she had left. From afar, she could hear growling and monstrous sounds. Before they hit their apex to then see a magical explosion from afar. She gasped at the amount of magical energy and kept running.
The darkness and grass wouldn’t stop the poor filly from escaping her demise. She kept running, holding her gun for dear life to fight off whatever that might come near. It would be hours that she would continue with her run. The constant fear of those things still after her. But, as she ran her way, she saw light. She pursued it till she finally got free from the reaches of The Everfree Forest. And saw something even worse than that.
It was… Ponyville, completely destroyed and the buildings broken with many holes on them. Desecrated with destruction and not maintained for so long. She looked at this and dropped the gun to the floor. She had no idea why she felt such agony from viewing this display. But, the very fact that this must have been tied to her past was more than anything she could handle.
“Who… who am I?”
She would grasp her head, a pain surging from her skull. Memories and voices of the past haunting her very being. Images of her friends Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Mrs. Cheerilee and…
Applebloom stood, grabbed her weapon and looked up. It was the balloon Twilight used, currently stuck on a building and keeping it from going aloft. The only way to get straight reasoning for this was to find the Royal Sisters. That much she could remember, and she had to go to Canterlot to most likely find them.
So, she went inside the small building that must have housed ponies once. It’s furniture, clothing and more ruined. She entered through the second stairs and found the Balloon just waiting to be used. Then, a gurgle was heard and from the darkness came two undead ponies. Their mouths cut off from the bottom and their broke open wounds oozing with dark ichor. Applebloom ran for the balloon as the two behind ran after her, with her force she made it aloft into the air without those creatures.
And so, she flew to Canterlot. With what she had endured, she sat and waited to what end this nightmare would take her.
Applebloom looked at the pristinely perfect place of Canterlot. So, quiet with no ponies conversating among themselves or doing anything. It was completely void of life and it felt like some kind of life-sized play set. Nearing the front of Canterlot Castle, one could see the enormous hole on its base, as if some kind of explosion occurred.
With nowhere else to “safely” land. Considering the zombie monsters that must have been lurking about, she decided to go straight for the hole itself. She flew in, and had to jump out of the balloon since it couldn’t fit, leaving her only transportation to fly off. She lurked through and then found the unspeakable.
It was five mares, completely frozen like stone. All seeming like they were in battle, and were blasted by some unforeseen energy.
“Hmm, this is it huh…”
Then, a figure trotted down from the stairs in the far off part of the large room they were all in. Silently walking with a few steps, to show it was Princess Luna. Her mane was crazed, her visage confused at the little filly she saw.
“Applebloom? is that you? How did you survive!?”
She readied her pistol at her, anger spelled on her face.
“What in Tartarus is going on!?” she yelled. “What have you done!?”
Princess Luna scoffed a laugh.
“What have I done? I won of course, killed my sister, killed Discord, killed pretty much every pony… except you of course, how did you survive? I’m so curious.”
The Princess trotted her way towards Applebloom, where she unloaded one shot into her chest.
She looked at the bullet wound and smiled coyishly.
“You really think that kind of stuff can actually kill me?”
Luna raised her horn, it seethed with magical radiation, she smacked the weapon out of Applebloom’s hoof with a simple spell. The young filly reeled from the force on her arm and cried a bit.
“As soon as I’m done with this pathetic world, I’m going to remake it into something better. What do you think? Maybe I can make you some new friends?” she giggled to herself.
Then, magic radiated out from the stone statues. All going into the gun that was flung out to the floor. Applebloom stood down at the looming Princess Luna before her, she smiling in insane gratification.
“What will you do, little welp? Why didn’t you just run like the rest of all these pathetic organisms? Did you really think you stood a chance after all that has happened… oh wait, you don’t because you have no real power like me.” Princess Luna stood over Applebloom with a horrible grin. “Your nothing, but a pathetic nothing, an inconsequential filth.”
The gun suddenly flew over to Applebloom, she caught it and pointed the gun at the beast known as Princess Luna.
“What? Come on, didn’t I already teach you this before..”
With a shot, the magically infused bullet hit her eye. She went back in pain as the magical power caused her to be incapacitated to the floor.
“How!?” she shook, unable to move her body.
Voices started pouring into Applebloom’s mind.
Free us
Applebloom walked with a weird step and one by one pushed the stone statues to the ground one by one. They collapsed and were destroyed, leaving a powerful magical energy to flow out. The magic coalesced into a powerful alicorn of Harmony.
It spoke with a boon in it’s voice.
“For doing the unspeakable against Equestrian kind, you are Banished to the moon for all Eternity!”
“No! Please! Don’t!” Princess Luna begged.
With a stream of light, Luna howled as she was teleported and bound to the moon forever. Applebloom watched the spectacle, before the magic vanished.
She could only watch images of six mares before her. They all smiled at Applebloom happily, waving her goodbye at what time they had left. Then, they vanished away.
Applebloom lay down on the floor. She was just too exhausted. This whole mess and she still didn’t know what the hay happened. All she needed to do now was rest…
A dream went throughout the mind. It was the very same room that they were all in. The place wasn’t as dilapidated as before. All Applebloom could see was Princess Luna standing over a defeated Celestia. Her neck was stuck to the ground by the force of Luna’s hoof. Then, through the large door, the Elements of Harmony went through. Armed with their magical neck armaments and readied to stop her.
“Let go of her!” screamed Twilight Sparkle.
Luna saw the magical spell that was hurdling towards her, a magic missile that she deflected, although it burned her hoof in the process. This angered the fallen princess, causing her to lash out with a wave of black energy. It sent them all flying, but they stayed their ground.
Now ready to fire a magic of friendship, the six levitated up and released a stream of magical rainbow towards her. The blast suddenly was caught from the force of Luna’s magical horn.
The six surprised, the harmony beam turned to black energy and swarmed over to the other six, to which they started turning into to stone slowly, incapacitated.
“Did you really think you could get me with that trick a THIRD time!? I once used the Elements of Harmony before, what, did you not think I wasn’t prepared?”
Luna laughed at their helplessness, before Twilight spoke up.
“Why are you doing this? We loved you, brought you back with open arms, Why!?”
She laughed at such a notion.
“Twas merely an act so I could finally regain my power and undo this world. I was on that moon for a thousand years. Did you not think I have made a plan by then? A thousand nightmarish years…”
“Luna please! We can help you, stop this!” Twilight said as she was covered in stone.
The magical darkness spread all the way towards the mane six, sans Applejack who was barely able to get out of the magical circle. She looked at the scary Luna and ran for her life.
“If I don’t get you, then they will.”, the laughter continued from afar as Applejack ran.
She ran with all the ferocity that she could muster. Going straight to Apple Acres.
Princess Luna raised her horn and summoned a black beast from the beyond.
“Go after her, she is all that is left to oppose me.”
It went through, it snarling with its completely black body and angry teeth, started sprinting towards it’s prey…
Then, another image flowed through. It was Applejack caressing an unconscious Applebloom that’s face was bleeding from a cut that was there. The poor earth pony threw a weapon into the bathroom and put her sister down into the bath tub to rest. She closed the door and was met with the black beast from before. A scream and it was the end of the dream.
Applebloom awoke from what she saw, still in the place that she was left. She got up and for the first time in a while, felt something. She started crying, that thing from before must have been a relative. And now, only one question remained.
What now?
She sat down and huddled to herself as she wept. A large amount of growls and zombie creatures went forth from the many entrances here. Howling at the forlorn Applebloom, all she could do was stand up and aim her gun in anger.
