Author's Note

This is an alternate universe fic and I really wish this happened the first time: The Mane Six went with Twilight in this sequence. So, this will be in AJ's point of view. The first chapter was just, y'know, sort of a intro.

Also, all Celestia haters, welcome to a Hating Celestia fanfic.

Apple to Death

Applejack waited worriedly. Her best friend was in that room just beyond the door, supposedly being fueled full of magic. She stood with the other Bearers, Spike, and Shining Armor.

Suddenly a blast of light shone under the door. Applejack's fur stood on an end. There was something about that light that gave her that made her more frightened than jumpin' barehoof off of a 6-hoof ladder into a 5-gallop bucket of porcupines.

She looked at the others, seeing her own fear and uncertainty reflected in their eyes.

"Should we-" she asked, before she was interrupted by some dust coming out from under the door.

"We probably should,"Rainbow answered.

Applejack bucked the doors open to see the worst scene in the world. Twilight was... different. She was creepier than Everfree trees and looked like a maniac. Her eyes were full of hatred and that hatred was directed at Princess Celestia. Nopony in the room had noticed the seven ponies and dragon enter.

"Celestia..."Twilight rasped,"How is life? Good? Lovely? Perhaps even perfect?"

Twilight's eyes ran over her friends, resting on Applejack for a moment. Despite her reputation as a level-headed pony, Applejack got an inexplicable case of the shivers.

"Celestia,"Twilight continued,"Do you imagine that your decisions are good decisions?"

"I... I try to do my best for the majority,"the Princess of the Sun answered.

"The majority?"Twilight questioned, cocking her head."Really? Or by majority do you mean the nobility?"

"Of course not!"Celestia answered.

"Really? Because I have a little story to tell you if that is what you truly believe,"Twilight answered.

"Oh, Celestia,"she said, almost jovially, but Applejack did not miss the glint of anger and hatred in her eyes,"you are such a fool. Your little ideals never work. Well, hardly ever. I suppose they might have worked a little bit. But... anything good that you have done is easily outweighed by the evil you have committed."

"Shining Armor,"Twilight continued,"do you remember, that day when my old friend, Starlight Glimmer, moved away? Or when Sunset Shimmer disappeared through the mirror. Do you remember the letter that Mrs. Glow showed us? The one that showed that said Sunset Shimmer was traitor because she asked Celestia about the Mare in the Moon? That her parents were held responsible and had to pay seventy-five percent of their total income each month because Sunset Shimmer ran away to the human world?"

As Twilight spoke, memories began flooding Applejack's mind. How Celestia had personally asked for some apple treats for a party from Sweet Apple Acres. How, despite the icy weather, her parents were forced to go to Canterlot to deliver the treats. How they had been found, dead, days after the delivery was supposed to be completed. How Sweet Apple Acres had lost two acres of land because the treats hadn't reached the palace.

She was shaken out of her memories by Fluttershy, who was shivering with her eyes tightly closed, to her left.

Rainbow, to her right, was staring at Twilight, her mouth open in shock.

"... I wouldn't be surprised,"she finished.

"Now... its story time. I know there are at least two Bearers of the Elements of Harmony who have stories that are quite similar to mine. Applejack, Fluttershy, care to share with the rest of us?"Twilight said

Applejack's eyes flew wide open. Fluttershy collapsed, sobbing.

"No!"she cried,"I'll never tell! I don't want to remember!"

"Fluttershy,"Twilight said, sounding sympathetic for the first time,"I understand not wanting to remember hard parts of your life. If you do this, though, you'll be helping to remove an evil, selfish, idiotic, stupid ruler from the top of Equestria."

"I... I will?"

"Of course!"

"Okay, then. You see, my parents..."