Unmarked

Therapy Session #4

Coltstein sat in his chair, looking at Apple Bloom. Her mane was a mess and she seemed more pale than usual, raising a red flag for Coltstein, knowing that this session was going to be his most challenging. Annie was here, listening to everything being spoke, and every question that he had for Apple Bloom had to do with putting the case to rest. He knew that Apple Bloom knew who was on that table that night, and he was going to squeeze the truth from her. This was it. His last chance to get the truth.

Apple Bloom stared at him, fear within her eyes.

"She's here, doctor," she said in a frightened tone. "I know she is."

Coltstein gave her an assuring look.

"I know she is, Apple Bloom," he assured. "I can feel her."

He prepared himself for the worst, gripping the book he had come across in the Canterlot Library within his hooves.

"Time to spill the truth, Apple Bloom," he commanded. "I've investigated deeper into this case, and I know that you aren't telling me the full truth. I also know how your friends died, and it wasn't you that did it, only Annie."

Apple Bloom couldn't hide anymore, but she was afraid to speak.

"I've only lied, because I was too afraid to tell the truth," she confessed. "Annie said she'd kill me if I said anythin."

"I'm aware of your struggle, Apple Bloom, but you can't be afraid of her anymore. I can assure you, you are safe with me," assured Coltstein.

Apple Bloom paused, taking in a deep breath, and letting it out.

"Okay, doctor. I promise to stay strong for you," she agreed.

"Good, Apple Bloom," said Coltstein. "Now, let me state something."

Apple Bloom nodded her head, letting Coltstein continue.

"I've talked to your friend, Zecora, and she stated that you took the medicine, because you wouldn't leave without it," stated Coltstein. "Is this true?"

Apple Bloom nodded her head, following a statement of her own.

"It's true, but it wasn't because I wanted it, only because Annie forced me to beg Zecora for the medicine, but she wouldn't tell me why," she confessed. "This is before Annie showed her true colors."

Coltstein was intrigued. Annie presented herself as an apparition of something else before all this chaos started. He decided to question Apple Bloom further.

"Explain to me, Apple Bloom," said Coltstein. "What exactly did Annie look like before she presented her true form?"

"She looked like any other pony, and stated that she was lookin' for friends," she stated.

Coltstein smiled. Apple Bloom wasn't holding back. She truly was going against Annie's demands, so he proceeded to his next question.

"Where did you meet Annie, Apple Bloom?" he asked.

"It wasn't just me, but Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle too. We decided to go crusadin' in a supposed haunted forest, while we were on a campin' trip. All three of us had heard of some legend, and decided to go lookin' for it to determine if the legend was real or not. We went lookin', and found an old house in the forest, so bein' curious, we entered the house, said some chant that refers to the legend, and Annie appeared out of nowhere."

"Where did you learn of the legend, and who told you the chant?" asked Coltstein.

"The sheriff told me," she confessed.

That explains how the sheriff became involved, and how she ever came to know Annie, but what caused Annie to show her true colors?

"Very good, Apple Bloom," stated Coltstein. "Why did Annie show her true form? What happened?"

Apple Bloom hesitated, but knowing she had to be strong, she continued to cooperate.

"Because, I attempted to disobey her, and she had control of me," confessed Apple Bloom.

Coltstein was intrigued, wanting to know more.

"How did she have control of you?" asked Coltstein.

Apple Bloom was silent, struggling to speak.

"I-I haven't been completely honest with ya, doctor," she confessed, her voice falling to a low tone. "Somethin' happened in that house that I now see as nothin' but a greedy mistake on my part."

Coltstein noticed Apple Bloom's voice fall to the tone of a scared child. He was concerned, as he spoke to the scared filly.

"What happened, Apple Bloom," he asked in a stern tone. "It's time to be honest."

Apple Bloom could see that he wasn't kidding, so she swallowed all the fear she had, and finally spoke the truth that Coltstein had been waiting to hear.

"I made a deal with her," she confessed. "She told me that if I would be her friend, she'd give me my cutie mark. Foolishly, I agreed, and just like she promised, a cutie mark appeared."

Coltstein thought back to the clubhouse, where he found the two slabs of flesh on the table. Could that cutie mark had been Apple Bloom's?

"What was the cutie mark?" asked Coltstein, his tone growing more sincere.

Apple Bloom attempted to answer, but was stopped. She had started to groan and struggle violently, immediately concerning the doctor. He attempted to help Apple Bloom, but was stopped by her.

"She's here!" she yelled. "Stay away, doctor!"

Coltstein didn't know whether to follow her demand, or to intervene with his only defence. He was shaking, watching Apple Bloom struggle against Annie. He had to be strong for Apple Bloom, seeing she was too weak to fight again a demon as powerful as Annie. Coltstein couldn't take it anymore, grabbed the book, and shoved inward toward Apple Bloom.

"Doctor, get back!" commanded Apple Bloom, but Coltstein didn't listen.

"If you can't fight her then I must!" he yelled, planting the book against Apple Bloom's forehead, following a sizzling sound.

Apple Bloom let out a screech that nearly shattered Coltstein's eardrums. The screech was unlike anything he had ever heard, even worse than his first encounter with Apple Bloom's possession. The room had started to shake, knocking books from their shelves, the clock on the far side of the room falling and breaking, and the only window within the room shattering. The eyes of the young filly had started to glow, and her mouth had started to leech blood. The sight terrified Coltstein, but he continued to hold the book on the surface of Apple Bloom's forehead, remaining strong for the filly.

Coltstein struggled, as the screech continued to shake the room, and Apple Bloom's eye sockets started to leak a black liquid, falling to the floor. The liquid seemed like a blood, but it clearly wasn't, due to the liquid forming into what looked like a large wall, closing around Coltstein.
He wasn't sure what to do, but knew that he was in danger, continuing to hold the book against her forehead. The screech had become more mild, converting into a sinister laugh. Apple Bloom's teeth had become daggers, and her skin had become pale, all of her blood vessels visible beneath the skin.

"You can't save her, no matter what you do!"

The voice was not Apple Bloom's. It was much more dark and grotesque.

"BE SILENT!" commanded Coltstein, pressing the book harder against Apple Bloom's forehead.

Annie shrieked, as Coltstein continued to pressurize the book.

"Listen to me, you dirty monster! I'm going to save her, and remove you from existence! YOU HEAR ME!" he stated. "BEGONE!"

Annie retracted, as Apple Bloom returned to normal, scared and paranoid. The black liquid that had leeched from Apple Bloom's eyes had disappeared, and her teeth had reformed back to their original state.

"Are you okay?" asked Coltstein, holding Apple Bloom in his hooves.

"I-I don't know," she replied, breathing heavy.

"It's alright, Apple Bloom," assured Coltstein. "You're safe now."

Both of them smiled, but just when all seemed safe, Apple Bloom started to struggle again, her head turning violently.

"Apple Bloom! Fight her!" he commanded.

Apple Bloom couldn't fight, and spoke quickly, while she still could.

"The c-c-cutie mark.... w-was an apple... a-a-and a p-p-pentagram! It was the only way! I had to be unmarked!" she confessed, immediately following a snap.

Coltstein felt her body fall to dead weight, staring at the innocent filly in his hooves. He wanted to fall to tears, but knew he had to be strong. He let out a scream, causing Daisy to barge into the room, noticing Coltstein's condition.

"Doctor, are you alright?!" she asked.

Coltstein didn't answer, setting Apple Bloom's dead body on the couch as gently as he could.

"Is she?" asked Daisy, noticing Coltstein's expression become more angry.

"No. I refuse to let it end like this," he claimed.

Daisy looked at him, confusion in her gaze.

"She's dead, doctor," she said. "There's nothing you can do now."

Coltstein shook his head.

"Listen to me, Daisy," he commanded. "Get four Equestrian crosses, place them on every wall in her room, shut the window in the room, and escort Apple Bloom to her room."

Daisy didn't know what to do. How could Apple Bloom be saved? She was dead.

"I-I don't understand," she said.

Coltstein had become irritated.

"Just trust me! I refuse to let it end in another death!" he snapped, calming himself. "Just do what I say. She's not dead, only playing dead."

"Are you sure?" asked Daisy.

"Yes. It's time to perform the exorcism, and to prove her innocence, I want this exorcism recorded," he stated. "It's time to put Annie to rest, FOR GOOD!"

Daisy nodded her head.

"I'll prepare everything, and I hope you're right about this," she said, concerned.

"I am. Trust me," he said.

You may fool the others, but you don't fool me! Time to end your madness, forever!