Apprentices

“You’re gonna go through your worst fears, Crazybloom” Applebloom’s trainer called her by her codename. “Master them, and you’re gonna be getting the hang of it”

“And what if I don’t?” Applebloom asked in fear as she was strapped to the contraption.

The trainer glared at her. “Face them”

Applebloom tried to protest, but the trainer already pressed the button to activate the system. The last thing Applebloom saw was the glare of the trainer, and a vial of Victim’s Blood.

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Applebloom found herself in, not the Organization, but in a forest. She wasn’t really sure where she was, but it was a comfort to feel she was no longer in a painful Organization that would teach her to kill. It was quite scary that none of her friends were there to keep her company. Or so she thought.

“Applebloom!” a familiar voice rang out.

“Applejack?” the filly was surprised to see her older sister out here, but relieved that she had some company.

“No time to explain! We have to get out of here!” Applejack yelped as she helped her sister get up.

“Why?”

She didn’t even get an answer as a dagger was thrown, nearly cutting them. They turned around to see something that just gave them a shock of a lifetime. There, just behind them, a knife in her muzzle, was Sweetie Belle. She was covered in blood, a cold glare in her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and a cold smirk played across her face.

“Sweetie Belle?” Applebloom stared in disbelief.

“She isn’t Sweetie Belle anymore” Applejack carried her sister.

The next thing they saw was even worse than Sweetie Belle, something zipped past them many times. When it finally went away, Applejack was all tied up with rope. It wasn’t until the figure finally stopped moving was when Applebloom really saw who it was. Scootaloo looked like how Sweetie Belle did, save for a wing sticking out at an odd angle. How she was able to fly around with it like that was not known, nor did she want to know.

Applebloom began to hyperventilate as she imagined her worst fears creeping up on her. She tried to calm down and think it was all a dream, but her efforts proved futile when Spike showed up. He looked like the other two, but there were chains on his body, and bleeding whip markings all over. Without warning, the three held the ropes tight enough to make Applejack fall down. Applebloom tried running away, but Sweetie Belle levitated her in air.

“Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Spike, why are you all doing this?!” Applebloom cried out in fear.

“Survival of the Fittest” Scootaloo said, her tone dark.

“What?!”

“You didn’t say anything when we took down Blood Seed” Sweetie Belle growled.

“You mean Babs?”

Spike then held up something that will forever be stuck in Applebloom’s head. It was Babs’ head, the blood still dripping, her eyes had no signs of life, and her tongue was lolling out. Applebloom held the urge to puke as she began to hyperventilate.

“Oh, NOW you care? Where were you when you betrayed Brazy?” Spike jeered.

“Brazy?”

Then, without warning, there was a rustle in the bushes. They all turned to face a shadow hiding there, before it came to the light to reveal themselves. It was just something that she never imagined. Bunny was there, her eyes black and stitches were all over her. She wore a black collar made out of unicorn horns. Her fangs were sticking out, longer than what they used to be. In one of her paws, she held a bowie knife dripping with blood.

Applebloom tried to struggle, but she could only watch as the alien came up to Applejack and began to cut at the earth pony. Applejack screamed in pain for as long as she could. Bunny stabbed her in the thighs, then the front hooves, before she moved upwards. She began to stab the earth pony in the muzzle, and she cut out her tongue. Blood leaked out from all cuts. Applejack wanted to scream, but Bunny just used the knife to pull the eyes out. All that remained was a mass of flesh that used to be Applejack.

Applebloom’s worst fear was always abandonment and the death of her sister, but she never thought she would see it to be this brutal. She felt the last remnants of her sanity snap. She wanted revenge.

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Applebloom woke up from the simulation, roaring like a predatory animal. She immediately broke out of her bonds and ran wild. Wasting no effort, she ran to where Bunny was, before she pinned her to a wall. Bunny was confused, even frightened at the look Applebloom had in her eyes. Bunny’s eyes widened when she saw what Applebloom had in a hoof, a vial of Victim’s Blood. Applebloom then popped the cork off the top before downing it. She watched in utter shock as her friend had the first markings of an Apprentice appear on her: black irises and darker hue in the eyes. Bunny wanted to scream as Applebloom held a knife to her throat. Luckily, their trainers grabbed the filly right off of her.

“Crazybloom, snap out of it!” her trainer yelled as she poured water all over the filly.

“Applebloom, what’s wrong with you?!” Babs Seed yelled as she ran to her cousin.

At that moment, Applebloom’s head sapped back to reality. She looked to see the damage she caused. Bunny was right where she left her, cowering in fear as Spike ran to her. The filly looked to see she had a knife in her hoof.

“Did I just…?”

“Attack a colleague?” Nightmare’s voice rang out. “Seems so”

“Oh no! Bunny, I’m sorry! I was in a sim, and I…”

“You took the vial, and wanted to kill Brazy. You know what that means”

Applebloom looked down. “The Hall of Whispers?”

Nightmare nodded. “You may have Turned, but you were gonna attack a colleague. Everypony else gets a day off while you stay in punishment”

“Shh, it’s okay, Bunny” Spike whispered to her. “You’ll be alright”

Applebloom just let herself get dragged off. All she saw was Bunny cowering in fear as Spike tried to comfort her. Applebloom turned that day.