In loving memories

“That’s right!” Big Macintosh said, walking into the light, “Breathe! While you still can...”

On his back, he carried a huge wooden barrel.

“What’s this supposed to be?” Starlight stuttered, “Making me drunk?”

“Yup!” Big Mac answered while string the barrel and adjusting a wide hose at the opening.

But even Starlight would get tired sooner or later. She took a deep breath, while watching him. At that moment she might have actually felt a glimpse of fear.

“So?” she started talking to the quiet pony, “You’re mad at me because of your sister, aren’t you?”

It was an awkward attempt to get a quiet moment, but it wouldn’t help much.

“She ain't breathing anymore.” Big Mac calmly answered, “I felt like showing you what that means.”

He kicked the table she was attached to and brought it into the vertical. On the wall behind her two iron brackets magically appeared, on which he placed the barrel.

Unlike Spike, Big Macintosh didn’t have a lot of affection to Rarity or her work. He ripped a piece of fabric out of Starlight's flank, making her sob in pain, and covered her face with it.

“If I were you, I would breathe in very deeply now.” he said.

Starlight, now clearly weakened, obeyed his advice.

When he started pouring the freshly brewed apple cider over her face, it began to burn into her nostrils. That alone she would be able to take for a while, but slowly and clearly she went out of air. The wet fabric, steadily overrun by cider, wouldn’t even let a hint of air to get into her lungs. Her chest began to hurt. When she started gasping and wheezing, Big Mac waited for another twenty or so seconds, then he removed the fabric to let her breathe.

She breathed fast and shortly. Her heart was pounding so fast, even Big Mac could hear it. After ten seconds he repeated the procedure.

Another five times, Starlight had to go through this pain. When the red earth pony finally showed some mercy, she didn’t even have enough energy left to look at him. She just lay there coughing.

“Maybe we should give her an hour or so, to calm down.” Aurora suggested, “After all, we don’t want her do die so soon, now do we?”

The ponies agreed to leave her in the darkness for a while, but even so Starlight couldn’t recover. She was scared of them coming back any second.