The Cider Games

It was the day of the reaping, and a hot and sweltering day, like that. Sapphire Shores, who had been held captive by Chrysalis, was to be the announcer of the tributes. She reached her hoof into the giant hat, and grabbed a piece of paper. As the crowd drew in a collective gasp, she examined the paper before her, and opened her mouth to speak.

“Twilight Sparkle!”

The population in the town square below began to mutter amongst themselves as they recognized the name of the leader of the Spirits of Harmony. Especially her best friends, who all had different reactions. Rarity gasped dramatically and fell into a dead faint. Fluttershy squealed out loud in horror. Applejack’s mouth dropped open. Pinkie Pie flew suspended into midair and stayed there, demonstrating her own set of physical logic for all of Equestria to observe in confusion. Rainbow Dash, who was more loyal of the other five, shouted out a phrase that no-pony expected anyone in all of Equestria to utter:

“I volunteer!”

The hubbub when Twilight was announced as tribute was nothing compared to the kerfuffle at that moment.

“I volunteer as tribute.”

Fluttershy’s head snapped up, and she began to cry.

“I volunteer too… If all of my friends die, I don’t want to live anymore…”

Pinkie Pie dropped to the ground as her unique physical logic expired for the time being.

“Heck, if all of you guys are going to be in the Games, I don’t wanna miss out on all the fun, either!” She squealed as she bounced up to the podium.

Applejack shoved her way up to the stage. “Aw, ponyfeathers, Ah’d rather die with you guys than live without y’all anyway.”

Rarity popped up from her “faint”, and declared, ”Well, I wouldn’t want to get my hooves dirty, or my mane dirty, or my beautiful conscience dirty, or my flawless coat dirty-“

Somepony from the crowd yelled, “JUST VOLUNTEER ALREADY!”

Rarity slumped her shoulders in resignation. “I was getting to that…”

Discord cleared his throat. “Five ponies volunteering at once? Why, that’s completely unheard of. But for you, we’ll make a very, very, chaotic exception. An exception that is full of very chaotic chaos. An exception that is so very, very chaotic that-

"JUST CONDEMN US TO DEATH ALREADY!" shrieked Rarity.

"Alright, alright! Quit your whining! I was getting to that," grumbled Discord. "All six of you will now have to kill each other. Congratulations. You’re screwed.”

Rainbow Dash glowered at the other four volunteers. “If you’d just let me handle it, I would be the only one to die. It’s not late to change your minds.”

“You’re not the only brave one”, said Rarity on quaking, quivering legs.

“And miss all the fun?” asked a skeptical Pinkie Pie.

“Nope, Rainbow, we’re stickin’ to you like candy on a candy apple”, said Applejack.

Then the six ponies entered the train to Canterlot to meet their fate, and, for some, their deaths.