Under the Red Sun

The red sun glares down on Equestria like a big bloody eye.

Apple Bloom sits in the corner of her treehouse, shining apples with a rag.

"Gotta get these apples nice and shiny," says Apple Bloom, to herself. "Can't sell unshined apples."

The clouds in the treehouse grow thicker. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are having some vapes.

"This liquid's a pretty good vape," says Scootaloo. "Why don't you try it, Sweetie Belle?"

"Hand it here," says Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle slowly removes the dropper from the bottle. The dropper is very lubricated, well on its way to being full of liquid.

"Let me just drop this liquid in my dripper real quick," she says.

~ Drip ~

~ Drop ~

~ Drip ~

~ Drop ~

She replaces the dropper in the bottle. She screws the top on and hands it back to Scootaloo.

Scootaloo takes a big toot from her vape. Her face writhes, and her chest flutters. She coughs pretty hard.

"Dry hit," she says, and refills her dripper.

Sweetie Belle's eyes are burned golden crisp. She looks through the window, at the red sun in the sky.

"I'm glad we both vape," says Sweetie Belle. "Vaping is a pretty good friendship activity."

"Yes, I agree," says Scootaloo. She inhales a puff, inflating herself to twice her usual size. She blows the cloud toward Apple Bloom.

"Hey, Apple Bloom," says Scootaloo. "Want to try some vapes?"

The sound of the question echoes around the room, fitfully rising in a burst of despair before suddenly being extinguished.

Apple Bloom looks up from her apples. She turns to face her compadres. There is a fire in her eyes. She speaks.

"Is this really all right?"