Boundaries

by Fniff

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Apple Bloom, Adventure
Length: 2248

Sorrowful, Applebloom thinks she's doing good, but is she slowly walking down the path to darkness?

Scootaloo is dead. Perhaps she died on her scooter, just as she would have wanted. Perhaps she died of an illness, or an accident, or murder. Who knows? Well, she's dead and buried, so let's focus on Applebloom. Falling into a depression because of Scootaloo's death, she keeps a diary. Within it, we can see her descent into a strange practice that is both familiar and alien. Is it truly evil to do this practice, or is it simply a tool for both the demons and saints among us, and among the ponies? We can only find out by reading this leatherbound book...

Published 2011-12-04 22:55:38 UTC
Last updated 2011-12-11 17:23:58 UTC

February 1st-15th

1st of February.

I am starting this diary as a way of coping, I guess. Teach said that after the death of a close friend it's good to keep track of the days and my thoughts. After a year or something I have to present this to her and she'll see how Scootaloo’s death effected me. Here are my throughts, I guess.

Why did Scootaloo have to die? Did she deserve it? Was it my fault? Was it simply an accident? If it was an accident then it would mean that I could die at any moment. I don't want to die, I want to live.

I just wish I could bring Scootaloo back.

2nd

Applejack asked me to help out with the fallen trees, and moving them. I said I didn't feel like going out. I said I was sick so I could get out of it. She just sighed and left me to write this diary. I cut my leg when I fell out of bed when I leaned too far. I think I cut it on a splinter. I didn't yell out in pain. For some reason, I kept looking at the blood. I must have been staring at it for thirty minutes. I guess it's just an effect of trauma.

5th

Sorry, diary. I haven't been keeping up. I keep having this weird nightmare. Scootaloo is looking at me in this corridor that had strange walls and floors that bent around in ways that... didn’t really make sense. It was like it was made out of rotten seaweed, and was plant-ish, like I was walking on a dead leaf. She is slowly turning into a monster, and I can't move. I wonder what the afterlife is like. Is it nice there? Did Scootaloo end up there? Was that the afterlife? I don't know. I've been up in my room for a while now. I can't really think of a reason to go outside.

6th

Applejack ordered me out of the house. It isn't healthy, according to her, to stay indoors all the time. She may be right, but I still feel as bad as I was before outside. I just feel bad in a different way. At least in my room I didn't have to see happy ponies.

7th

Wondering about something. Something just out of my grasp. I need to go to the library, that's all I know. I dunno why. I know I just need to! Nothing happened today apart from working with Applejack. She is making sure I don't stay too long in my room. I wish she would just let me stay there. What’s wrong with staying indoors?

8th

I met Sweetie Belle today. She's taking it better. She isn't even talking about Scootaloo, like it never happened. Rarity looks unhappy, like she knows what is wrong with Sweetie. Ignorance is bliss, at least it seems to be. I went to the library, and studied a huge amount of books. I don't really know why I was reading so much. I now know the entire pony anatomy. Did you know that a pony can stand being decapitated for twenty seconds due to oxygen reserves? The internal organs can stand similar amounts of damage. This isn’t really foal-ish stuff, but I know it’s important. I just don’t know why. I'm confused, but I'm going along with it. For now.

9th

I feel strange. I don’t know what or why this is happening to me. Why am I researching the books that haven’t been read by anypony who doesn’t have a doctorate? I’m writing like Rarity, perhaps even better then Rarity! Scootaloo’s death may have changed me, but this isn’t natural change. It’s accelerated. Something is doing this to me. I could find out what, but... I have a feeling I don’t want to know.

10th

I was at the library reading books as usual when Twilight interrupted me. Several times, in fact. This is the most interesting. She’s suspicious of me, I know it.

"Hey, Applebloom?" She asked.

"Yeah?" I said, in a different world. I was reading the Student's Guide To Biology and Autopsy. Quite interesting, but something was missing.

"That's a pretty adult book. I mean, it's pretty nice that you are so interested, but... why are you reading it?" She questioned, trying to sound friendly but not hiding her confusion very well.

"Dunno. Felt like it." I said, turning another page.

"Okay, do what you like. Just, uh, don't take it out, right? It's a reference book."

"Will do."

Twilight doesn’t know where my research is going, but she knows it’s not going anywhere she wants. She might write a letter to Celestia about it. Wouldn’t it be terrible if all the ink in town disappeared? Yes, it would. No ink means no easy way of communication. Ink binds our little pathetic society. It’d be easy to get rid of the binding, for just long enough. I bet that'll happen.

11th

There seems to be a mistake in all the books I have read. A fundamental error. Like a missing number, this strange omission bites at me. Is blood what powers the body, or is it something else entirely? The brain simply controls it. Is blood the fuel, or simply a red herring?

I know something is up. Examining Applejack outside. She is having trouble shifting a fallen tree off of the path. Does she need her blood to pump more? Does she require more strength? What does she need?

I can do something. I just need to know what. Blood must be involved.

12th

I got some blood from my sis. When she was asleep I cut her open (Not an artery. She would have bled some more, but I bandaged her correctly) and collected it in a cup. Examining the blood. More then just blood. I may have hit the right place. Studying it overnight. I hope this works. It will all be for nothing if this does not succeed.

13th

Yes, I have it now. I have to test this.

14th

Oh dear Celestia, what have I done?

I brought her back. There was something in the blood. Vitae, one might call it. It's... I don't know. Cosmic lifeblood? Innate biological matter? Why do I know these incredibly long words? I'm a foal! What have I been doing for the past few weeks? I feel scared.

Well I might as well explain myself.

I got the blood, and I dug up Scootaloo. I dragged her out of her coffin a way and dripped the blood down her throat. It was easy, due to her death, but I had my doubts. How was I going to rebury the body if she wasn't going to become alive or --even worse-- became hostile? I didn't think of a reply. I smiled as I saw her blink.

She's alive. She's back. She's herself, too. Not a demon, not a monster. I’d see signs if she was. I didn’t just read medical books, I read a few more that could be considered outside of reason. Her body is already repairing itself. Flesh is growing over the places where rot is prevalent, and she is slowly gaining consciousness. Any time now I’ll have to explain why.

What have I done?

Feburary 15th-19th: Marked

15th (Early Morning)

I dragged Scootaloo down to the Apple family basement as she regained consciousness. She was propped up against a wooden pillar as she opened her eyes. Her eyes were already open, but I knew she was not truly sentient. Her light violet eyes were filled with a strange surprise, and I could see a sad sort of smile form on her face.

"Applebloom...?" She said weakly, ending with a coughing fit. "I didn't die, did I? You saved me..."

I frowned. I was sure she would have remembered the afterlife. What was it like? I guess I shall never know.

"Did you see anything?" I asked. "After... it happened?"

"I..." She drew a blank. "I just remember... falling."

I had to consciously stop myself from crying in happiness. I had done it. Scoot was alive and well. My theories were correct. Perfect, didn't miss a detail.

"It's okay Scoot." I walked closer and lay a hoof on her shoulders. "It's just that we thought you were dead, and gave you a premature burial. I realized that you were alive, cos I saw you breathing. No-one believed me."

Her eyes widened. "I was buried alive, and no-one knew?"

I put on my best smile. "Except me."

"You... You saved me. How could I ever thank you? Applebloom, thank you!" She stood up with an energy I did not expect from a recently dead corpse, and hugged me. I could feel her beautiful warmth. "Applebloom, you are the best friend ever!"

I think it's alright to lie to a friend about raising her. Some things need to be taken to the grave. I think I'll end this diary, this was bad enough already. I tampered with what should not be tampered with. I guess I'll burn this and replace it with something else more mundane and less intelligent sounding.

I don't know how I'm going to explain this, but I have to. Will the burial method work? I don't think oxygen lasts that long in a coffin. I'll have to use the magic excuse or something. I have to say one thing, though. This ends here, on this page.

Goodbye for the last time.

18th

Looks like I couldn't resist. I'm far too deep into this anyway, I need to know one more thing.

What was this source of inspiration? I suppose it might have happened to ponies in the past, but I don't know. Maybe this only happened to me and I am truly alone. But that's unlikely. Some doctor, some mad scientist, somepony must have gotten curious and tried what I call the Bloodbloom method (Since the blood causes a new bloom --rebirth or revival-- in the corpse. Not related to me) and discovered the integral properties of blood.

Scootaloo seems fine. I told her she has to stay down here to avoid surprising anypony too much and giving them a heart-attack. I almost said cardiac arrest, but I best not give-away my accelerated intelligence. It would be unwise. She can stay down there a long time, since my method of sneaking food away seems to be working, but I'm not concerned about that.

How long can she stay down there before she gets curious? How long can Scoot take being alone in the basement? How long before Applejack hears noises? How long before Rainbow Dash is visited by a lonely Scootaloo? How long before she learns she has been dead and buried for a fortnight?

I don't want to know. I truly do not want to know.

In other news, they discovered the defiled grave. The whole town is in grieving. I passed by Mrs Cake explaining to Ditzy that "Stuff like that just... doesn't happen here!"

Even worse, Pinkie tried to cheer me up by throwing me a surprise party. She doesn't understand what I have seen. Giggle at the ghosties? Sister, I raise the ghosties using blood and a straw, I am knee-deep in the dead. Nothing much happened at the party. I'm currently up in my room, wondering if Applejack is going to the basement or something. It's about 6:30 PM. It's cold.

I'm just glad my cutie mark hasn't come in as a skull or something. That'd be a big give-away. Why do they call it a cu

Sorry, diary. Slight interruption due to me tempting fate. I now have a cutie mark of a broken scythe. The symbolism is so obvious. I haven't heard of a cutie mark that makes you bad at what is depicted, so that leaves just one alternative. How will I even explain?

I need to burn this or keep it on me at all times. This is too insane. I'm falling. I can't get out of this now. I am trapped.

I should be jumping for joy. I feel sick to my stomach. This isn't going to be easy at all.

19th

Applejack is rather confused at my newly gained “Cutie” mark.

"Applebloom, why is your cutie mark a broken scythe?" She asked, in that country tone that I also have, and that I am wondering I should phase out. I mean, it simply isn't the tone you expect. Plus, gotta find some way of making my voice sound older. It's even worse with this stupid childish pitch. Drat this infernal problem of appearance.

"Oh, I dunno." I shrugged nonchalantly. "I just got it."

I winced internally. Improvisation is hard.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Doing what?"

"Um..." I pretended to remember. "Oh, just wandering about. I think it's a mistake."

"A mistake?" She chuckled. "That's strange for a cutie mark. Celestia missed "Breaky Scythes and it landed on you? I guess that's a boon!"

"Yeah, it kinda is!" I laughed, secretly glad that she doesn't suspect me. I love my sis, and I would love somepony I could tell this to, but... how can I explain this in a way that doesn't make her terrified or furious? I also kinda insulted her accent, so yeah... Sorry sis, if you are reading this.

Well, I best check on Scoot.

Scoot’s gone.

Oh Celestia, she’s gone.

This is going to be terrible...