An Apple Sleep Experiment

Applejack’s disappearance was only the beginning. When her friends were unable to find her within hours of the discovery, they widened their search to no avail. Days passed with no sign of the earth pony, and to make matters worse, other ponies in Ponyville vanished within close proximity. The heat combined with the unknown had left much of Ponyville in a blind panic, including a particular green unicorn called Lyra Heartstrings. When she discovered Bon Bon was missing from their home that evening she didn’t hesitate to assume the worst. Her mind went into overdrive, pushing her onward despite the risks of wandering around alone. She HAD to find her.

She had searched everywhere Bon Bon could have possibly been.

Sugar Cube Corner? Maybe she was talking to the Cakes about a new recipe.

Vinyl and Octavia’s house? They said they hadn’t seen her in a few days.

Maybe Fluttershy’s Cottage? Of course! She probably went for more fresh eggs for the current batch of treats she was making.

Lyra continued her gallop, praying and hoping that Bon Bon was safe. She saw a figure coming into focus among the clearing. They were slumped and slowly making their way along the trail.

“Applejack?” She recognized the now disheveled and filthy hat from afar. She galloped up next to her.

“Thank goodness! All of Ponyville has been worried sick about you! Have… have you seen Bon Bon? All sorts of ponies have gone missing and not even Princess Twilight has been able to control the panic… but if you’re here then there’s hope, right? Maybe… Maybe Bon Bon and the others are okay too and--wait… what happened to you?? Oh my Celestia are you alright?”

Applejack slowly tilted her head up from the ground to meet the green unicorn’s gaze. The haunting glare from pin-prick pupils and the dark circles around her eyes sent a terrifying shiver down Lyra’s back, catching her off guard. She retreated away in confusion.

“Should I… call somepony?” she asked timidly, taking in the true nature of Applejack’s appearance in horror. She had used a handkerchief to haphazardly stop the bleeding on her left front hoof where a good chunk of flesh was missing. The restraint marks on her hooves were still present from her excessive thrashing and the old dirtied bandages clung loosely to her back legs. Her skin looked aged and tired having lost some of its usual orangish color, marred by the scars of the branches that had fallen on her many weeks ago. Her mane and tail were unkempt; and although she still wore her iconic hat, it too had been a casualty to the fallen debris and the unknown events that followed.

All Applejack could make out from behind her haunted stare was the outline of Filthy Rich, the pony she’d been pursuing in her aimless wandering. The image her chaotic brain had given him was marked by an unholy grin, the likes of which frightened her to her very core. Thinking fast, Applejack turned and bucked the pony to the ground. Lyra was out cold by the time her head hit the dirt road.