Rotten to the Core

Applejack did not go to sleep that night. She was unable to find rest anyway.

Instead, she lit her lantern, and pushed the furniture against the wall and blocked the window, just in case. As she did so, she didn’t actually notice her pushing the bed to the center of the room.

Then, preparations complete, she waited. Ready to act in an instant; trapped in her room, ready to try and fight if at all possible.

Her heart beat hard in her chest, and her breath came in pants that she tried to suppress, her ears straining to hear the slightest sound. Waiting for what felt like forever.

Applejack didn’t wake up.

She felt her control snatched from her suddenly, her body calming as she was left a helpless prisoner within.

She didn’t hear shuffling. She heard hoofsteps clearly. A dark chuckle.

The red returned, the blurs shifting to make three blobs by her bed, only then noticed to be placed with an odd amount of care. She wasn't perfectly sure if she had done that, or if… they had.

The blur defined itself, and three red ponies came into vision. Their coats and manes matched, all of it a dark, blood red.

One was a mare, smiling with sharp teeth, carrying herself not too unlike Rarity might, her form oddly perfect. One was a stallion, and his grin looked like he struggled to mask a scowl, the teeth just uneven enough to somehow be worse, his mane and tail scarred and unkempt, ill cared for. The last looked like a colt, and he grinned beyond normal margins, much like Pinkie could. He seemed to near vibrate with excitement.

No sound was made, but Applejack suddenly walked forward. With care and calm in her motions, her body laid itself out on the bed once more, all three ponies moved to surround her, with the stallion on her right, the colt on her left, and the mare at the foot of the bed.

She felt afraid enough to faint, and yet, she was held from any action of her own. Her soul screamed, yet her body was calm, even happy. She felt herself smile at the them.

Then the mare climbed onto the bed to stand over her, a predatory look in her eyes. A forked tongue flicked out, licking her lips and she gave a faint laugh, staring at Applejack’s eyes.

“I’ve been waiting too long for this…” she whispered softly, sensually, before leaning down, her jaws opening slightly, her eyes mostly shutting.

That’s when the pain began.

Twilight gasped awake suddenly, panting.

The feelings of fear and helplessness and pain faded swiftly, but they had been so strong just a second ago. Jarring her from a dreamless sleep.

Knowledge of it slipped from her mind as she panted. She frowned. She had known something so very important, but now… not anymore.

Just a sudden night terror then? Possibly her biology misfiring all at once to produce sudden terror in her sleep? A dream without sound or image maybe?

She got out of her bed. She could do with a late night drink and maybe a snack; that had been… shocking.

She left her bedroom, and paused in the hallway, before closing her eyes.

A… it was like she heard something, yet, there was nothing to hear. Just the faintest impressions of sounds in her mind. Urging and important, they drove her to act… but act how?

Unable to understand them, she forced them away, frowning more.

What was going on?

Rarity woke suddenly, and she got out of her bed not caring one bit about her nighttime skin and fur aids.

Something in her was screaming for her to go, or possibly come. Somepony important to her was in grave danger.

She did so, neglecting even her nightgown. Was something wrong with Sweetie? What was this feeling of terror, of… of something truly horrible happening?

She opened Sweetie’s door quickly, and saw her sister sleeping peacefully. She stared for a moment, her horn gently lighting to make sure everything was in place. And it was.

She gently shut the door behind her, sighing, the feeling fading.

“…Just a nightmare?” she whispered to herself. She shook herself, and dismissed the rest of those feelings. Still, she could do with some tea to calm down.

Fluttershy awoke to her having a panic attack. Her eyes huge, staring at nothing as her heart rate and breathing spiked. Phantoms of terrors stood over her, surrounding her bed, nightmares with sharp teeth. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t act, she could barely breathe…

Until Angle leapt atop her, forcing her to gasp and instantly dispelling the feelings. She grabbed the rabbit, holding him close as her own fear over being that afraid came to the fore.

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply as it slowly faded. Yet…

That wasn't normal. She never had feelings like that, not even with a nightmare…

And she hadn’t even had the nightmare.

“Thanks Angle.” she murmured softly, the angry rabbit sighing in her grip. He seemed to know that now was not the time to whine about her holding him. With his tiny warmth, she relaxed again, yet, as she went to sleep…

Why was she thinking about Applejack?

Rainbow felt trapped suddenly, and shot from her bed, panting as she hovered in her room.

Fear rippled through her, and part of it wasn't her own. She felt afraid from the sudden feelings of helplessness, yet there was something more under that.

She shook herself, and forced the feelings away as she landed again. Just a nightmare, a really, really quick nightmare. Kinda fitting that the fastest pegasus around would have the fastest nightmares too, she thought, chuckling a little.

Still, she fetched tank from his place on the floor, and relaxed, holding his shell close. His big, tough, reliable shell.

Pinkie was outside and walking fast before she was even cognizant of her doing so. Not that she slowed in any fashion.

Now that’s a rush!

“Shush.” she muttered as she went, producing a lantern from nothing as she went out of Ponyville, heading toward Sweet Apple Acers.

Feel that fear, that terror, that pain… so sweet. Like cupcakes!

Pinkie frowned. Something was very, very wrong. Something was… just the right kind of wrong to make her act up.

It might already be too late then. But it might not be. It just might not be.

We can always make it worse!

“Shut up.” she near growled, before hurrying a little more.

Party pooper…

“Hang on Applejack.” she muttered, spotting the farm so far away yet. “Pinkie’s on her way.”