Feeding Time

Applejack had a pet dog, Winona. She was the most reliable pet a pony would ever ask for. From the faraway human lands, the phrase "a dog is a man's best friend." In the case of Applejack, despite not being a human, this phrase could not be truer. Applejack cared for Winona with utmost care, while Winona had always helped her at the farm. Winona was, no doubt, an excellent pet.

The question of ethics, however, come to mind. The consumption of meat is considered taboo, coming from a largely-herbivorous society. Ponies, after all, are grazing animals. Anypony that would be crazy enough to consume meat would immediately be seen as a traitor, criminal, and psychopath. Vendors in larger cities that sold meat were looked upon with suspiscion, as were the local gryphons, dragons, and chimeras that buy these meats. Even fishing was seen as a questionable act.

So how in hay is Applejack meant to feed a carnivorous creature?

Applejack went to the local pet supply store : Pets-4-Everypony. The store did not actually sell pets, but rather things that would be useful for pets. Things like chew-toys, leashes, petbowls, toys, strap-on helicopters, and the like. The store itself was not very big, but not very small either.

Applejack trotted down the somewhat cramped aisles of the store, all in the "Pet Food" section. She found a wide variety of foods for birds, rabbits, and small fish. Further down the aisle were foods for reptilian creatures, such as turtles, tortoises, iguanas, and the like. Even further down was cat food. Finally, near the back of the store were some dog food.

Flim Flam Co Canned Canine Chow

Ever since the incident with the Flim Flam Brothers, she despised them very much for nearly destroying her business. However, this was the only brand of dog food that was sold in a small town as Ponyville. Reluctantly, she picked up the box full of canned canine food and headed straight for the cash register.

The cashier was a bald unicorn, who had a constant glare of condescending looks about him. Either that or he's simply easily irritable. In any case he was not a very happy looking cashier. Applejack placed the box on the counter. The cashier glared at the box, then at the pony. Somehow, Applejack felt nervous. He lifted an eyebrow, and Applejack forced an otherwise nervous smile.

"Buying dog food, I see." said the cashier.

"Uhm...yes. Yes ah ahm." replied Applejack.

The cashier simply looked at the box for a moment. Then he turned to Applejack.

"That'll be 20 Bits." said the cashier.

Applejack handed him the 20 bits.

"Would you like a paper bag with that?" said the cashier in a bored tone.

Applejack simply nodded a yes. The cashier used his magic to pull out a large paper bag, and put the large box into the paper bag. She was very nervous at this point. In any case she left the store, able to feed her pet dog. It was a humiliating experience for her. She essentially had blood on her hooves. Not to mention, she was getting the food from her competitors. The same ones that nearly destroyed her livelihood.

Throughout her way home, she remained discreet. Applejack tried her best not to bring unwanted attention to herself. Despite that, ponies looked at Applejack with menacing eyes. Only her closest friends would not do such a thing. Even then, the idea of feeding her pet dog made most of her friends feel somewhat queasy. Except Pinkie Pie. She seems to be the only pony not fazed at all with carnivorous creatures. It was an odd, mixed blessing. A blessing nonetheless.

She arrived home, and put away the can of dog food into a pantry. She then took out a can of the dog food, and placed the strange mush onto a bowl. Applejack then called out for Winona. Winona obediently went to the food bowl, and began eating. Applejack looked at Winona as she kept eating the food, as she let out a somewhat sad smile.

"Ah just hope ah don run outta this stuff." she said.

A month had passed since she last bought the large box of dog food. Once again, she had to go out and buy some more. Applejack noticed that nopony was in the house. It was quiet. It was expected for Apple Bloom because she had school. Big Macintosh was most likely outside bucking trees. Granny Smith did say she went to visit Twilight Sparkle about a book. Less ponies to see her purchase dog food, less humiliation.

Applejack continued to head over to the Pet Store. Applejack waved at Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, as they were sharing cupcakes. Seemingly normal enough day. The pet store was no different. Same old grumpy cashier, same old somewhat-cramped store aisles. Nothing changed.

Applejack went into the aisles to pick up what she intended to pick up: Flim Flam Canned Canine Chow. Same dark aisles, same order of products. It would be another monthly grind. Applejack finally went to where the Dog food is, or at least, was.

"This can't be..." that was all Applejack said. To her horror, there are no more dog food cans for sale. In fact, the pet foods themselves are gone too. Applejack, still in disbelief, ran up to the counter to ask.

"When will the dog food come in?!" Applejack said.

"In about 3 months. It takes a while for it to get from all the way in Trotston," the cashier said, not really paying attention to the worrisome Applejack.

Applejack simply trotted nervously back to Sweet Apple Acres. She had to think of something. If it meant keeping her pet dog alive, she had to do something. Trotston was a long way from Ponyville, and her pet Winona needs her food. It's either the processed dog food, or fresh meat.

And she'd hate to resort to the latter. Fortunately, by the time she got home, she was able to scrounge up one last can of dog food, and gave her winona a can of dog food at last.

Applejack tried to at least ignore the ordeal by working at the apple orchards as planned. However, she remains very lost in thought. She had a hard time concentrating on the task at hand. She bucked the trees, paying only half of the attention she usually gave, ignoring a strangely familiar scream. Then, finally, as she launched her hind legs at the tree...

CRUNCH!

Something didn't sound right. Applejack turned around, only to notice what she had done, in horror. It was Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was writhing in pain. She must have accidentally crushed the pegasus's  ribcage. Rainbow Dash looked up at Applejack, writhing in pain and crying. She could only whimper out a few weak words.

"Applejack...I told you..." was all she was able to barely whimper. Her lungs were crushed from the bucking. Then, just like that, her forehoof went limp. She died.

Applejack committed a murder. She looked at Rainbow Dash in horror, but then let out a laugh which indicates insanity.

Applejack was finally able to acquire some dog food at last. It was not what Winona was used to eating, but it would have to do. Winona also noticed it was different, but nonetheless happily ate it as usual. It was early evening, so by now Apple Bloom would have returned from school. Granny Smith was reading a book she borrowed from Twilight Sparkle. Big Macintosh was simply having a drink of hard cider to reward himself for another hard day of work.

Apple Bloom finally went in through the front door. She was humming a happy tune, while wearing a makeshift skirt for some reason. Apple Bloom seemed quite happy for some reason.

"Any reason why yer so chipper all of a sudden?" Applejack asked.

And just like that, Apple Bloom removed her makeshift skirt, revealing her new cutie mark: an apple with a nail through it. "AH GOT MAH CUTIE MARK!"

"Congratulations," Applejack said. "Apple Bloom. Ah told ya you'd get yer cutie mark some day! Ahm mighty proud of ya!" Applejack playfully tackled Apple Bloom, now both reduced to a pile of laughter. Despite their seemingly happy bonding, she was still sad about the incident. She tried her hardest to maintain a smile.

Applejack was unable to get any rest at all. Ever since her murder of Rainbow Dash, no matter how accidential that event was, she had lost the ability to sleep, due to the sheer amount of guilt she had. She kept bucking trees as usual, only she was doing so rather groggily. She did buck trees while under the influence of fatigue before, but never did she buck apple trees while suffering from sleep deprivation.

Not after what she saw...

Haunting flashbacks of a brutally maimed and mauled Rainbow Dash haunted her. The gory imagery would not stop at all. Even if during the incident it was fairly clean, the imagery of blood and guts haunted her every waking moment, terrifying the very life out of Applejack.

"Hey there Appleja-."

"AH DID IT!" yelped Applejack

In a reflex, Applejack, out of fear, bucked whomever happened to be behind her. Oh no. Not again. The same sensation. It came back. Nervously, she turned around.

Twilight Sparkle. Or at least what's left of her. She was coughing blood, whimpering at the same time. Her horn snapped off of her head. She dropped and died.

Applejack killed her. This was bad. Very bad. Not only did she kill another one of her friends, but this time she was a direct disciple of the Princess herself. Princess Celestia would want Applejack's head on a platter once she finds out who killed her most faithful student.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were once again planning their shenanigans to attain cutie marks in their tree house. Since Apple Bloom already got her cutie mark, it was up to her to help her two friends get their cutie marks. Being little foals, however, most of their "planning" consisted of simply sitting around doodling, as well as blurting out ideas.

Scootaloo, the most adventurous out of the three, finally had an idea.

"Hey! Let's visit the Everfree Forest again!" she said. "Maybe we can be Cutie Mark Crusaders Daring Doos!"

"Ah dunno..." Apple Bloom said.

"Are you sure? Doesn't seem all that safe." said Sweetie Belle.

"C'mon! It's not like anything bad happens!" said Scootaloo. "We've been there before, right?"

"Yeah, and we all got yelled at by everypony!" said Sweetie Belle. "Like that one time we got kicked out by Zecora after we tried to make potions?"

Apparently the Cutie Mark Crusaders visited Zecora to test their luck in potion making. It was a big mess.

"C'mon 'saders!" said Scootaloo. "Don't tell me you're all buncha chickens!"

"Like you should talk, you dodo!" replied Sweetie Belle, noticing the irony.

"Well, I'm going there!" Scootaloo said. She stormed out of the treehouse, heading towards the Everfree Forest. Reluctantly, Sweetie Belle followed. Apple Bloom followed Sweetie Belle.

The forest was dark and eerie as usual. The Cutie Mark Crusaders treaded through the forest. The scared three little fillies treaded softly in these woods. Even Scootaloo was showing signs of fear.

"Ah...wanna go home now..." said Apple Bloom.

"C...c'mon now..." said Scootaloo, barely staying cool. "Don't chicken out on me."

Scootaloo then tripped over something. It felt hard, but felt...familiar? Scootaloo rose up, and noticed that it was a partly-buried, semi-crushed, fully-dead Twilight Sparkle.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

All three little fillies ran away from the dead body, and hid themselves in a strangely conveniently located shed. The three little fillies huddled in fear. Why was Twilight half-buried and fully-dead? They were scared. Too scared to move. It took a while to realize they were in complete darkness.

"Ah can't see!" said Apple Bloom. "Sweetie Belle, can't y'all use yer unicorn magic to create light or something?"

"Oh yeah! Rarity showed it to me!" said Sweetie Belle.

She focused her energy onto her little horn. After struggling considerably, she finally caused light to shine the inside of the shed. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom scanned the inside of this shed. To their horror, they found another close friend. A mangled and hanging Rainbow Dash. She looked like bits of her had been cut off prior, leaving some bones and guts exposed.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle immediately ran. Apple Bloom was left behind, paralyzed with fear.

"Apple Bloom?" a voice in the distance was heard.

Applejack walked into the shed, seeing her terrified little sister. It was too late for Applejack. Her sins were revealed. And to her little sister of all ponies. She could, however, attempt to hide it for as long as she can.

"Ahm here Apple Bloom." said Applejack, trying to comfort her little sister.

Apple Bloom could only sit there, terrified. She then noticed something. Hoofprints. They looked familiar.

"A...Applejack..." Apple Bloom stammered, shivering in terror.

"Yes sugarcube?" Applejack responded.

"Rainbow Dash was gone missing on Wednesday, right?" Apple Bloom asked, shakingly.

This wasn't  good. Applejack was about to get discovered. Normally she'd be happy that her little sister is a clever one. This time however, she was utterly terrified.

"Y...yes..." Applejack said. Her very being of honesty prevented her from saying otherwise.

"And you found the dog food on..." Apple Bloom said.

This was it.

"Wednesday..."

Apple Bloom turned to her sister Applejack, in horror. She began to cry.

"W...why?" Apple Bloom said.

"WHY DID YA KILL YER FRIENDS?!"

Applejack then let out a swift hind-leg bucking that crushed Apple Bloom, once again, out of fear.

"w...why..." Apple Bloom muttered as she let out her last breath.

She killed her own sister.

It was a beautiful day. Granny Smith was beginning to worry about the safety of her little grand-daughter. Big Macintosh was also worried as well. Applejack knew what happened. She simply kept quiet about it. There was no way she'd tell either one of them now. It would devastate them.

The guilt was eating her alive. All of this murder. And the methods to cover it up. All this time, Winona was being fed Rainbow Dash. Nopony knew about it fortunately. Even then, the burden was too much for Applejack.

She then got a knife from the kitchen, and hid it in her saddlebag. She was going to take Winona out for a walk. It was a beautiful day. The Pegasi had fortunately been able to function without Rainbow Dash it seems. Winona and Applejack proceeded out the door, as she waved goodbye to her relatives.

Winona and Applejack were inseparable when it comes to the love they had. Winona had always stuck to Applejack's side through thick and thin. Applejack, in return, gave her the nourishment a healthy dog needs. A shelter, plenty of love, and nourishment. She'd be willing to save her little pet dog.

Applejack and Winona were finally at the forest. It was peaceful. They had stopped deep within the forest. The birds were chirping, as rays of sun were leaking between the leaves. It was quiet. Very few creatures were there. Applejack and Winona were alone. Applejack took out her knife. Applejack took a last look at her little pet dog.

"Feedin' time..."

And she took her own life.