Discord's Doll

Applejack found herself sitting by the window, starring into the abyss. After discovering the butler’s corpse, everypony was ushered into their rooms, and until dinner, they weren’t allowed to leave. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash was taking a nap at the moment, meaning she was left to a room with little entertainment. At least Twilight had the book she brought with her, and Rarity had her sketchpad. Applejack had nothing.

With nothing else to do, she was left to her thoughts, and after witnessing something so horrific, she could only think about how that poor stallion’s friends and family would never see him again. About how they’d react to hearing to such a thing.

Mere months ago, Applejack was in a similar position. It was a bright Tuesday afternoon. She was sitting on the porch with her brother and his wife, drinking some chilled cider and chatting casually, when she spotted her sister running down to the farmhouse with her two best friends.

The three looked to be in a panic, but it wasn’t until they got within a few feet that she was clued in. When they did get close, AJ noticed something was off. Once they arrived on the porch, she figured out what it was.

All three fillies happened to have crimson stains on them. Apple Bloom had them on her forehooves, Scootaloo had it stained all over her face and body, and Sweetie Belle had it in her mane. However, it was their eyes that said it all. They were shrunk to pinpricks, wide and nervous. Something spooked them a lot.

Out of breath, all three fillies took greedy gasps at the air, hoping to catch their breath quickly. Applejack shot out of her seat and ran up to the fillies, attempting to examine them closer. Before she could, however, Apple Bloom cut her off. Through baited breaths, Apple Bloom stammered, “I-It ain’t what it looks like!”

Now Applejack had all the pieces of the puzzle. At first, Applejack assumed a critter of some kind hurt them, but hearing her sister say that line flipped her suspicions. With wide, horrified eyes, she looked down at the three fillies and asked, “What did you three do?”

“I-I know it looks bad, b-but just hear us out,” Sweetie Belle pleaded, gasping mid-sentence. She paused for a moment before continuing. “It all started when we left the schoolhouse…”

***

Foals dashed out of the schoolhouse as class dismissed. Some lingered nearby, but others left the vicinity, three of which were the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“So, girls,” Apple Bloom asked, practically prancing along the dirt path, “What’s on today’s roster?”

“I think we’ve got the day off,” Sweetie Belle answered. “I mean, it’s possible somepony might need our help, but our schedule seems to be clear.”

“Ooh!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “I’ve got an idea! Let’s go to Sugar Cube Corner! Oh, and don’t worry about paying for anything. I’ve been saving up my bits, so if we stop by my house first, it’ll be my treat!”

With that, the trio went off to get the bits they needed. However, on their way, they heard some shuffling in an alleyway. Stopping to see who it was, they saw Fluttershy shifting through a dumpster and mumbling to herself. “What is she doin’?” Apple Bloom asked.

Getting curious, Sweetie Belle quietly walked over to the mare, who looked, and smelled, like she hadn’t taken a shower in days. She hesitated only for a moment before tapping her on the shoulder. “Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy snapped her gaze to Sweetie Belle, pausing. A few seconds went by with no exchange, only for tears to start flowing out of Fluttershy’s eyes and a big smile growing on her face. “Angel!”

Almost immediately, Fluttershy plucked Sweetie Belle up in a death grip. “Oh, Angel,” she cried, her face covered in tears. “I looked everywhere for you!”

Adrenaline kicked in, and Sweetie Belle began to panic. “L-Let me go,” she stammered, squirming in Fluttershy’s forelegs. Not getting her wish, she shouted, “Let me go!”

The other two crusaders looked at each other and then back at Fluttershy. “F-Fluttershy, let her go!” Scootaloo demanded. Instead, she just squeezed tighter.

“I’m so sorry, Angel,” Fluttershy cried. “I-I looked everywhere I could think of, but I couldn’t find you! I’m sorry for leaving you out here on your own!”

Fight or flight kicked in for Scootaloo, the fight part winning. She dashed over, grabbing a glass shard on the ground as she did. Standing there, she shouted, “Let! Her! GO!” On go, Scootaloo jammed the glass shard into Fluttershy’s left shoulder.

Blood spattered onto Scootaloo’s face and body, as well as hitting Sweetie Belle’s mane. Fluttershy lost control, letting go and falling to the ground.

Sweetie Belle also fell to the ground and began backing away from Fluttershy. She saw Fluttershy take a glance at Scootaloo, only to turn back to her.

Pushing herself forward, Fluttershy grabbed hold of Sweetie Belle’s tail. “Angel, wait!” she shouted. “You’ll hurt yourself!” Fluttershy, clearly blind to what was going on, pulled Sweetie Belle back towards her a bit.

Before she could get Sweetie Belle any closer, a thud hit her head, shoving it into the ground. Followed by another, and another, and another. Each time the hits became harder, until eventually, Apple Bloom gave one last stomp with her forehooves.

Fluttershy’s skull caved. The once firm grip on Sweetie Belle’s tail fell limp. Blood oozed out of every orifice, staining the ground and Apple Bloom’s forehooves. Bits of her broken skull jutted out of her head, and bits of gray matter oozed out the split in her head.

Standing up and gathering around Fluttershy, the three fillies stared at what they had done. Finally, Sweetie Belle managed to mumble, “We just killed a mare…”

***

“A-And then we ran here,” Sweetie Belle explained, looking up at Applejack. “I-It was self-defense!”

After that, the memory of that day became blurry to Applejack. Everything hit her at once, and her brain became overwhelmed. So, it just went to autopilot.

Applejack, remembering the day she found out Fluttershy died, gave a sighed and looked over to Rainbow Dash, who was sleeping peacefully. She smiled, seeing her girlfriend at peace, and whispered, “Thank Celestia I have you, Rainbow.”