The warm sun shined down on the old dirt road. Leaves rustled in the calm, summer breeze, birds chirped, bees buzzed, and not one cloud was in the sky. Applejack didn't care.

She slowly strolled down the path, dragging her hooves in the dirt. She wore a brown canvas saddlebag and a frown on her face. Her mane was disheveled, and her eyes were a light pink. She felt as though she could pass out right then and there. No, she reminded herself. Gotta get home first.

As she approached the old farmhouse, she saw Apple Bloom playing with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. "Tag," Sweetie Belle shouted. "You're it!"

"Aw, what? Again?" Scootaloo asked, eyeing Apple Bloom.

Giggling, Apple Bloom said, "Can't catch me!" She took off, running away from the two. Sweetie Belle quickly followed, and after a quick pause, Scootaloo chased after.

Applejack gritted her teeth as she glared over. Biting back the urge to shout at the three, she continued up to the porch. She saw Big Mac and Sugar Belle napping on the swinging bench, holding each other in their forelegs, and smiling sweetly.

Shaking her head, Applejack opened the front door, it creaking in response. She could smell Granny Smith preparing a "breakfast for lunch." Should I..? No. Gotta get this done first, she thought, glancing at her saddlebag.

Applejack climbed the rickety stairs, a few moans coming from the floorboards. Once she made it to the second-floor hallway, she noticed a bunch of words had been scrawled onto the green wallpaper with a black marker. "They're watching me," one informed. "My friends are gone," cried another. "Why haven't they done it yet?" a third wondered. Guess she's been busy.

Sighing, Applejack put a hoof to the door handle and pushed. As she entered, she flicked on the light. She saw Rainbow, sitting at a window, violently shaking as she stared out into the sky above. "Hey, sugar cube," Applejack greeted.

Rainbow didn't turn around. "I, uh, came ta give you yer meds. You… feelin' alright?" Applejack asked, gulping down a lump in her throat.

"D-Dolls," she muttered. "E-Everywhere. D-Dolls- DOLLS! E-Everypony's a doll- EVERYPONY! T-They're watching me: waiting for me to give in. I-I can't give in. I can't!" Rainbow got onto her hooves, turning around. She gasped. "Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no! P-Please! D-Don't hurt me," Rainbow begged. "I-I don't want to be a doll!"

Fresh tears began rolling down Applejack's freckled cheeks. This wasn't unfamiliar to her, yet it always pulled at her heartstrings. Pulling a fresh syringe from her saddlebag, she took a step forward.

"S-Stay back! P-Please," Rainbow begged, taking a step backward in response. "I-I'll do anything! Please just let me go!" Rainbow's pinprick pupils locked onto the syringe. "No! No, no, no!" Trembling, she took another step backward.

In lockstep, Applejack moved forward. "I promise it'll be over s-soon," Applejack choked, sniffling. "Stay still, Dash." With that, she leaped forward, tackling Rainbow so she couldn't run away.

Rainbow flailed about, desperate to escape. "Let me go! Please! Please," she shrieked, her muscles failing to pull herself away.

Applejack plunged the needle into Rainbow, holding it as still as possible. Slowly, she pushed the plunger down, and the green liquid inside flowed into Rainbow.

Grunting, she whined, "No-o-o…" Her flailing limbs became sluggish, her eyes became heavy, and her mind slowly lost consciousness.

Applejack pulled Rainbow into a hug, feeling her girlfriend's now soft breathing brush through her mane. "I'm sorry, Dash," she cried, tightening the hug. "I'm so sorry."

Her tears rolled down Rainbow's back as she buried her head into her girlfriend's mane. Choking back her sobs, she whispered, "Sleep tight, Rainbow. I love you."

Author's Note

And thus the story has been completed!

I hope you all enjoyed this little story! I really had fun writing this one. Thank you all so much for reading.