Reconnection

Applejack

Applejack knocked on Twilight's door. She waited a moment. She heard hoofsteps on the other side, and soon Applejack was for the first time since her death, face-to-face with her murderer.

Applejack's heart constricted as she fought to remain pleasant. It would all be over soon.

"Hey Applejack!" said Twilight brightly. "Haven't seen you in a while. Come for a visit?"

Applejack forced herself to smile.

"Actually, I came to invite you to a sleepover I'm having. Like you said, we haven't seen each other in a while, so I figured it'd be fun." She hoped she sounded natural. It was hard to think straight with those eyes looking at her. She could remember those eyes. She was looking right into them as she died. And her foal...no. She couldn't think about that now.

Twilight didn't seem to notice anything as she said, "hmm," and looked thoughtful. "Well, that does sound like fun, and I've never been on a sleepover."

Applejack remembered that was the case. Twilight's first sleepover was supposed to be with her and Rarity. Applejack didn't even know if that date had passed or not.

"Well then how about it? It'll be fun!" Applejack felt like she was overdoing the enthusiasm, but again Twilight didn't seem to notice.

"Okay then, sure!" said Twilight. "Give me some time to get some stuff ready and I'll be at Sweet Apple Acres soon."

Applejack nodded stiffly, before giving a plastic smile and saying, "see you then."

Rarity

Rarity opened the box of cupcakes, trying her best to sound inviting.

"I made these for you," said Rarity. "I thought we could, you know, hang out today? Doesn't that sound like a marvellous idea? We've seen so little of each other recently, I felt we needed to have a little time for us. We are after all, the best of friends." She set the cupcakes down on a end table.

Rarity almost snarled out that word, but she managed to keep herself in check. Twilight just looked concerned.

"I'm sorry Rarity," she began. "But I already made plans with Applejack. She invited me to a sleepover!" Rarity looked confused. "I would have thought you'd be invited too and I'd see you there. Did Applejack not invite you?"

Rarity's smile cracked. "Apple...jack? A sleepover?" A pause. "Why no my dear, I wasn't told of this." She was feeling desperate. "Are you sure you'd rather be with Applejack today? Wouldn't you rather spend the day with me?"

Twilight looked genuinely sorry, and for a moment Rarity wondered if this really was the same Twilight who had killed her and her friends. Of course that thought was quickly dashed upon imaginary rocks, the same imaginary rocks Rarity wished Twilight's head would dash upon.

"I'm sorry Rarity, but I made plans with A.J. first, I can't just leave her like that."

Rarity tried not to panic. Her plan was unravelling and it hadn't even begun yet! Quickly, she tried to spin a new plan from the tattered remains of the old one.

"Alright then my dear," she said. "But at least take a cupcake. Trust me, they're to die for."

Twilight glanced back down at the box of cupcakes before smiling again.

"They do look delicious," she said before picking one up and eating it. She at the entire thing in one bite, like Pinkie Pie always did.

Rarity could tell she didn't think it tasted good. Well, it probably didn't, with all those drugs in there.

Still, Twilight forced a smile and said, "Yes...good."

Rarity smiled genuinely this time. "Maybe I'll stop by after a while and see Applejack too? I'd hate to miss out on what sounds like a lovely get-together."

Twilight forced down the last of the cupcake.

"Yes," she said, chuckling. "That sounds like a great idea. If you wait a while, I'll tell Applejack you're coming. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

No, thought Rarity. She wouldn't.

"It's settled then," said Rarity. "I'll go back home and pack some things, and I'll meet you there."

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash was flying too fast to stop, and crashed through Pinkie's roof. Disoriented and aching, she shook her head and quickly got up and searched the house for Pinkie. The roof could wait, and so could the ache in her hoof that told her she'd be really sore in the morning.

If she was lucky enough to live that long of course.

Searching through the house, Rainbow Dash saw no sign of Pinkie Pie. Flying back out through the hole in the ceiling, she dropped down to the ground once outside, and ran into Sugarcube Corner.

Inside was Mr. and Mrs. Cake, working as usually. They looked up at her as soon as she rushed in. She didn't see Pinkie, but that didn't mean Pinkie wasn't there.

"Rainbow Dash, what's wrong?" said Mrs. Cake suddenly. "You look like you've just run a marathon."

"No time for that Mrs. Cake," said Rainbow Dash. "Is Pinkie around? I need to talk to her."

Mrs. Cake shook her head.

"No, I'm afraid she's not. She asked us for the day off today, and we let her take it. The poor girl hasn't been feeling her best lately." She looked genuinely sad.

"Yeah...." said Rainbow Dash without thinking. "Thanks anyway Mr. and Mrs. Cake."

She ran outside, and kept running. She had no idea where to look now, and while she could cover more ground in the air, she thought she might miss Pinkie if she did.

"Oooph!" said Rainbow Dash, as she ran into somepony, causing them both to fall hard into the ground. She really needed to stop crashing.

Looking up she saw Rarity, who was already picking herself up.

"Can't stay and chat Rainbow Dash, I'm in quite the hurry!"

She darted off before Rainbow Dash could reply. Quickly, she got up and started running again. It was a good thing Pinkie Pie knew everypony in Ponyville, because that meant everypony knew her. Still, nopony knew where Pinkie Pie was. Nopony had seen her all morning.

She began to think. She really needed a destination, wandering aimlessly wasn't working. She needed to avoid Twilight, she didn't know where Pinkie Pie was, Rarity had left somewhere, Fluttershy was still sick...that left Applejack. Maybe she could explain things to Applejack! If Applejack believed her, maybe they could do something to stop Twilight.

With no need to stay on the ground, Rainbow Dash took off as fast as she could. It wouldn't take too long to get to Sweet Apple Acres.

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight, having finished gathering everything she needed for a sleepover, wasted no time, and simply teleported herself to just outside Sweet Apple Acres. She did consider walking, but decided there really wasn't a point. Nopony would care if they saw her, and did she really want to walk through Ponyville and see more ponies than she already had to?

Not really.

She almost decided she didn't want to go at all. Applejack was obviously planning something suspicious. She was a nervous wreck when she invited Twilight to the sleepover, although she tried to hide it. Perhaps she was planning a surprise party.
If it was anypony but Applejack, Twilight probably wouldn't have agreed to go. But Applejack had something other ponies didn't. The Element of Honesty. Twilight didn't need Applejack to tell a huge lie to take the element from her, and ponies lied all the time. Hanging around at a sleepover would provide the perfect opportunity for Applejack to lie about something. Truth or Dare was practically made for it.

In a flash of light, Twilight had arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. Nopony was outside, so she just walked over to the barn and knocked.

Instantly the door swung open, and Applejack was standing there, looking nervous.

There was definitely something going on. Twilight quickly focused on Applejack's element, ready to pull it away from Applejack when the opportunity arose. She didn't expect it to happen so soon.

"Howdy Twilight," said Applejack. "I sure am glad to see you."

A wobble. Already. Twilight was so surprised she didn't even try to pull the element away.

Twilight acted natural as she replied with, "I'm glad to see you too!" She stepped inside and Applejack closed the door behind her. "Oh, Pinkie's here too?"

Twilight noticed Pinkie Pie standing behind a couch, as if she was trying to hide. Come to think of it, Pinkie had been acting strangely as well. Unfortunately she didn't come with a built in magic lie detector. Something was going on, something serious, if Applejack was lying about being happy to see Twilight. Luckily, Applejack's element could be used to figure it out.
"Sure is," said Applejack, as Twilight walked past and turned to face her, Pinkie to Twilight's back. "I hope I didn't make it sound like this was just you and me."

"About that," said Twilight. "I told Rarity about the sleepover and she said she might stop by later. You don't mind do you?"

Applejack put on an obviously forced smile as she said, "No, of course not! I don't mind at all."

A lie.

"That's good to hear," said Twilight, unable to prevent the smirk on her face. "Tell me Applejack, what were you planning for us today?"

Applejack was sweating. Twilight mentally congratulated herself on so easily pushing Applejack into becoming a nervous wreck. If only she knew why it was so easy.

"Well, uh, I uh...."

Twilight looked happy, inviting even. Go on, tell me what you're planning, she thought to herself.

"I was uh, thinking," continued Applejack. Her stammering was getting annoying. "That maybe, well, we'd just hang around the farm for now."

No lies yet.

"And then we'd eat some supper."

Okay.

"And then we'll...see what happens after that."

Twilight wanted to groan. There was no lie there, because Applejack hadn't offered any real information!

"As long as it's fun," said Twilight.

Applejack looked nervously at Pinkie Pie.

"Don't you worry none Twilight, we'll have heaps of fun together." She said it slowly, uncertainly. And she was lying.
This time, Twilight pulled. She lowered her head down so Pinkie couldn't see the spark from her horn. Maybe it was from so much wobbling in such a short span of time, but Applejack's element was a lot easier to take than Fluttershy's. There was hardly any concentration needed at all.

Without warning, Applejack wavered in place, and then fell over. Her eyes were open but just barely.

"Applejack!" shouted Pinkie Pie. Twilight quickly bound the element of Honesty to herself before seeing Pinkie Pie zoom past and kneel besides Applejack. She was crying.

"What did you do to her?!" she shouted. Twilight could hear hoofsteps coming from somewhere upstairs. They got closer.
She turned around and saw Big Mac come down and stop dead in his tracks as he saw his sister collapsed on the floor.

"She did something!" shouted Pinkie.

Then it clicked.

Twilight wasn't a stupid pony. But these ponies obviously were, or at least Pinkie Pie was. Pinkie Pie's overblown reactions to this, combined with Applejack's constant lying led to one, obvious, horrible conclusion.

They knew. Somehow, they knew, and Applejack had invited Twilight over because they planned to stop her.
Twilight thought all of this in only an instant, and in that instant Big Mac focused his eyes at here and prepared to charge.
He didn't take two steps before Twilight conjured a weak bolt of lightning, striking him in the shoulder and knocking him back into the wall. He collapsed with a heavy thud. He picked his head up, slowly, looked at her, but then fell conscious.

"Oh no, oh no," said Pinkie, who was now cradling Applejack. "Not again!"

Again?

This time, Twilight did feel stupid. She began to laugh. She continued, hard and loud. It was just so silly!
All this time she'd been working under the assumption that she'd been the only one to come back. She assumed the elements had something to do with it. It just seemed obvious. But she thought it was her having the Element of Magic, and all that power gained from killing the other holders. Somehow she didn't pause to consider that it was only the Element of Magic, and if that was the case, every other Element holder she killed would have been put in the same position as her. Strange, considering all the other intuitive logic leaps she'd been making since she'd gotten back.

She finally stopped laughing, and looked down at Pinkie Pie. She drew closer, and watched Pinkie's eyes fill with horror.
This was too easy.

She felt for Pinkie's element, and pulled. Taking it was almost as easy as taking Applejack's.

Pinkie Pie

Pinkie Pie suddenly felt faint, as if all the energy had been drained from her body. She was lucky to already be on the ground, or else she would have fallen over.

"Pinkie," said Applejack in a low whisper. She looked into Applejack's eyes.

"Pinkie, run."

Pinkie Pie didn't feel like she could run. Maybe she could walk, slowly. But that wouldn't help, she was already as good as dead again.

"It's too late for you two," said Twilight. She sounded cheerful, and it only served to make Pinkie feel even more horrified. It was like all the happiness inside her was gone forever. It was like she was watching her foals die all over again.

"Why...why can't you just leave us alone," said Applejack. Pinkie Pie slumped down next to her, feeling too tired and scared to continue comforting the pony.

Twilight laughed again.

"To be honest I was going to do just that this time. I didn't need to kill you."

Pinkie opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

"I needed to kill you last time," she said, getting closer. Pinkie didn't bother to try and get away. "This time I did some research and found another way. You all could have had a nice quiet life, once I took your elements, but no, you had to try and stop me didn't you?"

Her eyelids were half-closed now. She looked suddenly sleepy.

"Tell me," she began, speaking slowly. It was like she wasn't interested anymore. "What exactly where you two planning?"

"Does it matter?" said Pinkie, closing her eyes. She didn't want to look at Twilight anymore. She moved a little, snuggling closer to Applejack. At least this time she'd die next to a friend.

"No I...I guess it doesn't and...and what is wrong with me?"

There was a moment of silence. Then a thud. Pinkie opened her eyes.

Twilight had collapsed. Pinkie blinked, too shocked to do anything.

"I don't know what happened," said Applejack slowly. "But it looked like maybe we caught a break." She took a deep breath.

Pinkie forced herself to get up, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do. Except for dying of course.

There was a frantic knock on the door, and Pinkie almost fell down in shock.

A moment later, the door swung open and Rainbow Dash burst inside.

"Pinkie, there you are!" she began. "I've been looking all over for you and - what in the world is going on!?"

Her eyes darted between Applejack, Big Mac, and Twilight, before locking on to Pinkie.

"What's wrong with them? What happened? What's going on, I don't understand!"

"I'll try to explain things," said Pinkie. "But first I'm going to lie back down." She did just that. She tried to bring herself to giggle, to smile, to do something, but she just couldn't feel it in her anymore.

She could see Applejack try to get up, but all she managed was to roll over and look at Rainbow Dash.

"Twilight...did something to us...I thought she was gonna kill us but then she just fell over....."

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh...."

Rainbow Dash was panicking.

"What in heaven's name has happened!" said another pony.

Now Rarity was here. Her saddlebags were full to bursting with who knows what, probably for the sleepover she thought she was coming for. Pinkie would have laughed at how funny things were turning out, except she didn't feel like laughing.

"No, don't bother to explain just now, we have to hurry!" said Rarity. She put her hoof to Rainbow's mouth, and Rainbow turned silent.

"Rainbow Dash, since you look like the only one currently not on the floor, could you please be a dear and fly Twilight over to my house?"

She opened her saddlebags and pulled out a large cloth bag, and a key.

"Her comfort isn't a priority, just wrap her up in this and throw her in my basement. Now you do know where the entrance to my basement is, do you not?"

Rainbow Dash's mouth was hanging wide open as she shook her head slowly. Rarity sighed.

"Very well, just leave her anywhere in the house and I'll attend to it when I get there."

Rarity walked over to Big Mac and began looking him over.

Her horn began to glow, and slowly Big Mac floated above Rarity's head.

"Don't...drop him," said Applejack.

Rarity looked to be concentrating.

"Now don't you worry, I have everything under control...I'll just lay him down here."

She was straining to move the big pony, but she managed to lay him softly on the couch.

"Rainbow Dash do as I say!"

Rainbow Dash had been standing around doing nothing, but at Rarity's command her eyes snapped into focus.

"That's better," said Rarity as she watched Rainbow Dash follow her directions.

"Are you poor dears alright? Should I send somepony to help later?"

"We're...coming...too," said Applejack, finally standing up. Rainbow Dash finished tying Twilight up and took the make-shift bag in her mouth, before flying out the door. "Right Pinkie?"

Pinkie desperately wanted to know what was happening, and nodded. It was a struggle to stand up. Her legs felt like they would give way under her at any moment, but she was determined to follow Applejack's example and go with Rarity.

Suddenly Pinkie felt much lighter. She looked down and saw she and Applejack were glowing with Rarity's magic.

"I can't carry you both all the way, but I can help," she said. "Let's get going."

Rarity

It was fairly difficult to prop up both Applejack and Pinkie Pie all the way to her home in Ponyville. But the situation clearly called for it. Something terrible had happened already. It was a good thing she had wasted no time in planning out her revenge. Who knows what would have happened if she wasn't ready today?

Ignoring the odd looks as they walked through town, they finally arrived at her boutique. Rainbow Dash was already there, and had done just as Rarity asked.

Rarity took her key.

"Follow me please," she said. She waited for Rainbow Dash to pick up Twilight before walking them to her basement door. Taking the key in her mouth, she unlocked the door, and gestured for them to go in.

Shutting the door behind them, Rarity turned on the lights.

There was a collective gasp, and a thud as Rainbow dropped Twilight.

"What is this!?" shouted Rainbow Dash.

Rarity grinned.

"It's marvellous isn't it?"

Of course, her basement was fully equipped now. Everything was set up for Twilight, everything neat and orderly and in its place. It was just like a professional torture chamber! It even had the dark and dusky look they did in the books, because it was a basement. Rarity supposed that's why it did. Weren't most fictional torture chambers underground? Well, that didn't matter.

What mattered was it was time.

"Open the bag," said Rarity. Rainbow hesitated, but complied. As soon as the knot was undone, Rarity used her magic to lift Twilight up, and place her on the table. Rarity then strapped the purple pony in, tightening the restraints as much as they would go.

"Aren't you going to tell us what this is!?" said Rainbow Dash.

Rarity looked at her.

"Do you really think this is the time?" she asked seriously. "Any moment now Twilight could wake up and use her magic."

She levitated a bone saw off the wall. "We should take care of that before anything else, wouldn't you agree?"

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. Rarity looked at Applejack and Pinkie Pie. In turn, they nodded. Rarity got to work.

It was tough going, sawing a unicorn horn off. They were strong, and tough. But not invincible. With enough effort, they'd break just like anything else.

Once she was three fourth's of the way through, Rarity took Twilight's horn in her mouth and snapped it off. She spit it out in disgust.

"Now can you tell us what all this is?"

"You set up a torture chamber," said Applejack. Rarity turned to look at her.

Whatever Twilight had done to Pinkie and Applejack, it looked like it was getting worse. Applejack's speech was getting slower, and she was taking deeper breaths. Rarity's anger flared. She hoped they weren't going to die.

"Yes, yes I did. And if you knew what Twilight had done, you wouldn't have a problem with it."

"We know what Twilight's done," said Pinkie. "But...how do you know?"

"Wait," said Rainbow Dash. "Twilight killed all of you? I thought it was just me and Pinkie!"

"But Rarity, I went to talk to you months ago, you never said you remembered dying and coming back to relive your life!" said Pinkie Pie. "And Rainbow Dash, you were the first pony I asked and you didn't look like you remembered either...."

Rarity thought about it. She didn't remember Pinkie Pie coming over and asking that. She didn't remember even seeing Pinkie Pie ever since she returned to the past.

"Pinkie, you were the first pony I saw when I came back," said Rainbow Dash. "And when I came back, I didn't know what was going on. I just thought a miracle had happened. I was in a storm, falling to my death, and bam, it was a nice day outside and everything was alright again. I didn't figure out it was the past until days later, and I didn't realise Twilight had killed me until this morning."

"Oh," said Pinkie. "What about you Rarity?"

"I think I know," said Applejack. She was sweating, her chest rising and falling quickly now. "When I came back, we had only just defeated Nightmare Moon. We were in the castle, and I was disoriented, and all of y'all were there. Nopony was acting different, even though I sure was. But the next day I see Pinkie, and she's calling me Applerush. I think...I think we came back at different times."

"Yes," said Rarity. "That explains why I don't remember you asking me anything like that Pinkie Pie. You must have asked before I arrived."

"What about Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Did any of you talk to Fluttershy?"

"I did," said Applejack. She set herself down on the hard stone. Rarity took the piece of cloth Twilight was wrapped up in and folded a few times before setting it on the ground. She indicated for Applejack to lie there. Applejack nodded her head, and rolled over onto the make-shift mat.

Settling down, Applejack continued. "I talked to Fluttershy and Pinkie talked to you, Rarity. Fluttershy didn't know nothing."
Pinkie Pie gasped. "She survived!" she said. She was smiling, and it was the first time Rarity had seen Pinkie smile since this whole mess started.

"That's why Twilight's here, and why Fluttershy isn't! Twilight didn't kill Fluttershy, Fluttershy killed-" She stopped, and frowned again.

They were silent for a moment.

"It's a good thing Pinkie," said Rarity. "If Fluttershy didn't kill Twilight, Twilight would have killed her. I had hoped Fluttershy would stop Twilight, and now we know she did."

Rarity turned to face Twilight, who was still unconscious. "Now it's our turn to stop Twilight. We must kill her before she kills us again!"

Applejack had fallen unconscious. Luckily she was already on the floor. Pinkie wasn't looking too good herself. Rarity looked around for something soft for Pinkie, but there wasn't anything

"It's okay Rarity," said Pinkie, she slowly stumbled over to where Applejack was. "I'm sure Applejack won't...mind." She collapsed onto Applejack, and Rainbow Dash rushed over. She moved Pinkie and Applejack so they were leaning on each other.

"I guess it's up to us, Rainbow Dash."

"For what," came the voice of Twilight.

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash's head jerked up at the sound of Twilight's voice.

The unicorn was awake, looking a bit groggy, but awake. She took a moment to feebly pull at her restraints, before giving up.

"I see," she said. "Well it's not that easy to stop a powerful unicorn like myself, even if I seem to be having a hard time concentrating...." She closed her eyes, a focused look on her face. Rainbow Dash looked down at the two ponies next to her. Applejack seemed to be coming around again, but Pinkie looked to be falling asleep.

"Come on, it's okay," said Rainbow Dash, her heart racing. "Don't die on me you two, you just can't."

Pinkie's head perked up at the sound of Rainbow Dash's voice. She looked at Dash, her eyes wet, eyelids half closed.

"Don't worry Rainbow...." she said, slow and soft. "We're not going to die...but...I'm just going to rest for a while."

Rainbow Dash watched Pinkie close her own eyes, and put her head down. Her breathing was shallow, but steady.

Applejack didn't look nearly so good. She was sweating, but when Rainbow Dash moved to the other side next to Applejack, she felt cold.

Dash glanced back up, only to see Twilight still concentrating. Rarity hadn't moved or said a word, she only stood there, grinning. To be honest, Rainbow Dash found it a bit creepy.

"You haven't noticed yet, have you?" asked Rarity. "Did you really think I would let you wake up if you could just magic yourself out of this predicament?"

Twilight opened her eyes again and looked around, nervously. Finally, she looked up at her own forehead, and her face contorted into a horrible mixture of anger and sorrow.

"No," she said. She wasn't yelling, and it wasn't loud. She sounded as if all her dreams had shattered right before her eyes, and there was nothing she could do about it. And she knew it. Rainbow Dash definitely knew that feeling. Come to think of it, she didn't exactly know why she could relate.

Rarity laughed. "Oh yes. There's nothing you can do. You're just like I was, back then. Now you're the one trapped, the one whose life is over, and whose dreams are gone, and I'm the one who gets to gloat about it!"

"You don't know anything about real dreams!" shouted Twilight. "I had real dedication, I spent my entire natural life towards a single defining purpose, something that would change the world! What did you do Rarity? Make dresses? Even if I never cooked your books, after a century nopony would remember you!"

"You have no idea how much work I've put into getting your stupid elements!"

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her face was a mask of calm.

"But it doesn't matter. You've cut off my horn and you're going to kill me. I'll be fine."

Rarity looked livid. She started yelling, but really Rainbow Dash wasn't interested in listening to them anymore. Twilight was taken care of, she admitted it herself. The two ponies beside her were more important. She wasn't going to let them die now.
Rainbow Dash didn't know what to do though. Pinkie looked like she was okay, but Applejack looked to be in serious condition. She was shuffling around, dazed, looking scared, like she didn't know what was going on around her anymore. Rainbow Dash put her hooves around Applejack, trying to get her to lie still. She rubbed her back, hoping it would calm her down.

"Shh, Applejack," said Rainbow Dash softly. "Everything's okay. You're okay."

Applejack's fidgeting had stopped, but now she was shivering. Rainbow Dash continued to rub her back slowly.

Applejack suddenly looked up.

"Rainbow Dash?" she said. Her green eyes met Rainbow's. Rainbow Dash nodded.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"I don't feel too good," said Applejack. She looked around. It looked like she was coming back to herself. "Is Twilight taken care of?"

Rainbow nodded again. "For now. Don't worry about it."

Applejack's ears fell.

"The last time I felt like this," she began, "I was about to die. Am I going to die again?"

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but hug her friend.

"You're not going to die, not if I have anything to do with it."

But Rainbow Dash couldn't do anything more, and she knew it. She felt totally helpless. She could feel the tears well up.

"You can't die," she said. She got closer.

Applejack

"I need you," continued Rainbow Dash. "We all need you. We can't all be together if you're not there."

Applejack tried to smile at the silliness of that statement, but she couldn't tell if she managed it or not. She could hear Rainbow Dash clearly, but the sounds of Rarity and Twilight yelling sounded like they were both far away and underwater.
She felt cold and sick. It was a strange, terrible feeling, like wanting to vomit but wanting nothing more than to not vomit at the same time.

Her muscles felt like they weren't all there, almost like they were made of a soft spongy material that wasn't attached to her body. She stopped trying to move them, and she found herself feeling a bit bitter when she did.

Applejack struggled to keep her eyes open. The world around her was fuzzy, and she strained to bring it all back into focus. Even Rainbow Dash's nice, pretty words were starting to drown into darkness. She let her eyes close.

With horror, Applejack once again remembered the last time she let the darkness claim her. She wasn't going to let it happen again.

With great effort she forced her eyes back open, the world was still blurry, but she put all her energy into bringing it back into focus. She could feel her heart rate increase, and her body started to ache.

But slowly, Rainbow Dash's voice became clearer.

"...and when I get married of course you'll be my mare of honour. It'll be so awesome, you'll see."

Applejack had no idea what led Rainbow Dash's speech to weddings, but she smiled anyway.

"A bit early to be talking about that, ain't it?" said Applejack. The words hurt her throat, but she didn't mind.

There was a pause as Dash looked at her. Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash as the voice of Rarity and Twilight finally began to make sense.

"Applejack, I thought you were going to...." whispered Rainbow Dash. Her eyes had tears in them.

"I told you," said Pinkie Pie, who's eyes were still closed. She was smiling. Applejack had completely forgotten she was even there. "I told you we weren't going to die."

"Still," said Rainbow Dash, wiping away her tears. "You had me worried there A.J."

"That's it," said Rarity. Applejack perked her head up to see what was going on. "I'm not listening to another word."

She was fiddling with something around Twilight's head. When Rarity took a step back, Applejack could see a bridle around the purple unicorn's face, one with a large bit. Twilight was struggling, trying to say something, but the bit prevented her from getting anything out.

Applejack briefly wondered why Rarity chose something like that to gag Twilight, but didn't dwell on it for long.

"Now, on to business," said Rarity. She had turned to face them all as she levitated a ball-peen hammer into the air. "I wouldn't dream of intentionally taking away any of your righteous retribution, but it seems that only Rainbow Dash and myself are fit for this task."

"What are you talking about," said Rainbow Dash. "You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"

Rarity let the hammer fall. It contacted the ground with a light clink and took a small chip out of the concrete floor.

"Come again?" said Rarity. Applejack saw something in Rarity's eyes. She couldn't tell right off what it was, only that she didn't like it. It made it look like something was wrong with Rarity.

"I mean, we can't kill her," said Rainbow Dash. Applejack's head turned to her direction too fast, and she cringed at the pain in her muscles. Rarity's mouth hung open in shock, and even Pinkie Pie's eyes were half open, looking in Rainbow's direction.

Rarity closed her mouth and gave a very chilling smile.

"My dear, it must be difficult to understand from your perspective, after all, you died many years earlier than the rest of us. I understand that. But you simply must see that she is a danger to us all so long as she is alive."

Rainbow Dash looked concerned. "But she doesn't have a horn. What can she do to us now?"

"Who knows," said Pinkie Pie, lifting her head up for a moment. "She didn't need a horn to kill me." Pinkie's head went right back down.

"Nor I," said Rarity. She sighed, rubbing the side of her head with her hoof. "This point is non-negotiable. I personally will not stand idle while Twilight still lives."

Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight. Applejack couldn't guess what the pony was thinking, but she did see the acceptance on her face.

"Alright," said Rainbow Dash. "But why do you have all this stuff? I hoped it was for something else, but now it's obvious. Do you really think Twilight needs to be tortured? Isn't killing enough for you?"

Rarity glared. "I don't know," she said, malice dripping from her voice. Applejack couldn't remember her ever speaking that way back in her old life. "Why don't we ask around?"

She looked at Pinkie, who was resting again with her eyes closed.

"Pinkie Pie!"

"Ahuh?" said Pinkie softly, not bothering to move at all this time. "I'm listening."

"Twilight caused that explosion at Sugarcube Corner. You died in it. Your foals, the Cake's, and several other ponies who just happened to be near the store that day died in that explosion. Doesn't Twilight deserve more than a merciful death for that?

"Applejack! You trusted Twilight to help you. Instead she killed you and your foal. She never even had a chance to live."

Applejack felt her heart constrict. Her eyes teared up again and she suddenly had to choke back a sob. She thought she was done crying. Apparently she was wrong.

She hadn't known her foal was a girl. Thinking about that one detail made her think about all the other things she missed out on, the things that did happen, and the things that could have happened if Twilight hadn't been an evil murderer.

But the way Rarity brought it up just made her angry. She found out her foal was a girl because Rarity wanted fodder to justify her revenge. Deep, deep down, Applejack wanted revenge too, but she now completely understood Big Mac's point. Still, it was hard to accept. She gritted her teeth and tried to force the tears to stop.

"And as for me," continued Rarity. "None of you would know, as I was the last to die. Twilight took everything I had from me." Somewhere in her speech she had begun to speak in barely more than a whisper. "And she set fire to my boutique. With me still in it."

Applejack winced at the thought. Burning to death was not at the top of the list of ways she wanted to die. At least she had just sort of fallen asleep.

"You may think I died in that fire," she continued. Applejack felt her eye close, not wanting to think about what was undoubtedly about to come next.

"But I didn't. It took me days to die of my burns." Suddenly she got that look in her eye again, that look that told Applejack something might be wrong with this pony. "She has to suffer!" she shouted. "She has to, don't you understand!?"

"I don't care what you do," said Pinkie Pie suddenly. "I just want to go home and sleep. Can't you take me home?"

"I'll take you home Pinkie Pie," said Rainbow Dash, standing up. "This is over, we don't need to be here anymore." She looked Applejack in the eye. "Right Applejack?"

Applejack thought about it for a moment. Did she want to stay and watch or something? She didn't feel like she could, even if she wanted to. She was so tired, and her body hurt so much. She nodded her head at Rainbow Dash. She didn't want to be here anymore.

"Rarity can do what she thinks is best," said Applejack finally. She tried to stand, but her body started to get that far-away feeling again, so she stopped.

"I'll come back with Big Mac for you," said Rainbow Dash, putting Pinkie Pie on her back. "You're in too bad of shape for me to take you by myself."

Applejack nodded.

As the two ponies left, it was just Rarity and Applejack, along with the still bound and gagged Twilight. She had stopped struggling completely now. She seemed to have finally just accepted her situation.

"I'm real tired Rarity," said Applejack. "But I want you to know what my big brother told me, when I was thinking thoughts like yours."

Rarity seemed to be listening, so Applejack pressed on. "What you're wanting isn't good. I don't want you to find out the hard way that revenge don't help nopony."

Feeling like it was safe to do so now, Applejack let herself fall asleep.

Pinkie Pie

Pinkie Pie groggily opened her eyes. She felt loads better now. In fact, she felt like a brand new pony!

She bounced up out of the bed but stopped, realising this wasn't her house. Where was she? Then she remembered.
Halfway to her house Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash decided that it'd be best for her to stay at Applejack's. There was nopony there but Big Mac, and it would save Rainbow Dash a few trips.

"Glad to see you got all your energy back," said Applejack. Pinkie looked behind her. She hadn't even noticed a second bed in the room. "I do too, but Big Mac insists I do some more restin' up. I tried to argue, but he put his hoof down. And honestly, I suppose I don't mind." She gave a sad sort of smile, that made Pinkie feel sad too.

The door opened.

"Pinkie Pie, what are you doing out of bed?" asked Rainbow Dash, walking in. She was really dirty. Pinkie patted the Pegasus a few times and watched the dust poof off her coat. Rainbow Dash coughed.

"Yeah, I just finished helping Big Mac dig a hole...you know. For Twilight." She rubbed the back of her head, obviously nervous. Pinkie felt herself frown for a moment.

"Did Rarity...." began Applejack, but Rainbow Dash shrugged.

"I saw her bring the body, but it was in a closed box. I don't know if she did or not, and Rarity isn't saying one way or another. She just said it doesn't matter, and we shouldn't worry about it."

Applejack looked away. "I hope she made the right decision."

Big Mac trotted into the room suddenly, also covered in dirt. He took one look at Pinkie and said, "Are you sure you should be out of bed?"

Pinkie hadn't felt so good in a long long time, but she saw the concern on the stallion's face, and decided that just this once, she'd contain her excitement and lay down. Big Mac smiled and Applejack chuckled as she got back into bed.

"But tomorrow, we should have a party."

Big Mac frowned again. "I don't know, that doesn't sound very -"

"I don't mean to celebrate Twilight's...well, you know," said Pinkie. "I just think it's the perfect time to celebrate our second chance together! We can all get together and start fresh."

Big Mac's smile returned. "So long as your heart's in the right place."