Shadows of friendship

The trio slowly made their way to Sweet Apple Acres, chatting and laughing as if nothing was amiss. But beneath the surface, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's hearts pounded with anxiety. They exchanged nervous glances, each silently praying that their plan would go smoothly.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo's own nervousness was beginning to grow, she hated being blindfolded, however, she didn't say anything so that she didn't upset her friends. "How long until we are there?" she asked, trying to hide the slight fear that was threatening to show itself.

Instead of answering Apple Bloom took a deep breath while Sweetie Belle used her magic to close the large barn doors behind them. Apple Bloom then muttered, "I'm sorry Scootaloo."

Scootaloo was confused, upon hearing this but before she could answer, she suddenly felt herself be roughly shoved into a chair with her hooves being forced into place on the armrests, while rope was slowly wrapped around them, successfully tying them to the chair, the process what repeated with her hind hooves and body.

Still being unable to see a thing Scootaloo called out with fear leaking into her voice, "What's going on, what are you doing to me?"

"Just hold still, Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said, her voice strained. "This is for your own good."

Scootaloo's eyes were wide with terror and betrayal. "Why are you doing this?" she tried to scream, however, she felt something thick and soft be pulled into her mouth, before being tied behind her head, completely muffling her cries for help.

Sweetie Belle's heart ached at the sight of her friend's distress. "We're sorry, Scootaloo," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "But we have to do this. You'll understand someday."

"MMMMPH! MMMMMMMMPH!" Scootaloo screamed through the gag.

Apple Bloom then spoke up, "I'm sorry, Scoots. We'll explain later but for now, we'll leave you to calm down."

With that, they then left Scootaloo in the barn, her struggles and muffled cries echoing in their minds as they walked away. The weight of their actions pressed heavily on their hearts, but they convinced themselves that it was for the best.

***

The next day, they returned to the barn, to find Scootaloo still tied to the chair, her head now pointed downwards. Sweetie Belle approached the captured filly, clutching a bottle of water in her magic. She untied the blindfold and felt her heart breaking as Scootaloo looked up at her, her eyes puffy and bloodshot from crying.

"Mmmmmmph," Scootaloo weakly said, her voice muffled by the gag.

"I'm only going to take the gag off if you promise not to scream," Sweetie Belle warned, wanting her friend to cooperate.

Scootaloo reluctantly nodded and Sweetie Belle pulled the gag from her mouth, "Please, let me go," Scootaloo pleaded, her voice hoarse from the muffled screaming that she had done, the night before.

Apple Bloom then spoke up, "Ah'm afraid, we can't do that, Scootaloo."

"Why are you doing this?" Scootaloo weakly whispered.

Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom before looking back towards their hostage, "We'll explain later, but first, you must be hungry and thirsty?"

Scootaloo could only nod as Sweetie Belle opened the bottle of water, she then levitated it over to Scootaloo, who opened her mouth. Sweetie Belle then slowly poured the clear liquid down her throat, making sure to pause so that she got a chance to take a breath. Once she had stopped drinking the water, Apple Bloom approached, holding a slice of Granny Smith's famous homemade apple pie. Scootaloo felt humiliated for being fed by another, filly, who was the same age as her.

After they had finished feeding, Scootaloo, she began to plead, "Please, let me go, I promise not to tell anypony, I just want to go home."

Apple Bloom then began to explain, "Ah'm sorry but that's not going to happen, just look around, Scootaloo we can't risk our operation getting out besides..." Scootaloo looked around the barn, her light purple eyes turning to pinpricks as she noticed the cutie marks and skulls. Tears began to pour down her face again as Apple Bloom touched her wings, "Your wings would look stunning in our collection."

Scootaloo then began to cry as she realised the horror of the situation that she was in, "Please don't hurt me," Scootaloo sobbed.

Sweetie Belle then began to stroke Scootaloo's messy and dirty purple mane, "Shhhh, don't cry, Scoots. Don't let your last moments be of you crying like a foal."

This only succeeded in making Scootaloo sob harder as she came to the terrifying conclusion that her so-called friends were going to kill her. "Please, I don't want to die, I thought we were friends."

Apple Bloom then exclaimed as she picked up a large piece of wood, "We are friends, Scoots, that's why we're going to make this painless."

Scootaloo thrashed against the ropes, but they held tight. Panic set in as she realized just how serious her friends were. "This isn’t the way! You’re scaring me!"

Apple Bloom’s gaze was steely. "I'm sorry Scootaloo, but you have left us with no choice."

What started as a plan to scare Scootaloo into being more cautious quickly spiraled out of control. In their desperation, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had underestimated how far they were willing to go. They pushed her limits, each cry and whimper feeding their fear-driven resolve.

Scootaloo began to hyperventilate, when she spotted the menacing piece of wood. Scootaloo then began to shake her head and struggle against the bonds, causing bruises to form. Due to Scootaloo's screams of terror, Sweetie Belle was forced to gag her again, reducing her loud cries to mere incoherent muffles.

To Sweetie Belle's surprise Apple Bloom began to line the wooden plank up with Scootaloo's head, she then swung it above her shoulders, Scootaloo clenched her eyes shut as Apple Bloom slammed the wooden plank into the side of her head, spraying blood, and sending her crashing to the floor.

The two filly's hearts stopped as they stared at their unconscious friend, who wasn't moving. Sweetie Belle then screamed, "WHAT DID YOU DO!"

Apple Bloom could only stutter in shock, "I, I, I didn't mean to hit her so hard."

Sweetie Belle quickly rushed to her friend's side, where she felt for a pulse but in her frantic state, she couldn’t find one. "Oh no… Apple Bloom, she’s… she’s dead..."