The Fillycaust

Applebloom felt dizzy, her whole body ached. She slowly opened her eyes but everything was blurry. Where am I? She wondered.

“Look Sea Breeze!” said a distant voice. “She’s waking up!”

What’s going on?

“Applebloom? Applebloom?” said a second voice. “Are you okay?”

Then she remembered the operation. Her heart surged with fear and she sat up and screamed. “No!” she wailed. “Don’t hurt me! Stop please! No more!”

“We’re not going to hurt you Applebloom!” said the first voice.

“Everything’s going to be all right!” the second voice assured.

Applebloom focused her eyes and the blurriness slowly faded. She saw Sea Breeze and Strawberry Quartz standing in front of her with worried looks on their faces. They were back in the bedroom.

“It’s you guys...” Applebloom said collapsing back on the bed she was in. “I’m... I’m back here...”

“Yes you are.” Strawberry Quartz smiled. “So... so how do you feel?”

“I’m really sore...” Applebloom admitted. “My... flanks hurt...”

In that instant the details of the operation came back to Applebloom, mainly the pegasus and her bloody wing that Doctor D was going to attach.

Applebloom struggled to raise her head and look at her flanks, but she was too weak. “Do I have... Am I a...”

“You have wings.” Sea Breeze answered. “I guess you’re a pegasus now.”

Wings? Wings? Applebloom thought in shock. The concept was so foreign. I have wings? I’m a pegasus?

“You should rest Applebloom.” Strawberry Quartz suggested. “But, we made you some soup if you want any.”

“Hey Applebloom...” Sea Breeze said shyly. “Th-thank you... You know, for what you did... That was really brave of you, I promise I’m not going to be a scaredy-cat next time.”

Applebloom smiled. At least her friends were safe, and it seemed she was too. But she was tired and still hurting. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Voices awoke Applebloom again.

“She doesn’t look so good.” Applebloom heard Sea Breeze say. “Do you think she’s going to... you know?”

“I don’t know...” Strawberry Quartz admitted. “Applebloom looks a lot better than her though.”

“She hasn’t woken up since she got here!” Strawberry Quartz said.

“Wh-what are you guys talking about...” Applebloom muttered without opening her eyes.

“Quartzy look Applebloom’s awake again!” Sea Breeze shouted.

“Hey, don’t call me that Sea Breeze! But yeah hey Applebloom how’re you feeling?”

“Who were you talking about...” Applebloom asked.

“Oh we were just talking about... well... the filly we found in the bathroom.” Strawberry Quartz answered. “You know the hurt one...”

“Yeah, she looks a lot worse now.” Sea Breeze continued. “We were also wondering why Doctor D hasn’t come back yet.”

Applebloom slowly opened her eyes. She was still dizzy and her flanks still burned. She gathered her strength and looked over to see the injured pegasus filly in a bed next to her. The purple pony’s wings had turned blackish and the incisions where the wings met her flanks oozed a disgusting yellow puss. The filly’s face was ghost white and her breathing was slow and heavy. The sight was appalling.

Applebloom looked away and shut her eyes again. She didn’t want to think about anything to do with the terrible operation, but she knew that the memories were almost inevitable. She would have to deal with it all sooner or later. “How long have I been sleeping?” she asked.

“Well about two days or so actually.” answered Sea Breeze. “You must be really tired, I’ve never slept that long.”

“You must be pretty hungry too.” Strawberry Quartz added.

Applebloom felt her stomach rumble. “Well... I am pretty hungry I guess.” she tried to get up but an intense pain flared throughout her back and flanks. She screamed and fell back down on the bed wincing.

“Applebloom!” Sea Breeze and Strawberry Quartz exclaimed together rushing to her side.

“I’m... I’m okay...” Applebloom lied.

“You can’t even get up Applebloom, you’re not okay.” Strawberry Quartz observed. “Just take it easy, we’ll bring you some soup.”

Applebloom’s rapid breathing made her realize how parched her throat was. “Can you guys bring me something to drink too?” she asked. “I’m really thirsty.”

“No problem Applebloom!” Sea Breeze said.

The two ponies ran out of the room and quickly returned with a bowl of soup and a large glass of water.

“Do you need help?” asked Sea Breeze.

“That’s a stupid question Sea Breeze.” Strawberry Quartz scolded. “How can she eat if she can’t even get up?” The pink filly put the bowl down on the chest in front of Applebloom’s bed. She picked up the spoon with her mouth, scooped up some soup, and walked over to Applebloom.

This is so embarrassing. Applebloom thought. I can’t even feed myself.

“Here comes the choo-choo train!” giggled Strawberry Quartz almost spilling the soup.

“Stop teasing her!” Sea Breeze growled. “You wouldn’t think it was funny if you were her!”

Applebloom opened her mouth and Strawberry Quartz poured the warm pea soup in. “Aww come on Sea Breeze!” Strawberry Quartz protested. “I’m just kidding around, I’m trying to make light of the situation. You know that right Applebloom?”

Applebloom swallowed the soup, it didn’t taste that great but it was nourishment all the same and her stomach begged for more. “Yeah, I know.” Applebloom said. Truthfully she didn’t like to be babied, but Strawberry Quartz didn’t mean any harm by it.

After Applebloom was finished with the soup and water the three friends told Applebloom what had happened after she had been taken by Doctor D.

“We were really worried, weren’t we Sea Breeze?” said Strawberry Quartz looking at Sea Breeze who nodded. “We were waiting forever! We thought you’d never come back!”

“I felt... I felt really bad...” Sea Breeze said. “I never wanted you to be taken, I was the one that was supposed to go, not you. I’m really really sorry...”

“It’s okay Sea Breeze, I didn’t want you to be taken either.” Applebloom smiled. “So when did Doctor D bring me back.”

Sea Breeze and Strawberry Quartz looked at each other. “Well actually...” Sea Breeze began.

“Actually he didn’t bring you back.” Strawberry Quartz finished.

“What do you mean?” asked Applebloom. “Well how did I get here?”

“Well Sea Breeze and I were in here trying to take care of the other filly and we heard a loud noise.”

“It sounded like an explosion or something!” Sea Breeze exclaimed hopping up and down.

“Yeah it did.” Strawberry Quartz nodded. “And it sounded like it came from the common room, but we had the door open and nopony had came in. We checked the bathroom and you were just lying there like the other filly when we found her.”

“I was just... Just in there?” Applebloom asked puzzled.

“Yeah, we were thinking that Doctor D teleported you there or something.” Strawberry Quartz said. “But it seems really weird that he would take all that time to put those wings on you and then just throw you up here like that.”

“After we found you we moved you in here.” Sea Breeze added. “It was tough because you’re wings are really big and heavy.”

My wings. Applebloom thought. I have wings. Part of her wanted to see her new appendages, but another part of her was afraid to. She remembered the Doctor and his team surgically removing the donor mare’s wings.

“They...” Applebloom winced as she felt a sharp pain race down her back. “They aren’t my wings...” she finished.

“What do you mean?” asked Sea Breeze.

“Doctor D had a Pegasus brought in, he took off her wings and put them on me.” Applebloom explained. “They aren’t my wings, they’re hers. And I’m still an Earth Pony, I don’t feel like a Pegasus at all.”

Sea Breeze and Strawberry Quartz looked horrified.

“Th-they... J-just cut off her wings?” Strawberry Quartz stuttered.

Applebloom nodded and another sharp pain raced down her back. “Ow!” she yelped. “I have to remember to stop moving, it really hurts.”

“Why would they do that to a Pegasus?” asked Sea Breeze.

“They said she was a traitor.” Applebloom said. “They said she was on her way to Appaloosa.”

“Hey, I’ve heard of Appaloosa!” Strawberry Quartz exclaimed. “My big sister told me that Earth Ponies could live there safely alongside Pegasi and Unicorns!”

“You have a big sister too?” Applebloom asked.

Strawberry Quartz’s face grew grim. “Well... I... I used to...”

Applebloom felt guilty. She had blurted out the question without thinking. “I... I’m sorry... I didn’t mean...” she stammered.

“No, it’s okay...” Strawberry Quartz said trying to hide her emotions. She looked up at Applebloom and Sea Breeze. “It’s okay because she used to tell me that when I was sad or afraid or lonely there was always some sort of light in the darkness. When she...” Strawberry Quartz paused trying not to cry. “When she passed away trying to protect me I didn’t believe her... I thought it was just a lie to make me feel better. I was brought here and I thought everything was over, but then I met you guys, and we became friends. I feel like my big sis was watching over me and you guys were the light she was talking.”

“Quartzy...” Sea Breeze said with tears in her eyes.

“Sea Breeze!” Strawberry Quartz shouted ruining the emotional moment. “I told you not to call me that!”

“I’m sorry!” Sea Breeze apologized. “It’s just so much easier to say than Strawberry Quartz.”

Strawberry Quartz sighed. “Anyway Applebloom, don’t feel bad about asking about my sister. You and Sea Breeze have been helping me deal with her passing more than you’ll ever know.”

Applebloom felt a little better, but the talk about Strawberry Quartz’s sister made her remember Applejack. Strawberry Quartz’s sister died trying to protect her. She thought. My sister let them take me away.

“So what else did Doctor D say about the Pegasus?” asked Sea Breeze.

It took Applebloom a few moments to realize what Sea Breeze was talking about. “Nothing really, he just said she was going to be an Earth Pony soon.”

“That’s really messed up.” Strawberry Quartz said. “I hope she’s okay.”

“I don’t know.” Applebloom admitted. “The last thing I remember was...” she shuddered as she recalled the extreme pain. “Well never mind...”

Strawberry Quartz and Sea Breeze nodded understanding that she didn’t want to talk about it.

Another surge of pain blazed through Applebloom’s flanks causing her to scream again.

“You should rest.” Sea Breeze insisted. “You’re a lot better than you were the last time you woke up so the next time you wake up I bet you’ll be even better.”

“O...Okay.” said Applebloom as the pain subsided. “I’m am feeling tired again anyway.”

“It seems kind of early.” said Strawberry Quartz. “I wish I knew what time it was around here, there’s no clocks.”

“Yeah!” Sea Breeze agreed. “There’s not even a window so we don’t know if it’s night or day!”

“I thought you guys said I was sleeping for two days though.” Applebloom pointed out.

“Well it feels like it’s been that long...” said Sea Breeze. “But, I guess we honestly don’t know how long it’s been. We went to sleep two times though since you’ve gotten back.”

“Are you guys going to go to sleep too right now?” asked Applebloom.

“I’m not.” Strawberry Quartz replied. “I’m not tired at all.”

“Me neither.” said Sea Breeze. “But we’ll be quiet and let you sleep.”

Applebloom yawned. “Thanks guys...” she said closing her eyes. She heard the clop of the her friends hooves as they walked out of the room, the click of the light switch, and the creak of the door as they shut it behind them. Applebloom smiled. She was happy that she had a conversation with her friends.

“So you seem to be doing well.” said a familiar voice from within the room.

Applebloom quickly opened her eyes and saw Doctor D standing in front of her. She tried to scream but she couldn’t open her mouth as if it was being held shut by some invisible force. She tried to get up but the pain raced through her back and flanks forcing her back into the bed.

“I don’t want to you to alert your friends.” said Doctor D happily. “Don’t worry I’ll release the spell when I’m finished.”

How did he get in here? Applebloom wondered in horror. Anypony but him! He’s going to hurt me again!

“You’re one of our better test subjects.” Doctor D continued. He looked over at the other filly in the room. “Sadly I can’t say the same for her. She’s not going to last much longer. She has a very serious infection, also it seems that her immune system seems to be rejecting the wings, but only the strongest survive. Isn’t that right?”

Applebloom’s heart pounded in her chest.

“You though. You’ve exceeded my expectations. Most of the test subjects die by now, but you appear to actually be making a recovery. Quite extraordinary since you were one of the test subjects I didn’t use anesthetic on. I could... Speed up your recovery, but that would be cheating in my book. No, you will survive if nature intends that you do.”

Doctor D walked closer to Applebloom inspecting his work.

“Yes, one of my more successful procedures.” he said proudly. “Now I guess the next stage is to see if you are able to use your wings when you recover. Well, I guess that is if you do recover.” Doctor D laughed. “I shouldn’t get too far ahead of myself, you still have a long way to go.”

Doctor D walked even closer to Applebloom. “I’m curious on a scale of one to ten how bad does this hurt.” The Doctor placed his hoof where Applebloom had felt the incisions made on her right flank. Applebloom writhed in pain as her flanks flared up only causing her further discomfort as she flexed her back. Tears came to her eyes, she tried to scream and breath out of her mouth, but it was held shut forcing her to breath in rapid successions out of her nose.

Doctor D removed his hoof from her flank. “Oops I forgot you can’t speak!” he laughed. “Silly me, oh well I’ll just have to try that experiment another time.”

He moved closer to Applebloom so his face was only about an inch or two away from hers. “Sweet dreams.” he said and disappeared with an orange flash.