The Fillycaust

Applejack awoke again to the sound of the guards ringing bells and screaming for everypony to get up and begin another grueling day of work in the Canter Camp. Was this her third day here? Or was it the fourth day? No maybe it had been more than a week! She couldn’t keep track of time in this dreadful place. The day was split into two different parts: the time when she was working and when she wasn’t, and seeing as she was too exhausted every night to keep from sleeping, her life in the camp seemed like one long continuous period of work.

Her stomach screamed for nourishment and her sore legs told her to lay back down, but to refuse to work was an instant death sentence by the guards. She winced in pain as she rolled out of the shelf and followed the other ponies out into the camp.

They walked like zombies to the toolshed, retrieved their pickaxes and shovels, and continued onward to the construction sight. Several Earth Ponies collapsed in the sand and mud even before they reached the worksite. The guards hollered for them to get up and get to work. When they dying ponies didn’t or couldn’t the guards beat them to death without mercy. The screams of the Earth Ponies as they were being bludgeoned echoed throughout the camp. The sound didn’t phase Applejack anymore though, she had heard it so many times since she arrived that it seemed to be just a normal part of life. You either worked or you died. It you couldn’t learn that fast then you couldn’t survive in the Canter Camp.

Applejack seemed to go in and out of consciousness as she worked. She was awake the whole time but her mind spaced out as if she was a robot. Put the shovel in the ground. Lift the shovel. Throw the dirt, rocks, and debris over the side of the trench. Repeat. The only good the monotonous process ever did was take her mind off of her fear and suffering. Fear! Ha! She thought when her mind came back to her control. What was there to be afraid of anymore? Death? She still hadn’t given up hope for Applebloom, Pinkie Pie, and herself, but she had seen so much suffering and death recently that it had changed her perception of death. As long as it wasn’t long and painful then death wasn’t all that bad, but then again all death in the Canter Camp was long and painful. At least death’s end result was an end to the pain and misery.

Wait! Applejack thought coming to a realization. She looked around. Where is Pinkie Pie? Applejack paused her work for a moment scanning the laboring ponies, however a guard glared in her direction giving her no choice but to resume the digging.

Applejack couldn’t remember if she saw Pinkie Pie when she woke up that morning. She imagined that if she had then she probably would have walked with her to the construction site anyway. Applejack thought back to the few ponies that had been beaten that morning. She was positive that Pinkie Pie wasn’t among them, but where could she be? A terrible thought crossed Applejack’s mind. Perhaps Pinkie Pie had died in her sleep last night.

Pinkie Pie seemed to have been holding up rather well. Well at least for a Canter Camp. The pink mare was of course starving and sore like everypony else, but she had worked diligently and seemed strong and extremely driven to survive.

Applejack longed to gallop back to the barracks and search for her friend, but she knew that would mean death for herself. Tears filled up her eyes. Pinkie Pie please don’t be dead. She prayed. Please don’t be dead. You’re my friend. I can’t lose you. Fluttershy, Granny Smith, Pinkie Pie. How many countless others needed to die? How many families had been broken apart? How many mares and stallions had lost their foals? How many friends had gone through what she was going through right now?

Tears began to roll down Applejack’s face. If she died in her sleep, at least she died peacefully. She tried to convince herself, but it didn’t help her stop from crying. Memories of her happy friend flashed through her mind. Pinkie hopping and laughing, baking cake and cheering everypony up.

“Well look what we have here!” laughed somepony.

Applejack looked up to see a guard jeering at her above the hole. “Awww.” he mocked sarcastically. “Are you sad?”

Applejack didn’t say anything and kept on digging. She focused her anger on the ground.

“Did you lose your family?” the guard sneered. “Did all your friends die?”

Applejack sniffed and drilled the shovel deep within the soil pretending it was the guard’s face.

“You’re going to die too you know!” the guard laughed before trotting away.

Applejack was thankful he didn’t stick around and continue to push her further. She had been right on the brink of jumping up there and bucking him right in his smug little face. What stopped me from doing that? She wondered. She quickly realized. Hope. Somewhere deep inside she knew Applebloom was still alive, and she believed she could save her and escape the camp and this horrible nightmare would all be over.

Hope couldn’t stop her from crying though. She worked the rest of the day mourning Pinkie Pie.

As soon as the guards released the mares from work Applejack sped straight to the barracks. Her legs burned and her stomach screamed for her to go get her daily rations but she fought through the pain. She looked at each of the dead ponies lying in the mud that she saw on the way back. None of them were Pinkie Pie.

Applejack ran up the ramp and into the sleeping quarters. She raced through the hall searching each of the shelves. There were no bodies to be seen. Finally she came to the shelf that she believed Pinkie Pie had fallen asleep in the night before. Her legs trembled as she slowly looked into it, but to her surprise it was empty. She raced around the barracks searching every shelf, but there were no bodies to be seen.

Where is she? Applejack wondered.

She ran outside and looked around the barracks, she traced her path to the toolshed, but again none of the bodies on the trail belonged to Pinkie Pie. Reluctantly, Applejack gave up and walked to the line for rations. Maybe the guards had cleaned out any bodies that were in the shelves. Applejack contemplated. Poor Pinkie Pie.

After having her meager meal she walked to the fence where she met with Big Macintosh every night. The sun had long since retreated into the horizon and the camp was encased in the darkness of night. Thankfully, the large red stallion was still there waiting for her. At least he’s still alive. Applejack thought. I need somepony to talk to.

“Hey there sis.” Big Macintosh greeted. “Where’s your friend?”

Applejack’s felt fresh new tears run down face. It was amazing she was able to cry at all after being so depraved of food and water. “Pinkie Pie...” Applejack stammered. “I think Pinkie Pie’s dead!”

Big Macintosh was silent.

Applejack began to cry out loud and collapsed pathetically to the ground on the edge of the fence.

“Shh.” Big Macintosh hushed looking around to make sure no guards were near by. “We don’t want to alert anypony.”

“I-I’m sorry.” Applejack whimpered.

Big Macintosh knelt down next to Applejack on the other side of the fence. “It’s okay.” was all he could manage to say. He stayed there with her trying to comfort her.

Then, suddenly, a familiar voice came from in front of them. “What’s wrong Applejack?”

Applejack and Big Macintosh looked up to see none other than Pinkie Pie standing in front of them. She had a concerned look on her face.

“Pinkie Pie!” Applejack cried. She leapt up from off the ground and embraced her friend. Tears of happiness and relief now flowed from her eyes. “But where have you been? I searched everywhere for you!”

“What did you think I was dead?” Pinkie Pie giggled.

Applejack released her embrace and looked Pinkie Pie in the eye. “Well yes Pinkie... I did think you were dead...”

Pinkie Pie’s expression changed to that of sympathy when she realized what Applejack must have been through that day thinking that she had died. “I’m so sorry Applejack!” she apologized. “Novelty took me and two other ponies to fix a broken gas pipes on the other side of the camp. I should’ve told you.”

“That’s alright sugarcube.” Applejack smiled. “I’m just happy your safe and sound.”

“Hey! What are you doing over there?” a voice hollered from Big Macintosh’s side of the fence.

“Applejack, Pinkie Pie, get down!” Big Macintosh hissed. “Get down!”

Applejack and Pinkie Pie jumped in a nearby trench.

“I asked what you’re doing over there!” the voice yelled angrily. A pony walked out of the shadows. It was none other than Night Flare.

“Oh me?” Big Macintosh replied as if he didn’t know Night Flare was talking to him. “I was just relieving myself.”

“We have fucking trenches for that!” Night Flare growled. “Are you telling me you don’t want to take a piss in the trench? Are you telling me that you want to piss on this clean ground?”

The ground was obviously not clean. In fact the skeletal remains of a dead Earth Pony laid only a few yards away from Big Macintosh.

“No sir, sorry sir.” Big Macintosh apologized. “I won’t do it again.”

“You won’t get the fucking chance to do it again!” Night Flare laughed. He charged at Big Macintosh with the intent of ramming him straight into chain linked fence.

Big Macintosh dodged to the side, and as Night Flare whizzed passed he kicked him full force in the ribs with his powerful hind legs.

The Pegasus was thrown off course flew directly into the barbed wire above the fence. The left side of his face and his left flank were ripped open painting the fence red in blood.

“Why you!” Night Flare screamed pulling himself free from the barbed wire. “You disgusting Earth Pony! I’ll kill you!”

“Eeeyup.” Big Macintosh said calmly. “We’ll see.”

Night Flare charged at Big Macintosh again. This time, though, Big Mac didn’t dodge. Instead he raised his hooves and caught Night Flare in mid air.

“Get your filthy hooves off of me!” Night Flare roared.

With a low grunt Big Macintosh threw Night Flare with all his might. The Pegasus tried to regain control in midair but didn’t have enough time, he hit the ground hard with a loud thud and screamed as the exposed open wounds on his flank rubbed against the mud and dirt on the ground.

“Guards!” he yelled while picking himself up off the ground. “Guards!”

Big Macintosh looked back at Applejack and Pinkie Pie who were still in the trench watching in disbelief. He smiled and mouthed the words, “I love you sis.”

Applejack’s eyes teared up. She knew that it was over for her brother, and as she gazed into his big green eyes she could tell that he knew it was the end for him too. She hated this feeling of helplessness. There was nothing she could do to help him, not when she was on this side of the barbed wire fence anyway.

The sound of more guards coming to Night Flare’s aid radiated throughout the camp. Big Macintosh mouthed the words, “Run sis! Run!” and Applejack turned to Pinkie Pie who was already crying.

“Cmon Pinkie.” Applejack managed to say although there seemed to be a giant lump in her throat.

Pinkie Pie nodded understanding the situation and realizing they couldn’t stick around any longer. There was nothing they could do for Big Mac.

The two Earth Ponies crept out of the trench and ran silently back to the barracks leaving Big Macintosh behind.

They’re going to be safe. Big Macintosh thought to himself. He smiled. He knew what was going to happen to him, but he had accepted it long ago. He was sick of being treated like he was, it was time to strike back, even though it would mean his death.

Night Flare stood up completely. “You need to learn your fucking place!” he snarled his eyes filled with hatred.

“Eeeyup.” said Big Mac. “I could say the same to you.”

Two Pegasi guards flew up from behind Night Flare. “Sir.” they both reported in.

“Don’t just stand there!” roared Night Flare. “Kill that prisoner!”

“Yes sir!” the two Pegasi guards charged at Big Macintosh. The red stallion turned around and kicked the one in front directly in the face killing him instantly and sending him flying back crashing into the Pegasus behind.

A Unicorn guard ran up from behind and hit Big Macintosh with a spell that exploded and burned a large area on his thigh where his cutie mark was. Big Macintosh winced slightly at the pain but quickly turned and charged the Unicorn. Before the guard had a chance to fire another spell, Big Macintosh had rammed him head on. The Unicorn crumpled to the ground with several broken ribs and gasped for air.

Another spell hit Big Macintosh, this time directly in his right eye. It burned and felt as though someone had poured boiling oil on his face. He tried to open the eye but couldn’t see anything when he did.

“Serves you right you animal!” Night Flare laughed.

Big Macintosh looked up to see that guards were swarming at him from all around the camp. No doubt the sound of the fight alerting more and more of them.

He looked down at the ground. “Eeeyup. I guess this is it.” he sighed. He closed his eyes and felt a soft breeze brush against his cheek. It felt good. He took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and charged at Night Flare.

Numerous spells shot from all different directions. The mixture of green, blue, orange, purple, red, and yellow orbs flew at him illuminating the ground as they passed overhead.

Funny. Big Macintosh thought as the splendid display of magic raced towards him. It’s actually kind of beautiful.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie sat on the ramp to the barracks. The sound of guards shouting and excitement around the camp begun to fade into the night. They both realized it was over. Big Macintosh was dead.

They sat there for a long time staring blankly into the camp. Neither said a word, neither made a sound. The fresh memory of what had just happened replaying over and over again in their minds.

Applejack knew she and Pinkie Pie needed to go to sleep and rest, but she also knew she wouldn’t be able to. “Pinkie Pie.” she said softly. “You should go to bed. I think I’m going to sit out here a little longer by myself.”

Pinkie Pie shook her head. “You don’t have to go through this alone Applejack. I’m here for you.” she put her hoof around Applejack’s shoulder.

The two friends sat there all night gazing into the sky and thinking of Big Macintosh. He’s in a better place. Applejack thought as a tear rolled down her cheek. I know he’s in a better place.