Applejack's Demons

I am in a stone room. I am sitting in a corner. Across me a toy chest lay open in the middle of the room, with toys strewn about. Above me, a torch lights the room. There is a corner where no light reaches.

I feel drawn to the corner, but push the feeling aside.

Come, Jacky. Come to me.

Suddenly, light. Everywhere, light.

"Applejack?"

I can't see, the light is too intense.

"Hey, Applejack? You alright?"

The light dulls down and a cyan colored mare comes into view. She is standing above me.

"Oh, howdy, Rainbow." I say, once realizing who it is.

I stand up and stretch.

"Were you just napping?"

"Yup, why? Something wrong?"

Rainbow Dash flaps her wings, causing her to lift off the ground. "Not at all. I just wanted to race you."

I rub my eyes and yawn "Again? Didn't I just race you yesterday?"

Rainbow Dash cocks her head slightly and looks confused. "No. We haven't raced in a few weeks."

"Well, maybe some other time, I have chores that I need to catch up on, sorry." That was a lie. I finished my chores hours ago, that's why I was taking a nap.

I turn and walk away from Rainbow

"Hey, wait up." Rainbow flies to my side. "It's not like you to turn down a race." She flies in front of me and lands. "What's wrong?"

I stop and calmly reply. "Nothing, just tired. Now if you'll excuse me, I really need to finish my chores."

"Then I could help you."

"No." I reply quickly. "Granny Smith is sick, and I wouldn't want you to get sick too." Another lie.

Honesty has taken second fiddle to lying. It may have something to do with... No, I can't think about that.

"Okay. If you need anything, I'll be helping Fluttershy with her animals."

"If you have plans with her, then why were you asking to race me?" I walk away without giving Rainbow a chance to answer. But she still followed me.

"Well," she starts "I didn't. I was planning to race you around the orchard today, but since you don't want to race..." She looks at the ground. "You just aren't acting like your normal self, and I'm worried about you..."

I stop and look straight into Rainbow's eyes. "Look, Rainbow. I said that I need to finish my chores, so that I could help Granny Smith. She's been sicker than a dog since two days ago. So I've been working more than Wynona plays to help her feel better. That's all there is to it. Now if you are going to help Fluttershy, then please go help her, and leave me to my chores."

Rainbow gives me a worried look. "Okay, but if I find out that you aren't acting like yourself for other reasons, I'm going to be back." She turns and flies away.

I look at the ground, then walk away, heading towards the barn.

I hate lying... Granny smith hasn't had so much as a cold since last winter

You are doing what needs to be done, Jacky.

"Don't call me that!" I cover my mouth to try to muffle my yell.

I look behind me. Rainbow is no where to be found, thankfully. I can't imagine how she would have reacted hearing that.

Don't worry, I'm that cruel.

"Please... Be quiet..." I can feel a tear escape my eye.

You can only fight me for so long, my sweet Jacky. I will win.

"No. You won't. You can't." I drop my head.

In you're dreams, I am free, untamed from your petty morals. Eventually I will break you.

"No... I won't let you"

You can't stop me. No one can.

"You're a liar."

So are you.

Then it hit me like a wet bail of hay. I really am a liar. No better than any other two bit crook. No better than the mares and colts in the Equestrian Penitentiary. My vision started to get blurry, then the tears started falling.

Don't you start getting soft on me, Jacky. I still-

"Shut up!" I yell through my flurry of tears. "Just shut up! I hate you! Leave me alone!"

There's the Jacky that I know and love. Strong willed and powerful.

"I said SHUT UP!!"

I start running, trying to escape myself. I don't care where I'm going. Just as long as I'm not here.

Wherever you go, I'll always be here. I will never leave.

I can hear ponies talking, and bustling about. I open my eyes and realize that I'm in the town square. I start running faster to get out of town before anyone notices me.

"Hey, Applejack!"

Too late. I don't stop running though. Then I see Pinkie Pie bounding up beside me.

"Hey, Applejack! Why are you running so fast? Are you racing Dashie? No, she would be closer to you and I saw her earlier going towards Fluttershy's cottage." She gasps, but doesn't slow down a bit. "Is someone chasing you? Who is it, What is it? Is it a lion, a tiger, or maybe a bear? Oh my, that would be too much for me. But you're Applejack, that wouldn't scare you. It would have to be bigger, like a giant scorpion with two heads and an Ursa- "

"Leave me alone Pinkie!" I snap at her. "I don't care about you're crazy ideas of why I'm running."

I try speeding up, but she just keeps on bounding next to me, so I stop and take a sudden right turn. She won't follow me into the Everfree Forrest.

"Wait! Where are you going!?" She calls after me.

"Away from you, and everyone else!"

After running for awhile, I finally reach the Everfree Forrest. I stop running and lie down in a bed of leaves and sticks. There is a shelf made of sticks and stones with some Zap Apple Jam underneath it. This is my spot. I come here when I need to be alone, but I'm never alone anymore.

You handled that quite well, Jacky.

"Please stop calling me that."

I lie motionless until I fall sleep. My nightmares offer me more comfort than the real world can right now.

I find myself back in the stone room. The torch has dimmed a bit, and the toy chest has grown. Toys are still strewn about the floor.

"At least here I know I'm not insane."

Jacky, I will win eventually. Why do you continue to fight me?

"Because it is my life. I can't let you have it."

Why do you never address me by name?

"If I do that, it would make you stronger. I may be a country gal, but I ain't stupid."