Bioshock: Rifts

Applejack froze in the spot, a look of surprise on her face. The look went from surprised to angry in a matter of seconds, and she hoisted her up and pinned her against a wall.

"Okay... who are you and how do you know my real name?" She asked with a serious tone. Saying Twilight was scared was an understatement. She was shaking in her boots. Never once, under any circumstances, has one of her friends physically hurt her. Tears were beginning to show in the rims of her eyes.

"I know your Applejack, because you and Rainbow Dash were in the Running of The Leaves in Whitetail Woods. Remember? I told you I--"

"--kept your pace..." Applejack finished and set her down gently with an ashamed looked on her face. Twilight ran over to her and gave her a quick hug, which Applejack returned. "I'm sorry Twilight, I'm so sorry." Applejack said without her southern drawl. Whatever questions Twilight had about her accent being gone were quickly dismissed. They broke the hug and Applejack waved her hand for Twilight to follow her.

The pair walked until they were suddenly stopped by a messenger boy. "Miss Bucker?"

Applejack and Twilight looked down at the boy who had a small telegram card. "Telegram for ya Miss!"

He gave the card to her, saluted, and ran off to deliver more messages. Turning the card over, she read the words on the back.

Miss Bucker, STOP.
Please escort your guest to the Raffle. STOP.
Make sure that you don't bring any attention to yourself. STOP.
Your escort is walking away. STOP.

- Lutece

She looked at the card, confused for what the last sentence said, that is until she realized that Twilight was no where in sight. With a sigh, she went running off in search for her friend, but stopped mid run. She caught the look of a swooning man and smiled.

"Excuse me sir? Could you help a lady out of this dress..."

____________________________________

Twilight was, more or less, amazed by the fact a city of brick and wood and probably other materials that Equestria didn't have, was floating in the air. She looked off the edge of the stone railing and just started... that was she could feel like she could do. Paralyzed with awe and... something that was more than awe. Just as she was reaching for a cloud, she felt a hand on her shoulder that made her spin around and hit something.

"Awww.... ouch, honey you have a real arm ya'know that?" Applejack said cradling her cheek which was already beginning to turn red. "Although... I guess that's karma on my part..." She said with a weak chuckle and let out a pain groaned. She grabbed Twilight and shook her a little bit.

Twilight was stock still; her eyes wide and full of alarm. Her mouth hung open and Applejack could swear she saw drool coming from it. She couldn't help but smirk. "Twi... Princess Celestia's behind you..." She whispered in her ear and Twilight whipped around, muttering something about she was sorry to the princess. She was only greeted by open air, and the sound of laughter.

Even she had to admit, that was a good prank but now wasn't the time. "Okay Applejack-"

"Jacklin now, honey." Applejack corrected her. Twilight stopped and stared at her friend. Had she just... lied?

Twilight shook her head. "W-what?"

"My name's Jacklin now. I have no accent and my old name is as good as a breakfast cereal." She said rubbing off some dust on her new suit that she didn't steal. Twilight rubbed her eyes and nodded in understanding. She opened her mouth to say more, when suddenly a man came falling from the sky, landing in a bloody mess of broken bones and pieces of grey matter. Twilight screamed as she leaped back getting as far away from the corpse as possible. Applejack, or "Jacklin", on the other hand, looked at the on of the mans hands and what confirmed her suspicion was there on his hand.

A brand of a smile.

"...Seems like Pinkie's got rid of another spy." Applejack said grimly. She shook her head and let go of his hand, and she looked up to Twilight. She stood up, looking at her and took her hand, walking towards a fairly tall building. Inside the building was like the mall at Canterlot, multiple shops. Most of the signs were faded and worn, but one sign caught her eye.

Diane Pinkamena's Smile Emporium
"All you need to do is Smile! Smile! Smile!"

Pinkie was here? Applejack, still guiding Twilight by the hand, pushed the door open and walked inside. There were sweets and toys and board games there for the little children and their parents to have and play together. But one part of the building was cut off, and a sign off to the side said "Out of Order". Applejack ignored it and walked right in and Twilight herself was happy that she was holding her hand..

Workers ran around, turning nob after nob, lever after lever. What looked to be bottled lightning was poured into one end of the machine and it spurred to life, whirrs and whistles were the sounds it gave off, before a small purple pink bottle came up on the other side and an electrical liquid poured into it being closed by a fist holding a lightning bolt.

"Come on everyone! Don't let a frown get in your way! A smile a day keeps Pinkie away!" A familiar, perky voice said throughout the factory and the workers began working even harder. Who ever Pinkie had turned into, it must scare them out of their wits. Out of the steam and smoke of the back wall, walked out two extremely big men who had all but their heads and heart replaced with metal. In between them came out the mistress and embodiment of laughter herself, carrying some weird staff, was Pinkie Pie.

"Come on! Please do a better job? We have a sale for 'Bucking Bronco' coming up and I have yet to see a single drop of it. I understand getting concentrated gravity is hard, but really?" She said, walking in tandem with the Handymen. Pinkie looked... different, not just the fact she was human, but the fact of her physical appearance. Her hair was straight, her eyes looked sunk in, like she hadn't slept, and that cruel smile she held on her face.

She walked by inspecting every worker and what job they were doing. One man, a young man with brown hair and glasses, shook nervously and in the process, dropped a small jar containing a water looking liquid.

Pinkie stopped.

The workers stopped.

Everything around them stopped.

The man stood there, shaking out of his boots and in no time whatsoever, Pinkie was right in his face, a small smile showing on hers.

She took in a breath. "What's your name?"

"Tom... Tomas Dellion, Miss Diane..." He said, his voice quivering and quaking. Pinkie smiled and wrapped him around in a hug. She stroked his hair and shushed him as he felt like on the verge of tears. A heavy, bassy tune along with the workers' tools going to work started filling the workshop, and the man was practically on his knees, begging for his life.

"You have... twenty seconds to run. You should feel honored considering I gave our Vox spy a ten second head start." She said still stroking his hair. He got up and ran as fast as he could, out of the door screaming for his life. Pinkie's hand went blue and a bolt of electricity went flying out, hitting her staff. Twilight finally realized what the little decorative piece on the staff was.

A small skull, that now had blue eyes and an open mouth.

She stared at the man, who had to be at least fifty yards away, and fired out a huge bolt of lighting that hit man. He writhed and twitched violently and finally fell, his body smoking and his clothes charred right off his back.

She smiled at her handy work. "Remember! Once a Diane Worker, always a Diane worker." She said coldly as her and the Handymen walked back to the farthest wall.