Mind and Soul

Applejack’s hooves stepped rhythmically as the orange pony headed for her zebra friend Zecora’s hut, located in the Everfree Forest. A whimsical melody passed her lips as she whistled, joined by the joyful singing of colorful birds in the trees around her. She knew the birds would leave as she entered the forest. Applejack was apprehensive herself, she never enjoyed entering the place alone. Two saddlebags hung across her back, filled with a variety of apple-themed cuisine.

“Ah sure hope Zecora has those spices,” Applejack muttered to herself. “I need ‘em for that tasty apple pie.” She trotted into the dark and dismal forest. The cheerful birds abandoned Applejack in fear of what lie inside, just as she had predicted. “Ah dunno why Zecora insists on livin’ in such a creepy place,” she whispered as she looked around. The sky seemed to darken the further she traveled into the forest, until there was no visible sky remaining. A small, rarely-trodden path showed the way to Zecora’s hut. It had faded with time, gradually becoming harder to follow as years passed.

A rustling sound filled Applejack’s ears, causing her to spring upward in a frightened jump. “I wish nuthin’ would scare me like that...” She continued down the scarcely-lit path, regretting her decision not to bring a candle. Strange squeaking noises echoed as bats flew across Applejack’s path, and a faint, distant buzzing could be heard. Applejack grew tense, frightened by the hostile scenery. Another bush rustled behind her, sending chills racing down her spine.

Zecora’s hut was still a good distance away, and Applejack was already terrified. She began to pray for somepony to accompany her, somepony to share her fear with. Another bush rustled, this time directly in front of Applejack. She jumped once again, but quickly felt a torrent of alleviation as she saw another pony step from the bushes.

“Thank you, Celestia,” she muttered with relief. Her muscles relaxed, her hooves sprinting towards this equine silhouette. “Hello?” she called towards the pony. The figure quickly spun to face her, and approached until Applejack could distinguish his features. He was a lime green pegasus covered in various scars and grime. His purple mane appeared tangled and knotted, and he showed an expression of anger. The eyelid of his left eye twitched, diminishing the relief Applejack had experienced.

“Are you, uh...okay?” she asked, her left eyebrow raised.

“Why, yes...no. Yes, yes I am not, I am,” he stuttered. His body suddenly dropped as one of his rear hooves buckled, but he quickly regained his posture.

“Are ya hurt?” Applejack asked, concerned for the poor pegasus.

His bloodshot eyes pointed directly at Applejack’s face as he inhaled deeply. “No...I am. I am very not hurt.” The twitching of his left eye intensified, his lip beginning to curl. The deep scar across his face became distorted.

“I don’t think yer okay, sugarcube. Lemme get you to Zecora’s, she’ll know what to do,” Applejack kindly offered, extending a hoof.

“I...fine...no...I NEED HELP!” he screamed at Applejack, drops of saliva spraying all over her face. “Wait, no...fuck. I don’t need...but I do need...but...talk! We’ll talk!”

Applejack’s hoof raised to her face and wiped off the spit. “Um...that’s fine sugarcube, but I’d appreciate it if ya tone down the language a little.”

“Yes! Yes. That is acceptabliculablatious!” he quickly responded. Applejack gave him a quizzical look, uncertain as to whether that was actually a word. The thought quickly escaped her mind, replaced by the desire to reach Zecora’s as fast as possible. She began to walk towards Zecora’s again, now followed by the unknown green pegasus. She almost felt even more frightened than before.

“So what’s yer name?” Applejack asked over her shoulder as the pony followed closely behind her.

“Erm... I don’t... Ja- no. My name... is not... it is-” he stuttered awkwardly.

“Okay, that doesn’t matter,” Applejack interrupted, not wanting to deal with whatever that would have led to. “I’m Applejack.” She refused to look behind her, perhaps fearing what the pony would do.

“Good... good. Who are... friends? Your friends?” he questioned, his language beginning to stabilize. His right eye started to twitch.

“I have a lot o’ friends. There’s Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash-” Applejack began.

“R- Rainbow Dash. Tell me about her,” the mysterious pony interrupted.

“Well, uh, she’s a pegasus... she flies really fast, she can be a might pushy sometimes-” Applejack began. Her feeling of security and privacy, or what little remained of it, began leaving her tense body.

“No. Wrong. How do you think her... about her? How do you think she is?”

“Um... I’d say she’s like family, just not... family, you know? She’s a great friend, we’ve had loads of fun times together.”

The pony took another deep breath, the air gradually filling his lungs. It came back out as a rough, hacking cough. Both of his eyes began twitching. He continued his interrogation. “But it’s not...perfect? It has faults?”

Applejack became uncomfortable and her mane started to itch. “Well, uh...if ‘it’ is supposed to mean Rainbow, she absolutely has flaws. Everypony doe-”

“Even you? Yourself has flaws?” he interrupted again.

“Yeah, everypony does.” she repeated. Her mane began to itch.

“You are an honest, my adorable filly.” he slowly pointed out. His ear subtly twitched.

“I’m not a... Where are ya goin’ with this, exactly?” Applejack dared to ask, worriedly looking over her shoulder. The pony halted, right eye twitching furiously. His mouth stretched into a psychotic smile, distorting his scar again. Cracked, rigid teeth were exposed under his fleshy lips.

“Rainbow Dash is dead! DEAD!” he roared. A hollow chasm opened up inside Applejack, her jaw dropping into a horrified grimace.

“No... she can’t be!” Applejack exclaimed in horror. “She’s not dead!” Applejack felt a crucial part of her soul torn from her.

The green pony felt an exhilarating sensation. He felt as if his very being, his soul, his essence, was contradicting Applejack. Everything he was doing contrasted Applejack, as if he were the night taking over Applejack’s day. The darkness to Applejack’s light. The chaos to Applejack’s order. The feeling invigorated him, stirred new emotions within him. He felt as if dishonesty was a power under his total control.

“Yes, my dear... she died... earlier. Crushed by boulders,” he began, his stomach fluttering with excitement. Applejack’s grimace reformed, slowly filling with more anger. She gritted her teeth, and returned the green pony’s stare.

“Know who killed her?” he asked, his right eye twitching like never before. Applejack’s anger took over her fear and horror, washing out any emotion or thought other than anger.

“Me.”

Applejack charged, lowering her head in a desperate attempt to headbutt him. He swiftly launched into the air, dodging Applejack’s carefully aimed attack. Eyes darting quickly, Applejack spotted the pony hovering directly above her. Applejack crouched down to gather enough strength for a backflip. She sprang into the air, harsh, cold wind blowing against her spinning body. Her hoof extended, aiming to strike the pony. He was already gone.

Just as Applejack began to make her descent back from the air, an enormously powerful force slammed into her side. Applejack was flung directly into a tree, her body falling limp. Her hooves quickly sprang back to a standing position as she searched for the culprit. She did not feel any pain, only anger. Anger and the desire for revenge.

Leaves rustled wildly as the green pony darted towards the exit. Applejack's figure raced behind him, not allowing him to get away. Maniacal laughs flowed from the green pony's mouth, he was keeping ahead just enough so he wouldn't lose Applejack. Despite Applejack's desperate attempts to reach him, he remained several feet ahead. The two ponies weaved expertly around trees and bushes, jumping over roots or other obstacles with agility. The chase stretched on for what seemed like an eternity, neither pony separating nor coming any closer to each other. Applejack didn't care how long it took, she was going to kill that sadistic murderer.

The cover of trees grew thinner, exposing the bright sky above. Leaves flew everywhere as the two ponies charged straight through a bush, cutting a deep gash across Applejack's cheek. The chase continued past the border of the Everfree Forest, leading directly into the Apple family orchard. Trees covered the field to the horizon, dotted with shiny red spheres. These spheres sent new ideas through the mind of the green pony.

The pegasus swerved upward, shooting through the many fields of apple trees. Apples were plucked from the leaves with expert skill until a pile apples was stacked in his hooves. Applejack quickly regained her sense of direction after the lime pegasus’ sudden turn, spotting him above. His hoof was behind him, aiming an apple directly at her. Her hooves skidded to a stop directly below the lime green pony, as she tried to gallop away from the danger. Her attempts were in vain, and several apples impacted sensitive locations on her body and head.

Pain exploded from Applejack’s left eye, sending a deafening scream from her lips. This only amplified her fury, her body swiftly returning to the chase. The green pony landed on rear hooves in Applejack’s path, his upper body lifted by the force of his wings. Psychotic laughs were still overflowing from his jaws, eating into Applejack’s soul. She charged at him, staring into his enormous bloodshot eyes. The pony gave one final smile, waiting for Applejack to approach him to headbutt. Applejack’s head lowered, preparing for impact.

The green pony instantly hopped to the side, evading Applejack’s attack and landing swiftly on all fours. Applejack’s body hurled itself directly into the tree trunk the pony had been standing in front of, an enormous crack echoing around the entire orchard.

The orange body flopped onto the ground below, Applejack’s face a broken, bloody mess. Irregular gasps for air broke from her throat, hanging on to the last fibers of life. The green pony laughed even harder, a most exhilarating feeling intoxicating him. He approached the broken figure, sending a glob of spit flying directly into her mangled face. The amusement was neverending.

“Ah... Ah...” Applejack gasped, trying to speak. Her mouth proved difficult to use, many teeth shattered and her nose bent oddly. Blood dripped into Applejack’s throat, causing her to choke. She could not see, her eyes had been crushed and bloodied by the impact. All of the anger which had overtaken her body was replaced by an intense pain. The most intense pain Applejack had ever experienced. Pain and sadness.

“Puh- Please,” Applejack wheezed. “Tell mah... friends... that ah...” a loud crack erupted from the tree trunk. “Ah...”

The tree cracked again, slowly bending towards Applejack’s limp body. “Ah...”

Several more cracks were heard, the tree beginning to tilt further downward. “Ah...”

The tree separated from its trunk, falling in slow motion. A roaring cackle exploded from the green pony, he could not wait. A lone, bloody tear streamed from what had once been Applejack’s eye.

“Love them.”

The tree crushed Applejack’s body, letting off one loud, final snap.