Apple Bloom gets flung into a deadly staring competition with an evil stallion of shadows. Loser gets paralyzed but is fully mentally awake and stuck in an endless black void. Will Apple Bloom win? Or will she fall to Crimson' s twisted game?
When Apple bloom, sweetie bell, and scootaloo for the first time sleep in the club house. Things don't go according to plan. Apple bloom sees a black stallion and wakes up sweetie to use her horn for light. When they take their eyes off the thing, Apple bloom got engulfed in darkness. The stallion appears and askes to play Stare off/staring competition, but this isn't your ordinary filly game, it has a dark twist to it. The loser will be stuck in the darkness mentally but physically paralyzed. Winner gets to leave.⚠Their will be a part in the story you choose your ending⚠ ALSO I MESSED UP WITH THE COVER IT'S Stare Down(This was before they got their cutie marks and before Apple bloom had the dream about S.B and scootaloo getting their cutie makes before she did)
It was a quiet night for the CMC. Apple bloom was snug in her sleeping bag that quit was hoof quilted by granny smith. It was the dead of night when she hurd a small tapping noise on the club house window. Apple bloom was half asleep so she shook it off as a branch that scraped the glass, she then fell asleep. Sweetie bell and Scootaloo were fast asleep, when clouds covered the sky and Luna's shining moon. Darkness than covered the land with unusual dark smoke. Apple bloom twisted in her sleep than shot awake from a nightmare she couldn't remember. She rubbed her eyes and noticed the sudden light change as she peered outside. As her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, she made out two red eyes glaring at her through the trees. In disbelief, she blinked twice to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She felt the presence and slumped down dragging the curtains to shut them. She tried to turn the light on but the light bulb was out. She woke up Sweetie Bell but let Scootaloo sleep because she didn't have a horn and wanted to let her sleep.
"I need your horn to light up the clubhouse." the sudden urgency in her tone made sweetie worried.
With confusion on her face, she asked "why do you need it, just turn on the li..."
She stopped to see, that through the cracks of the curtains, a pitch black stallion on the glass, with red eyes, his hooves and face, which were pitch black, on the glass.
"A...apple...bloom?" She said still staring at the stallion made of darkness.
He gave off an evil aura and uneasiness overwhelmed her. Apple bloom turned to see the same red eyes that she saw before. They both blinked at the same time and it was gone. Than both shook Scootaloo violently taking their eyes off it for a moment. The uneasy presents was unbearable. Scootaloo was limp, she didn't move and her breathing had slowed long before Apple bloom and sweetie had seen the stallion, but their was a steady heart beat. Apple Blooms ears were pierced by Sweetie Bells scream, she turned to look but nothing was their. Apple Bloom tried to look around but she felt like she was in black tar. She tried to scream but only a croak came out. A faint image started to form in front of her, it was those red crimson eyes staring at her.
It spoke in a deep voice almost like King Sombra himself, "don't look away, look at me and bask in my presents,"
Apple bloom didn't dare to blink , she was paralyzed in place by those blood red eyes. "If you can withstand my game of stare down or as you might call a staring competition, you and your friends all be set free."
Apple bloom glared at him and through gridded teeth said "What did you do to Scootaloo and Sweetiebell!"
He grinned but said nothing. She broke from the gaze and realized sweetie bell was in the same situation, but what about Scootaloo. His smile made Apple Bloom loose that spark she just had and spoke in broken words,
"Wha...what if I lose?"
"Well, you will be stuck here, you won't die, but you won't live, you will just...well...exist."
"What's the difference?"
"Living is when you enjoy life, making memorys, going through tough times, and makeing,"
he gridded the last word out, "friends..." Their was a pause. "BUT, existing is when your just mass on this world."
Apple Bloom wanted to see her friends desperately so she can, live, she had to play. "I accept the challenge."
They stared at each other, then he spoke again. "You have 4 rounds each will get harder as you progress. The game will test your mental strength and your desire to win, the time starts now."
Apple Bloom didn't know it had started so her eyes were dry and about to blink. The scene changed a bit, grass on her hooves and stars in the sky. The grass felt cool but the air felt hot and she smelled something along the wind. The black mass was still their but it blend with the darkness, accsept the orange glow on it's left side. She hurd a fire, In the corner of her eye she saw the barn, burning to ashes. The smell was that of burning hair and flesh and it hit her nose like a train, the screams of her family echoed through the night and rang in her ears. Than she saw Apple Jack crawling and clawing at the dirt, her skin, chard and cracked, her fur still on fire and mane singed off. A big thump was hurd and BigMc slammed his hoof and face on the window, his skin melting off and leaving a bloody hood print, the skin imprinted on the glass as well like printer ink. Apple blooms mind had the fire rageing in her mind, burning images into it, of pain and agony. Granny Smith was no where to be seen. She looked away from the colt and looked at the barn, tears in her eyes both from the stinging of the 'air' and of sadness that her family was burning alive in their barn, Granny Smith probobly couldn't move and burned where she sat.
was this real? she thought and for a moment forgetting the game entirely.
As the seen dimmed the stallion chuckled knowing she wasn't expecting such a harsh round "Silly little filly, looks like I won the first round."
He put a hoof to his mouth and displayed a fake tone of sadness "Oh did I tell you, these could be real and it's your call if they are or aren't."
She snapped her head to him and shot a look of hatred.
He just smiled a pitiful smile and said "you know, many dying pony's see me when they are on the verge of death. I play this game and the few that won lived, but the rest I killed out of mercy. Tonight though, I think I won't give the release of death but give myself entertainment, I think I need a break from all the hard work I do."
Apple Bloom erupted in anger and frustration "You think it's mercy to kill pony's that are fighting for their lives? Some may want to die, but let them die without having to go though this. but most of em want to live! They have family's that fight for them! And you think it's fair?!"
The stallion had no reply he just stared at her and Apple bloom felt a hint of sadness, real sadness.
Apple bloom was ready this time closing her eyes. "Start."
She opened her eyes to a setting she knew, it was the club house. Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo were laughing and playing patty cake. Their was no darkness only two red eyes. It was hard to focus on two red eyes because there was so much going on in the club house. Then, black ooze started to seep into the club house but Sweetie and Scootaloo didn't seem to notice. They kept laughing but something changed. As the ooze filled up, they started to seem more scared. Their was about an inch of it filling up.
They hung their heads in defeat and said "Why Applebloom?" She watched in horror as her friends were being eaten by black tar.
When it was up to their necks it stopped and looked at Apple Bloom. They looked angry, the tar started to rise up and poured out of their eyes, mouths, and nose.
"Why didnt you say something?" They said in unison.
She wanted to cry out but if she did she, it would end the game. Apple bloom kept her place but felt more guilt than the last one. In the last one she couldn't do anything, the fire must have bun an accident any pony could have made. But this one she could have said something, something that would make them turn around and run. It engulfed them, and finally those two red eyes blinked and she was back in the darkness.
"Amazing job little filly. Tell me what is your name? Most would have lost by now." He said with a grin.
"Apple bloom, what about you?"
"My real name is a secret but most call me Crimson Magic."
The tar seemed to thin and she found that it wasn't so heavy, but only for a moment. Apple Bloom started to feel a bit of strength. Now she knew she could beat this game. She could see her real friends soon and leave this place.
Apple bloom found herself in a different setting, it was the barn where Apple Jack and Granny Smith was. It was odd seeing them but she was happy they were ok. Apple Jack wiped sweat off her forehead and was sweating profusely, heaving for every breath. Apple bloom could feel the humidity and heat coming from 'outisde'. Though being inside, they had no A.C so it was just as hot.
"Welp...done workin in the apple trees. Phew! Celestia have mercy it has to be 1000 degrees outside!" Said Apple Jack heaving between every word.
Apple jack always pushed herself even when twilight said if she ever needed her, just ask. By the look of it, she had over done herself for the past few days because in the window, she could see more than half of the orchard was bucked. Suddenly, apple jack fell to the floor as she clenched her chest, She knew what it was. Apple Jack was working over time at the farm because BigMc went out of town, she was wondering if this was real because bigmac really had gone out of town to help aunt and uncle orange and granny couldn't help buck. Apple bloom couldn't help buck the apples because she had her chores. About 2 months ago huge order had come in from filthyrich requesting 50 Apple cider jars, 100 apples, and 10 Apple pies. The apples had no idea why he needed so many, but he was willing to give 50k bits for the whole thing and double if they deliverd early. she managed to get 50 cider jars, 87 apples, and 9 Apple pies. Filthy gave her 40k bits. The pressure and loss of 10k bits made her not take care of her self. She didn't eat much and didn't get exercise, she just laid in bed. good thing BigMc came back to help her through the rough time. He told her it was ok and that they needed to get back to work. Determined, she went double time.
Granny Smith yelled for big mac, "Big Mac, she is havin a hear attack!"
But due to Granny Smiths age, her voice was muffled and crackled. Big Mac was out in the farm working the apple trees. Granny tried to get up but she couldn't, she fell out dew to the despite attempt.
Granny looked at Apple bloom but not directly in the eyes, "Please Apple bloom, do something! Call your brother!"
Apple bloom couldn't look away or speak, she didn't want to take chances. In her peripheral vision, she saw Apple jack lying on the ground motionless. Her fur was fading to a pastel orange and her eyes rolled back in her head.
Granny yelled "Apple Bloom! Get your brother! I can't loose another one of yous, Big Mac can't do this on his own! If Apple Jack dies It'll be your fault!"
Those words echoed in her head, stabbing and ripping her heart appart.
Apple Bloom couldn't take it, she looked at the direction her brother was in and and screamed "BIG MAC PLEASE HE.."
Before she could finish both apple jack and Granny Smith smiled and laughed. Their eyes went black and than the world did as well. The filly started to cry. Her confidence and hope gone faster than you could blink.
"Why, why are you doin this?..." Apple Bloom said through tears and chocked down a tear.
He didn't speak he just said "A tie breaker, the last round, will you be set free? Or be stuck here with me?"
Apple bloom was filled with determination to get out, she stopped crying and looked at him dead in the eyes. "I won't lose to you, and I will get out just you wait and see! I'll get my cutie mark with my friends, that's why I'm a Cutie Mark Crusader!"
"Wow such energy, ok then...start"
The setting was in the school yard. Diamond Tiara and Silver Dpoon were trotting towards her.
"Hay blank flank!" Said Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara in unison.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell were by her side but they had cutie marks. They looked different though, Sweeties mane was like Siamond Tiaras, her mane and tail had a black instead of a pink stripe. Her cutie mark was a single broken heart. The eyes were on top of them so she guessed this wasn't a one where she could block out some of it, she saw it in full. Scootaloo had a sattle bag on her with diamonds covering the rims. Her hair was the same but her wings, the last row of feathers had the color of her mane dyed on it. Her cutie mark was a wing with a pink and purple stripe on each tip of the feathers.
"Look, she doesn't have a cutie mark! I got mine when I was flying but when I put color on the ends, I would create a pink and purple stripe because I flew so fast. It was spectacular!" Scootaloo said.
Sweetie bell than joined "yea, I got mine by bullying my first blank flank. The heart is when I crushed her sweet dreams of being the first earth pony to be able to do magic. I'm Bitter Bell now, being sweet isn't how I got my cutie mark." Sweetie Bell said with a laugh remembering the petty dream.
"Yea, that was a stupid dream. Like how was it supposed to happen?" Said Silver spoon.
Now she wasn't so sweet just like she said. "Yea! You said it Bitter Bell and Scootaloo!" Diamond said.
Bitter bell? Was that her name now? Made sense...What had happened to her friends? why are they like this? Why are they doing this to me? Apple bloom was filled with questions that she couldn't ask. Her dearest friends has turned on her and became bullies.
⚠TO THE READER⚠ This is where the path diverges. The next chapters have separate endings. Choose!
One andtwo," Diamond and Silver Spoon said in unison "
"three and four," Bitter Bell and Scootaloo said also in unison.
"Everybodylovesusmore." They all said.
"We are working on it" said Silver Spoon.
They laughed at her, than walked away. Their cutie marks flashed in the sun light, She had won the game. Joy and relief filled the darkness she was in and that made Crimson wince in annoyance. A light shined and the dark tar retreated to its holder. All faded to black and he was shocked.
"Congratulations you have won. You may be set free young Apple Bloom" He said with a smile.
His horn lit red and a spell was cast shocking her into reality. Apple bloom still had a barrel of questions but now she had a scratch on her chest where the bot was panded. Than she saw the light of Luna's beautify lit up moon, the trees swaying in the wind, and the faint sound of clouds dale starting to get going. Crimson was gone and she had a slight head ache. Her eyes were dry like a desert so they watered up. She knew she was back and she knew she had fought hard. She wanted her reward in seeing her friends again. As the tree house was lit with moon night, she could see, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo on the floor, but sweetie had black on her horn. Both of them had a mark on their chest, an eye with a star like twilights in the middle. They didn't move, from her knowledge, they had both lost the game. She sobbed as the sky turned to the colors of day, but for Apple Bloom, everything seemed dark.
Celestia why? Why me? She asked than yelled "WHY?"
Apple bloom burst into tears knowing she couldn't win. She looked down and cried her life out. Crimson grinned a wide grin as a big eye with a red star like twilight sparkles cutie mark appeared above his horn.
He laughed like a mad pony and asked "What is your last wish?" His voice like an angry dragon.
Apple bloom softly said "I wish to know how my parents died."
She paused realizing what she had asked. Whenever she asked Apple Jack or Granny Smith or even Bigmac, they would either tear up or say when your older. The shadow pony seemed to smile but a sad one.
"Apple bloom" he said with a hint of sadness.
She looked up with teary blood shot eyes "Say it or just get it over with and make me exist already!"
Crimson lowered his head and walked towards her. The figure was clear now, a tall stallion with a flowing mane and tail like lunas only the whole body was still covered in black mist. A long horn and the same symbol that was above his horn was his cutie mark.
"Apple bloom did you know your parents?" Asked Crimson.
Her head lowered again and said "No, they died before I got a chance to meet them, I was only a baby when it happened but I've but kept in the dark of how it happened."
Crimson sat down and patted her head he seemed to shrink in size to a normal grown pony and the mist started to clear, showing a light brownish gold coat. His eyes returned to a normal pony's eye, the color was chocolate brown.
'He's quite handsome without all that black stuff.' apple bloom though.
"I was there when they died...and I'm sorry." His voice was smooth but deep.
Than the tar started to pool around him and the misty mane returned but the stallion seemed to fight it this time. His head thrashed and his hooves were stomping, a determined look on his face. He grunted and snorted and foamed at the mouth. One eye grew deep red but the other teared up a little. His horn glowed bright red mixed with brown as the horn itself turned black. Half his body was being engulfed in black smoke and tar.
"I will let you live, ask Granny Smith...how it happened!" His dulled voice was mixed with that deep, malevolent voice as he struggled.
He pointed his horn to her and shot a beam of light. It wrapped around Apple bloom and she heard the stallion say "Your friends can be saved!"
As the voice of a struggling pony became more distant and her vision became completely engulfed in white. Apple bloom floated down into the tree house as she was brought back to reality. Her hooves touched the wood and she collapsed. Than she remembered Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo. Apple Bloom gently nudged them, they were both like rag dolls.
'It's that mark that the Crimson had on his flank' she thought.
Sweetie had a black horn but was in the same state scootaloo was in before this all happened.
"Your friends can be saved." She said out loud, smiling and tearing up.
As day broke along the horizon, she didn't know how, but she was going to save them, and maybe save Crimson.
