Applejack explored the strange building in confusion. Where was she? Why was it so dark?
From the looks of the old machinery, she figured she was in a factory of some kind, but for the life of her she didn't know how she got there.
She pulled out her phone - which, of course, had no reception - and turned on her flashlight. As she explored room after room, her light fell upon a huddled figure with familiar red hair.
"Oh mah God." Applejack whispered, and immediately ran to the girl's side.
Sunset Shimmer was lying in a pool of blood, and had cuts and bruises all over her face. One eye was completely black and swollen shut, and she had foul profanities scribbled on her in marker. On her forehead someone had etched "Who's laughing now?" Her lips were blue and had dried blood on them. Her arms and legs were bent at odd angles, obviously broken. Several feet away was her phone, smashed to pieces.
Applejack felt for a pulse, but her heart sank as she found none.
She felt sick. No matter how angry or hurt she had been, she would never have wished this on anyone, especially Sunset.
"You lied to me."
Applejack snapped up and turned around, and her lungs froze in her chest.
The creature standing before her was obviously not human, and was radiating cold fury.
"S...Sunset?"
Applejack looked between the dead beaten Sunset on the floor, to the furious demonic Sunset standing before her. She knew it was Sunset, but her demonic form was different from last time - aside from the wings, she looked more like a walking corpse than a demon.
Scoffing, she stood up. "So, you've started this mess again. Can't really say Ah'm surprised. Ya really haven't changed at all."
"Guess it takes a liar to know a liar."
"An' wut's that supposed ta mean?" Applejack cried indignant. "I ain't never lied about nothin' in mah life!"
"Then why'd you tell me I was your friend?"
Applejack looked stunned for a minute, but then narrowed her eyes. "Now don't you start with that. You got no one ta blame but yourself for that."
She turned to leave, but was shocked to find Demon Sunset standing right in front of her.
"Let me ask you something. What if you and I were related? What if a member of your family did something like this? Would you have abandoned them like you did me?"
The question shocked Applejack, but she remained stern. "Well Ah don't see how that really matters, seein' as how you ain't mah family."
"So you admit you lied."
"Ah did no such thing!" Applejack cried. "You betrayed us! We gave you everything and you repaid us by stabbin' us in the back!"
"Cut the crap, AJ."
Applejack suddenly felt very small as Sunset got in her face, her golden eyes boring into hers. "This has nothing to do with Anon-A-Miss, and you know it."
"What in tarnation are you talkin' about?"
Sunset narrowed her eyes in anger, and she seemed to grow larger with each word. "I was never your friend, Applejack. All I ever was to you, from the very beginning, was an obligation to Twilight. A pet. A trophy you and the others could show off as proof you took me down a peg."
"T-that's not-"
Applejack cried out in pain as Sunset grabbed her wrist.
"Well, since you like lying so much....how about we make it indefinite?"
Applejack screamed as her whole body caught fire. The last thing she saw was Sunset's eyes glowing white.
Applejack woke with a start, and sat up in bed panting.
She checked her alarm clock. It was almost time for her to get up for school.
As she pondered the strange dream she had, her phone went off. It was a message from Pinkie Pie.
CHECK MYSTABLE! NOW!!!!!!!
Applejack sighed, mentally preparing herself, and opened her Mystable app. What had Anon-A-Miss posted this time?
It wasn't from Anon-A-Miss, but the image made her sick none-the-less.
It was a picture of Sunset, battered and bruised, her arms and legs bound, and profanities scribbled all over her face.
Just like in my dream.
Beneath the image was a caption that read, "LOL! Wanna hear a secret about Anon-A-Miss? She's not coming back to CHS!" In the comments section were a plethora of jokes and laugh emojis that had been made by other students from every grade level, all of which showed praise to whoever Sunset’s attackers were.
Applejack placed her phone down as her head swam.
Her phone rang again. This time from Rarity.
Have you seen the image? It's simply horrible! I hope she's okay.
Sighing, Applejack typed a reply.
I don't. I hope she's dead.
......Surely you don't mean that?
Applejack stared at her phone in horror. That's not what she had typed! She sent another reply.
I sure do. The bitch had it coming! She deserves it!
No no no! That is not what she meant! She tried to send a third reply, but suddenly her entire arm felt as if it were on fire. She clutched it to her chest as her phone fell to the floor.
Applejack slowly turned her arm and pushed up her pajama sleeve. What she saw filled her with dread.
On her arm, surrounded with black veins and glowing bright red, was a single word - LIAR.
It was hot to the touch and sent throbbing pain down her whole arm.
"Well, since you like lying so much....how about we make it indefinite?"
"Su-" The words died in her throat. No matter how she tried to push them out, they wouldn't come. It seemed that Applejack was now incapable of telling the truth - even to herself.
The door to her room creaked open and the head of her little sister peaked through. "Sis? Are you okay?"
"Ah'm fine!" came the harsh-sounding reply.
Apple Bloom opened the door more fully. "Whatsa matter? Didja hurt yer arm?"
"Nothin's wrong! Now go away! Yer annoyin' me!"
Apple Bloom flinched, her face full of hurt. "Why're yew bein' so mean?"
"Cuz Ah hate yew!"
Apple Bloom looked as though she'd been slapped. "W-What?"
Applejack struggled with all her might, her eyes wide with horror, but the terrible lies continued.
"Yew heard me! Ah hate yew! Ah wish yew were never born! Everythin' would be so much better if yew'd jest die!"
Apple Bloom burst into wounded sobs and ran from the room. Applejack tried to reach out, but the pain in her arm kept her frozen to the spot.
"Don't come back! I meant every word! Ah hate yew! HATE YEW!"
The terrible words tasted like bile, but she couldn't take them back even if she wanted to. The farm girl sank to her knees and sobbed.
She saw something in her mirror, and turned to see Sunset, in demonic form, glaring at her with grim triumph.
"You're a saint! A SAINT!" Applejack hissed. "I LOVE YOU!!"
"The feeling's mutual." The image in the mirror said coldly, before slowly fading away.
Apple Bloom sobbed miserably on her bed.
Why would her big sis say something so horrible?
Her phone went off, and out of curiosity she opened it.
Sunset's broken, bleeding body stared back at her.
Apple Bloom dropped her phone in horror. This isn't what she wanted! She never meant for this-
And suddenly it clicked.
She knows. Applejack knows it was me. She knows what I did. And she hates me for it.
As if on autopilot, she went over to her computer, turned on her webcam, and said, loudly and clearly,
"Mah name is Apple Bloom....and Ah am Anon-A-Miss."