//------------------------------// // Between a Mare and Thoughts // Story: Apple Blossoms: A Blooming Prequel // by StarRibbon //------------------------------// I flew harder, faster than I ever felt myself do. My wing beat against my sides. I can't recall a time when they hurt so much. Though, this is faulty, my memory never was the best. Maybe something happened befor- No, wait, it had. Completely. It was one of the few memories that I can remember; beating the pain in my wings and realizing such a stupid fear intensified. All the more reason for my stomach to get all acidic and knot up. I forced my eyes closed, the wind whipping me at this point. It knew I was bad, obviously. 'What was with those messages?' I question myself. My thoughts didn't give me an answer. I didn't even know I had those thoughts, but even so, it felt dirty. I felt dirty. Yet, I shouldn't, should I? No, I think not. 'So many...they can't be memories...like I thought..' I couldn't exactly believe myself. I shut my eyes closed tightly. 'Why did I even like Diamond Tiara-why do I think I like her?' No reply as of ye- You should feel dirty, you were touched there. A tear escaped. That can't be. Diamond saved you at least once, don't you recall? The voice was quiet and timid-my thoughts were I mean. Diamond wouldn't sav- She did, she had. I love her-I care for her in heart. Yet she was such a snob-a jerk and a bully at that. But she...s he saved the filly. She saved her momentarily and showed love that she never had felt. If I could see myself, I'd say I was blushing. I can feel it across my cheek. She knew all to well, don't you think? It responded to me without my answer. 'What-you can't be..' I shook my head. I don't know what I said during the visitation with Diamond. It was just..there lacked words. I can't figure why. "I heard your mommy was one of those BAD ponies, " A violet filly commented towards the simple orange pegasus filly. The pony made emphasis directly on BAD. That orange filly cringed, knowing well that she was being insulted. Still, no response prompted another surge. "..and do you know what MY mom says about bad ponies?" "I..I really..." The other answered back, scared out of her wits as she scanned to choose words. "I...I really have no id--" The violet filly smiled such a cruel smile, like she was prey. That filly allowed her such cruel fun, hadn't she? "Of course you don't, I shouldn't have bothered to even ask. After all, you pegasi are all the same. Wait, nope, just you." She snorted out the last part as she laughed. She had found it funny to bask in the misery of the other. "After all, I'm assuming you know the answer anyway, but too dumb to say it." "Wh...what are you suggesting..?" She perked at the other, a frown crossing her features from the insult. The violet one flicked her forehead, smiling all the while with arrogance. "Can't your tiny feather brain realize it yet?" She brought the dizzy filly close to her, enough so only she can hear her words. "Bad ponies have bad fillies, its the rule. But you wouldn't see that, would you? After all, your just as bad as her, maybe even worse. Especially, when that somepony's just a no good filly fooler." She pushed her away with fearful, yet such angry eyes glaring out at her. She summoned her courage to speak in defense of herself. "I'm NOTHING like her, don't you compare me to that..." To that what? To..to mean Mama? She didn't have the courage to end the sentence, even with her anger. To mention that her Mama was mean defied everything, something her mind didn't wish to do. "You lost the moment you spoke. So sad, isn't it? That your defending yourself for being such a nasty filly," She chastised before shrugging with a smirk."But hey, you and her have something in common, now don't you? You won't be alone, you'll just continue being a toy until you become real anytime soon to find yourself a toy. I'm sure you like making others bad, don't you? After all, your not going to go any higher. Your just some nasty filly that wish she was a normal, like ME." She turned away before flicking her tail in her direction as she gave a toothy grin. "You'll never be better than a normal pony such as I, Summer Stone. But, I think you realized that by now. Now, if you excuse me, we pure fillies have to go home to our pure Mama and feast." Summer Stone took some joy as she trotted away, leaving the orange filly to look horrified. 'She knew her mom was bad..like my own...' Why can't these messages just leave me alone? I'm not her! I don't even know her one bit-but they sound so familiar. Everything is familiar. All the feelings were familiar, everything. The shear panic was climbing in me-I know that soul's plight, her panic my own. Its because she's us.. It was a thought worth noting. How long..? Was I just..? I shook, my hooves firmly placed somewhere on the ground. Where was I? How did I even land? I knew my mom was bad, I read up on that, I instinctively knew it. I shook my head. 'That's just impossible.' ..can't you see that your running from us..? Why was this voice persecuting me? Was this some sort of joke that Celestia wanted to test me with? 'I'm not running away. I don't know that..that filly. I don't know her.' I can't believe I responded back. It didn't answer right away. Why are you in denial? Wait what? 'I'm not in denial!' I counter, "I don't have a reason to be in denial, I don't know her. I don't know any of what your saying, can't you understand that?' The thought didn't respond before another 'message' answered my instead. "Mama, why are you bringing me here?" The filly kindly asked, her purple eyes showed much curiosity. The mother took note of it, pausing slightly to catch her thoughts. "Mama?" The mother craned her neck to glance at her child. "Hush now, Mama's just thinking. Don't cause a fuss over something minor," Mama replied. "Ah, here we are. My precious collection, darling. You'll be the first to see the newest collection. Your sister saw the first. She wasn't too pleased, the poor dear." The filly in question turned to see the mother's big fuss over such a collection. It was a collection she heard of before-something that she wasn't exactly sure of meant value until now. It was shelves upon shelves with dolls so lifelike in quality, something so divine. Yet the smell over all, despite the beauty, was quite rancid in nature. She nearly gagged at the stench. "Its so beautiful Mama!" She marveled, still, the stench was overpowering. No beauty should smell like a carcass. "Its the most beautiful sight I ever seen! Its just the smell that's so off putting, don't you agree, Mama?" She flinched. How could she forget that she shouldn't say certain things? Though, thankfully, the mother didn't seem to mind. "Aw, yes, my little 'lieve, the stench is quite..off putting, as you put it." The mother noted as she nodded. "I believe I've gotten used to it-you'll to, Sweetie." "What do you mean, Mama?" She couldn't stop herself from asking, enthusiasm escaping before she quietly piped down. No way, no how, could she make such beautiful works of art. She barely could draw, making such a beautiful creation was beyond her grasp. Besides, when is Mama this nice? Why is she even trusting her? 'Especially when I know she's...she's a bad pony..she's a bad pony, like Summer Stone said...' She tried ignoring the pit of horror in her stomach as she thought. She tried, honestly, to ignore everything and return back to her normal habits, but, even after a few days of trying, she still plagued her. She hid her response. "Your going to help me make them, isn't that obvious?" The filly was taken aback. She couldn't use scissors correctly...or paint better than a slob, so why would mother subject herself to a pony that lacked such artistic skills? "Bu-But I..I can't do that..." She whimpered. "I can't make such pretty dolls and marrionettes like you, Mama. I would be a bother, wouldn't I?" The mother shook her head. "Nonsense! You'll surely be a help. After all, you surely must be taught how to master these elements. Your sister decided otherwise, however, I intend to make you learn." The mother shrugged some minor fears, but a bigger fear loomed her. "Besides, one pony needs to have such great tastes, and it isn't your sister."She flipped her curls to show effect. A scream rippled through my throat. The mere thoughts cut off dug so deep, but the thoughts wouldn't get the chance to win. Something spun. EVERYTHING spun. You can't run..from yourself. Tears trickle down my orange cheeks as air whipped past me with fury. The spiral went down more, my wings feeling a downward draft. My heart was dropping-no, I was falling. How can I be falling? There was so much blood, everything stained with blood. Intestines...please...I want to flee.... ...flee from...myself... I realize quickly that the second part of what it said..was said by me. Was I that cruel? Was I committing that? Regret pulsed through me. I try opening my eyes, but they won't. My eyes wouldn't open up or maybe they had but I couldn't see. Black, all black but there lacked pain that I was expecting. The pain that I so rightfully deserved. Where's the impact? Something held onto me. The questions were piled, I just lacked the answers. I can't open my mouth to answer. The function was disabled. "Squirt, your going to be alright. I'm going to fly you straight away." A murmur was given out from whatever questioned me. My form didn't relax at all. There were screams of some emotion. I can't figure right now..it all hurts so much..what was the screaming about? I can't feel myself groan, but the need to was there. That's when something sharp pierced the center of my chest and my head started with such a pain, with such a pain that was equivalent to being run over twice by a train and then by a cart. I felt convulsions then a sudden stop abruptly. She stood, craned over a body of the violet filly-Summer Stone. Her eyes wide and giant, looking for a way to justify. There lacked justification-you can't justify the scene. There were screams, so many screams. The screams filled her ears, but she couldn't make the screams go away. Then the silence took its place and the blanket of screams was shrouded. With a frown and a look of great pleasure from the mother, there was no returning..and then the snap that ended it all.