Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo came into Apple Bloom's room and set down a platter of toast next to her.
"Why'd you come back! We thought we made it clear you were not to rejoin us after you lost the gems that Luna gave us."
"I've told you a million time, I didn't loose them! They were stolen!"
"But it's all we had left!" said Sweetie Belle who's voice was shaky.
"It doesn't matter anymore. You know as well as I do that you will not grow strong enough to fight back."
The girls left and Apple Bloom realized that they had chained her hoof to the frame of the bed. She tugged of the chain and only heard it slide around the metal. She payed back down and reached out for a piece of toast. As she ate the toast, she wondered how she would get back to the earth pony base before she was late and they would send and executioner. There was a tap on the window and Apple Bloom swung her head around to see what it was. More like who it was. Thorn came through and pulled out a knife. He sawed the chains and Apple Bloom broke free.
"Thanks for coming back. I don't really see you as that kind of pony."
Thorn was a pony of few words and dramatic actions. He stroked his hoof against the side of Apple Bloom's face and gazed into her eyes.
"What was life like before this? I'm starting to forget."
Thorn's voice drifted from reality and he stared out the window. Apple Bloom that Thorn's question was rhetorical. Most any questions he asked were. Apple Bloom ran over to the open window and stood on the frame.
"Gotta go. Don't wanna be late for my report."
Apple Bloom kept out the window and Thorn was right behind her. The galloped all the way back to the earth pony base and Thorn left Apple Bloom outside it's gates.
"Are you sure you don't wanna come back? Have a safer life?"
"Slavery is not safer than dangerous freedom."
Thorn quickly walked away and Apple Bloom went to the slave quarters and reported to the master pony.
"The rebels have plans for war."
She pulled out some of the maps and pictures that she had stolen.
"Very good. Keep up this kind of work and you'll be only a hop, skip, and jump away from freedom."
Apple Bloom smiled at the master pony and went back to the rebel base. She climbed back through the window. Apple Bloom massed up her mane and tail and gashed her cheek with a piece of glass from the window. She sprawled on the bed as Sweetie Belle opened the door.
"We thought we heard voices and came up to see what-"
She gasped as she saw was what an injured Apple Bloom and broken window.
"By Celestia's beard, what happened in here!"
"Some kind of monster broke through the window and cut me. I passed out and don't remember the rest."
As Apple Bloom lied, her stomach started to knot and pain shot all around her body. She wrapped her arms around her midsection and her head lowered.
"Is something wrong, Apple Bloom?" said Sweetie Belle sarcastically, "I've know you your whole life and I know when you lie! What really happened!"
A look of pure rage spread across both of their faces. Scootaloo walked past the door and heard the staggering of glass inside the room. Her hoof reached out towards the door and she slowly pushed it open. Scootaloo stared through the crack and watched as they hoofed each other and tumbled across the room. Scootaloo dropped what she was holding as her hooves slowly rose to her mouth. She lost balance and one of the two hooves she had been standing on shifted and opened the door. They stopped fighting and watched as tears flooded Scootaloo's eyes. She ran off and Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom chased after her.
"I can explain!" Sweetie Belle pleaded.
Scootaloo swung around, tears streaming down her face, her voice shaky, "I came here to escape all of this fighting! You have just crushed everything I've worked for! Believe me, this is one debt you can't repay."
She ran out and Scar Wing followed. Scar Wing looked at Sweetie Belle. His face was angry, but his eyes were sympathetic. Sweetie Belle ran to the door and watched as the ran into an uninhabited part of Everfree Forest. Apple Bloom was still leaning against the door frame, wishing she had never come. Wishing the executioner would have found her. Wishing the war would have killed her. Wishing that she had never met Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle turned and face Apple Bloom.
"You monster! How could you do that!"
Sweetie Belle's gaze fell to her hooves and her voice became soft.
"You've done this all your life, and I'd been to blind to see it."
Sweetie Belle went over to Stormcloud and whispered something in his ear. As she backed away, Night Crest grabbed Stormcloud's leg and crawled onto his back. They walked out of the base and towards the remains of what used to be Ponyville. Apple Bloom had singlehandedly torn apart her friends.
Apple Bloom made it back to the earth pony base and went to the master pony. She gasped for air and her words were spaced.
"The...rebels...they...called off...the war..."
"How did you do it! You singlehandedly brought down our only enemy. You have earned you freedom."
The master pony ripped up Apple Bloom's file. She smiled and immediately darted out of the forest.
The master pony called in the distance, "Hey! Come back! We'll get you if it's the last thing we do!"
Apple Bloom continued running, adrenaline shooting through her. She could barely breath by the time she made it out of Everfree Forest. She collapsed and laid on her back.
She stared at the sun and whispered to herself, "Take me, Celestia," and she became unconscious.