The Black Apple

by Duke of Canterlot

Daddy-Daughter Time

Pinkie rushed back to Equestria. The humans have decided! Based on who they decided to bring back to life, Apple Bloom would have some tough competition. Perhaps Equestria would be well-prepared to face evil this time around.

Pinkie Pie shivered as she passed a farm with ponies who couldn't talk and seemed rather dumb compared to the humans who lived in this world. They were earth ponies like her, but the grown-up ponies were much larger than her, more like the size of Princess Celestia. None of the ones she saw had wings or horns. Pinkie wondered about whether unicorns and pegasi existed in this world or were they like humans in Equestria?

These were questions Pinkie would find the answer to some day. She told herself that she needed to ask Duke of Canterlot the next time she visited. Hopefully, she wouldn't forget like the other three times.

Pinkie jumped through the portal and went straight to Zecora's house.

Pinkie knocked on the door. She could smell something brewing. Pinkie smiled. This must be what will bring the dead back to life.

Zecora opened the door and said, "Hello Pinkie Pie, who did they say deserved not to die?"

"I have the names. Spike, Cerberus, Gilda, and Silver Spoon!"

"Ho ho!"

"So, how do we go about this?"

"Car goes vroom. These four will surely kill Apple Bloom."

"Sometimes, I think you make stuff up to rhyme. What's a vroom?"

"Things are not always what they seem. This was in a dream."

"Let's get this over with, okie. Dokie lokie."

"It is time to begin the games, let us say their names!!"

Zecora opened up a bunch of bottles and poured them into the pot. She began to hum and motioned for Pinkie to speak.

"Spike the dragon, Cerberus the guard of Tartarus, Gilda the griffon, and Silver Spoon the filly... please, bring these four back to life."

Zecora looked up at Pinkie and smiled. Suddenly, the whole house began to shake. Something was certainly happening. The lights turned out and it was pitch black. What was happening?

The lights turned back on. Pinkie could see that there were four more bodies.. it worked, they were back to life: Spike, Cerberus, Gilda, and Silver Spoon. They were asleep, but showed signs of life. Cerberus was quite large. The other three would have been able to sleep on his body without a problem.

"Soon we can put this to test", said Zecora, "but believe it or not, they need a couple hours of rest."

---

A lot had changed in Apple Bloom's life over the past year. The little filly had grown a taste for murder. It felt so good to kill Spike last night. Apple Bloom and Tirek were hiding deep in the Everfree Forest. It didn't matter. Even the most horrifying of creatures were terrified of the two of them. Word of Apple Bloom's murders and Tirek's past spread through the whole world, nobody would dare mess with them... anyone who does is an idiot.

With her father, Tirek, at her side, there would be nothing that could stand in her way.

"My dear", said Tirek, "soon, we will be set."

"Set for what, exactly?"

"The world will soon be what we dream."

"A world where only the worthy live?"

"Yes, Bloom, exactly that. It will also be our opportunity to rule the world."

Apple Bloom wasn't sure she wanted that kind of responsibility, but she knew that Tirek's definition of "ruling the world" was not the dutiful and serious manner Celestia ruled the world. Rather, Tirek would take everything for himself and no pony would be able to stop him. It wouldn't feel much like responsibility at all.

"Spike's a weakling", said Apple Bloom, "you're certainly not going to be killing many ponies in your scrawny baboon like form."

"What about Cerberus?"

"I used the favorite weapon of a mare: poison. Don't you remember?"

"Yes, I do", said Tirek with a sigh, "you're not exactly in the running for strongest being either."

"Ah worked hard on the farm, that makes me strong."

"That country bumpkin thing isn't endearing at all, stop it."

"Ah don't' care 'bout that sort of stuff."

"You should listen to your father. Besides, I know what we will do", said Tirek, "isn't tomorrow the summer sun celebration?"

"Yea, but....", Apple Bloom had a feeling she knew what Tirek was talking about. Sometimes, she wondered if her father was insane.

"Go big or go home", said Tirek confidently, "you will kill Princess Celestia and I will steal her magic. Once we do that, we are unstoppable."

"How the hell is that going to work? Isn't Princess Celestia immortal?"

"Alicorns are not immortal", said Tirek, "simply very long-lived ponies, ones that are hard to kill, but not impossible."

Apple Bloom smiled at Tirek and said, "in that case, I'm up for the challenge."

"I have been studying your methods" said Tirek, "you have certainly inherited my superior intellect. I trust you will do your best."

"Ah am already thinking.. hmmm... I wish I still had more of that poison. Ah used the last on Cerberus."

"Do you know how to make it?"

Apple Bloom shook her head nervously. This wasn't going to turn out well.

"Figure it out", said Tirek softly and coldly, "you must."

If Tirek said she must figure out, she will. But how? Apple Bloom never tried.

"Ah will get to work Daddy."

"It's I.. not ah."

"Sorry, you're the one who left me to be raised by low-class farmers."

"That was your mother's fault", said Tirek sadly, "not mine."

"You should have fought harder. I was forced to live such a dull life."

"Your mother was the only one I could never disobey."

Apple Bloom wondered if her father loved her mother... if he was even capable of love.

"I'll think about it. How are we going to recreate the poison by tomorrow?"

"Use that brain of yours. I am confident you will figure it out, if you care about our mission."

Apple Bloom resented that talk from her father. She cared deeply about improving the world.
If killing Celestia was the best way to do it, Apple Bloom would do it.
Celestia certainly wasn't a bad pony, but she wasn't the kind of pony who would support Apple Bloom's goals.
The almighty and powerful alicorn magic was better suited for someone like Tirek who wished to cleanse the world. It was also quite well-suited for Apple Bloom.

Tirek was her father, but Apple Bloom wondered... maybe she could get the magic instead.
That was the fire Apple Bloom needed to really think about how that poison was made.
However, Apple Bloom shivered at the thought of betraying her father. Not only because he was her father, but also Tirek was the only one who was more ruthless than her. Tirek would destroy Apple Bloom if she tricked him.

Still... Apple Bloom the alicorn sounded awfully nice.
She smiled. She remembered Granny Smith talking about what was in the poison.
On the farm, when a tree grew sick, it would grow rotten and black apples would grow from the tree.
Granny must have collected enough of them to kill any sick animals.
Why didn't she think about it before? The poison was inside her. It was in her blood. Like her cutie mark.
Apple Bloom found a sharp piece of wood outside and cut herself with it.
The cut was deep and painful. She let the blood fall onto a leaf. She needed to get it preserved. Since that was the secret ingredient, she could make the poison and be the one who killed Princess Celestia.

Apple Bloom got to work. Her father would be proud.

Author's Note:

The action is gonna start for real next chapter.
Thanks to all of you who voted!

Comments

[Axion]

I do say. Apple Bloom is taking an evil approach to this. I must put a song into this:

[Duke of Canterlot]

4742663
Very appropriate song :D

[Weird Dragon]

Can't wait for the next chapter

[That Gamer Over There]

4742663 I can one up that