Chapter 11: The She-Demon (Apple Bloom)
It was later in the early evening at the suburb area of Canterlot city. After the two talked from the mall, Diamond decided to call the rest of their hangout off, who was still depressed after meeting her ex-best friend. Apple Bloom sighed heavily as she walked down the snowy path towards her home, while carrying her bags full of purchased goods. Her conversation with Diamond was still fresh on her mind. Her actions as Anon-a-Miss really affected her friendship with Silver Spoon. It was so hard to imagine them not being best friends anymore since those two were together for so long like they were sisters, even back when they were bullies. She would feel terrible if their friendship was really beyond repair. She was also starting to think about how many other friendships she destroyed along the way just to get to Shimmer. She usually ignored her guilt just for the sake of her mission, but lately, her guilt was getting harder and harder to ignore.
She didn't know how long she was walking, but judging from the sun setting out from the horizon suggested that she was out for a long time. Luckily for her, she reached her house on Sweet Apple Acres and entered through the door just in time for dinner. Upon entering her house, she put away her coat and boots by the door and walked down into the hallway and into the kitchen. From there, she spotted her big brother, Big Macintosh on the table with a miserable look.
Apple Bloom sighed internally from guilt upon seeing her brother. A few days ago, she received an email from one of the students of a recorded video of Sugar Belle, Big Mac's girlfriend. In that video, Sugar Belle was at the mall with her friends, eating lunch while having a conversation, mostly about boys. At some point, she was talking about someone, assuming her big brother. It was hard to make out, but she mentioned the lines of "he doesn't need to visit me anymore" and "he's going to be on his own". The biggest shock of all, Sugar Belle said "we're finished" after one of her friends told her to just be honest, implying that she was going to break up with Big Macintosh. Thinking that this would be another ammo to use against Shimmer, Apple Bloom decided to post that video on Anon-a-Miss's page with a tagline:
"Look's like she's already bored with her boyfriend!"
Needless to say, her brother broke up with Sugar Belle before she could even explain, leaving him depressed ever since.
Apple Bloom then turned towards her grandmother, Granny Smith, who was just taking out the roast from the oven with her mitts. Upon taking the roast out, Granny Smith finally noticed her young granddaughter.
"Oh... hey Apple Bloom," Granny Smith greeted quietly. "Yer just in time fer dinner. Put yer things down and come join us at the table."
"Yes Granny Smith," said Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom placed her bags down on the counter as instructed and then headed over to the table. She took a chair that was next to her brother and sat down. She glanced at her brother as a silent greeting, who only nodded as response. Granny Smith wordlessly placed the food on the table before taking her own seat.
The three of them began to dig into their meals without saying a word in silence. Apple Bloom hated having a depressing atmosphere during their family dinner. She preferred having a much lively dinner with her family full of laughter and cheerfulness as they talked. But with the circumstances going on in almost the past two weeks, her family's dinner times was never the same, especially for Applejack.
Speaking of her sister, Apple Bloom finally noticed someone was missing from their dinner when she glanced at an empty seat across from her.
"Um Granny... where's Applejack?" Apple Bloom asked.
Granny Smith paused, swallowing her food and then she let out a sad sigh.
"Applejack... won't be joining us today."
"Why not?" Apple Bloom pressed.
"...she's not feeling well," her grandmother responded with some hesitation.
Apple Bloom frowned worriedly, already knew what this was about. "It's because of what had been happening at school wasn't it?"
"Eeyep," Big Mac answered with a miserable sigh.
With the cat out of the bag, Granny Smith sighed again and looked up towards the ceiling. "Poor gal... all them rotten kids continued to taunt her with that nickname that she hated so much. But that was the least of her worries!" She looked down again and took a small sip of her drink. "While she suspected that Sunset gal be the culprit, she felt terrible for abandonin' her like that instead of hearing her out. She wanted to go talk to her, but she was too afraid to ask. And on top of that... she and her friends don't talk to each other much anymore ever since they disowned that Shimmer girl."
Apple Bloom stared back at her grandmother in shock. The fact that her sister didn't hang out with her friends much anymore was news to her. Did she really caused so much damage that she unintentionally break up the Rainbooms? And why didn't her sister tell her about this? Was Apple Bloom so focused on getting revenge against Shimmer that she never noticed this or was it simply because Applejack chose not to say anything for some reason?
"But... Ah've seen them sat together at lunch all the time!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
"Ah said talk, not hanging out," Granny Smith pointed out in a firm tone. "But even so, those girls have become distant from each other since then!"
"But... why?" Apple Bloom asked.
Granny Smith looked down towards her plate with a tired frown. "Ah can't speak for her friends, but with that Anon-a-Miss nonsense going on at the school, Applejack had a hard time trusting people with anything... including her own friends."
Apple Bloom gaped at her grandmother, not believing what she was hearing. "But... I know her friends! They would never do anything to betray AJ's trust!"
"How can you be so sure?" Granny Smith challenged. "Yer sister thought the same thing about Sunset before she found very strong evidence against her! And even if it wasn't Sunset, then how would she know that it was one of her other friends who revealed her secret since they spent the most time with her! Why, she even thinks it could be Rainbow Dash by getting back at her for unfairly break up her friendship over that bake sale incident a while back!"
"WAT! But that's ridiculous!" Apple Bloom cried. "Ah know those two butted heads sometimes, but Rainbow Dash is the most loyal person Ah know! She would never betray her that dat!"
Granny Smith sighed through her nose. "Oh I know that dearie... but that's what yer sister thinks, despite me telling her how ridiculous that sounded. Still, she had a hard time trusting anyone after she stayed at Rarity's the other week." She then frowned and her eyes narrowed. "But if you ask me... Ah think it was more than that."
Apple Bloom tilted her head. "What do you mean Granny?"
Granny Smith was silent for a moment, deep in thought until she finally answered. "Ah think... it was because of the fact that they left Sunset behind... they weren't the same since. Whether they admit it or not... Sunset was a major part of their clan, making them the happiest group of friends they can be with an unbreakable bond. But by leaving that girl behind... they left their heart of their group with them."
Apple Bloom stared back at her grandmother with mixed feelings. On the one hand, her grandmother's explanation makes perfect sense. Ever since the Fall Formal, she had seen her sister and her friends becoming much closer than ever... including Shimmer. Just seeing them getting along, having fun and enjoying each other's company inspired other students to become friends with other people, even outside their own cliques. There were even rumors that the Rainbooms already won "Best Friends" category for the upcoming yearbook. If Apple Bloom really single-handedly destroyed the Rainbooms friendship for going after one person, then she felt even more guilty than ever.
But on the other hand, she hated the idea that Shimmer herself is the "heart" of the group. Apple Bloom went through all that hardship to get rid of Shimmer, in hopes that her sister will come back to her and then realizes that she'll be better off without that equestian girl. But the fact that her sister and her friends will not go back to the way it was without Shimmer would anger Apple Bloom to no end. Shimmer was now starting to become a disease to her that she couldn't get rid of no matter what she does.
Apple Bloom breathed through her nose to calm herself before asking her grandmother this particular question.
"Do you think... that Shimmer is innocent Granny?"
Granny Smith blinked for a moment, processing her granddaughter's question before answering. "If you asked me that months ago, Ah would think that she's as guilty as sin! But after getting to know the gal after the Fall Formal... it's hard to imagined her of being the culprit at all."
Not satisfied with her grandmother's answer, Apple Bloom resumed eating her meal without saying another word.
After dinner, Apple Bloom slowly climbed up the stairs to her bedroom. She told her grandmother that she had some homework to do, but in actuality, she just wanted to just lay on her bed and mope. All that drama from the school, her ex-best friends, Diamond Tiara and her sister was really getting into her and she just wanted to escape from all that stress. As she was walking down the hallway to her bedroom, she stopped when she heard a very quiet sniffle. She turned and then realized that she was standing in front of her sister's bedroom now. And judging from what Apple Bloom was hearing, her sister sounded really upset and was trying to keep herself quiet so that she don't make everyone in the house worry.
Obviously... she failed.
Worried for her sister, Apple Bloom gently knocked on her sister's door to et her attention.
"Um... Applejack?" Apple Bloom said quietly.
"W-what is it Apple Bloom," Applejack replied through the door in a hoarse voice from all the crying.
Apple Bloom swallowed. "Are... you okay in there?"
"Ah'm fine Apple Bloom!" Applejack replied a little too quickly, but Apple Bloom was not buying it.
"Applejack... yer a terrible liar! Ah know yer not fine!"
"Ah said Ah'm fine Apple Bloom!" Applejack said stubbornly.
Apple Bloom sighed. "Ah know what happened with you and yer friends AJ! Ah'm sorry that happened to ya, but hiding in yer room crying all night won't make things better! You need to come out!"
"Ah can come out whenever Ah want!" Applejack shouted. "It's bad enough that Ah was humiliated everyday and lost my friend because of it! Now Ah'm gonna lose the rest of mah friends again just like what happened the first time, but I don't know if Ah could trust any of them! Ah just... Ah just don't know what to do anymore!"
"C'mon Applejack, you know yer friends would never do that to ya!" Apple Bloom pleaded. "And besides, yer in there fer a long time now Applejack! And we're all very worried about you!"
When Applejack didn't respond, Apple Bloom decided to try another approach to get her sister to come out of her bedroom. "Listen, how about you... c'mon out and... we'll watch Rudolph or something while we drink hot cocoa! We can even make some Christmas dolls for the fireplace just like we used to! I bet that'll cheer you up!"
Apple Bloom waited by the door like it felt for an eternity until her sister finally responded. "I'm sorry Apple Bloom... but Ah'm not in the mood right now! Just... leave me alone!"
Apple Bloom felt her heart drop from her sister's cold response. "But Applejack–"
"LEAVE!" Applejack screamed, making Apple Bloom wince.
Apple Bloom just stood like a statue with a frighten look, expecting more shouting from her sister. After a moment of silence, she heard her sister start crying again, but in much louder volume this time. Apple Bloom looked down both in defeat and sadness for failing to coax her sister out. Most of all, she felt extremely guilty for causing her sister to suffer a severe heartbreak. Not just from all the teasing. Not just making her break up Shimmer. But also destroying her sister's friendships with the Rainbooms.
The ones she also considered them... her family.
Apple Bloom let out a somber sigh and placed her palm over her sister's door.
"...Ah'm sorry sis." Apple Bloom whispered quietly before she headed to her own bedroom with her head low.
Apple Bloom blinked and looked around the area with an confused look on her face.
"W-where am Ah?" Apple Bloom asked out loud. "What's going on?"
She noticed that she was in the school's hallway, but much darker due to lack of any light source. She doesn't remember why she was in school or how she got here. Her confusion was short lived when she heard that familiar evil laugh, echoing from the darkness.
"Heheheheheheh!"
....
....
....
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Apple Bloom's eyes widened. "Oh no... NOT AGAIN!"
She turned just in time to see a shadowy figure with demon wings from the other side of the hall. Frightened from the sight of it, Apple Bloom turned and ran away, hoping to get away from the evil demon. She kept on running like it was in a marathon and desperately made some turns to a different hallway in hopes of losing her pursuer. But no matter how far she ran, the demon was still behind her, laughing mockingly. Eventually, Apple Bloom reached the central hallway of the school and nearly screamed.
The main hallway was filled with students she recognized from CHS. However, their behaviors was anything but normal. Each student was just standing around, swaying slightly with blank expressions on their faces as if they were in a trance. What was even more alarming was that all the students eyes were glowing.
Just like what happened to them from the Fall Formal.
It wasn't just the students who were hypnotised. Apple Bloom also spotted some teachers and staff who were also victims of the She-Demon's magic. Like Mr. Cranky Doodle, Mrs. Harshwhinny, Ms. Cheerilee, and even Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. She then spotted her two ex-best friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, Granny Smith, her brother Big Macintosh and, to Apple Bloom's horror, her sister Applejack along with the rest of the Rainbooms.
There was no one left... except herself.
Apple Bloom heard the sounds of the Demon's laughter again, but much more louder. However, Apple Bloom no longer was frightened from the demon. Instead, she was annoyed and frustrated. Finally fed up from all the torments from the She-Demon, Apple Bloom turned towards the direction where she ran from.
"Alright, Ah have enough!" Apple Bloom shouted angrily. "You wanna get to me so badly? Then, come out and face me Shimmer!"
"Shimmer?" the voice said in a mock confusion tone before chuckling. "I believe you are either mistaken or in denial, but I can assure you... I'm not her."
"Cut the bull Shimmer!" Apple Bloom growled. "Ah knew it was you! It was bad enough that you bullied everyone including mah sister, took her away from me and pretended to be her friend! And now you took my friends away from me and yer somehow hunting my dreams as revenge for taking you down!" She then pointed her finger towards the darkness. "Just admit it! You were planning to enslave us again and you were upset that Ah foiled everything! You're nothing but an evil She-Demon and you'll always will be!"
"...yep. You are definitely in denial," The voice sighed as if it was coming from a disappointed parent. "It's pathetic that you're so blind with everything you've done, you don't see the truth which was right in front of you the whole time!"
Apple Bloom's eyes narrowed. "What are ya talking about?"
"Look at the crowd again... and look hard!" The voice suggested.
Apple Bloom scoffed as she turned around. "You hypnotized everyone from mah school again! Ah don't see how this is any–"
She stopped when she noticed something that she completely missed the first time she arrived. From behind the Rainbooms, there was something, or rather someone, was hidden from plain sight. Curious, but also nervously, Apple Bloom slowly walked towards the Rainbooms. When she was close enough, she slowly walked around them so that she can get a proper look at the mysterious person. When she did, Apple Bloom was shocked.
There stood the last person that Apple Bloom never thought she would find was none other than Sunset Shimmer. Just like the rest of the people in this room, she just stood there motionless in a hypnotic stance with glowing eyes! However, unlike the others, Sunset Shimmer appearance looked rough, as if she just came out of a fight. Her skin was all pale, her clothes was partly torn and ripped, her hair was all messy, she got bruises and scrapes all over her body. But what really stood out the most to Apple Bloom was that there were tears flowing down Shimmer's cheeks, despite that her eyes were glowing.
Taken aback from the sight of Shimmer, Apple Bloom slowly backed away. "W-what's going on!? Why is Sunset Shimmer part of the zombie group too!?" She lingered her gaze at the sad older girl in front of her for a while, until her eyes narrowed and turned towards the dark hallway again. "Unless this is some kind of trick!"
"Really? You still don't realize it yet?" said voice, who was tsking in the background in disappointment. "Very well... Ah guess it's finally time to make my debut!"
Before Apple Bloom could speak, the glowy eyes suddenly appeared from the darkness, which startled her. Then, the flames from above the eyes ignited, illuminated almost the entire room. Apple Bloom immediately turned away and raised her arm to shield her eyes from the sheer brightness of the flames. When the light died down a bit, Apple Bloom decided to lower her arm and slowly turned back. When she did, Apple Bloom was shocked beyond belief.
For the very first time, Apple Bloom got a good look at the She-Demon without the shadows obscuring her vision. The She-Demon looked almost exactly the same from the Fall Formal: tall boots, red skin, a flaming dress, flaming hair and tail, two huge demon wings on its back and a wicked smile on its face. However, unlike the She-Demon from the Fall Formal, there were also some MAJOR difference to this one. For one thing, the Demon was actually shorter than the previous one. The flames for the Demon's head and tail were two different shades of red instead of red and yellow. The flaming dress the She-Demon was wearing was actually green. The color of its glowing eyes was bright orange instead of teal. The She-Demon even wore a huge red-pink bow at the back of its head. But the most horrifying thing of all was the facial features of the Demon. The Demon's face was not the face of Sunset Shimmer at all.
It was actually her own face!
"Wha- what is this!?" Apple Bloom exclaimed with a tremor from her voice. "Who... who are you!?"
Demon Apple Bloom scoffed. "What are ya, blind? Ah'm you!"
Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion, but still frightened. "If you are me... then who am I?"
Demon Apple Bloom growled and facepalmed. "UGH! You're so stupid!" She then pointed her red finger at Apple Bloom. "You're you as well!"
Apple Bloom growled. "Enough! You are clearly the same She-Demon from the Fall Formal, but with MY looks instead of Shimmer's! This has to be a trick!"
Demon Apple Bloom shook her head. "Even after you finally have a clear look at me... you're still in denial!" Demon Apple Bloom sighed and then gave Apple Bloom her serious look. "Very well, let me try to... dumb this down for you. I am not Sunset Shimmer OR the She-Demon from the Fall Formal. I am simply... a hidden part of you! Or rather... your darker part."
Apple Bloom's eyes widened. "My... darker part?"
Demon Apple Bloom smirked. "Yes," she chuckled. "I exited deep within from your anger... and your hatred."
"Wat! HATE!? A–ah don't hate anyone!" Apple Bloom cried in disbelief.
Demon Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "From the member of the Apple family, you're a terrible liar! You hated a lot of things! Being left alone, treated like a little kid, bullies, math and most of all... Sunset Shimmer! The one life that you're desperately trying to destroy!"
Apple Bloom stomped her foot. "Hey! If yer me, then you should know the good reason why Ah–"
"Oh don't give me that same excuse that you used on everybody!" Demon Apple Bloom interrupted. "You've done that so many times enough to make me PUKE!"
"But it's da truth!" Apple Bloom shouted. "She is a bully for a long time and caused so much suffering from mah school! And after she was stopped, she wasn't being punished for it! Ah have to do something to put Shimmer in her place until she's out of mah life so that she won't threaten or harm anyone ever again!"
"...ya done?" Demon Apple Bloom asked in a bored tone. "All I'm hearing from you were nothing but petty excuses. You nearly bored me to death!"
Apple Bloom growled. "But that was what she–"
"SILENCE!" Demon Apple Bloom roared, scaring Apple Bloom in the process. "I let you speak! Now it's MY turn!" She then crossed her arms. "While I concede that Shimmer bullied everyone, including your sister ever since she arrived at CHS. But have she done anything bad after the Fall Former? Think back Apple Bloom, what bad things have she done since then?"
Apple Bloom opened her mouth to speak.
"And don't say, "She took your sister away from you"!" Demon Apple Bloom added. "But don't worry, we'll get to THAT topic later!"
Apple Bloom huffed in annoyance but she complied. "Okay fine! She..."
Apple Bloom paused, having a hard time coming up with any recent "bad things" done by Sunset Shimmer.
"She... she..."
"She... what?" Demon Apple Bloom asked in a mocking tone.
"She... interrupted me and mah friends painting the Musical Showcase banner!" Apple Bloom finally answered.
Demon Apple Bloom was unimpressed with the answer. "If memory served me well, she was asking YOU if she wanted to help you paint."
Apple Bloom frowned but she tried again. "Um... what about when she competed in the Battle of the Bands? E-especially when she knocked Rainbow Dash off the stage during her performance!"
"You were brainwashed at the time!" Demon Apple Bloom pointed out. "And besides, didn't your sister tell you that she was trying to prevent Rainbow Dash from revealing her powers to those evil sirens?"
Apple Bloom nearly cursed out but held back. "W-well... what about when she bumped into me in the hallway almost a couple weeks ago!"
"Okay now you're just grasping straws!" Demon Apple Bloom scoffed. "She bumped into you by accident and offered to help pick your stuff up, only for you to turned her away like she was some kind of trash!" Before Apple Bloom could speak, Demon Apple Bloom flew up to her face. "Just face it! Shimmer didn't do anything wrong and you know it! But you on the other hand... you've done a LOT of bad things!"
"W-wat? NO! You're wrong!" Apple Bloom denied.
"Am I?" Demon Apple Bloom challenged before she flew back away from Apple Bloom and began to list off with her fingers. "Let's go over the things you and your friends did... but mostly you, for the past couple of weeks! You wanted to get back at Shimmer by creating Anon-a-Miss' MyStable account and posted everyone's secrets just to frame Shimmer... hurting everyone at school including your sister in the process! You convinced Sweetie Belle to go through with stealing pictures off from Shimmer's phone during her sister's slumber party and then posted them online! You allowed Scootaloo to be in charge of posting more secrets from other students! You ignored both your friends concerns and treated them like they were nothing, and then stabbed them in the back after trying to stop you! You also pushed one of the on the ground... nearly broke her arm in the process! You even blackmailed one of them to not say anything... caring more about keeping your messed up plan under wraps than helping your injured friend!" Demon Apple Bloom shook her head. "And now... you're all alone... with no friends by your side... and you single-handedly destroyed all the friendships at your school... while your sister meanwhile become even more distant from you and cried herself to sleep every night because of YOUR actions!"
Demon Apple Bloom slowly drifted towards Apple Bloom and glared at her. "And you did all of this... because your sister went to some slumber party for someone you don't like... over not spending any time with you!" She then proceed to slow-clap, just to mock Apple Bloom further. “So congratulations, Apple Bloom... you are now the NEW evil Sunset Shimmer of the school!”
Apple Bloom just stood there like a statue with a petrified look before she slowly shook her head. "Wat... no. NO!" She squeezed her eyes tight. "LIAR! You're trying to trick me!"
"You're the one who's lying... to YOURSELF!" Demon Apple Bloom boomed, causing Apple Bloom to gasp loudly.
Demon Apple Bloom then continued. "You say you did it out of revenge, just to get back at Sunset Shimmer for what she did to your sister and the entire school... which is ironic because you did EXACTLY what she did when she ruled the school... but a HUNDRED times worse!" Demon Apple Bloom then shrugged. "Of course... deep down, you knew what you did was wrong and Shimmer was not the same bully anymore ever since you saw her broke down crying after her friends ditched her. But rather than admitting the truth and stop the madness, you continued to keep going and kept convincing yourself that either Shimmer's "true colors" will reveal in due time, proving yourself right... or she'll flee back to wherever she and Princess Twilight came from. But instead of making things better... you made things worse!"
Demon Apple Bloom then glared at her trembling look alike. "So tell me Apple Bloom, for someone who despises all bullies like Shimmer and Diamond for humiliating everyone and making everyone lives so miserable... would YOU considered yourself a bully too after everything you done as Anon-a-Miss... WITH THOSE VERY SAME TACTICS THAT YOU DESPITE BULLIES FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE!?"
Apple Bloom was speechless with her mouth agape like a fish out of water. She couldn't find her voice to deny everything what her Demon counterpart was saying to her. As cruel as her Demon counterpart was acting towards her, deep down Apple Bloom knew that she was right.
And it hurts to admit it.
As Apple Bloom lamented with this revelation, she barely noticed her Demon counterpart floated closer to her and trailed her chin with her red finger.
"Like it or not Apple Bloom... YOU are now the monster in everyone's eyes!" Demon Apple Bloom seethed. "Not Sunset Shimmer. Not the people who send you the messages. Just... you!"
With widened eyes, Apple Bloom shook her head and took a huge step back away from her Demon counterpart.
"N-no!" She cried. "Ah... Ah just thought... Ah thought what Ah did was justified! That Ah can punish someone who did wrong in the past!" She looked down and sighed sadly. "But the truth is... Ah'm jealous. Ah'm jealous that mah sis spend more time with her than me! That she became part of my sis's group... despite that she's not worthy to be friends with mah sister! That she got my sis to do all those same Christmas traditions over that slumber party that my sis usually does with me! Ah... Ah just want my sis back! Ah want her to do those fun stuff with me again! Just the two of us! That's all Ah ever wanted! Ah... did not mean to get this far!"
"Well looky here! Looks like someone finally admitted it! This almost brings a tear to my eye!" Demon Apple Bloom sneered before she frowned. "However... you still did not admit the FULL truth! The REAL reason of what lead you to do this!"
"R...r...real reason?" Apple Bloom said nervously as her eyes were frantically moving back and forth. "W-what do ya mean?"
Demon Apple Bloom huffed. "Oh c'mon Apple Bloom! No need to play dumb! Ah already know the truth! After all... AH'M part of you!"
"N-no you don't!" Apple Bloom denied.
"Oh? You want proof?" Demon Apple Bloom asked in an amused tone before forming a huge evil smile. "Very well... it had something to do with your sister. Or rather... the major role your sister played for all your life!"
Apple Bloom's eyes widen in fear. "Stop it!"
"You like having your sister with you because she was usually there for you!" Demon Apple Bloom continued. "Heck, she practically raised you!"
"Please stop!" Apple Bloom begged but the Demon ignored her.
"Heck, she used to do everything with you! Reading bedtime stories, played games with you, taking care of you when you're sick or injured and yes... even doing some Christmas traditions with you... especially after your parents are gone!"
"Stop it!" Apple Bloom cried.
"Heck, you remember your sister's face more than your mother's!"
"Stop it, stop it, STOP IT!" Apple Bloom screamed as she ran up to the Demon Apple Bloom, intending to attack her. But Demon Apple Bloom saw it coming from a mile away and disappeared before Apple Bloom could touch her.
Then she suddenly reappeared from behind Apple Bloom and shoved her to the ground.
Apple Bloom landed face first on the ground and grunted in pain. And just like that, all of her anger and will to fight was gone. She had no strength to get up, nor to talk back. She just lie there on the floor with a heavy heart as the weight of the situation and her past actions finally caught up to her.
Taking advantage of the situation, Demon Apple Bloom floated towards her falling counterpart and leaned toward her ear.
"Just face it Apple Bloom," Her Demon counterpart whispered. "You were not just upset with Shimmer because she took your sister away... you were upset with Shimmer... because she took away who you considered a mother to you as well!"
Not able to deny it anymore, Apple Bloom sniffed and tears began to pour down her cheeks like double waterfall.
Demon Apple Bloom snickered cruelly at the pathetic sight of her sniffling counterpart.
"The truth hurts... doesn't it?"
Demon Apple Bloom then stretched out her arm and her eyes glowed. Black and orange aura suddenly surrounded Apple Bloom and began to lift her up from the ground. While that was happening her skin was slowly changing from yellow to red. Apple Bloom noticed this and began to panic.
"Wait! Wha-what's going on?" Apple Bloom exclaimed as she was struggling to get herself free. "What's happening to me!?"
Demon Apple Bloom chuckled evilly. "We're almost completing the transformation."
"Transformation!?" Apple Bloom cried as her skin changed more and more red by the second. "What do ya mean transformation?"
"Because of your efforts to destroy Shimmer and the entire school in the process, you will become just. Like. ME!" Demon Apple Bloom explained.
"N-n-no!" Apple Bloom shouted desperately. "Ah'm not you! Ah'm not like that anymore! I'm not a monster!"
Demon Apple Bloom gave Apple Bloom her full fanged smile before disappearing. "That's not what your former friends said!"
Before Apple Bloom could ask her Demon counterpart what she meant, she was forced to turn around. To her horror, she watched all the hypnotized victims, slowly walking towards her like a bunch of angry zombies from a horror movie. What really stood out for her was her two (ex?)best friends who were in front of the pact.
"You're a real piece of work Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo shouted.
"You're a monster!" Sweetie Belle added.
"N-no!" Apple Bloom screamed, desperately trying to escape the Demon's magical grip. "Girls, Ah'm sorry! A- Ah'm not a–"
"How could you!"
Apple Bloom turned her head and gasped at the sight of her older hypnotic sister. Despite her glowing orange eyes, AJ's face was full of anger and hurt.
"Why did you do this... to yer own kin Apple Bloom!" Applejack yelled accusingly. "Ah thought we were family!"
Apple Bloom shook her head, tears flowing out from her eyes. "Ah'm sorry Applejack! Ah am! Really! A-ah was trying–"
"Why..."
Apple Bloom turned her head again and froze. There stood Sunset Shimmer, the one that Apple Bloom hurt the most. Unlike Applejack, instead of anger, Shimmer face was full of hurt, anguish and despair.
"What did I ever do to you?" Sunset asked with her voice filled with sorrow. "Why won't you let me have friends? Why won't you let me be happy? Why... did you made me suffer?"
Apple Bloom felt a stab in her heart. It was like seeing Shimmer breaking down from the hallway all over again, but she couldn't suppress her guilt this time. She felt so ashamed, that she wasn't able to answer Shimmer's simple questions.
None of that mattered as Shimmer suddenly turned into stone while bearing the same anguish expression on her face. Shortly after that, her stone body began to crack and crumbled to the ground, leaving piles of pebbles. Then seconds later, the piles instantly turned into sand and was blown into the wind.
Apple Bloom was beyond horrified of what she just witnessed. But her horrors continued to get worse as more hypnotize people were slowly getting closer to her. Their eyes then changed to dark red and their behaviors were getting more aggressive, scaring the young Apple further. Then they began to slowly chant in an accusing tone.
"Demon... Demon... Demon..."
Her transformation was getting worse. Her skin was now completely red and her ears were now pointy. She felt great pain as wings was growing out from her back. Her hair was starting to ablaze and then her tail suddenly appeared from behind her. She continued to struggle through her transformation as the hypnotic people were getting closer to her.
"Demon... Demon... Demon..."
"P-please!?" She begged. "Ah'm not a monster! Ah'm sorry fer what Ah've done! AH'M SORRY! PLEASE!?"
Apple Bloom then heard her Demon counterpart loud cackling, echoing from within her own mind.
"Don't fight it Apple Bloom! EMBRACE your dark side! You shall reap what you sow!"
"Demon... Demon... Demon..."
The Demon continued to laugh maniacally while the chants from the others grew louder. Apple Bloom shut her eyes tightly and tried to ignore them, but it only worked so well. She even tried to keep resisting with the transformation, but it was now a losing battle at this point. Pretty soon, she'll become the very monster that she hated... and feared.
"Demon... Demon... Demon..."
"No... no.... NO!" She shouted as the victims finally reached her.
Just as they were about to grab her, Apple Bloom's eyes flew opened... revealing her glowing dark orange eyes.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Apple Bloom screamed as she suddenly sat up from her bed.
Her breathing labored as she quickly looked around her dark bedroom. Once she realized that it was all a dream, she calmed down somewhat. However, unlike her other nightmares from previous nights, the one she just had was worse than all the others combined and shocked her to the very core. She finally saw the She-Demon. She finally saw... herself... and seeing all the consequences of her actions.
She thought back to all the things she had done. Creating the account, posting everyone's secrets and embarrassed everyone, seeing the people she had hurt, including her sister and her friends. And most of all, she thought back to Shimmer, the biggest victim of them all. Seeing Shimmer in the hallway with a miserable and anguished expression from all the torment and suffering that she have to go through. Apple Bloom originally thought that all the things she did was all justified, but now she realized... that she was wrong. So very wrong! Shimmer wasn't the monster.
The real monster... was herself.
With deep shame and remorse, Apple Bloom buried her face into her hands and sobbed loudly for the remainder of the night.
So yeah... the She-Demon who tormented Apple Bloom in her dream... turned out to be herself!
Yeah... at least one of you in the comments figured that out a few chapters back and a bunch of you agreed to it. But I bet you never guessed that Apple Bloom views her older sister as her mother!
And yes, that was the secret that she revealed to her best friends and the Principals from one of the Intermission chapters. There was a reason for that, but that will be revealed in due time.
Anyway... Apple Bloom had a real terrifying nightmare of her life and her guilt finally caught up to her. What is she going to do from there?
Find out... next time!
Stats
Page generated in 0.021 seconds
Total duration
1,040 users online
1,568,471 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Heh. Nice Samurai Jack reference.
Anyways, now Apple Bloom, you have seen and witnessed what you have become. You've been worst than old Sunset and the Dazzlings combined and have truly soiled the good name of the Apple family.
Well... I didn't see that coming. Bravo, on a superb chapter and brilliant reveal.
Onwards and upwards!
Called it.
please luna celestia do the right thing and throw the book at her.
9702700
Very good spotting, Matthais.
9702737
At the very least, the kinetic force of the book hitting her will at least knock some sense into her.
It's only a matter of time...I can see it
.
Ooooh...callback to the breakup break down...another misunderstanding, maybe
?
And the one who caused it is right under their noses
.
Not exactly surprising...I kind of suspected that Applejack would have trust issues with certain people that looked like they'd be trouble not really aren't
.
Wanna bet
?
OUCH
!!! So...Sunset was the one keeping them together then
?
You have yet to realize who the real disease is
.
Had a long time to think about that huh, Granny Smith
?
Like big sister like little sister...typical
.
Just leave her Apple Bloom...you've caused enough trouble as it is
.
Sorry won't cut it this time...not anymore
.
Another dream
?
Oh YES again
!!!
So many events all in one dream...
.
So bucking goddamn, STUBBORN
!!!
Wait, is that
?!
Well...it's about time Apple Bloom met her darker half
.
Indeed...your darker part and the one not in denial
.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST SAY THAT
?!?!?!
Same here D.A.B
.
Yes, she what
?
SERIOUSLY
?!
Oh my Faust just SHUT UP
!!!
And the truth finally comes out
!!!
Two wrongs never make a right...
.
As you've always been the moment you started this
.
But it did
.
There's no use in denying it Apple Bloom...you're the real monster here, as Scootaloo said
.
Now we no the biggest reason...yet it still won't change what has been done
.
Into the monster you became
!!!
As Scootaloo said, you're the real monster
.
YES YOU ARE
!!!
Because she couldn't let go off a grudge
.
And thus the transformation is complete
.
And now Apple Bloom finally sees the gravity of her actions...about damn time
. Now all that's left to do, is end this madness once and for all
.
Nice Samurai Jack reference.
Finally! Glad to see this fic updated, and AB you're a real piece of work and the real monster! You only realize this FAR too late! You're worse than Sunset, the Dazzlings, Midnight Sparkle, Cinch, Gloriosa, Juniper, Wallflower and even Vignette combined!
You're a real disgrace to the Apple family, I don't believe things will ever be the same after all this.
I hope to see an update soon!
Well, what a
!
Wow, I must say this is one of my favorite chapters so far.
You made each of the CMC stand out as their own characters and have distinct roles within the story, but you best take was on Apple Bloom
She is the character with the most depth in this fic, and with this chapter you managed add so much to her background that made all her actions make so much more sense. Instead of just trying to make her an “evil” character, you managed to write her as somebody who has made poor choices that lead her to become this way. She’s now my favorite character in this fic.
You have done an amazing job with this chapters well, especially the dream sequence. The way Apple Bloom realizes that in trying to take down the “she-demon”, she becomes one in the process was greatly written.
One thing to point is how you managed to add more layers to her reasons in commuting this actions. With Apple Bloom believing them to be justified, when in reality they are based on her own selfishness and arrogance.
Another detail is how her actions affected Applejack, despite ending her friendship with Sunset, she still misses her and wants to believe she isn’t the culprit, but she just doesn’t know what to think anymore.
While the cocky evil demon character is cliche, All I have left to say is: great chapter, greatest Anon-a-Miss based story.
I’m expecting an intermission next, can’t wait!
9711062
Wow... thank you so much! Your comment really made my day!
There won't be another Intermission chapter anytime soon, but there will be a chapter involving Apple Bloom again and a certain other character on the next one!
So look forward to that!
He Who Fights Monsters and all that jazz....
Can’t help but remember this little quote: preview.redd.it/ie60e35oq2h31.jpg?auto=webp&s=6087dc2c620b328bef6955f449adb491431f76a5