Chapter 9
With evening came two fillies standing in my room, jaws dropped to the floor and eyes wide.
"Applebloom..." Scootaloo stammered. "How... what?"
“Well…” I dawdled. “Have y'all ever tried taking off a dress with jus’ your forehooves?”
“I try not to make a habit of wearing dresses," Scootaloo snarked.
“It’s hard. It’s really messy an’... Well, the first and most of the second night I jus’ kinda gave up and slept in it,” I explained. “But now I can just do this.”
With a huff, I grabbed the string that connected the rear strap of the wheelchair with the shoulder strap I roped it around. When that was released, I pushed my weight onto one forehoof and manually unstrapped the strap around my breast.
Pushing the wheelchair back a bit, I carried myself on my forehooves over to the wooden slabs. I eased the wooden slabs between the dress and my shoulders, grabbed the rope in between with my mouth, and yanked my head down.
In one sudden movement the dress was whisked off of me and the wheelchair fell to the floor, the rope carrying me up with it as my forelegs caught on the sleeves. Still holding the rope in my teeth, I slid my legs out of the sleeves and let them hang.
I threw my body weight to the side, spinning me around as the counterweight on the other side of the pulley system held me perfectly in place.
Finding the perfect weight for that was a pain in the-
Well, not the flank, because I couldn’t even feel pain there, but a pain in the something, alright.
Hanging down next to the dress were clothespins. I set to work hanging the dress up nicely so the rear portion wasn’t dragging over the floor, and let go of the rope.
The counterweight crashed down, returning the rope to its original height as I landed on my forehooves. I shifted my weight to one leg again as I beamed and gestured to the entire contraption with the other hoof.
Soon after I lost my balance and fell to the floor.
“Ta-da!” I called weakly from the floor.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle ooh’d and ahh’d respectively.
“Applebloom, that’s so clever!” Sweetie gushed. “How did you even set this up?”
“Princess Twilight and I drew up the plans, and Big Macintosh helped me build it. Ain’t it great?”
“Great?” Scootaloo chuckled. “Applebloom, this is AWESOME! This is genius!”
“Aw, no,” I blushed. “It’s just a little something I whipped up.”
“It’s not just a little something, I would never have thought of this!” Sweetie Belle grinned. “After fixing up the clubhouse and now this, I’m surprised you don’t have a cutie mark in crafting stuff.”
“Ah.” I waved a hoof dismissively. “That was working with wood and hammers, n’ this was working with ropes and knots. Totally different thing. And I still have a lot of other issues I need to think of solutions to. Y’all ever try taking a shower when you can only move half your body? Not fun.”
Scootaloo made a funny face at that.
“So uh…” I dawdled. “Sweetie Belle told me what you did yesterday, Scootaloo…”
Scootaloo shrugged. “I don’t regret a thing. She went way too far, and needed to be taught a lesson. I’m just surprised Rarity has been so… not angry about it.”
Sweetie Belle tittered. “Remember when Spike went to the Dragon Lands? He was being harassed by some bigger dragons and Rarity literally threatened to rip three dragons at least twice her size to pieces if they hurt him. Rarity doesn’t have a problem with fighting for your friends.”
I’m pretty sure my jaw hit the floor at that point.
I’m also pretty sure Scootaloo’s did too.
“Did she really? That’s so awesome!” Scootaloo chirped.
“Oop, Scoots called your sister ‘awesome’.” I winked at Sweetie Belle. “She’s gonna go on another trip to try and get your sister to see her like Rainbow Dash does. Hopefully this time she doesn’t need to have a near-death experience.”
Scootaloo stuck her tongue out at me. Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and smiled.
And for the first time since the accident, I felt… light. Nobody was focusing on my disability, I was laughing with my friends, things felt good.
Why did it feel like it was going to be short lived?
Days passed. Days turned into weeks. I still did all I could to avoid Applejack. Scootaloo came back to school after a week, claiming that being suspended was awesome, because she just goofed around all day.
I made a really rough invention by attaching a string to a loofah that was suspended by wood and had a counterweight on the other end. I just had to pull and release the string and position myself correctly, and I didn’t need help scrubbing myself in the shower.
I did a reverse of that for the undercarriage.
It wasn’t great, but it was better than being washed by somepony else.
Big Mac hurt his back at one point, so I came up with something else. I remember Sweetie Belle told me Rarity mentioned something called a “loom”, so I fashioned one out of an old barrel, and Big Mac could just operate the pedals attached, and move things so he didn’t hurt himself. Since it used rope, it couldn’t handle crazy weight, but it did help.
I called it a “winch” on Scootaloo’s suggestion, because to her it sounded like it made that noise when used.
Honestly? I was just happy that for once I could actually be helpful.
I did wish the rope was stronger, though. And the winch wasn’t exactly easy to move around.
Oh well.
Big Mac helped me install more pulley systems around the house, so I could go into the bathroom, shower, and put my dress on all by myself.
I’ll admit, the first day I actually managed to go through my morning without anypony’s help, I almost cried tears of joy. I was almost as independent as I used to be before the accident. I even ran down the stairs right before breakfast and threw the biggest hug around Big Mac I could. Considering he was about five times my size, it wasn't a very big hug.
I still needed help putting my wheelchair on most of the time though. The easiest way to get in it was to back myself into it, but with no control over my hindlegs, and no feeling in them, I was forced to spend a giant amount of time messing with it to work. Having Granny or Big Mac helped me save a lot of time.
But still, after all that time my grades kept dropping. I still had problems focusing, I still thought I was useless, and despite several more heart-to-hearts with Scootaloo, I didn’t end up any happier.
“Cripple gang!” Scootaloo would wink and elbow me.
“All we need is for Sweetie to break her horn and we can officially change our name to the Cutie Mark Cripples,” she’d joke.
I’m not especially perceptive, but I could tell that the jokes were hiding her own insecurity about not being able to fly.
She covered up her own feelings, put on a whole show, and made fun of herself just to make me feel better.
I felt horrible.
With time, the outright hatred for Applejack just turned into a dull ache. I still avoided her, and at this point she felt less like my sister, and only somebody else living in the house that I didn’t like to see, and didn’t want there.
She was like the pony equivalent of cancer.
I didn’t want to keep hating her. It was tearing me up inside every time I saw a family photo, or had to use ropes just to be kinda normal.
But all that just reminded me that this was all her fault.
And so we come to one day, almost a month after getting out of the hospital, that I was wandering around with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
“But how does it work? Is it always green?” Scootaloo asked.
Sweetie Belle hummed. “I’ve never seen him breathe red fire, so maybe Celestia enchanted him or something?”
“Well the thing is…” I piped up. “Does he control what gets sent to Princess Celestia or is it somethin’ that just automatically happens? If he breathed fire on like, a tree, would he teleport the tree?”
We fell silent at that, each of us puzzling over it.
Sweetie Belle chewed on her lip, then glanced up at the sunset.
“Oh no! Sunset already?! I gotta get home or Rarity will kill me!”
Sweetie Belle went running off toward Ponville as Scootaloo and I shared amused glances.
“Yeah, I’d better get going too,” Scootaloo chuckled. “Aunt Holiday is making us pecan pie for dinner! You wanna see if you can join us? And maybe you can sleep over too!”
I let out a sigh.
“I can’t. I’m allergic to nuts.”
“Ohh, right.” Scootaloo responded, eyes meeting the ground and ears drooping. ”Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then, right?”
“Right!” I forced a happy tone. “See y’all then!”
Scootaloo waved and headed off too.
The Crusaders used to have sleepovers all the time. Rarity would often joke that we were joined at the hip. But ever since the accident, I’d avoided staying over, always finding some excuse.
I know both my friends said they won’t judge me, and won’t care for who I was, but that didn’t help at all. I just didn’t want to have to bother them with the freak I was.
And besides, I didn’t have all my systems in their homes. Can you imagine going to a sleepover and having to ask one of your friends to dress or undress you? Or to wash you?
I don’t think I’d ever get over the shame.
I never invited them over either. The rest of the family had gotten used to having ropes suspended everywhere so I could do basic things, but I didn’t want my friends to see it. I don’t know why, but something about it just seemed… too private to share with them.
All because of her.
I didn’t like saying her name. I didn’t like even thinking about her.
Every time I did it hurt. She used to be everything I strived to be. She used to be the closest pony to me, and the one I could always trust with anything.
She was the one that raised me.
I blew out slowly, looking around at my surroundings.
Huh, we’d somehow wandered by the junkyard on the outskirts of town. I don’t know if I’d ever been over here.
My family wouldn’t be concerned if I didn’t show up for a while, having gotten used to me being gone all day, so I had some time.
I made my way into the junkyard, looking around for any interesting loose materials that might strike some stroke of inspiration for another new thing I could come up with.
And then I stopped.
I saw Rarity’s cart from the derby.
A forehoof made its way to my chest as a ghost pain shot through me.
I looked away, to the right.
That was a mistake.
The shattered remains of the cart Applejack built was staring back at me.
I could still see the dried blood all over the front of the cart. It had turned brown with time.
My blood.
Suddenly queasy, I looked away. I stared back at the swan cart.
And then I had an idea. An awful idea. A wonderful, awful idea.
Minutes later I left the junkyard with a new prize in my saddlebags.
There was an imaginary skip in my step as I made my way home.
The night was pretty normal from there on. It was pretty late when I got home, so I pulled the dish they’d made for me out of the fridge and finished it off. I spent half an hour or so playing fetch outside with Winona, but it was too dark to continue for long.
But finally it was time to put my plan to action.
I left my prize outside Applejack’s door and went to bed with a smile on my face.
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I think you got most of us wit the previous ending. An interesting idea about AB being allergic
As for her idea, can't be good
well, better reaction than was thought from AB, but petty revenge? really?
Oh thank god. Also, screw you.
Our minds were going places they shouldn't have. Also, Applebloom is now thinking like me.
Applebloom, your sister loves you and her mistake was not malicious. It was just a bull-headed, silly mistake.
You could say this is a coping mechanism.
Until she looses sight of what she is doing and begins to form memories and conclusions that this is what Applejack truly deserves.
Applebloom, is this going to turn into a version of For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils...?
I'm glad I was right about what she needed the rope for, but damn you for setting us up like that, now I am curious about what she left outside AJ's door
Talk about a bait and switch!
I've got a feeling Applejack's gonna understand how AB feels real soon...
Oh, she is doing a Godfather reference.
10473613
This is a good response.
Well somebody better pick up that phone;
Because I fu[buy some apples]cking called it!
Also Applebloom, sweetie, what are you doing? Don't be that pony.
Okay, so she didn't do the worst possible thing. You really had me worried there for a bit.
But now, I can only wonder what her "idea" was to get back at Applejack. As the saying goes "An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind."
Oh my Celestia I let out the loudest whew! at the beginning of this chapter. Although, Apple Bloom's both being impressive with her inventions, and worrisome with whatever her plan was for Applejack.
The end results aren't gonna be as pretty as Apple Bloom might expect it to be...
10473668
Or it'll make her feel worse. Applejack was already upset that she caused Apple Bloom's injury. She may also be becoming sadder every time Apple Bloom avoided her. What Apple Bloom left will rub acid into the wound.
I think AB put the peices of the carts with blood on them outside of her room. to cause AJ more guilt
Oooof...
Yay!
What could she possibly...
I have a bad feeling about this.
These are important questions right here.
I could only imagine Aj's reaction be akin to this:
regardless, though, if she thinks Mac or their Granny aren't gonna do anything afterwards, she's dead wrong.
She's going through a rough time and maybe she found something nice
for a second i thought she did the deed in the previous chapter
10473609
10473613
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https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/a/af/Rainbow_Dash_final_%22gotcha!%22_S6E15.png/revision/latest?cb=20160814174737
I tried leaving it ambiguous for that reason.
10473612
10473642
Stubborn twelve year old was crippled for life by her big sister's negligence. She got out of the hospital less than a month ago. I don't think this is too out of character, especially considering she can't be nearly as independant as she was before.
Yeah I'd probably do the same in AB's... horseshoes.
10473644
I can promise there will be no hat stealing or Princess Luna involved.
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10473693
I can promise she's not about to leave a decapitated horse head outside her door. I didn't watch the movie if you're referencing something else.
10473798
She's about to be that pony.
10473804
It's not gonna be nearly as bad as what happened to her. But you may have to just wait till tomorrow to find out what it was.
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10473859
You're both so right in ways you won't understand until next chapter.
10473867
Good guess, but no.
10473883
That comic is great.
And yes, have a bad feeling about this.
10473975
Yes, yes, and you'll see.
10473995
That's a nice thought.
10473999
And that's why I left that part vague.
10474037
Sneaky bastard
10473854
I dunno, you'll have to read the new chapter and find out.
10474037
Still have a bad feeling about this
10474041
Yup!
10474045
You should.
10474059
Well, can't wait to see what happens
But finally it was time to put my plan to action.
I left my prize outside Applejack’s door and went to bed with a smile on my face.
Well I think I can say from experience that a sociopath thinks like this.
I would have done the same, I want to see Applejack's reaction, ha ha, it will be invaluable!
Well, the apple did not hang from the tree. But I do keep in mind that Applejack will live up to its name, with plenty of apple cider if you know what I'm talking about.
10474078
Hmm, you'll see. But I do think you'll like it.
They should maybe consider having Apple Bloom see a therapist and I mean the kind for your emotions not the physical therapy kind
10474122
They probably should.
well that wasn't ominous, Not at all... of course now i kinda want to see some of this from AJ's POV.
Family Therapy is needed at this point
10474151
Maybe more just like couples therapy, but with sisters instead.
10473804
An eye for an eye may make the whole world blind, but it's been proven time and again the world is incapable or unwilling to learn in any way that doesn't involve at least one bloody massacre.
How does she hang out with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo then?
I literally thought about this yesterday.
I bet this is the sequel.
10474314
Good question.
10474337
You'd think so considering my past with CMC fics, wouldn't you?
Nah, I have something way worse in mind for Sweetie Belle.
10474344
oh i cant wait to see that.
I'd love something like her to fall into a coma, or a quadriplegic, or even die.
oh the game's on and my deductions begin.
this will be fascinating! and fantastic!
Another cliffhanger?
10474365
Off on all counts.
10474375
Next chapter ends with a bigger cliffhanger.
10474344
Sweetie Belle becomes mute, or even deaf.
Because everyone knows audio is her most defining trait.
Ouch.
10474671
Hm. Still not even close. Think so much worse.
10474745
Yup.
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Vegetable
10474782
Here's a hint. It's not physical.
10474791
Oh geez okay.
Maybe a very minor case of serious brain damage?
10474791
Rarity dies and SB wants to commit I don't feel so good
And then AB realizes that she doesn't want to lose AJ
10474809
Nah, we already have Pinkie, Sweetie doesn't need brain damage too.
10474853
Nope. Y'all ain't gonna guess it so you might as well wait.
God scared me with the last chapter
Hnng...
Given the trend of cliffhangers, this can only end well.