> Repercussions
>  by Booker Dewitt
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> you can't spell slaughter without laughter.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Pinkie reached into the medicine bag and produced and large syringe. “Alright, time for the last round”

Dash looked at the needle and Pinkie took that as a question as to what it was.

“Something to take the pain away” she informed as she walked around to Dash’s ruined back side. She stuck the needle into the lower part of her spine. Dash flinched.

Coming to the front again, she told her friend, “In a few minutes, you won’t be able to feel anything below your ribcage. Then you’ll be able to stay awake to watch the harvest.”

Dash started to cry again. “Pinkie” she trembled out.

“Yeah?”

“I want to go home.” Dash openly sobbed.

“Yeah, I can see wanting to do that.” The party pony replied. “Sometimes, I just wanna give up, say “I’m done with this mess” and go to bed. But you know what; you can’t shrug off your responsibilities. You got to pull yourself up and meet the challenges head on. That’s to the only way you’re gonna get ahead in life.”



Applejack sighed, she'd been wandering around ponyville. Scouring the regular areas for Twilight Sparkle. 

She promised to help Applejack arrange the party for when Princess Celestia and her sister visited Sweet Apple Acres in a few days time, usually anything to do with the Princess was up there almost near if not at the top of Twilight's priority list. So Aj had expected Twilight to be waking HER up, but instead, it was midday, and Twilight was still missing,

Applejack had been meandering around Ponyville for at least an hour, slowly getting angrier and angrier at the purple unicorn who was so adept to breaking promises,

Applejack had taken the time to harvest enough apples to make enough food (she hoped), arranged the tables and chairs. she'd gotten Dashie to help her Set up the decorations, hay, she'd even managed to convince big Mac to bring out a couple of a few of the more matured barrels of Cider, which she admitted, took a lot, considering that he was VERY protective of his "precious babies",

She grimaced. Applejack found his nickname for some barrels of Cider rather strange. but considering they were the best batch of cider he had ever made, she understood his...Passion... For their protection. 

She'd been stood outside Twilights house for about ten minutes. Knocking and calling for twilight, nut to no avail. She wasn't in, she considered checking in with Rarity and then Pinkie as they were both nearby.

After checking carousel boutique she discovered that twilight wasn't with Rarity either, Applejack doubted that she would be considering that Rarity had a huge order to fill in an "simply must not fall behind!" 

"Thank ya' kindly all the same Rarity"

She stepped out of the doorway and let it close softly, she stepped out onto the dusty street,


"Hey Applejack!"


She turned sharply to look in the direction her name had come from, oh. Derpy. The grey pegasus waved as she flew past,
despite herself, Applejack couldn't help but smile. she lifted a hoof to return the gesture, her gaze travelled just past derpy, up the road to where Heartstrings, pushing a cart full of flowers to the market, had paused for a breath, halting right in Derpy's flight path,

"Look out!"

Too late. 

An explosive sound, Derpy was lying on her back in a pile of wood and flowers, stunned, her eyes spinning, Heartstrings looked at the empty space where her flower cart had been moments earlier, as though confused about it's whereabouts, a groan brought her back to her senses, and she looked down to see Derpy lying in the wreckage that was her flowers,

Derpy looked up at her, Tears welling in her amber eyes, 


"I'm so sorry Heartstrings"

any other pony would have belittled Derpy right then, But not Heartstrings,

Heartstrings was one of the few ponies who understood that Derpy couldn't help being clumsy,
she didn't intend for bad things to happen around her, she was just a central point for damage, it wasn't her fault, and her heart was in the right place, Heartstrings had always been patient with her, and understood her frustration, she poured her heart into making Derpy feel better whenever she was down, and it looked like one of those moments.

And also, she found her friends walled eyes pretty cute,

She turned her focus back to Derpy, tears streaming down her face, she sat in a hunched position with one of her lemon yellow flowers in her hoof, it had wilted and broken, twisted in the middle, she closed her eyes, and supressed a sob

"I'm just so useless"

Her heart went out to derpy, who was so used to brutality from nearly every pony in Ponyville, that she even put herself down,


"You're not useless, you're wonderful, it was an accident, don't you worry"

Derpy gave her friend a small smile, she always managed to make her feel better, she turned and surveyed the damage
"S-sorry about your flowers"
"I didn't like the colour anyway," she winked "Let's go get you cleaned up shall we?"

"Looks like i've got my eye on you Dash" 


Applejack could just make out the Pink cake shop in the distance,


She halted in front of the door. The cake shaped sing displayed on the door clearly read "CLOSED". It didn't surprise
her in the slightest, the cakes were out of town, so she expected Pinkie to close up shop until they returned, still. She might be in there with Twlight


It turned.
And opened.

She crept into the dimly lit shop. Glaring accusingly at the brightly coloured cakes lining the shelves and the shop window. The fancy decorated cakes proposed a much better taste than they infact had. She was of the (unbiased of course) opinion that her pies and cakes tasted like brilliance without all the "fancy shmantsy stuff", she'd mentioned once to the cake family. that their baking would taste a whole lot better if they concentrated on the taste and not the decoration. Such a remark had gotten her banned from the sho-

Voices 
Applejack could just make them out, very faint voices coming from behind the counter, she wandered into the kitchen, glancing around for the source of the voices, she paused, there was a door, it's silver handle tarnished, the red paint peeling back, it stood out against the neatness of the rest of the shop, she  opened it, and the voices instantly became clearer.

she stared down a large set of very dark stairs. She gulped.


The happy sonorous tones of Pinkie, laughing at some joke she made.

"What in tarnation are you doing down there Pinkie?"

She crept slowly down the stairs, until she faced another door, pushing it with her hoof, it opened,

“Aw, don’t go yet Dash.I know I can be a real paincreas, but you know I’m just kidney with you-" 

Pinkie froze. Turning her head to the door, Rainbow Dash looked at her in confusion.  Then followed her gaze to Applejack stood in the doorway, 

Pinkie Pie, the Crazy pink Pony, so funny, always making friends, always throwing parties, just to please them, smiled,

"Looks like the party is over"

Applejack blinked. and registered everything. 


The stagnant smell of urine, vomit, the metallic smell of blood. The skulls scattered all over the walls. The bucket full of organs,the box of tools, and finally, Pinkie, with her dress of cutie marks and pegasus wings injecting something into-

Rainbow Dash, bleeding profusely from all sides. Her beautiful wings now bleeding stumps, her cutie marks, gone, her body opened up, a few of her vital organs remaining. but many more in the bucket by Pinkie's feet,

She noticed all the necessary details in a heartbeat.

" but looks like the game's about to begin" 

Pinkie picked up her knife. And charged at Applejack, with revenge for intruding her game in her eyes,
Applejack turned, and used her deftly trained bucking skills to throw Pinkie across the room, her head collided with the wall on the opposite side of the room, the knife span out of her hoof, into some distant corner of the room, lost, she rose again, enraged further, not even noticing.


"NO YOU DON'T! THIS PARTY ISN'T OVER YET!"

Pinkie Pie screamed her frustration, and charged at Applejack once more, at the last second, Applejack dodged out of the way, and stuck out a hoof, Pinkie stumbled, her face collided with the wall, and with a crunch, her nose shattered, she screamed in pain and frustration, she stumbled to her feet for the last time


"HOW...DARE...-"

She put a hoof to her nose, flinched, then staggered, her eyes widened as her vision blurred, she let out a barely audible scream, suddenly blind, she sank to the ground, unconscious, or worse,

Applejack took a look at her Dashie, ran up out of the cellar into the street

"SOMEPONY HELP!"

She screamed until her lungs hurt, turning in all directions to attract attention, confused ponies began to run her way, and she ran back into the shop, back down into the cellar, the darkest, most vile place she'd ever seen, she hacked the straps holding Dashie to the table, and caught her before she hit the floor.

Trying to keep her awake, she rocked back and forth, but she knew in her heart, there was nothing she could do. that feeling was the small spark, that began to burn her,


"AJ..?"


"I'm here"


"It's too... late"


"I...know"


The cyan pony sighed "i'm sorry"


"Just stay with me and you'll get out of here alive!"

Rainbow Dash actually laughed, a painful laugh, "I have to-" a sharp intake of breath "Tell you something"


"Please, not now." Tears streaked the orange pony's face. She knew what it was


The spectrum maned filly glared at her "Then when?"


"WHEN YOU'RE BETTER IS WHEN GOD DAMNIT!" Applejack screamed, as though this would help her friend. She knew it wouldn't. Nothing would,

"You..Know...The truth" Another sharp breath, Rainbow Dash's eyes fluttered, she sighed, she was slipping away,

"Please Dashie, Please just try and Breathe!" She sobbed, 

"I....love you."
"And i love you!" 

Rainbow Dash smiled, a pained smile. She sighed, the pain was leaving her, as was her vision, she didn't want it to end like this, so many dreams unfulfilled, so many friends she had,

"I feel...empty-" She looked up at her lovers face " I see you...Love...You"

"Nononono! SOMEPONY HELP HER!" Applejack screamed up the stairs, 


"STAY WITH ME DASHIE!"

She heard galloping on the floor above them, she lowered her head,

"Listen they're-"

Her voice broke. 
Her heart gave in. 
Her brain fried. 
Her body shut down.
She couldn't hear. 
Couldn't feel.
Couldn't breathe.


The colourful soul of a lost pony, stands in the doorway to a dark cellar, she broods in quiet resolution as she watches her loved one shed her soul and shred herself apart over a cyan mare, her mane a spectrum of colour, she recognises this body as herself, and feels a twinge of sorrow, knowing it is all over,  she kneels down on the floor and scans the face of her beloved , looking for some recognition, but getting none, with a deep feeling of regret, she stands, wishing to comfort the destroyed mare cowering over her body, but unable to, she wants so much to tell her, it will be alright, that she is alright, but she cannot.
Her flowing mane shimmering in some ethereal light, she breathes in deeply, a single tear splashes onto the bricked floor, and the beautiful spirit dissapears,


"I know i'll see you soon, my love"


_________________________________________________________________________________________________


Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. - Author Unknown

> Silence Is Screaming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


"ten little life lines,
this circle whole,
i will take back with vengeance,
that which broke my soul."


Applejack sat in a ring, a sad smile on her face, this was what she wanted, after all, to be with the one pony who cared for her as much as she cared for them. and this was her only way out,

My dearest Twilight,

words cannot prove to you how grateful i am that you tried to help me over the last few weeks, never leaving my side, feeding me, helping with the farm, cleaning up the house after my family, but mostly, just being there for me, it really did make me realise how beautiful some ponies are,

but not even the most compassionate can save me now.

"nine little life lines.
the peace disturbed,
this spiral that i've taken
i will not be perturbed"

i think, really, you were not only trying to help me, but yourself, in a way, and i'm not in any way going to make this burden any less torturous, and for that, i apologise, 
it wasn't my intention to hurt any of you after all, i just can't get rid of the guilt, the feeling nagging away at me, 

The pain

"Eight little life lines,
patience is sweet,
no shortcuts, no skiving,
i will not cheat"

perhaps, just maybe, you could find it within yourself to forgive me for what i am about to do, clearly once you've read this the deed will already have been done, but that won't make this any less hard to read,

i don't know if you recall me telling you. But Rainbow Dash was my very first friend, helping me when i needed her most, defending me from those horrific bullies from her flight school. we were only little back then, but she still saved me, i was eternally grateful, she used to come over and help me pick the apples in the family orchard, zooming inbetween the trees, with her beautiful spectrum tail leaving a faint rainbow in her wake, 

"beauty at it's finest" it really was a sight you know.

we became the very best of friends very quickly,

we spent all of our childhood together, never leaving each others sides, playing games together, laughing, having fun, playing jokes, she even helped me trick the bullies that she saved me from, our friendship turned to love, and my love for her grew on.

"seven little life lines..."

I didn't think she really cottoned on to my true feelings for her, i thought i'd managed to hide them, i didn't want to ruin our friendship, i was nearly certain it would have done, when we were older, no longer filly's, i met her friend Gilda from the flightschool they both attended, i was intruiged, to make new friends, to meet new types of people, Gilda seemed cruel hearted at first, stealing, lying, fighting, but i was wrong about her. don't get me wrong, she stole, she lied, she fought with nearly everyone who contradicted her, but she wasn't cold and cruel at all...

she saved my life,

"six little life lines..."

you see, Gilda saw straight through my mask, saw the adoring looks i showered Dashie with whenever i thought noone was looking, i didn't notice, of course, but Gilda realised, and she confronted me about it, told me that she knew, i was crushed, begged her not to tell Dashie, she said she wouldn't, but she did, i suppose, in the end

i was at my farm, i'd just finished helping big Mac buck the apples for the days harvest, when i heard loud giggling, i quietly walked into the barn, to find Gilda and my Dashie, 

in the rafters, 

kissing, 

Applejack snorted, a tear ran down her cheek at such a distant memory from her ravaged childhood, still, she continued

"five little life lines,
half way to my demise..."

i ran out, my heart already broken, i didn't want them to know i'd seen them aswell, i was convinced that Gilda did that because she knew my true feelings for her cyan friend,

i tried to kill myself, Twilight,

i ran all the way to the cliff at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, and without even thinking, i leapt straight off, once i realised what i'd done i regretted everything, nothing was worth this, i looked down at the jagged rocks rising up to meet me, wondering if i'd feel pain, or if it would just end, was death merciful?

i didn't get the chance to find out,


Applejack put down her pen, considering what she'd just written,

"nothing was worth this" yet here she was, 

she mumbled under her breath:

"four little life lines,
why do i feel remorse?
it's too late to turn back now..."

her voice trailed off, her rhyme forgotten, her mind vague, the numbness in her brain making it hard to concentrate

"three little life lines,"

Gilda caught me Twilight,

she explained to me, that Dashie knew my feelings for her, and just wanted to see if i was truly serious, they had never expected me to commit suicide, 

Dashie cried for hours, apologising the whole time, i felt so guilty, because i was putting her through this, but so happy, i knew she cared about me, and my heart filled with joy, 

i put my hoof on her shoulder, she turned to me, her eyes red with tears, for once i wasn't scared of showing the affection i always had in my eyes, when she wasn't looking at me, she shot up quickly,

and kissed me.

"two little life lines
i begin to wander now
drifting through my consciousness
time to take my last bow"

Applejack recalled the kiss as the best moment of her life, so many feelings were conveyed as she had returned the kiss with equal strength, their tongues flicking over each other, pushing against one another, they pulled apart, both blushing deeply, looking into each others eyes with passion anew, before returning to their kiss,

She had longed for that kiss since she met her Dashie, she hadn't wanted it to end then, she still wished it hadn't, but it was that kiss she wanted now,

 when i realised i was too late to save her, i considered myself already dead then, i am but a shell, i'm sure you of all ponies know that i'm not the Applejack that you knew and loved a month ago, and i hope that with that in mind, this is less of a blow to you than it would have been under normal circumstances,

if i had been, but a few minutes sooner, Rainbow Dash would have been here now, i know, it sounds silly, all this typical sad, "ooh if only i was here earlier she'd still be alive" attention seeking crap, but that is the truth, dearest Twilight, and you know that as well as i do,

but rejoice! i will be reunited with my love once more, and we will live on,

together,

forever.

"my last little life line
my final sweet release,
my life turned numb not long ago
time to breathe in peace" 

 please, try to remember Pinkie, Dashie and I as our former selves, not the mangled corpse of a cyan shell, the psychotic remains of a killer, and a collapsed empty frame of a long lost pony, but how we are, We are whole, the beauty of the night sky full of stars cannot even hope to compare... 

Applejack slowly looked up again, at the rainbow coloured spirit that had been there for the last ten minutes, stood in the center of the room, the spirit smiled at her, she returned it, knowing that she was safe now, a bright pink haze of equal size stood next to her love, she smiled, knowing that it was the real Pinkie, the Pink spirit hesitantly returned the smile, tears pouring from it's eyes,

Applejack dipped her quill in the pot of ink for the last time,

it is everyone's time eventually, Twilight Sparkle, rest assured, when it is yours, we will be there for you, and even in your old age, you will become beautiful once again,

all our love,

Applejack
Rainbow Dash 
Pinkie Pie

She knew it was time to join her lover, she slowly stumbled to her bed, lying down and relaxing, she faced the pure perfection situated in the middle of the room, it came as a relief really, it was what she wanted, she softly sang out, her voice echoing in the silent room.

"If I could I’d hit rewind and replay. All the moments that I wished.."

as darkness took over her body, she sighed,

"I could have called you mine."


_________________________________________________________________________________________________

My time has come, and I am gone. To a better place, far beyond. 
I love you all, as you will see. it is better now, because I'm free.  - author unknown


> One By One We Fall
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle looked up once more from the scroll that had been lying on her bed.

After having Read it over and over for a few hours, she understood perfectly why Applejack would be compelled to do such a thing, and didn't blame her in the slightest,

With a great sigh, she shuffled over to her desk by the circular window looking out onto the sky, the light of the moon shone through her window, using her magic she took a quill. dipped it in one of her many ink pots, then without thinking she took the bottom scroll out of the pile Spike had spent ages stacking neatly, not even noticing as they scattered in alternate directions across the floor.


________________________________


Dearest Princess Celestia,

How do i begin,

I'm sure if not now, then you will soon learn of the death of three of the elements of harmony, 

Pinkie Pie, the element of laughter,
Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty,
Applejack, the element of honesty,

This may be all that these three gifted ponies were to you, i doubt that highly. But i never really did ask you what you thought of them, considering you directed all your attention onto me whenever i was around, you may regret this now, but now is too late. They may have just been your soldiers, your warriors for whenever something evil spread across Equestria. To me, they were a lot more than that.

They were my friends, my partners, my family,

My sisters.

Three of the five stars that kept my life perfect have been extinguished, and i know even now i'm not going to make it through this night, so i give you this. My final letter to you, with all the lessons about friendship i have learned.

As you read this, you'll know, and hopefully recall,

I remembered them all.


____________________



One of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings. But when there's not enough to go around, having more blessings than friends can make you feel pretty awful. 

While friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it's also about accepting what our friends have to offer. 

It's hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony who's not so nice. Though it's impossible to control who your friends spend time with, it is possible to control your own behavior. Just continue to be a good friend. In the end, the difference between a false friend and one who is true will surely come to light. 

It's okay to be proud of your talents, and there are times when it's appropriate to show them off... Especially when you're standing up for your friends...


___________________________
 

Twilight wrote for hours, remembering without fail all of the letters about friendship she had sent to Princess Celestia. She took secretive pride in her good memory, and as she finished her letter off, she looked it over, it had taken four pieces of parchment to get her entire letter down for her mentor.

she took her final piece of parchment, just as the sun began to rise from the east, she could just see the rays from her seat next to the large circular window.


___________________________


And now, my Dearest Princess, it is morning, but my time to rest, almost cruel irony, but I will leave you with this vital piece of information. which was also my latest Friendship report to you:

When you first sent me to Ponyville, I didn't know anything about friendship. But then I met somepony who was having the same problem, your sister, Princess Luna, She taught me that one of the best things you can do with friendship is to give it to others, and help them find it themselves, And all of Ponyville has learned that even though somepony seems a little intimidating, even scary, when you offer them your friendship, you'll discover a whole new pony underneath.


___________________________


Twilight shook her head, she would not leave with an old friendship report that didn't show exactly what she had learned. She chided herself for being so silly, her horn glowed once more, and with a flourish the feather flew back to the paper.


__________________________




But I feel that you deserve one more. my final report. One that outshines all the others. my attempt to make my final friendship report shine, with an eternal glow, that may possibly out-live even you, and will be a perfect beacon of assistance to any pony that feels alone, or perhaps just needs to think about her life.



I have learned that even though you take your friends for granted sometimes, it's important to show them just how much you love them, how much you care for them, and that no matter what, you will always try your hardest to be there when they need you. Even if it is just little things that you can do to lighten the load of everything they have on their hooves. You never know, even the smallest things can help them through the darkest of times just by knowing that you're there for them. You must never let them forget that even when they feel abandoned, you will help them to get back on their hooves, and though the road afterwards may be a little rough, the love and affection they recieve from true friends will help them through the pain.

You must always keep this in mind, because there may come a time when those you truly care for aren't around any longer, and the chance to tell them that you love them, and help them through their chaos is gone.

Your forever faithful and loving student,

Twilight Sparkle. 



____________________


Twilight smiled as tears splashed onto her old wooden desk. using her magic a purple glow encased the letters, and they burned up and floated out of the window in the direction of Canterlot Castle.

She stood up. Blood dripped onto the floor slowly, she looked down at the quill protruding from her rib cage, it was funny really. How her science books had unknowingy shown an intelligent pony such as herself exactly where to pierce and just how deep it needed to be before the quills sharp tip cut through the Circumflex Coronary Artery, and travelled through the top of her heart to the Aorta, providing a simple yet effective death.

She laughed at the irony, her passionate study and favourite pass-time was what had helped her end her life.

Stumbling over to her bed, she lay on it, and breathing deeply, pulled the quill out of her chest, then with a small smile across her lips. closed her eyes, as her chest rose and fell for the last time.


_______


The orange soul had expected the Purple Unicorns death, she had read the letter to the Princess over the shoulder of her sister, and nodded in approval, she sat in the center of the room, waiting for The Purple shimmer to leave her body, and to join her in the ethereal. A pink pony appears next to her, smiling, but tears stream down from her eyes, and the spectrum coloured spirit that has been hovering above the two remains silent, watching as Twilight stumbles over to her bed,

"it's almost time." The spirit of Pinkie Pie states quietly.

As if on cue, a blindingly bright purple flash of light fills the room for a few seconds, Applejack gasps, and Rainbow Dash closes her eyes against a light that could have rivalled the sun. Pinkie Doesn't even blink.

A few seconds pass as the light fades, and a violet shape resembling a pony is stood next to her bed, looking down at her body. she turns knowingly towards her three sisters.

"You came for me." She smiles. tears streaming down her face. splashing onto the floor. flashing in an indigo light before disappearing. leaving no trace of their existence, 

"We promised." Applejacks face mirrors Twilights, and the tears that stream down her face burn a brilliant orange before they even reached the floor.

"What about the others?"

A white pony slowly walks into the room. Appearing through the wall that roughly faces the direction of Carousel Boutique. she smiles at the others as she steps over to them, her brilliant purple mane and tail standing out perfectly against the snow white coat. Walking with her is a butter yellow spirit of around the same height, her light pink mane clashing quite nicely against her. she smiles shyly at the four already gathered. 

"We're already here." 

As the sun fully rose out of the horizon, the six sisters faded as they all went to their better place, walking as one. They move on into another world.

Together.



_______________________


It was said that during a clear night. If you were to look up into the starry sky, you would be able to see them. The six sisters. together for all eternity.

It was also said that if you concentrated enough, sometimes you could see a seventh star, rumored to be Princess Luna, who died of illness some two hundred years after this horrific chain of events. These seven stars were come to be knows as the Pleiades.

And then a few thousand years later, Princess Celestia, of old age, when an eighth star, slightly bigger than the others. Appeared just a few days after her passing. A story was born, passed from generation to generation. Of six sisters. One that went against her own mind. And did such terrible things. And of the Repercussions of this accident, and then of the chain reaction of deaths due to broken hearts and loss of two of their Circle. This was a story about Forgiveness.

A commemorative statue sits in the castle courtyard, visited by schools, classes of children gather around it year after year. Built by Princess Celestia herself. of the sisters, all together, smiling and demonstrating true friendship. 

And each friendship report is carved into the base of this statue, and on a gold plaque. right at the center, in big bold letters. it reads:

The Elements Of Harmony, Sisters That Together, Are Perfect:

Honesty,
Generosity,
Laughter,
Kindness,
Loyalty,
Magic





__________________~The End~__________________