The Hanging Tree

by fluttercord4ever

First published

Fluttershy going into the Everfree, finding something no pony should know.

Are you, are you
Coming to the Everfree
Where ponies strung up a stallion
They say murdered three.
Strange things did happen here
No pony would it seem
If we met up at the Everfree
In the hanging tree.

The Hanging Tree

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Are you, are you
Coming to the Everfree
Where ponies strung up a stallion
They say murdered three.
Strange things did happen here
No pony would it be
If we met up at the Everfree
In the hanging tree.

Fluttershy was walking though the Everfree looking for herbs for one of her sick animals. It's wasn't any normal herb you get a the stores in Ponyville or even from Zecora. This herd is deep in the Everfree, passed Zecora's house, and the castle of the royal pony sister. The herbs are supposed to grow underneath a tree. Ponies from Ponyville said that the tree is haunted by a stallion that murdered his loved ones then killed himself. Fluttershy was about to second think herself about not going into the Everfree, but her sick animal needs this herb or he'll died and Fluttershy didn't want one of her best animal friends to die.

"Oh where is that tree? I should have been back an hour ago."

Fluttershy said as she looked around the dark forest of the Everfree. Fluttershy was too scared to look that there was a log in front of her. Which cause her to trip and fall down a hill. Fluttershy screamed and cried at every rock, log, tree that hit her as she falls. She finally hit the bottom with a loud Thump. Fluttershy rubbed her head from the pain. When she pulled her hoof away she saw blood. Now shaking Fluttershy decided to fly the rest of the way, but when see looked up she saw the tree that see was looking for. Fluttershy got up on her hooves, luckily she only got some bruises. Fluttershy picked up the herbs and put it in her bag. She was about to leave when she saw 5 ponies. 4 were stallions and 1 was a mare.

"Oh thank Celestia. Um c-can you help m-me get out of h-here? I am injured and I need to get back to Ponyville."

Fluttershy said putting her hoof up to touch one of the stallions only to have her hoof go right through him. Confused now Fluttershy looked more closely at the ponies in front of her. 2 stallions are holding another stallion who seems to be struggling to get free from the ponies grip. The mare was being hold by the other stallion and she seems to be that she has been crying for hours.

"Berry Garden your punishment is being hang for murdering 3 ponies."

One of the ponies that was holding the stallion named Berry Garden. Berry looked at the stallion with angry eyes.

"How many times I have to tell you, I DIDN'T DO IT! I swear on Celestia's sun, I would never kill any pony!"

Fluttershy's eyes widen, the other thing she's good at then being kind and taking care of animals, is knowing when ponies are lying.

"Stop-!"

Fluttershy said only to be cut off when the mare cried out.

"Stop! Can't you ponies see that he is telling the truth!"

All the stallions and Fluttershy looked at the mare.

"I am sorry Sweet Apple, but we have evidence that your husband did it."

Fluttershy's eyes widen.

"Sweet Apple? Wait that was the name of Granny Smith sister that disapeared a long time ago.So that mean-"

Fluttershy was yet cut off from her thoughts when Sweet Apple screamed

"NO! DON'T YOU PONIES SEE I WAS THE ONE THAT DID IT!"

Are you, are you
Coming to the Everfree
Where the dead stallion called out
For his love to flee.
Strange things did happen here
No pony would it seem
If we met up at the Everfree
In the hanging tree.

Everypony was silence, the only sound to the wind was heard. Fluttershy was speechless, for what she heard from Granny Smith, Sweet Apple was the sweetest pony you'll met. She was care, helpful, full of life, and never hurt anypony. Why would she do that? It wasn't long until one of the stallions that was holding Berry Garden said to Sweet Apple in a shock voice.

"M-Mrs. S-Sweet Apple. You can't b-be serious r-right?"

Sweet Apple looked at the stallion with serious eyes and said in the most serious tone.

"As Celestia's sun as my witness, I tell you I am not lying. The ponies I killed they were going to kill my love, so I killed them with my own hooves, no weapons just my hooves. So what is my punishment since Berry Garden is innocent"

All the stallions and Fluttershy's mouth were open with shock not because she in confessing that she was the one that did it, but she was taking it so calmly. One of the stallions closed his eyes and said the words he didn't wan't to say. The words were stuck in his mouth, not wanting the words to leave his lips, but they came with one painful word at a time.

"The...punishment...for...murder...is...hanging."

Once he was finished the other stallion grabbed the noose and started to walk to her. Fluttershy tried to run to Sweet Apple, but her hooves won't move. She was stuck to the ground. The stallion was a few steps away from Sweet Apple, when there was a loud scream. It was coming from Berry Garden and he was running to the stallion with the noose with a sharp stick. The stallion turned around only to have the stick jabbed into his chest, killing him instantly. Berry Garden was breathing heavily and he looked at the two other stallions and said in a mad laughing tone.

"Ok, I murdered somepony in cold blood. Now you can can bring guilty stallion to his death."

Berry started to laugh like a madpony and he then looked at Sweet Apple with a warm smile and only said one word to her.

"Run."

Are you, are you
Coming to the Everfree
Where the stallion told his love to run,
So they both be free.
Strange things did happen here
No pony would it seem
If we met up at the Everfree
In the hanging tree.

The 2 stallions tackled Berry to the ground. Berry didn't bother to fight back, he knew what was going to happen to him. He looked up to see Sweet Apple still standing their with tears going down her cheeks.

"Run Sweet Apple. Only one of us is going to be hangedt and that is me. You run as fast as you can. Go and be free. When I know you are free, I'll be free."

Sweet Apple nodded with tears in her eyes and ran. Fluttershy couldn't help but cry too. To loss your special somepony like that is just heart broken.

"Hey Sweet Apple is escaping. Stinkin Rich go get her!"

Stinkin Rich out off of Berry and went to go get Sweet Apple, only to fall down by Berry grabbing his hoof.

"Not so fast Stinkin, you have to kill me first."

Berry said with a grin on his face. Stinkin Rich looked at the other stallion. The stallion just nodded and pulled up Berry Garden while Stinkin Rich tied to rope to one on the tree breach.

Ooooohhh
ooooh

The stallion put the noose around Berry's neck. The stallion looked at Berry Garden and said.

"Got any last words Berry?"

Berry nodded and said.

"Please don't hang Sweet Apple, she was only protecting me. Just say to the ponies that I was the one that did it. I have no regrets. May my soul be in Celestia's sun."

With that the stallion pulled the log Berry was standing on causing Berry to die. Their was a smile on his face as if he was at peace. The 2 stallions picked up their friend dead body and left the tree that Berry Garden was hanging from.

Fluttershy was still crying when see heard hoofsteps. She turned around to see Sweet Apple with a noose in her hoof. She looked up at Berry and with tears in her eyes she tied the rope to the tree branch next to Berry Garden. She climbed the tree to where the rope is tied. She put the noose around her head and she looked out into the Everfree forest. With that she began to sing.

"Are you, are you
Coming to the Everfree
Wear a necklace of rope,
Side by side with me.
Strange things did happen here
No pony would it seem
If we met up at the Everfree
In the hanging tree."

Once she was finish she jumped and hang herself. Same as Berry she had a smile on her face. Just the only difference is that the couple were holding hoofs. Then everything started to get fuzzy to Fluttershy's eyes. She rubbed them with her hoof. When she removed her hoof and found herself the same spot where Sweet Apple was on the tree breach. There was a noose around Fluttershy's neck. Shaking and crying, she tried to get the noose off but it wouldn't come off. Then Fluttershy heard the same melody that Sweet Apple sang before she died.

Are you, are you
Coming to the Everfree
Wear a necklace of rope,
Side by side with me.
Strange things did happen here
No pony would it seem
If we met up at the Everfree
In the hanging tree.

Fluttershy looked out into the Everfree forest and said.

"I am sorry I couldn't save you... Angel."



With that Fluttershy jumped.