> Applejack's Secret > by Song Leaf > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Secrets. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter One - Secrets. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applebloom skidded happily out of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Clubhouse, waving to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle as they headed in opposite directions. She started walking. Today was the day when Applejack was going to show her and Big Macintosh her solution to what the Flim Flam Brothers did to their Apple Orchard. Maybe Twilight had found a Spell to remove the Chemicals from the Apple Trees? She stopped to take her cape off, then resumed. The Barn was now in sight. Big Macintosh was waiting for her outside the barn-- She could just make out his red body. Applebloom started running, rushing to her Brother. -- Big Macintosh saw Applebloom racing toward him. He sighed happily. Little Sis' must be just as excited as I am that we've probably found a good Solution to the work of those Flim Flam Brothers. Eeyup. He thought, smiling as Applebloom practically crashed in front of him. "Excited?" Applebloom bounced up and down. "Eeyup." Big Macintosh agreed, nodding his head once. At that moment, Applejack opened the Barn door. Big Macintosh quickly turned around to face her, startled. "Y'all ready?" Applejack chimed, opening the door wider. "Eeyup." Big Macintosh answered. Applebloom nodded. "Yes! But, sis', what's that red stuff on your face?" Applebloom asked, pointing to Applejack's cheek. Applejack quickly wiped off the crimson smear on her cheek. "R-red Stuff? What red stuff?" She exclaimed hesitantly. Big Macintosh tilted his head to one side, but Applebloom still didn't seem to care that much. "Sis', can you show us the Surprise?" She asked. Applejack looked at Applebloom. "Of course." She replied, stepping out of the way for Applebloom and Big Macintosh to walk in. Applejack closed the barn door, putting the latch on the door to lock it. -- Applebloom turned around. "Sis', why are you lockin' the door?" She asked. Applejack froze. "Uh... Top secret stuff. Yes. Top secret." Now Applebloom seemed confused. "Okay... If you say so, Sis'." She replied. Applejack moved toward the Basement. "C'mon, you two. Let's get this thing over an' done with." She opened the basement's trapdoor, gesturing for her Brother and Sister to go in. "I know it's a bit dark, but y'all 'ill get some light soon." Big Macintosh nodded, and walked steadily down the stairs, into the basement, followed by Applebloom, who was slower. Applejack gave her a shove. "Oops! I'm a tad unsteady. Sorry, Little Sis'. Musta' tripped over there." Applebloom looked at her sister for a moment. That didn't feel like a accidental trip... Applebloom thought grimly. She shook her head to clear the thought. It is a secret. She obviously wants to make sure no one comes in or asks for her... > Truth. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter Two - Truth. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack pulled a chain to light up the Basement. She quickly shut the Basement, making Applebloom jump. Big Macintosh really didn't seem to care. There was a huge boulder-shaped thing against the far wall, covered with a huge red cloth. Applebloom blinked. Why so secretive? We've already locked the whole barn, no need to tie the trapdoor up. She observed as Applejack pulled some rusted chains over the Basement door, over the handles. She bucked the door, and it didn't break. She gave a satisfied nod, a muttered something to herself. Applebloom froze. It sounded like; "The Flim Flam brothers did it well..." Applebloom shook her head. Big Sis' would never, under any circumstances, team up with the two colts that made the problem in the first place! Applebloom thought angrily, before turning to the big boulder-thing again. -- Big Macintosh stared at the Boulder-shaped thing, soon turning his attention to Applejack, who ran up to the boulder-thing, and tapped it with her hoof five times. It made a metallic and hollow sound, which Macintosh didn't like the sound of. He froze in horror as two familiar figures jumped out from behind the boulder-thing. "Flim an' Flam! I can't believe it! What are you doin' in our barn?!" Applebloom yelled, expressing just what Macintosh felt like. Macintosh stepped backwards to stand beside Applebloom. "Don't worry, Little Sis' and Big Brother..." Applejack soothed. Macintosh looked at Applejack. She seemed to now have a more crimson tinge in her eyes, just like the smear on her cheek. "...They'll help us to gain more Apples, but we can't make the Orchard grow back. Never." Applejack continued. Like Flim and Flam were given an order, they immediately pulled the cover off the boulder-shaped thing. Macintosh and Applebloom gasped in sheer horror. This was not a solution to their problem at all. "Here's the Apple-Maker 2000. Ain't it beautiful?" Applejack chimed. -- The 'Apple-Maker 2000' was all rusted and the hay around it was stained red. Just at that moment, Applebloom realized that Flim and Flam were had many crimson stains on their bodies and vests. They didn't look excited of any sort. They just looked like they felt sickeningly guilty. Applebloom's eyes widened as the smell of blood suddenly hit her nose like a wave. The stench was overwhelming. She coughed. Applejack looked at her. "You don't seem ta' appreciate the smell." She observed. Applebloom was still coughing, but then she realized the Machine wasn't rusted-- In fact, it looked new, but the rust was blood. She felt like she was being choked-- The stench was overwhelming her. Applebloom held her breath, and it seemed to do the trick. Applebloom sighed inwardly. -- Big Macintosh stared at the Machine. This is a killin' machine! He thought, feeling like he never wanted to have the orchard back. He choked as the stench of the blood caught in his throat. Macintosh saw Applebloom holding her breath, so he did the same. He felt slightly better, but he didn't feel any better when Applejack pulled out a Katana Sword from behind her. Macintosh swallowed to speak, but Applebloom spoke first. "H-how does it work, Big Sis'?" Applebloom asked hesitantly. "Well, I'm sure glad you asked, Little Sis'." Applejack replied happily. > Tests. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter Three - Tests. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack nodded to Flim and Flam. The two nodded back and sighed, slumping behind the machine. They came back with a struggling blue pony-- A Unicorn. "Trixie?!" Applebloom gasped. "T-Trixie?! Why Trixie?" Trixie was blindfolded, also with a cloth in her mouth. The worst part about it was that her horn wasn't even there. It was a useless stump of bone. "You filed her Horn?!" Applebloom gaped. "Of course." Applejack smirked. "If she was able to use her magic, she would easily get out. Anyway, Twilight hates Trixie, and She's caused enough havoc for Ponyville." Applejack sneered. "But she was possessed by the Alicorn Amulet! And it's not her fault she's jealous of Twilight! She came from Canterlot!" Applebloom protested. Trixie nodded wildly. It was obvious that Trixie was desperate to get out. "I've made my decision. Trixie is going ta' help." Applejack replied. Applebloom loosened up a bit. "Just help, Sis'?" "With bein' the Special Ingredient fo' this batch o' Apples." Applebloom froze. "Ya' can't be serious?" "Oh, but I am, Little Sis'." Applejack had a vicious glare in her eyes. Applebloom backed away, who also found that her brother was thinking the same thing; Applejack is a murderer. -- "Well, I'll show you how it works." Applejack chimed. Trixie held her head away from Applejack, looking at Applebloom and Macintosh. Applebloom turned to Macintosh. "We should help 'er, but I know we'll die if we do! Even Applejack couldn' buck open the door!" Applebloom hissed. "Eeyup." Macintosh replied with a sigh. "Ready?" Applejack asked. Applebloom and Macintosh looked at Applejack, while Trixie was shaking her head furiously. "I take that as a yes." Applejack hissed, readying her Katana. Macintosh covered Applebloom's eyes, but Applebloom pulled his hoof down. Macintosh sighed. So curious, so young. He sighed inwardly. -- In one swift movement, Applejack swung her Katana. Trixie collapsed to the ground, wailing and screaming loudly. Blood slid out of her body like a crimson snake. Applebloom couldn't look. "Why did you cut off her legs?!" Applebloom yelled. Applejack glared at Trixie. "Makes 'em suffer longer." Trixie's legs were a piled heap on the ground, blood also spilling out from them. Trixie now thrashed her body around wildly. Flim and Flam stepped back, their eyes filled with sorrow. -- Macintosh stared blankly at Applejack. Is this what my Sis' has become? He thought Grimly. Applejack nodded again at Flim and Flam, and they quickly threw Trixie's bloodstained legs onto a conveyor belt leading inside the machine.Flam flicked a switch, and the Legs disappeared inside the machine. There was a horrible popping sound, but it was drowned out by Trixie's screaming. Applebloom pressed up against Macintosh, breathing heavily. Macintosh didn't dare say a word. The cloth in Trixie's mouth didn't really stop any sound coming from her. -- Out of another Conveyor belt. Seven Apples came out of the machine. "Trixie's Legs are worth Seven Apples. A new record." Applejack smirked. A new Record?! Big Sis' has done this before! Applebloom realized in horror. Applejack bounded to the conveyor belt of the new batch of clean, red apples. She reached for one and took a bite out of it. Blood flowed out of it. "Still needs a bit a' touchin' up, don't it?" Applejack glared at Flim and Flam. She turned back to Trixie. "Let's finish you off." Applejack hissed. Trixie screamed. "No!" She hollered. "Please! Don't!" Her protests were blocked by the cloth in the mouth, but she yelled anyway. "Please! Mercy! I won't t--" The Katana connected with Trixie's neck, and her head rolled onto the hay. Applebloom turned around and vomited, tears flowing down her cheeks. Macintosh didn't look like he felt so good either. "She made too much noise anyway." Applejack hissed. Flim and Flam now hid behind the Apple-Maker 2000, shaking with fear. Applejack rose her Katana, and split Trixie's body in half. She also cut Trixie's Mane and Tail off. She nodded to Flim and Flam again, with a satisfied look on her face. Flim and Flam hesitantly threw Trixie's head and body onto the conveyor belt, and it disappeared inside the Machine. All that was left was a huge, crimson pool of blood. There was a silence, but it was almost instantly disturbed by huge cracking and popping sounds. Applejack slid behind the machine, and took a haystack. She threw it onto the pool of blood, and untied the haystack. It collapsed, and after a bit of moving the hay around evenly, it almost looked like nothing had happened. But Applebloom would never rid that memory from her mind. Applebloom felt herself and Macintosh stiffen as Applejack stated; "And I didn't call ya' down here for nothin'."