APPLEJACK: THE FLUTTER EXPERIMENT

CHAPTER 9

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride or My Little Pony

AJ didn't even remember flying home, she was to caught up in what they would do to Fluttershy in that Tartarus hell hole kind of place. She felt heartbroken and numb.

Landing at the front door she folded her giant wings in. Stepping inside she headed towards the kitchen, it being strangely quiet. The first thing AJ's eyes landed on was Fluttershy's breakfast plate on the table. Rarity had mascara lined tears streaking down her face, her magic caught on with her emotions and accidentally flung a mug at Twilight.

"Watch it!" The lavender mare growled, then realising what she said huffed and sat down in a chair.

The salt of past tears stung the cuts on AJ's muzzle. Moving out of habit the orange mare went for the first aid kit and started cleaning Rainbow's wounds. She looked around. Pinkie's cheek was bleeding from the remains of a barely escaped spear, her pink mane pinker then usual as some blood trickled from a wound on her head, for once the mare wasn't talking, or dancing, or singing, or throwing parties, she was curled up on the floor crying, rocking back and forth in a ball. Rainbowdash glanced upwards, her magenta eyes catching AJ's green ones.

How could you let this happen?

She was asking herself the same question.

True, she was the leader, the mother hen, AJ the invincible, but she's also just a pony, sure a mutant pony, but still only one pony and when she realises that the others depend on her and she can't let them down, it gets to her. When she just wishes to be normal, or even have a family!

"You watch it" Rarity mumbled back.

"What happened? I mean you mares can see, can't you? Why couldn't you get Fluttershy?" The white pony snorted and Rainbowdash slammed a hoof on the table.

"They had Hot air balloons, and spears! We're not wound proof!" The cyan equine bit back, her snarl showing her gleaming teeth.

"Guys! Nows not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves!" AJ interjected, silence falling the room.

"Just be quiet for a min so ah' can think." The orange mare started pacing, the anger slowly seeping away.

It wasn't their fault the rescue mission had been a bust.

It wasn't their fault Fluttershy was gone.

It was their fault the kitchen looked like it belonged to a family of hygiene- challenged dragons, but she would deal with that later. If such a thing ever became important again.

Rarity moved towards the couch, nearly stepping on a deranged Pinkie on the way past.

"Take deep breaths." Rainbowdash advised, most of the anger had disappeared from her eyes. AJ bit back more tears, she had failed to save Fluttershy, and they were worried about her?

Twilight was darkly silent as per usual, her deep purple eyes watching the pacing mare as she sported a heavily bandaged hoof.

"Ya know, if they wanted to kill her, or any of us they could have." Pinkie spoke up, a lock of dark pink hair falling in front if her face as she gave a smile that suggested she was struggling not to burst into tears.

"They had enough weapons to, so they wanted Fluttershy alive for some reason. And they didn't care if we are still alive or not. I mean, they didn't go out of their way to make sure we were dead, is what I'm saying. So that makes me think we have the to go after Flutters again." Her voice quavered and the pink pony shakily got to her hooves.

"But they were in hot air balloons, they could be anywhere by now!" Rainbow's lip trembled as she spoke and she clenched her jaw.

"Like Yili or something." AJ rolled her eyes and went to go ruffle her rainbow mane.

"Ah' don't think they took her to Yili, Dash."

"We know where they took her." Twilight spoke up calmly, her eyes radiating logic.

"Where?" Rarity spoke up, lifting her head from a pillow on the couch, her eyes bloodshot with unshed tears.

"The school." Twilight and AJ chorused.

Yeah that might have not been the best way to break the news...