BOOOOOM!
A black wall was blown apart by Keldeo's Focus Blast.
No matter what we say or do,
Keldeo activated his Secret Sword and swung it, causing the screen to burst.
It's never up to me and you,
Victini rose into the air, his ears glowing with the power of V-Create.
We smile now and sing a cheer!
Keldeo and Santa Paws screamed in horror as huge burst of dark purple energy erupted in front of them.
Ghost Pony Rider roared.
Kyurem and Cryogonal the Critics both screamed as a zombie Lucario with a chainsaw appeared on their TV.
Keldeo screamed in horror, but sprayed himself with water to snap out of it.
Imperator Justinian was seated behind a desk in his study, with Keldeo standing on the other side.
The show must go on!
"FORESHADOWING!" Munna exclaimed.
"NO SHIP, SHERCLOCK!" the Intoxiquer shouted.
"SPOILERS!" Zorua exclaimed.
The show must go on!
Jack Storm sprung awake in shock.
Matthais Unidostres and BrickBrony1894 bro-hoofed.
Meloetta sat down with Madoka the Fennekin and Damian the Meloetta on either side of her.
A Greninja stood ominously next to a Lucario with red Aura.
Keldeo and Ryan the Lucario fought on a cliff top, Secret Sword and Bone Rush clashing over and over.
Never fear . . .
Button Mash and Sweetie Belle bonked heads as they tried playing Wonderbolt Free Fliers.
Keldeo burst out of the ice encasing him in an explosion of light.
The show! Will! Go! On!
Keldeo reared up on his hind legs, his expression serious and his Secret Sword raised and glowing brightly.
Keldeo the Critic
Season 4 Episode 10: Blooming Late by Akumokagetsu
tinyurl: pvzgjem
"It's me, Keldeo the Critic. I review it so you don't have to," Keldeo said in a level tone, "Because of the . . . uh. . . interesting nature of this review. . . and the fanfic for that matter, I think I should tell you what I've thought of the fanfic at the beginning of the review instead of at the end. I know it sounds weird, but trust me on this, it'll all make sense later. The fanfic being reviewed tonight is Blooming Late by Akumokagetsu."
Blooming Late by Akumokagetsu
Tragedy/Sad/Dark
Apple Bloom feels left in the dust when seemingly everypony except for her begins to get their cutie marks. Anxiety and depression begin to set in the harder she tries to succeed, and one by one her enemies begin disappearing. Does Apple Bloom have a chance of gaining the respect of her family? Are the disappearances related?
Little Apple Bloom couldn't possibly be connected to the disappearances... could she?
Keldeo nodded gravely, "Now, from that description, and from the way I'm acting, you can probably tell what this story is gonna be about."
Keldeo looked straight ahead and right at his audience and said, "Alright, I'm going just say it. I think that this fanfic is, for the lack of a better word, good. To explain why, we need to ask one important question: What's the difference between Blooming Late and a fanfic like, let's say, Cupcakes by Sergeant Sprinkles?"
Keldeo became serious and said, "Well, for one thing, Cupcakes was nothing more than a sick description of Pinkie Pie hacking apart Rainbow Dash in the most gruesome way possible. It's a sick fanfic you can only read for sick reasons. Blooming Late has some gory scenes in it too, but not only are they a lot less gory than the ones in Cupcakes, but they are also balanced out with a whole lot of legitimate, well written, complex story."
"Another thing is that in Cupcakes, we only see things from the victim's point of view, and we never get any legitimate reason for the killer's actions. Why is Pinkie Pie doing this? Because she's insane? That's not a reason, that's an excuse."
A ghost of a smile appeared on Keldeo's face, "Now, Akumokagetsu doesn't just give us a reason for Applebloom's actions. This author takes us on a deep trip through Applebloom's psyche. Every aspect of Applebloom's life is analyzed as if Sigmund Freud were the co-writer or something. This story could've easily been a bloodthirsty Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon Revenge Fic, but it isn't. Yes, their abuse of Applebloom is one of the reasons why Applebloom does what she does, but it's only one reason in a whole list of physical, emotional, and mental suffering that Applebloom is forced to endure every day of her entire miserable life. So, when Applebloom finally snaps, it actually almost seems in character, unlike Pinkie Pie in Cupcakes. In a way, you can almost sympathize with Applebloom. You have to sit back and wonder, 'man. . . if my life were as awful as this. . . would I have done what Applebloom did?' That's the mark of very excellent writing."
Keldeo held up his left fore hoof and said, "But there's one more thing that makes Blooming Late good. And that's the fact that it acknowledges and addresses the fact that murder is the most heinous of all crimes, and that it will lead to the murderer's own destruction. Applebloom pays for her actions at the end. Quite poetically, I might add."
Keldeo became misty eyed and sighed as he stared into the distance. "Ahh. . . Poetic Justice. The best kind. . ."
Keldeo stood there for a moment, but then snapped out of it and cleared his throat, "Ahem! Well, how is Applebloom punished for her crimes? Well. . . that would be a spoiler, wouldn't it?"
Keldeo nodded and said, "And so, now that that's out of the way, I think we can get on with this very special review. I hope you'll like it."
Keldeo then put on a friendly smile and said, "But first, let me remind you that links come easier with TinyURL. Yes, links do come easier with TinyURL."
The Seven Treasures of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon played an eerie tune, which ended with two thumps of the Fiery Drum of Heatran.
TinyURL LLC brings you a curious review by the Flutist.
Tonight : "Blooming Late."
It is midnight in the Moor of Icirrus, the only light being that of the moon and stars. A shaft of moonlight shines down at a figure wearing a black hat. The brim of the hat was pulled down to cover the figure's face. The figure held the Icy Flute of Articuno in his mouth, and was playing it as he stood there. It was a haunting tune that seemed to go up and down in volume with every note. After those 11 haunting notes, the figure let the flute fall out of his mouth, and it hung by a chord around his neck. He raised a hoof and lifted the brim of the hat, revealing his face.
"I...am the Flutist," the Colt Pokemon said with a dark look in his eyes, "and I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets hidden in the hearts of those who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak!"
The Fiery Drum rolled like a thunderstorm.
With a smile, he continued, "This story takes place in the world of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. A world that is a combination of lightheartedness and darkness. A darkness that one character will partake in. The story focuses on someone who had though she could justify the act of murder. Someone who rationalized her feelings into a short of righteous cause."
Apples controlled the world.
That was what her grandmother always used to tell her. Granny Smith had such an odd affixation with apples, or so Apple Bloom thought. The wizened old mare used to go on and on about apples, all about how the shining red fruits were so much more than anypony else knew. Almost as if apples had a mind of their own, in a way. Apples would go on growing even without somepony to tend to the orchards; the difference being that without tending, they would just grow wherever they felt like. Apples didn't even need ponies – ponies needed apples, and apples worked their way into a mare's head in the strangest of ways.
Apple pies, apple cider, apple tarts, apple treats and pastries jam packed full of the things. Apples, apples, apples! Granny Smith loved the things more than anypony else, but she also shared her slightly strange view on them with Apple Bloom.
It was sort of like Granny Smith felt like apples controlled a pony's entire existence. Apple Bloom thought it so bizarre, her grandmother's seemingly half-hopeless outlook as she grew older. She had an obsession with things like that, how a mare's destiny was never really her own to control. And Apple Bloom found that her words stuck with her for a long while, how destiny was something slightly beyond comprehension, even when you thought you finally understood.
"Yes Applebloom," the Flutist said, his voice having a certain edge to it, "Apples control the world, and apples are you birthright. Therefore, you also have power of this world. This growing sense of power, this sense of justification, will be what leads you to commit the ultimate crime later on."
She didn't want to go back to school.
Going back to school used to mean that she was presented with another chance to learn something about the world that she didn't know before. Going back to school used to mean that she had a whole day before her to potentially earn herself a cutie mark that would symbolize what field her talents might lie in, what kind of pony she would become, what her destiny would be. Apple Bloom didn't see it as untapped potential as her teacher tried to convince her that she should, however. To her, it was just another annoyance that she still didn't have a proper cutie mark like everypony else.
Even the Cake twins had their cutie marks by this point, and she was even older than they were!
Apple Bloom groaned once more into her pillow, forcefully pushing herself from her bed and instinctively rubbing her eyes. It wasn't as if it really helped; she had been awake for most of the night, anyway. With a tired limp over to her dresser, Apple Bloom yanked her bow impatiently from her drawer and mashed it onto her head, hurriedly dragging herself out of her room and downstairs, the clopping of her hooves against the hardwood floor muffling the sound of busy life around the farmhouse.
I don't want to do this today.
"That's right, Applebloom," the Colt Pokemon went on in a placating, patronizing, almost sympathetic tone, "Life has been cruel to you, hasn't it? Hiding your purpose in life from you for so long, forcing you to watch as others enjoy what you have been denied for so long. But you don't have much of a choice, do you? You have to get up. You have to go out into that world, day after day."
"Heyya, gals!" Apple Bloom waved optimistically at the pair, who greeted her with equal positivity. "Finally made it," she said, out of breath. "Hope I didn't make you wait too long."
"Nah, it's cool," the orange pegasus stretched tranquilly, leaning on her slightly dusty scooter. The flaming wheel on her flank acted as an impromptu vacuum to Apple Bloom's eyes, and she forcefully looked away to the pale egg colored unicorn.
"What took so long?" Sweetie Belle shifted her own saddlebag, and Apple Bloom noted that Scootaloo seemed to either have forgotten hers again or just didn't bother to bring it; likely the latter, as it tended to slow her down.
"Oh, you know," she cleared her throat uncomfortably, marching a little more quickly beside Sweetie as Scootaloo rolled nonchalantly alongside them. "Just held up with some chores is all. Granny can't really do all that much anymore, 'cause of her age and, you know…"
Apple Bloom left her statement hanging, and Sweetie slowly nodded. Apple Bloom desperately tried not to look at her friend's crescendo cutie mark, that badge of honor that she herself was still denied. She unconsciously shuffled her schoolbag a little further back to cover her flank, even though it was uncomfortable. The thought tugged at the string of anger, but she brushed it off.
Blank flank.
"So you meet you friends at school, who only remind of you of your own pain as you can't help but look at their Cutie Marks. But an even greater pain is yet to come."
"I need to get to class," Apple Bloom stated flatly, but the fillies only smirked at her.
"And?" Silver Spoon glanced around. "Maybe you should have been here earlier."
Apple Bloom felt like a hot spike of steam was piercing her stomach, and she clenched her teeth in anger.
"Please let me through," Apple Bloom swallowed her pride, desperate to just get the day over with.
Neither of them moved.
"I said, please!" she raised her voice as the tension in her chest rose, and Diamond Tiara and her ally shared another smug, simpering look before laughing in unison. It wasn't fair. As per usual, Apple Bloom was being singled out. Why did they always have to make her life miserable?
"Ooh, look at that!" Diamond snickered, almost dancing back and forth to show just how much she was preventing her from class. "Somepony taught it how to talk."
Apple Bloom burned at her words, heat blossoming into her face as she desperately fought the leviathan beast within herself that demanded violent justice.
"Ah. Said. Please."
She wanted to hit them. Apple Bloom wanted to punch them both in their smug, satisfied faces for the unfairness. But she knew that would only lead to trouble for the umpteenth time, and she would doubtlessly be blamed for it and get in trouble at home, whereas Silver and Diamond would walk away scot-free.
Again.
Still neither of them moved.
Apple Bloom wanted to scream through her teeth, but instead tried shoving past them only to find herself blocked by both of their forelegs.
"Geez, if you're just going to be a brute, maybe you don't have the brains to be taught anything!" Diamond Tiara scoffed, and Silver giggled again. Apple Bloom's eyes stung, but she only pushed harder until she was callously propelled back.
"Yeah, I know!" Silver Spoon rolled her eyes again. "She acts like such a pig."
"Hey! Maybe her name should be Apple Pig instead of plain old blank flank! Ha!"
"Please!" Apple Bloom bellowed. "I ain't got time for –"
Her words were cut off once again by the ringing of the late bell, and a golf ball lodged itself in her throat.
Those stupid, wretched brats!
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Silver Spoon wailed in a clearly rehearsed manner as she budged open the door. "That Apple Bloom made me late again! Miss Cheerilee, Apple Bloom pushed me!"
Apple Bloom ground her teeth in frustration, and Diamond Tiara haughtily stepped aside and presented the open doorway for her. She forced her eyes forward and stomped as angrily as she could into the classroom, knowing full well that she would be receiving late marks again, no matter what she said.
However, because Apple Bloom's eyes were focused solely ahead of her, she did not notice when Diamond Tiara took advantage of the distraction.
Apple Bloom suddenly found the ground rushing up to meet her as her chin painfully smacked the floor, and she cried out when she bit her tongue. The coppery taste of blood tinged her mouth, and tears sprang forth from her eyes at the sting.
A few titters of laughter spurred her to scramble in humiliation to stand, swiping hatefully at empty air behind her.
"Oops!" Diamond Tiara pranced lightly after her, not even bothering to hide her smirk. "Little piggy tripped, what a klutz."
Apple Bloom turned in desperation to Miss Cheerilee, words already out of her mouth to defend herself against the cruelty of Diamond Tiara –
– just in time to spot the lilac schoolteacher hiding a grin of her own behind her hoof.
Apple Bloom boiled in fury, wiping her eyes and shuffling toward her seat as she tried to ignore the ruckus of the class.
Even Miss Cheerilee was laughing at her.
Mocking her.
"Everypony, settle down," Cheerilee called out evenly, pulling a couple of tissues out of the box at the edge of her desk before passing them to Apple Bloom to wipe her mouth. "And Apple Bloom, I know you're in a rush not to be late, but try to watch where you're going next time so that this doesn't happen again."
"Yeah," Diamond repeated smugly from somewhere behind her. "Watch where you're going, blank flank."
Apple Bloom clenched her teeth again, tension skyrocketing in her temples as she whirled around in her seat. She found herself only further angered to see that Diamond Tiara wasn't even looking at her anymore, more distracted with the reflection in her small portable mirror as she gazed lovingly at the little tiara she placed upon her own head.
"Watch your mouth, Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom seethed, and Cheerilee smacked her desk with her hoof sharply.
"Apple Bloom!" she frowned. "That's enough, little missy. If you don't stop picking fights, you're staying after school again. Am I understood?"
"It ain't fair!" the filly demanded. "She's always-"
"Apple Bloom!" Sweetie hissed at her. "Just drop it!"
"I won't!" Apple Bloom insisted, Diamond Tiara's smug smirk only widening. "I am sick and tired of her…!"
"Apple Bloom, kindly see me after class," Miss Cheerilee interrupted loudly.
"Well. . . here you are again, Applebloom," the Flutist said in a taunting manner, a smile on his face, "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon continue to make your life a living Hell, and that idiot of a teacher Miss Cheerilee continues to take their side. Again and again this has happened to you, and there is only so much a filly like you can take. So, during one of Diamond Tiara's agonizing bursts of loud boasting and arrogant bragging, the first string holding back your rage snaps!"
Diamond Tiara flinched almost audibly as the apple exploded against the tree trunk directly beside her head, and she whipped toward the panting filly with a look of outrage; although at being a target or being interrupted, Apple Bloom couldn't tell.
"What is your problem?" she stood along with Silver Spoon, a couple of the others edging away.
"Yeah, geez, blank flank!" Silver scoffed, mimicking her. "What is your problem?"
"Shut up," Apple Bloom glowered hatefully at them both, her eyes burning. "Both a' you, just shut up, shut up right now!"
"Apple Bloom!"
She froze upon the sound of Miss Cheerilee's voice ringing powerfully through the air, and she automatically cringed when she saw the angry schoolteacher stomping directly toward them.
"She-!" Apple Bloom tried to say, jabbing a hoof at Diamond Tiara, but was cut off by the fury of her teacher.
"Absolutely not!" Cheerilee snapped her hoof toward the schoolhouse, marching Apple Bloom ahead of her. "I saw that, young filly, don't you dare try to blame that on Diamond Tiara again!"
"But-but-but…!"
Apple Bloom's cries and protests slowly dwindled, and she felt Diamond Tiara's smug, self-satisfied smirk on the back of her head with every single step.
Such a long day.
Apple Bloom dragged her hooves along the grass as she walked, still trying to get the chalk dust out of her fetlocks. Her hooves skidded heavily along, but some of the chalk just wouldn't come off – similar to the bite of pain she felt from Miss Cheerilee's disappointed stare while she wrote her lines on the chalkboard.
Apple Bloom fumed in quiet rage, clenching and unclenching her teeth in vehemence as she struggled to keep moving. Just had to keep going, had to refrain from even looking at them, and then everything would be fine.
Just ignore them, like Sweetie and Scootaloo suggested.
Like it had ever worked before.
"What are you, deaf now?" Diamond Tiara flicked her nose, and Apple Bloom fought the impulse to scream in anger. Her face reddened with rage and the restraint it took to keep from hitting either of them, the tension pounding her head like a hammer.
"Mute, too! Or maybe she just bit her tongue again, like an idiot," Silver giggled as Apple Bloom refrained from bellowing every single curse word she knew at them, focusing only on keeping her head down and walking. Just ignore them and they would go away, just don't fight back and there wouldn't be any more trouble…!
"Wow," Tiara tutted with what sounded almost like genuine sympathy. "Deaf, mute, born an Apple… oh, and dumb. Can't forget dumb!"
"She was born an Apple, I think that goes without saying."
"Ooh, you're so right, Silver. Wouldn't be a real Apple if she weren't poor, too. Fix that roof of yours yet, hmm? Nah, probably not," Tiara sniggered.
"She really got the short end of the stick, huh Diamond Tiara?" she cackled.
"Shut the buck up!" Apple Bloom screeched, her voice breaking as she swung at them and hit only empty air. "Shut up, just shut up and leave me alone!"
"Aww. Poor widdle fiwwy," Tiara snickered when Apple Bloom forcefully jerked away, tail tucked between her legs as she shoved her legs forward. "Look, Silvy; I think we made her cry!"
"Ooh, what is she now, a blank flank little foal? Gonna cry like a little foal, is she?"
"Nah, listen to that squeal. I think you mean she sounds like a piglet."
No matter how hard she tried, the words weren't lost in Apple Bloom's ears, and she was nearly tearing up grass as she ran. No matter how hard she ran, though, it still didn't stop the tears from burning her eyes. It didn't stop the pain from ripping at her.
It didn't stop the laughter.
"The rage those two are making you feel is growing, isn't it Applebloom?" the Colt Pokemon said in a harsh tone, "And if that isn't bad enough, your problems are about to be compounded when you come home and find that your beloved Granny Smith is having one of her fits."
"Help me get Granny Smith to bed, Apple Bloom."
The aged mare shook her head rapidly back and forth, ceasing her rocking in the corner. Her wooden chair squeaked as she did so, and the lime colored old pony stared at them both with slightly milky eyes.
"Now, you hang on a second, young 'un," Granny Smith frowned. "Who's puttin' who to where what now?"
"We're going to bed, Granny," Apple Bloom responded emotionlessly, helping to lift her under one of her forelegs as Applejack took the lead on the other side.
Her grandmother gave her that same blank, slightly hurt stare that Apple Bloom had grown to hate so much. The look that almost begged to be considered, to be listened to and noticed. She nearly felt like they were putting away an old box of toys whenever it was Granny Smith's bedtime, but a tiny bit sadder.
"Who do you think you're grabbing?" she scowled suddenly. "Get your filthy hooves off'a me, my family's gonna beat your flank!"
Applejack cringed at her words, going back to the calm tone she had used before.
"Take it easy there, Granny," she murmured, helping the nearly crippled mare up the stairs. Her hooves shook with every step, and Apple Bloom constantly feared that her grandmother would topple over. The stairs creaked and groaned, and for a split second she feared that they would break. "It's goin' to be fine, it's just Applejack, all right?"
"None of you is – none, none are any of you is…!" Granny Smith blubbered incoherently, lashing out suddenly. Apple Bloom cried out more in surprise than pain when her jaw was struck, but managed to keep from losing her grip on the old mare. Applejack froze up, and furrowed her brows and bowed her head shortly afterwards to the point where Apple Bloom couldn't even see her sister's eyes anymore.
"All these apples make a peach. All these apples make a peach," her grandmother began muttering darkly again.
"… Apple Bloom."
"Yeah, Ay Jay."
"You go on back downstairs. I'm gonna take care of Granny," Applejack said grimly.
She started to protest, but held herself in check. The coppery taste tainting her tongue for the second time that day convinced her further, and she wordlessly nodded before releasing her grandmother and slipping off back downstairs. The sound of Granny Smith fussing slowly died down the more distance she put between them, and she simply sat at the bottom of the stairs until Applejack had finished getting the elderly mare to bed.
Apple Bloom carefully dabbed her tingling lip with the side of her hoof, and absentmindedly wiped the spot of blood on her leg. She frowned when the wetness stuck to her hoof, a little stickily. She hated the sight of her own blood. It was something that stood out as an emblem of her own failure, a motif of the unhappiness literally leaking out of her. And now, now it was sticking to her fur. Apple Bloom's frown deepened at the thought.
She felt the unexpected and rather bizarre urge to wipe the blood on her flank, as if it would suddenly burst into an impromptu cutie mark. A terrible, bloody blotch of a cutie mark. The little frown of disgust that tinged her face grew, and she was quick to push the thought from her mind.
"Oh, but how funny will that thought be in hindsight, Applebloom," the Flutist said thoughtfully, "For soon, blood will be a good friend of yours. The ingredients are all there. An unhappy home life, torment at school, lack of justice, authority figures siding with the wicked ones, and the slow loss of someone you love. And one more ingredient. . . two scapegoats for you to take your anger out on. Oh, but you don't realize that. . . yet. But you will. . .perhaps after you perform a duty that all farmers that raise pigs must do: kill the runt of the litter."
Squawking interrupted her thoughts, and Apple Bloom roughly dragged the uncomfortable piglet closer until she could make another loop around his neck. Big Macintosh had taught her plenty on making knots, and she inattentively decided between an anchor knot or another bowline. Without slowing, Apple Bloom smiled at the tubby animal, looking right into his eyes. The loop on the end of the rope that she held in her hoof felt much tighter now, and fit snugly. Apple Bloom leaned the heavy shovel against the side of the tree as well, letting it sit peacefully on the bark.
Stupid thing probably didn't even know what was going to happen to him.
Apple Bloom jerked on the rope roughly, yanking the pig back hard against the tree. It squealed loudly, kicking in surprise and pain as it found itself completely unable to escape the noose that Apple Bloom had fashioned for him. Her empty smile slowly faded as it screamed, eyes rolling in his head in panic. She yanked again with all her might, the piglet screaming louder and louder the harder she pulled. It wound up pulled tightly against the tree, just as Apple Bloom expected he would. The impromptu noose choked it the harder she pulled, her eyes never leaving the shrieking thing the entire time.
Its screams sounded so… equine.
Apple Bloom squeezed hard on the rope, she kept right on pulling until she began losing feeling in her hooves. The little piglet gave a few more kicks before his screaming was finally cut short, and the thrashing kept up for a little while afterward. She pulled and tugged until the rope was so taut that she thought it would snap from the pressure. When she finally thought that the thing had stopped breathing, she at last released the rope and gave her tingling hoof a little shake to let the blood begin flowing back into it.
The piglet promptly began kicking again, but only the back legs. His head was pressed firmly against the trunk, and the knots prevented it from freeing itself.
Without pause, Apple Bloom grabbed the shovel in both hooves, gave it a single twirl, and bashed the pig over the head. The resounding dull thunk of old hefty metal against flesh resonated in her ears, and its final squeal was cut off by another heavy swing. Apple Bloom was utterly unforgiving in her assault, raining blows down on the unfortunate thing until it stopped moving altogether.
Apple Bloom was panting heavily by the time she stopped, and the first few trickles of rain had begun to fall. She was silently grateful for it, as it would save her the trouble of washing up; she definitely had a tad of blood on her, as well as the shovel.
She buried her anger along with the piglet that day, and she didn't shed a single tear as the downpour washed away the last remnants of her sins.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you Applebloom," he said gravely, "You found it cathartic at the time, didn't you? But what you soon realize after Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon torment you the next day is that what you experienced wasn't a release. It was a solution."
The dull thump of an eraser smacking Apple Bloom's head just as she sat down yanked her back to reality, and she let out an almost inaudible sigh through her nostrils.
"Oops," Silver Spoon tittered. "Must have dropped that. Sor~ry!"
And just like that, the boiling hot bar of rage dug straight into Apple Bloom's chest again. The momentary reprieve she had been granted by her sacrificial piglet had all been for naught. Another thump against the back of her head knocked her bow slightly askew, and this time the faint giggling sounded like Diamond Tiara.
"Whoopsie, blank flank. Dropped mine too, totally sorry."
"No," Apple Bloom seethed through her gritted teeth, eyes boring a hole in the desk before her. "No, you aren't."
"You're right," Tiara whispered just loudly enough for her to hear, Miss Cheerilee busy instructing students with an arithmetic problem on the chalk board. "For once."
Apple Bloom ground her teeth, a headache already starting to form. She just wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to put up with the callousness of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon today, she just wasn't ready.
And then, something finally cooled the raging fire in her belly. Her thoughts had lingered for only a second on the idea of another sacrificial piglet when a much better, more focused one became apparent. Almost as if it had been staring her in the face the whole time, it just seemed that obvious. Apple Bloom's miserable frown slowly began tilting upward, twitching into a tiny, almost imperceptible smile.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had to go.
"Sorry Granny," Apple Bloom breathed under her breath as she slipped out of her grandmother's bedroom, although she didn't know quite why she was apologizing. She felt as if she had failed on some part, like it was somehow her fault. A tight pain tore at her chest, but she brushed it to the side in favor of allowing the empty, cold feeling to take over. It was so much more preferable to feel nothing at all than the constant, gnawing heartache that mysteriously seemed to grow whenever she thought of her poor grandmother's potential, and very likely, unraveling mortality. Or maybe it was because she had just slipped away with a bottle of her grandmother's sleeping pills.
Or, the more she thought on it, perhaps it wasn't a void of feeling – maybe it was just plain old apathy. A small part of her felt fundamentally wrong for so much as trying to find that mercifully empty feeling again, like doing so was one way or another harmful to her family, like she wouldn't be doing them justice.
But on that note, if there were any such thing as justice, somepony would have done something to save Granny Smith by now.
Should she really be having doubts at this point? Apple Bloom would have liked to think not. She shook her head, deliberately quieting her steps a little more and cursing the wooden floorboards. At the very least, they didn't creak much.
This was something that was going to be done. This was something that she needed to do, something that Apple Bloom had to do. There couldn't be any doubts, she needed absolute conviction.
And for that, she had only to remember just why she hated Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara so much for that same burning conviction to return.
They had to die.
Just like the piglet.
Apple Bloom shook her head again, as if she could cast away the thoughts. Back and forth, back and forth, wall to wall; Apple Bloom marched as if she were wearing a hole in the floor, and was utterly oblivious to it.
No, not quite like the piglets. That wouldn't do at all. It had to take longer, that much she knew as well. it had to be stretched out, she had to ensure that they didn't go quickly. Her thoughts drifted pensively to the screwdriver that she had stored beneath the packet of old nails in Big Macintosh's toolbox at her stash in the orchard, but she brushed that off as well. She could make up her mind when the time came.
Part of Apple Bloom hated herself for how casual she was being about plotting their doom, how she wasn't completely appalled at the idea like she felt that she was supposed to be. Maybe that was why she felt like she had failed, like she wasn't the paragon of goodness that all young fillies were supposed to grow up to be. Granny Smith probably would have been ashamed of her.
If she could even remember.
"You equate Granny Smith with your conscience, don't you Applebloom?" he asked, "And with her mind and body decaying and shutting down, and the sense of injustice you're feeling all around you, any reservations you have about the action you intend to carry out are gone. You want justice, don't you? And you will do whatever it takes to get it. Even breaking into Silver Spoon's mansion in the dead of night, force feeding her apple sauce laced with Granny Smith's crushed up sleeping pills, and bringing her to the very spot where you did away with that piglet."
Apple Bloom loved the orchard.
It was such a peaceful place. A place of rest and solitude, a grove of growth and quiet. The orchard itself seemed alive with the little night breeze, making the trees dance and sway like greedily grasping fingers in the wind. Almost like the entire field were blearily waking itself up, half of its barren branches shivering in the air like Apple Bloom did on a cold morning.
Apple Bloom smiled as she slipped another fishhook into Silver Spoon's mouth, held open as it was by numerous others. She silently complimented herself on her ingenuity, as it was doubtful that Big Macintosh would even miss the rusty old things. The lengths of rope that kept the grey filly stretched rigidly over the bark of the apple tree didn't budge an inch, even with all of Silver's pitiful squirming for release.
"Fwhee!" Silver wept, struggling weakly at her bonds that kept her uncomfortably upright against the desolate old apple tree. "Fwhee, hawp whe!"
"What's that?" Apple Bloom raised her hoof to her upturned ear in a mock-curious tone. "Sorry, Silvy. I can't make out what you're saying. What's the matter? Did'ja bite your tongue?"
The filly squirmed in pain as one of the fishhooks pierced the edge of her lip with her desperate motion, and a thin sliver of blood began trickling down her forcibly opened mouth. The tears streaming down her face mingled with the dribble of blood, only causing it to run faster. Silver's choked sobbing rose and fell with her shaking chest, and as Apple Bloom watched, she almost felt that the filly's voice and body were two separate entities. Such a silly notion to distract her at a time like this.
"You sure do look disgusting, Silver Spoon." Apple Bloom's nonchalant words were quiet as she rifled languidly through the old toolbox on the ground. "You can keep on howlin', if you want to. Nopony is going to hear you all the way out here. Nopony is going to help you."
Apple Bloom carefully revealed the carving knife that her Grandmother used to make wooden apples with, the gleaming tip catching Silver's attention. Her eyes widened at the sight, and she immediately began hysterically thrashing at her bonds again, but to no avail.
"You must be pretty stupid," Apple Bloom chatted over the sound of Silver Spoon's desperate muffled pleas. "Jerkin' around like that's gotta make it hurt even worse. Didn't I say nopony would come to help you?"
"Aah! Awha, awhee! Who! L-le-nah! Nah!" she screamed, words muffled as her lips were pierced by yet another fishhook. Apple Bloom almost heard the flesh tearing as it jabbed through, its pointed barb wiggling through.
"Are you trying to say 'no?' Huh?" Apple Bloom caressed her face gently with the tip of the cleaned knife, letting it glide over her cheek. "Would you tell anypony if I just let you go, right now?"
Silver Spoon's eyes widened further, darting around in her head. The flow of tears stopped for a bare moment, and her gaping mouth hanged open like that of a fish. Albeit, a weeping, bleeding fish.
"I'll let you go. I'll do it, right now," Apple Bloom whispered into her ear, even though she knew that there was nopony around this far out in the orchard. "Would you like that, Silver Spoon? I'll let you go, and you just have to do one thing for me. Will you do it?"
Apple Bloom was slightly amused to see that she didn't even question what her request was. Silver's eyes seemed to show agreement, and her upset cries became even more pleading.
"Tell me that you want me to let you go."
It was utterly silent in the glade for a few moments, the only sound being Silver's quickened, raspy breath.
"If you don't," Apple Bloom showed her the sharpened edge of the carving knife again. "If you don't, I'm going to start carving you."
"Phwee! Phwee! Phwee!"
"Squeal, Silver," she said in a hushed voice, right into her ear. "Squeal like a little ol' piggy."
The Seven Treasures built to a sudden crescendo, and then went silent.
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And now. . .back to the Flutist.
The Colt Pokemon played the eerie tune on the Icy Flute, before speaking once again.
"Well, Applebloom, you've taken care of half the problem. Silver Spoon is dead and buried where no one will ever find her. You feel so relieved. Perhaps even accomplished. The leviathan within you has been satisfied. And once you take care of Diamond Tiara, you'll finally be truly free. The morning after the murder, you wake up feeling perfectly refreshed, and happily head down to breakfast."
She was almost whistling as she entered the kitchen, finding Applejack sitting forlornly at the kitchen table across from a somber Big Macintosh.
"G'morning, everypony!" Apple Bloom said cheerfully, smiling forcefully in the vain hopes that her enthusiasm would begin wearing off onto her siblings. Anything was better than seeing them mope around like she had grown used to. It took her a moment to realize that the bottles scattered across the table were almost all empty, sips of hard cider in this and that one. "Come on, ya grumpy geese – it's almost school time, who let me sleep in?"
They both remained silent, neither Macintosh nor Applejack speaking a single word. Big Macintosh's face seemed empty and pale, and Applejack looked as if she had been crying for some while from the puffiness in her eyes. Apple Bloom grew slightly more apprehensive at their wordlessness, a slight tingling weight growing in the pit of her belly.
"Ain't no time for lazing around!" she stretched her false smile a little wider, almost desperate to wipe away the awful, empty look in her sister's eyes. It reminded her too much of Silver Spoon. What happened there needed to stay there, not interfere with her family.
Her brother and sister shared another long, silent look before Applejack nodded, eyes downcast as she glumly turned to Apple Bloom.
"… Granny's gone."
Apple Bloom's stomach felt as if the bottom dropped out, the walls shifting hard. It took her a second to realize that the house wasn't moving, but that she instead had fallen against the doorframe rather hard and likely bruising her shoulder from the impact.
"… What?" her voice seemed to disobey her, hardly rising above a croaky whisper.
"It must have been last night," Big Macintosh stated quietly as words failed Applejack, who only went back to holding her head in her hooves. "Already sent for somepony. Funeral's…"
"You know we don't have the money for it," Applejack breathed. "Just git the shovel, I'll take-take care of it."
Big Macintosh's one enormous hoof landed softly on her arm, and he shook his head slowly. It was almost like watching a mountain move, Apple Bloom thought. As if the distress had caused part of the earth to rise up and take form of a stallion, each movement insistent and stalwart as the stone itself.
"No, Applejack. Not this time."
Apple Bloom stood in stunned silence in the doorway as her brother silently left the house, her heart thudding in her chest as she silently prayed that the shovel was sufficiently dried by the time that he reached it. Funny how her own grandmother, one of the ponies she loved and cherished the most in the whole world was gone, and all she could think about was the dryness of a shovel. She felt dirty and selfish for it, almost as if it were her fault.
"… You don't have to go to school today," Applejack quietly reminded Apple Bloom, who was silently busying herself with straightening her bow and arranging her saddlebag.
"Is-is she, you know…" Apple Bloom tried to speak, her voice oddly even for the circumstances. "Is she still here?"
"Yeah. In her room."
"I don't think I can be here right now," she answered, unable to look Applejack in her eyes any longer.
Applejack didn't speak to her as she left. She didn't even look at her.
Apple Bloom wanted her to, though.
"It's finally happened, hasn't it Applebloom," the Flutist said sympathetically, "Granny Smith's old age has finally caught up with her. All of her maladies have finally run their horrible course, and you feel a great sense of failure inside of you. Oh, but don't worry. You have someone to take all those negative emotions out on. Someone who fully deserves to suffer for all the pain she's caused you. And that is precisely why you show no emotion when Miss Cheerilee makes a snide remark about you being late, or when Diamond Tiara throws an eraser at your head, or even when that incompetent teacher accuses you of cheating off of Diamond Tiara's test, which the both of you fail by the way. No, Applebloom. You have no reason to get angry now. You've planned out everything so well. All that remains is for you to bait the trap."
"My whole family is about to be way richer than you ever were, Diamond Tiara."
Her lie caught the filly's attention, just as she assumed that it would. But even if it hadn't, Apple Bloom had backup plans. A filly like Diamond Tiara had a noticeable sense of pride, and Apple Bloom ensured that it would be her downfall.
"Oh, please," Tiara rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, leaning over her desk and glowering at her. "What, do you have some pig-tossing get rich quick scheme? Going to move into a brand new shack with three whole walls, hmm?"
"What do you even care?" Apple Bloom said defensively, standing to leave. "Once I have the rest of it, our family could just buy your house."
Diamond Tiara froze, uncertainty etched onto her face as Apple Bloom walked away.
"What are you talking about, Apple Bloom?" she asked dangerously, and Apple Bloom hid her smirk of victory. Now that the flesh was exposed, time to start digging at the weaker organs…
"I can't tell you," Apple Bloom nodded seriously without turning around. "It's a secret."
Diamond Tiara's lips pursed for a moment.
"Aw, come on…" it was fairly evident from her tone that she was trying to act casual, and wasn't doing a very good job. "It's not like I'm gonna tell anypony…"
I know you won't.
"You-you promise not to tell anypony, right?" Apple Bloom asked, the uncertainty blatant in her voice.
"Nah, of course not," Diamond Tiara looked at her unblinkingly, and Apple Bloom kept up her charade for a while longer.
"Well…" she started, as if she weren't sure. She needed to make it convincing enough. "I-I mean, I guess it couldn't hurt…"
"Of course not, of course not!" Diamond Tiara patted her on the shoulder with false enthusiasm, and she had to refrain from grabbing her hoof and making her stop. "Come on, you can tell me. I won't tell anypony, I promise."
"… It's not safe here," Apple Bloom's eyes shifted back and forth as she tried hard to look suspicious. "Somepony might overhear us."
"Whisper it in my ear, then…!" Diamond Tiara's impatience began to leak through, but Apple Bloom shook her head.
"I have a better idea," she perked up a little. "I could just show you the treasure!"
"Treasure?" the filly's eyes gleamed.
Hook, line and sinker.
"But you have to promise that you won't ever tell anypony about it, okay?" Apple Bloom frowned, doing her best to play the part.
"Filly Scout's honor," Diamond Tiara said with a smug little salute, hoof over her heart. She doubted that Tiara had even been in the Filly Scouts at all.
"Well… okay, then," she nodded, pretending not to notice the look of poorly concealed triumph on the filly's face. "But it's totally super secret, so just keep real quiet and follow me until we get there. Okay?"
Diamond Tiara made a zipping motion across her lips, signaling the secret she would take with her to the grave.
"And take it to her grave she shall. You're having a hard time resisting the urge to burst into laughter, aren't you, Applebloom? And why not? You are most certainly a clever girl, aren't you Applebloom. Much more clever than the spoiled little brat following behind you as you lead her to a more secluded part of the apple orchard, far away enough so nopony will hear her scream. And then, after you direct Diamond Tiara's attention to the dead apple tree you know so well, you prepare to make your move."
Diamond Tiara's eyes scanned the area, her heart pounding in her ears. Something about the battered old desolate apple tree seemed a little… off. There wasn't a single glistening ruby or diamond in sight, no doubloons or emeralds or precious metals. Not a single thing about the little clearing surrounded by watchful trees was reminiscent of 'treasure' at all. In fact, the only thing that even drew her eye was the dull glint of an old rusty toolbox filled with a mishmash of seemingly random junk that Diamond would never lay her hooves on.
And then, while Diamond Tiara was busy confusedly studying the befuddling lack of wealth that she was promised, Apple Bloom clubbed her over the head with a wrench.
Pain splintered through the back of her head as she fell, agonizingly clutching the throbbing ache as she scrabbled to kick herself away from her attacker. Apple Bloom didn't say another word as she swung again, missing Tiara's head by a hair's breadth. Tiara let out a choked scream of panic at the crazed filly, desperately scrambling to run away as fast as possible.
Diamond Tiara was young and agile, but Apple Bloom was not riddled with panic as she was. She was prepared, practiced, and fueled by anger. Her scream was lost in her ears as Apple Bloom rammed into her from behind, knocking her painfully to the ground. Tiara's vision swam when her head hit a stump, hot stinging tears blinding her further. Fearfully, Diamond shoved and kicked back against the punches raining down onto her, but it was like beating her head against a wall. Apple Bloom suspected, and even hoped that it would have been such.
Diamond Tiara was a spoiled filly, lazy and indolent as often as possible. She even still had some of her foal fat, and her resistance was that of one who was unready for such a thorough thrashing. Apple Bloom, however, had years of hard farm work and labor to assist her, her growing muscles compounded by repeated work.
Apple Bloom rained punches down on every square inch of Diamond Tiara's body, her vicious grin only growing with every despairing squeal of pain and terror. She gave one last weighty punch to the filly's stomach, making her shaking form quiver and cringe further. Her frightened sobs of agony were like music to Apple Bloom's ears, after waiting so long to hear them.
And without another word, Apple Bloom grabbed the weeping, battered filly by the ankle and slowly began dragging her back toward the barren tree.
"S-stop, stop!" Diamond Tiara pleaded weakly, bleeding profusely from both her lip and a cut beneath one of her eyes. "Wh-why? Why are y-you doing this to me?"
"Why?" Apple Bloom asked casually as she began to collect the used rope from the toolbox. Diamond Tiara attempted to scrabble away again in fear, only for Apple Bloom to viciously kick her numerous times in the ribs. Tiara's eyes widened in pain when she slammed hard, and heard something crack. The filly's breath was knocked from her as she cried, wheezing for breath.
Apple Bloom strung the rope swiftly around her neck, tightening it into a noose as well as hogtieing her to the base of the empty tree. She made sure to smack Tiara's face against the rough bark for good measure, earning another raspy yelp from her.
"Did you just not even care when Silver Spoon didn't show up for school?" she asked quietly, a little out of breath from the exertion of assuring that her nemesis wouldn't be going anywhere.
"Wh-what?" Diamond Tiara rasped in equal parts confusion and denial, tears streaming freely down her bloodied face. "Why?"
"Why. Why, why, why," Apple Bloom mused quietly as she delved languidly into the borrowed toolbox before withdrawing a rusty instrument. "Nopony cares about how, it's always why. What do you think, Diamond Tiara?"
Tiara opened her mouth to reply, and was immediately struck hard in her shin by the same wrench that had been used to bludgeon her.
"Help!" Tiara shrieked in a choked voice as Apple Bloom pulled back to swing again. "Please, help me!"
"Go ahead," Apple Bloom touched her gently on the cheek, lowering the wrench for a bare moment. "You scream all you want to, there ain't nopony gonna save you. Scream real loud for me, Tiara. Squeal like a piggy."
Tiara struggled vainly against her bonds before Apple Bloom struck again, this time shattering her leg. Her bloodcurdling scream of agony were stifled by the thick canopy of forest. Somewhere, an apple fell.
"That," Apple Bloom said with a little pant. "Was for never leaving me alone."
She swung again, harder this time, and heard something begin to crack when she made violent contact with Tiara's other leg. Apple Bloom was vaguely reminded of tiddlywinks, and the overwhelming urge to giggle was struck down by her boiling anger.
"This is for always picking on me!" Apple Bloom's screams mingled with the tormented cries of Diamond Tiara as she swung with every hateful proclamation. "This is for my friends! This is for calling me names, for ruining my life! This is for Granny you ******* *****!"
"So-rry," Tiara's frail breath came in miniscule, weepy shakes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"No you're not," Apple Bloom's gaze hardened as she dropped her makeshift weapon, digging for something new to use. She wanted this to last longer than her last one, and she had nearly lost Tiara from indulging in her anger. Even now, the roiling hate bubbling up in her belly was still craving sickly for more, lusting to continue. "You're saying that because you think I'll let you go. Because somewhere in that stupid, stupid little head of yours, you think you still ever stood a chance."
Apple Bloom ever so slowly withdrew with the corkscrew in hoof, turning it over leisurely to ensure that Diamond Tiara got a good look at it. Her puffy and blackened eyes widened significantly at the sight of the jagged end, which Apple Bloom pointed in her direction.
"Let's see if we can get that idea out of your head, hmm?"
"Please, please! Please! Please, Celestia please I'll give you anything, please don't kill me!"
Apple Bloom paused as she stood over the beaten and broken foe, hoof poised over the corkscrew's wooden handle.
"Really?" she leaned down to face her, placing her own serious face directly in front of Diamond Tiara's. She looked dead into her watery eyes, and watched as the filly froze. "Really now. You'll give me anything I want if I just let you go?"
"Yes!" Diamond Tiara's bloodshot eyes lit up at the prospect of escape, even if she had to drag herself away with her only unbroken leg. "An-anythin-ng, anything!"
"Is that right. And what could you possibly have that I want, Diamond Tiara?"
The uncertainty and panic rising in her face was obvious as she wracked her brain for something, anything that would save her skin.
"Name it," Tiara said shakily, urgently staving off the pain to look at her. Something to grasp at the hope dangling just in front of her. "Anything, please!"
"And if I tell you to do something, you'll do it, without question?" Apple Bloom asked quietly, watching the filly's eyes flicker with uncertainty.
"Yes!" she complied when Apple Bloom moved. "I'll do anything, whatever you say!"
"Kill yourself."
Diamond Tiara stared at her for a full beat before the hopelessness sank in. She screamed and cried at the unfairness, the fact that Apple Bloom was only toying with her finally sinking in as her captor resumed placing something pointy and hard against the top of her head, just behind her ear.
"Stop it!" Tiara bawled, unable to shake her head away from the slowly turning corkscrew. "Stop, stop, stop, stop!"
"Too bad you'll be missing school…!" Apple Bloom gritted her teeth as she ground hard against the corkscrew, another terrified scream of anguish escaping Tiara as it punctured her flesh. "I'll tell everypony your brain fell out!"
Apple Bloom did not know for how long she had been thrusting the slightly rusty instrument into the filly, only that Tiara had not been screaming for a long time when she withdrew. Her laughter was hollow and empty, and she soon gave up trying. The only thing she could compare it to was vainly hoping to get drunk off of cider and instead drinking a barrel full of water.
She took a couple of steps back to admire her handiwork, frowning. Diamond Tiara simply wasn't built to last, it would seem. She didn't last nearly as long as she wanted her to. More than that, Apple Bloom was sincerely disturbed. Not by the sight of the cadaver with a corkscrew still sticking comically out of her head, but by the fact that she still wasn't happy. Apple Bloom had done all she could to ensure that Diamond Tiara's death had been exactly as she envisioned it.
She wasn't happy with it. There was no joy, no sense of completion. She had no satisfaction.
"What's wrong, Applebloom?" the Colt Pokemon asked mockingly with contemptuous smirk, "Shouldn't you be feeling a sense of victory after the destruction of your mortal enemy? Or perhaps your crimes have only succeeded in eating away at your heart and soul? Perhaps destroying one's body isn't enough? Maybe you need to disgrace her memory as well. That's what you think as you sneak into the school and look through Diamond Tiara's desk."
Without a word, Apple Bloom carefully scrambled inside and allowed her eyes to adjust to the dimness. The shapes of desks littered across the room were a familiar sight, and the scent of books and chalk met her nose. She made her way like a specter over the wooden floor toward Diamond Tiara's desk, seating herself comfortably at it. She leaned back in attempt to make herself more at ease, propping open the deceased filly's desk and shuffling her things about until she found what she was looking for.
Stupid little Tiara.
The gilded silver of the bejeweled diadem shone a little, and Apple Bloom perched it momentarily upon her own head in front of her bow. She took it off after a moment, feeling utterly ludicrous. She dropped it with a snort onto the desk beside her, unable to even deride pleasure from disgracing Diamond Tiara's memory further. It wasn't as if there was much more that she could do, and she wasn't all that sure that she even wanted to.
Apple Bloom was almost ready to leave, the dejection of a futile search building when she spotted a little bundle of papers wadded together beneath one of Tiara's untouched schoolbooks.
She pried them out curiously, ruffling the papers and peering hard at them. At first, Apple Bloom assumed that they were inane notes passed from the devilish duo back and forth to each other, but upon closer inspection they were revealed to be…
Letters.
School is going great, Silvy and me had a lot of fun in Fillydelphia. I wish you could have been there to see it, we're planning on seeing the seaside in Baltimare-
Apple Bloom dropped the paper, a hint of something unpleasant tingling her belly as she looked at another one instead.
Silver Spoon wrote a song for me, it's awful. I didn't have the heart to tell her, but it reminded me of you so I XhangedX hung onto it. Are you going to be here for Hearth's Warming this year?
There are a whole lot of foals here that don't get along with anypony, they're all a bunch of jerks. Daddy said that you'll send your gift at the end of the year, but he says that every year. I keep waiting to send mine to you, but they always get sent back. How come you never write back, Mom?
Please come back, Mom. Why don't you ever write back? I can't stand this stupid little hick town, I want to go back and see you again. How come you never answer? At least come home, please please pretty please. I miss you, Mom.
Something strange stirred in Apple Bloom as she wordlessly placed the letters neatly back inside Diamond Tiara's desk. Her lips were pursed tightly, and an odd sensation made her stomach churn horribly. If possible, she felt even worse than she did before, an unexpected perception of her own frothing remorse tearing painfully at her.
Apple Bloom decided that it would be best to go home now, and left without uttering a single word.
"So, Diamond Tiara lost her mother," the Flutist said with a frown, "She's not so different than you after all, is she, Applebloom? You keep telling yourself you did a good thing by slaying two irredeemable monsters, but now the disgust with yourself is slowly growing to the point that the last state is becoming worse for you than the first. A while later, you sit in your room, staring at the knife you had used in Silver Spoon's murder, when your brother comes in. You quickly hide the knife and give him your undivided attention."
"Now, Apple Bloom," Big Macintosh said sternly as he towered over her. "I know you ain't been feeling too good lately and all, but you ain't seen any of my tools, have you?"
Apple Bloom shook her head furiously, not trusting herself to speak.
"… You're sure?" he asked again, and Apple Bloom's heart was pounding so loudly in her ears that she could barely hear him over the irregular drumbeat.
"I didn't take any stuff from the shed," she lied with wide eyes when her voice had returned. "Are you sure Applejack didn't lose it?"
"A lot of stuff's been going missing…" Big Macintosh said with a suspicious tone. "Now you tell me right now, Apple Bloom, and you look me in the eye when you say it. Have you been stealing from me?"
Her mortified silence was all the answer that he needed.
"Now, you wanna tell me what you've really been up to, or am I gonna have to make you show me where you took my work tools?"
He knew.
He knew.
Apple Bloom didn't move for a full beat.
Big Macintosh suddenly found it much harder to speak with a knife sticking out of his jugular vein.
His eyes bugged out of his head and a strange gurgle came from his mouth as he fell with a THUNK! to his knees, and Apple Bloom threw her blanket over his head quickly to prevent the blood from getting anywhere. The fear screaming in the back of her mind urged her to stop him from flailing, and she jammed her hoof hard where she had last seen the handle of the knife.
Big Macintosh suddenly fell very, very still, and the only sound remaining was Apple Bloom's labored and horrified breathing.
The Seven Treasures built to a sudden crescendo, and then went silent.
The Flutist will return in just a moment with the strange ending to tonight's story.
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And now. . . back to the Flutist.
The Flutist played the eerie tune once again, and then spoke in a cold, harsh voice, "Yes, Applebloom. You've really done it now. On one hoof, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara are dead, and the only pony who could ever connect you to the crime, Big Macintosh, is dead as well, and you've hidden his body in the closet so you can dispose of it later. But on the other hoof, you've just killed your older brother, and the gravity of such an action is beginning to tear your mind apart. Granny Smith's mad mantra is already pounding through your head as Applejack inquires about where Big Mac is."
"Hey, you don't know where yer brother went, do you?"
ALL THESE APPLES MAKE A PEACH. ALL THESE APPLES MAKE A PEACH! ALL THESE APPLES MAKE A PEACH!
"I think he's looking for something," Apple Bloom's falsehood was out of her mouth before she knew it.
"Yeah, probably still after Granny's meds." She snorted and shook her head.
"Oh? Medicine?" she asked conversationally as they reached the bottom, fighting every single cell in her body against the overwhelming urge to scream that Big Macintosh wasn't looking for anything, he was gone, he was dead, it was her fault please make it stop make it stop make it stop.
"Yep," Applejack nodded as she scratched a spot behind her ear. "Wanted to try an' take back her heart medication, see if he could get a refund on it since, y'know… but you don't worry 'bout money problems none, me and Big Mac are gonna take care of everything."
Apple Bloom froze.
"H-heart medication?"
"I still say she threw it away by accident," Applejack said sadly as she pointed toward the kitchen. "You go on and get yourself a plate while I get somethin' for you, sugarcube."
Apple Bloom stumbled into the kitchen feeling as if her head were completely numb, the memory of mashing pills directly into applesauce still fresh in her mind.
She hadn't even read the label.
She hadn't taken sleeping pills, she had made Silver Spoon overdose on heart medication.
Medication that her grandmother needed.
Medication that her grandmother didn't get.
Apple Bloom's legs buckled beneath her as she barely caught herself on the table, her shaking intensifying. It was impossible. It was completely and utterly impossible.
This is for Granny!
Monster.
Murderer.
The Fiery Drum was pounded twice with finality.
The Flutist turned around and walked off into the darkness, playing those haunting notes, the sound of the tune echoing in the sudden silence surrounding him. The sound of the Icy Flute echoed and faded away into nothingness as the Flutist disappeared into the darkness. . .
Keldeo ran back over to the stone platform, this time without the black hat or the Icy Flute.
"Sorry, sorry, that actually wasn't the end of the story," Keldeo said quickly, "But the homage I was doing needed to end with a twist, so I had to end it there. So I'll just finish it off like normal Keldeo the Critic. Alright, so let's get this over with."
"So, Applebloom realizes that using her blanket to clean up the blood was a bad idea, and decides to destroy the evidence in the oven. This, of course, was another bad idea."
"A-Applejack, wait…!" the filly pleaded, stumbling after her. Her eyes were burning badly as she tried to keep up pace, her breathing coming faster and faster. She needed to tell her the truth for once, she needed to know. Somepony had to know, she had to put things right, somepony had to make everything back to the way it was before.
"Look," Applejack turned with a hint of agitation. "We ain't about to start fighting again, if that's what you're worried about. You're too young to be worrying about that kind of thing, just let me- do you smell smoke?"
"Applejack, please!" she wailed, her voice breaking. "Stop, just listen…!"
"Hang on to that," she brushed a lock of mane from her face, edging roughly past her. "Dang it, I done left the pie in the oven too long, I knew it."
"There's something I have to tell you, please!" Apple Bloom's voice continued to rise with her desperation.
"I done told you once, I told you a hundred – sweet sassafras!" Applejack yelped in fright when a hungrily billowing sheet of flame erupted from the kitchen doorway.
"Fire!" Apple Bloom shouted instinctually, and was promptly shoved back by Applejack.
"Go get outside!" Applejack demanded swiftly. "Go get out, get out now!"
Apple Bloom rushed out through the steadily increasing heat, almost tripping over her own hooves in the dark. Dirt and leaves crunched as she tore outside, fear and despair puncturing her heart.
"Tarnation – it's spreading fast!" Applejack swore as she ensured that her sibling was far from the house. The flickering flames licking the sides of the building starting from the kitchen engulfed part of the roof, hungrily spreading further and faster with each passing moment. "Get the water bucket for me, thank Celestia the neighbors saw the smoke!"
The stars themselves were blotted out by the churning, hateful black belches of smoke emanating from the Apple farmstead's home. Fire had already consumed much of the house by the time the aged old couple finally arrived, very much out of breath. Apple Bloom could do nothing much but flinch when another angry crackle of flame spit over the wood. The weary old donkey passed another bucket with a tired grunt to Applejack, who was quick to toss it at the flames with all her might – however, for all the good it did, it might as well have evaporated before it even landed.
The sound of cracking glass echoed through the night as another roar of flame bit into their home, smoke and ash choking Apple Bloom and filling her lungs.
"Don't stop!" Applejack demanded, sweat pouring off of her as she shakily gestured for more water. "We can do it, don't stop!"
"I'm trying, I really am…!" replied the old mule at the water pump, struggling against the intense heat to fill the wooden bucket with as much water as possible.
"It's not helping," Apple Bloom shouted over the noise, worriedly looking back and forth between them and trying to cover her muzzle to keep the awful stench of smoke away.
"We just need more water!" she insisted. "Tell Big Mac-"
Applejack froze in shock, eyes wide.
"Where's Big Macintosh?"
The old couple looked between each other in confusion, and Apple Bloom couldn't bring herself to reply.
"Oh, Celestia, he's still in there!" Applejack panicked, starting toward the house.
"No!" Apple Bloom screamed in fright, feeling rather as if she were going to be sick.
"You go get help, I gotta save Big Mac!" Applejack bellowed over the crackle of intense conflagration as their home burned to the ground. "You don't worry about me, I'll save him!"
"No, stop, stop, stop!" Apple Bloom shrieked so loudly that her voice cracked, and she felt a pair of rough, leathery hooves holding her back from joining her sister in the blazing inferno.
No matter how she screamed, no matter how she cried or pleaded, Applejack shouldered straight into the raging fire in search of a brother that she would not save, to reunite a family that was long since broken. And as Apple Bloom watched her go, she sank at last to her knees and wept until soggy ash began leaking down her face, mingling with the tears.
She did not cry because of what she lost. She did not cry because it was her fault.
She wept because now, she was going to get away with it.
And at long last the leviathan was finally satiated as the sound of silence filled her ears, and thus stirred no more.
"There! That's the real ending," Keldeo said, but then he tapped his chin with his left fore hoof and said, "Hmm. You know, I think I'm forgetting something . . . Oh yeah! Back at the beginning of the story, we get these:"
Hello darkness, my old friend. I've come to talk with you again.
~ Simon & Garfunkel, The Sounds of Silence
Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook
or tie down its tongue with a rope?
Can you put a cord through its nose
or pierce its jaw with a hook?
Will it keep begging you for mercy?
Job – 41
Keldeo shrugged, "Maybe they're just clever quotes that deal with Applebloom's inner darkness, or maybe it's something more. I don't know, make your own judgements."
Keldeo let out a long sigh and said, "So that was Blooming Late. I'm pretty sure now you understand why I had to clear things up at the beginning of the review. And with that in mind, I hope you understand why I think that this fanfic is, for lack of a better word, good. Applebloom isn't just a psychotic killer who murders everyone. She's an actual well written character with a realistic personality. We get to see the mental breakdown process. She's the only one with no Cutie Mark, her best friends have found their purposes in life without her, two malicious bullies have been tormenting her for years, Miss Cheerilee constantly takes the bullies' side and joins in on the torment, her dog died, and her grandmother is depressingly ill and then dies later on."
"But, the author still shows that Applebloom is an abomination for committing such a depraved sin. We see the emptiness and dissatisfaction Applebloom feels afterwards, we see Diamond Tiara's heartbroken letter to her dead mother, and of course, we see the twist of Applebloom being responsible for her grandmother's death by using her medicine to murderer someone else. And what's more, Applebloom's own rage ends up consuming the rest of her family as well. And even if Applebloom is never convicted of her crimes, in the end, that doesn't matter. Because for the rest of her life, Applebloom will have to live with the agonizing, torturous guilt that comes with her unspeakable crimes."
Keldeo nodded and said, "So, I believe that this fanfic is more of a cautionary tale. It shows that it doesn't matter if you feel wronged or if you feel that the world is unjust. That doesn't excuse anything you do. Also, people who do reprehensible actions create their own destruction, more often than not."
Keldeo furrowed his brow and said in a serious tone, "And another thing. There are some people who made reviews for the story on FimFiction saying that they want a sequel where Applebloom kills Miss Cheerilee."
Keldeo face hoofed, hard.
"Those idiots clearly did not get the point of the story!" Keldeo shouted as he rubbed his forehead with his hoof.
Keldeo put his hoof down and said in a calm yet strained tone, "Okay, I'm gonna make this as easy as possible for anyone who's that stupid."
Keldeo made a motion with his left forehoof, and a picture of a knife appeared. He made a motion with his right forehoof, and a picture of Miss Cheerilee appeared. Keldeo then made a crossing motion with both forehooves, and a double ended arrow with an X over it appeared.
"Don't do it," Keldeo said flatly, "Just don't. I mean, if you could get anything out of this story, I'm pretty sure it would be murder is wrong . . or anyone can snap if tormented long enough, I suppose."
Keldeo sat down on his platform and said, "Well, now that the review is over, I should probably explain what that whole The Flutist thing was about. You see, it was an homage to an old radio show called The Whistler. It was a show where an omniscient narrator would comment on a story that focuses on a criminal, usual a murderer. The Whistler would taunt the criminal, criticizing the criminal's every move, and realizing the criminal's downfall. Each story would end with a twist ending where the criminal would be killed or arrested due to a mistake or oversight the criminal made. I used Applebloom's accidental murder of Granny Smith as the twist during my review."
"Anyway, I used that homage to review this fanfic because I felt it would be kind of weird to try and make jokes during a story like this. I hope you like the change in review style, and I suggest you head on over to YouTube and give The Whistler a try."
Keldeo nodded as he made himself comfortable in his sitting position, and then he said, "Alright then. One more thing. Reviews are going to come less frequently from now on. You see, now that I'm back from the Plot Hole, I want to be the best Critic-ian, and the best Sword of Justice I can be. That means more training in being a strong Sword of Justice and more time preparing and polishing reviews. This means bigger periods of time between reviews. And you know what, I think I kind of like it that way."
Keldeo smiled and said, "So, with that in mind, I want to give all of you something special. A special editorial, to be exact. An editorial that you get to choose. Here are the topics I was thinking of: 'Why 'We Bare Bears' is an amazing show,' 'Top 11 Pokemon who should be in Pokken Fighters,' 'Top 11 Five Nights at Freddy's songs,' and 'Nostalgic Pokemon commercials.' Vote for which editorial you want me to do, and whichever one wins, I'll do."
Keldeo raised a forehoof and waved cheerily, saying, "I'm Keldeo the Critic, and I review it so you don't have to."
The End
Credits
The Whistler- CBS
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness/Time/Sky