The Noose Roundup (Applejack Grimdark)by Inkcat5
Chapters
Workin' Day and Night
The air was warm as it blew through Applejack's messy mane. She had just spent the whole day cleaning around the farming area, and wiping the sweat from her forehead as she thought of other tasks to do. Bake apple pies for Family gathering? Check. Help Big Mac with plowing? Check. The pony sighed as she took her hat off and smiled. "Sure did em' apples good!" Feeling pround, Applejack tilt her head and sighed. The next family gathering for the apples was in two days, and she couldn't help but feel a little to excited. It was her family, after all! The rest of the elements were taking a trip to see the princesses, even though Applejack saw them taking a vacation in that matter. But the pony would tend to her job. Hopefully this gathering would be better then last time, her making a fool of herself. No, not this time. Not ever again. The farmer sat still and watched her work done until she heard a small voice from behind her.
"Applejack!"
Applejack turned around and nearly felt like having a heart attack. But slowly calming, a warm smile spread across her face as she looked over herself.
"Hey there, Sugarcube."
Applebloom smiled back with a twinkle in her eyes and a wide smile. She galloped underneath her older sister and giggled with delight. "Applejack-I can't wait! I just can't wait to see it!"
"Er...see what now?"
The filly rolled her eyes playfully and stood straight up, trying to act older then she really was. "To see Babs cutiemark! Jus' think about what she'll say when she see us there! Oh, and sis! May I invite the CMC along with us? They just as excited as I am!"
Applejack felt bad that she almost forgot about Babs Seed's cutie mark, but she kept smiling. "Of course ya' can bring them! They like family, too!"
Before Applebloom could answer her sister back, she felt something touch her back and sprawl down to her feet. Applejack felt it too, and flinched while shaking her head. She knew just what it was. "Storms comin. Granny warned me, but I had forgot."
Her sister frowned and shook her head back and forth. That wasn't a good sign. "Ah shoot! Now we gonna get all wet out here! Were too far way from the barn to make it in time, sis!"
She was right. The barn was far from where the two sisters stood, surrounded by apple trees and bushes from the ground and mud. AJ thought for a second, placing her hoof to her chin. Ah-ha!
"Ah, don't you worry bout that, sis! There is a tool shed near here, but we gotta hurry! Maybe we can play some tic-tac-toe while we wait for the storm to be over!" Applejck point her hoof at a small, worn down building a few feet away from where they stood
Getting to spent time with her sister always made her feel better, so the filly nod and bounced up and down. "Alrighty, then!"
And with that, the two earth ponies rushed over to shed, raindrops hitting their back as they sped up.
The Mistake
The door closed from behind Applejack as Applebloom made herself at home. The area was rather odd smelling, dust everywhere to be found throughout the place. Pipes hung out of the ceiling, and thee walls a dark wooden color. A dim light was placed over their heads, metal jabbing out of the sides and separating the shed into different parts. To her right, piles of old tools, such as hammers and saws, all in a heap on the floor. To her left, was a whole pile of rope. Thick rope. Tangling upon the others, like a whole big knot in the mud.
Applebloom had gone into the toolshed many times before, but she had always been scared of it. Something about the place; the setting, the light, the rope, it all made her feel weird. Luckily, her sister was with her.
Applejack lit a candle to give the place a little more light, sparking up a candle. "Relax, sugarcube. We'll be eating some mighty tasty pies real soon!" She remembered the new batch of apples her brother had gotten, and Granny said she would be doing something with it tonight. She just hoped they wouldn't worry to much. If they come looking, I'm sure they'll find us easily. Applejack turned around, a long, thin piece of wood in her mouth. Applebloom placed it in her hooves, and studied the object carefully.
The Apple Family History Book.
"Ah, what? Sis, I thought you said we could play some tic-tac-toe!" She angered little voice left Applejack unfazed, but she couldn't help but to feel a little heart sunk.
"Listen, Applebloom," she began. "This book has been in the family for years-older then Granny Smith herself! You trying to get that cutie mark of yours, aint ya?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, maybe this could help give you some ideas! If a apple family member could do something, I'm sure you can do it too!"
Applebloom felt a little better, but not to much. She wanted her cutie mark to be different, but just a bunch of apples. But some things did run in the family, so she might as well have a look at it.
"Now you do that, while I'll go find some tools for that upcoming gathering of ours." With that, the pony trot over to the pile of rope and began to untie them quickly.
Now, how do you do this again? Was it to the left or right? Great! Now its tighter!
Applejack wiped sweat from her brow as she tried to unfold the confusing puzzle of tied ropes. This was going to take forever! She wrapped her hooves around the material, trying to get it to become single piece for herself. This was harder then it looked...
Meanwhile, Applebloom was bored reading the family history book.
Rotten Apple, son of a farmer and a denist, alongside with his sister, who became they mother of his child. After her death, Rotten Apple adopted her son, Beebee, and told him of his real parents, who died by a falling tree. After that, Rotten Apple began to have a certain liking in children. He took care of tem and made them feel at home. With a few days, he got a cutie mark-
"Boring," Applebloom muttered to herself, hoping AJ wouldn't hear. She couldn't help but to feel left out. She wanted to be back in the warm, safe barn! Almost about to fall asleep, something caught her attention. Some shiny. Something odd. It was a...locket! That wasn't something you would see everyday. Sadly, it was near the ceiling. At the very top of the tool pile. Applebloom, at first, thought climbing it would be a bad idea, but she continued to think. Maybe since she was small, it would be easy!
The filly took no time to think any longer before placing her hooves onto the base of the mountain. It was large, almost the same size as the building, but Applebloom ignored that fact.
Applejack kept working hard. So hard that she didn't noticed her little sister making a death wish.
After many minutes, Applebloom was nearly at the top. It was colder and more dusty, but she could now make out what had caught her attention. It was shiny and small. It was a piece of foil wrapping!
Anger lifting her, the filly mumbled to herself as she tried to get back down from the tool pile. Applejack, hearing, turned around and gasped.
And that's when everything went wrong.
Having a rope in her mouth, the force when se turned her neck was so powerful, that while doing this, the rope whipped the tool pile.
Applebloom began to lose balance, trembling as a portion of the structure came crashing down. trying to make an escape, but soon, she tripped and sent herself flying into the air.
"APPLEJACK!"
"APPLEBLOOM!"
To scared to move, AJ watched helplessly as the small filly came crashing down to the ground. The whole tool pile fell too, clanking noises heard throughout the room. Once it was all over, Applejack opened her eyes again.
"Oh....my....."
Her words were cut off my the look of her baby sister. Blood leaked from her head, making a small pool of it onto the floor. The pony flipped Applebloom over and held her breath, Her skull, cracked. The impact to the ground was so forceful and strong. Her heart broke in half as her lips trembled.
"I-I...killed her. I k-killed my l-l-little sister."