9 Elements of Insanity - Ch. 3 A New Applejack

After Twilight took a shower, she decided to visit Fluttershy. She wanted to return the shovel that she borrowed from her. When she got to her house, she knocked on the door. No answer at first. After about thirty seconds, she heard Fluttershy heading towards the door. 

"Who is it…?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

Her tone sounded unusual.

"It's me, Twilight. I came to return your shovel." Twilight answered. 

There was a long silence, making Twilight nervous and confused. Fluttershy opened the door halfway; making sure Twilight couldn't see her entire body. She slowly held out her hoof, signaling Twilight to hand her the shovel. 

Twilight examined her hoof for a second. It looked pale and almost bony as if she was a skeleton brought back to life. Twilight shook her head quickly, ignoring that thought. 

Twilight knew that Fluttershy was acting strange, but didn't put too much thought into it. She handed her the shovel using her levitation and watched her slowly close the door. Just as Twilight was about to walk away, she heard  Fluttershy say one last thing. 

"Finally. Now I can bury the bodies." Fluttershy said.

***

Applejack and Apple Bloom were doing some daily chores around the farm. Applejack bucked the apples from the apple tree while Apple Bloom made sure none of them landed on the ground. When they were done, they both wiped some sweat from their forehead. 

    "Yeehaw! Nothin' like buckin' apples in tha' morning!" Applejack said. 

    "You know it sis!" Apple Bloom said.

    Applejack patted Apple Bloom on the head. 

    "Good job, Apple Bloom. Now you head back inside so I can start selling some apples." Applejack said. 

    "But can't I help?" 

    Applejack chuckled.

    "Sorry sis, but Granny Smith says that she needs ya to come and help her with some things." 

    Apple Bloom sighed. She didn't say another word. Instead, she gloomily dragged herself towards Granny Smith who was rocking in her rocking chair on the patio. 

    Before Applejack could leave, she heard her little sister all out for her. 

    "Applejack! Telephone!" Apple Bloom yelled. 

Applejack walked over to the ringing telephone in the house she lived in. She casually answered it. 

"Howdy, this is Applejack." She said. 

"Applejack." A dark voice said. 

Applejack felt uneasy about the sound of this pony's voice. 

"Who am I speaking to?" Applejack asked. 

"Applejack." It said again. 

Applejack blinks twice in confusion, but then heavily sighed and frowned. 

"Listen, if this is another prank call, then I reckon you stop. Because I don't have time for foolishness." 

"When you feel it, you will see it."

Applejack blinked twice again. 

"I beg your pardon."

"Barn. Now." It said. 

It hung up. Applejack felt kind of disturbed. She hesitantly headed towards the barn and looked around. Nothing was in the barn except for hay and extra farming equipment. Applejack blinked twice before heading out of the barn. 

Applejack then started going towards Ponyville to sell her apples. When she reached her destination, she set up her stand and set apple pies, apple fritters, caramel apples, and other apple treats on her stand. A brown colt then walked up to the stand. 

"Howdy partner!" Applejack said. "What'll it be?"

"Uh, could I have a candy apple please?" He asked.

"Comin' right up!" Applejack said. 

She handed him the candy apple and held out her hoof.

"That'll be two bits." Applejack said. 

The colt handed her one bit. Applejack stared blankly at it and then at the colt. The colt had walked away, thinking Applejack wouldn't notice. Applejack growled and trotted in front of the colt. 

"Who do ya take me for, sir? You must be as dumb as a sack of rocks if you think I'm gonna let you walk away without paying the right amount of bits." Applejack said. 

"What're you talking about?" The colt asked as if he didn't know. 

"You didn't pay enough bits for the apple!" 

"What apple?" 

"The one you just bought!"

"I didn't buy any apple, must got the wrong pony, lady."

The colt walked past her, leaving Applejack angry and frustrated. Applejack just shook her head and walked back to her stand. However, when she did, she saw Snips and Snails stealing her apple treats. 

She gasped and growled again before trotting over to them. 

"Snips, Snails!?" Applejack yelled. "What in tha' name of Sweet Appleloosa are you two doing?!" 

When theys aw Applejack, they nervously laughed.

"W-W-W-We thought these were free." Snips said.

"Yeah, free." Snails said. 

Before Applejack could respond, they ran off. Applejack chased them, but eventually gave up and headed back to her apple stand. When she got there, however, all of her apple treats were gone. She gasped as her eyes widened. It couldn't have been Snips and Snails; they only took about four apples treats and then they ran off. Applejack couldn't believe a selfish pony would do such a thing.

"Who stole ma' apples?!" Applejack asked.

A few ponies walked past her, licking their hoofs and licking their lips as if they just ate something really tasty. 

    "Wasn't me." One said.

    "Wasn't me, either." Another said.

    "Don't look at me." One more said.

    Everypony pretended as if they had nothing to do with it. Applejack growled, feeling a wave of stress coming through her. Almost all the ponies that walked pass the stand stole her apple treats. 

    "I. Don't. Like. Liars." Applejack said.

    When she got home, she sighed and headed towards the barn. Her eyes were heavy and her hooves were aching from chasing all those ponies. She felt stressful, and needed something to relieve her stress. So, he headed towards the barn to see if she could find anything that'll help. 

When she entered the barn, she saw something in the center of the floor. Standing in the middle of the barn, was a hat that looked similar to Applejack's, except darker. In the hat was, what appeared to be, a carton of cigarettes, a lighter, and a bottle of beer. 

Applejack didn't know how to respond. She never abused drugs in her life, hell, none of the ponies ever really abused drugs in Ponyville. But at that moment, she desperately wanted to taste the alcohol contained in that bottle. She wanted to inhale the smoke stored up in those cigarettes. 

She wanted to know how it felt. So she hesitantly walked over to the beer bottle and struggled before opening it up. She stared at the dark substance for a second before dipping her tongue in it. She shook her head at the disgusting substance and almost coughed. 

It was strong. Very strong. But it felt...Addicting. Applejack took another sip. Since she was prepared this time, it didn't taste as bad as before. Soon, she started chugging the entire bottle down. Applejack felt so good. Even though she knew it was wrong. 

Then, she started transforming. Her blonde hair and tail snapped out of their ponytail holders and hanged loosely down her back as she stood on her hind legs. Her eyes were turning red as if this wasn't her first time drinking. Her hat had even fallen off her head and onto the ground. 

When she finally finished chugging down that beer, she tried the cigarette. But before she could, she heard a loud glass break from her house.

"Apple Bloom!" Granny Smith yelled in her old voice. 

"Wasn't me!" Apple Bloom yelled back, lying.

Applejack growled.

"I. Don't. Like. Liars." Applejack said, in a darker and unusual tone.

She stuffed the carton of cigarettes in her new, darker, cowgirl hat and walked back to the house with an empty beer bottle on the ground. Standing in the barn the entire time, was the same black and red creature that persuaded Fluttershy into using that axe. But it WASN'T the same oen Twilight encountered.