NO Copyright Intended
Sweet Apple Massacre
Big Macintosh surveyed the many apples trees that made up Sweet Apple Acres. It was nearly apple-buck season once again, and it looked as though they would be having a bumper harvest this year. He nodded, satisfied. His sister Applejack walked up beside him.
"Whoo, boy howdy! I sure am glad you ain't injured this time, Big Macintosh!" she said. "Why, there's even more apples on them trees than last year!"
"Eeyup!" Big Macintosh replied, in his characteristic manner. "Them's a lotta apples."
Applejack was silent for a moment, enjoying the feel of the slight breeze against her blonde mane. "Say, I don't suppose you've seen Apple Bloom anywhere, have ya? I been looking for her all day, and she ain't nowhere to be found."
Big Macintosh shook his head. "Sorry sis, can't say I have."
"Darn! That silly filly's probably gone off somewhere with her friends. I just hope she ain't getting herself into any mischief, or else there'll be hay to pay!"
"Don't you go worryin' yourself, Applejack," he replied, "I'm sure she's perfectly fine. But anyway, I need to go back to the barn. I gotta go and press some apples for some of my home-brewed apple cider. I hoof-picked a few apples earlier specially, all nice and plump and ripe, and they ain't gonna press themselves."
Applejack laughed. "You sure do love your cider, don't ya! Just make sure Apple Bloom don't get her hooves on it again, we all know what happened last time!"
Big Macintosh chuckled along with his sister. "Eeyup!"
The large red pony trotted back to the barn, and gently closed the door. He opened a trap-door with his mouth and went down the steps into an old disused apple cellar. Usually it was just filled with junk; scrap metal, old worn out ploughs, old rope and various other bits and bobs that had outlived their usefulness. Big Macintosh often came down here when he wanted to get away from the world, to withdraw for a little while for some peace and quiet.
Today was different, however. The old rope, at least, had found a new use, because in cellar space were Apple Bloom and her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, bound and gagged, propped up against the wall. Three pairs of scared, round eyes looked up at Big Macintosh as he approached.
"Now then, ya three fillies," he said, as placid as ever. "Y'all need to learn a lesson. You need to learn not to mess around with Big Macintosh. All I want is some peace and quiet," he said, looking directly at Apple Bloom. The little red haired filly cowered under his gaze. "All I want is a quiet life, without all you Cutie Mark Crusaders runnin' round the place, making with the noise. When I'm finished with y'all, there gonna be no noise from you ever again."
As Big Macintosh approached, Scootaloo flapped her wings, struggling to get off the ground. Big Macintosh laughed, and grabbed one of her wings. He twisted, at first slow, watching the pain visibly grow in her eyes, but then tore hard, smiling slightly when he heard the snap and the muffled whimper that came from Scootaloo. He then threw her to the ground.
"Your wings are useless, ya silly filly," he said pleasantly. He then went to a toolbox and took out a rusty knife with a jagged blade and dropped it in front of the three fillies. "I'm gonna take off those gags now," he said. "The first one of you to scream gets their tongues cut out."
He took off Sweetie Belle's gag first. She looked up at him with terror, but managed to stay quiet. Next was Scootaloo. She let out a strangled whine and was breathing heavily, still in horrendous pain from her broken wing, but managed to resist the temptation. Finally, he removed the gag from his sister Apple Bloom. She stared at him with her large round eyes, filled with fear and incomprehension. This was Big Macintosh after all, her big brother and the gentlest of souls. Wasn't he? Surely this was just a horrible joke? But she had seen what he had done to Scootaloo's wing, and it was definitely no joke. She took a deep breath.
