Two weeks had passed since Rainbow Dash's funeral, and the mane six, now mane five, had difficulty coping. Winter had come early this year, as there was nopony to take care of the weather, and it was very harsh. The Apple family didn’t finish the harvest, and due to the snowfall Granny Smith and Applebloom had to take refuge in Rarity’s house. If there were to be a snowstorm, they would be completely cut off from the rest of the village, and there was a danger that they could freeze to death. At first, Applebloom was happy to have an everyday Sleepover with Sweetiebelle, but soon she got worried over Applejack, who was working hard to save as many apples as she possibly could. Scootaloo was also at Rarity’s home, as she hadn’t taken her Idol’s death lightly and had fallen into a deep state of depression, to the point that Rarity had to force-feed her to keep her alive. Applejack had insisted on saving as much of the harvest as possible, and originally Big Mac helped her, but then his head got hit by a branch and he had to go to the hospital, though it wasn’t anything serious. Refusing to give up, Applejack worked day and night on the farm. Her friends were obviously worried about her, but any offering of help, cake, or warm clothes was met with a stubborn shaking of the head or a “Nope, I’m doin’ just fine”. Then, Applejack disappeared.
“We’ve been looking everywhere! I really don’t know if it’s worth searching anymore!” Rarity exclaimed while she, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Twilight were heading to the edge of the Everfree closest to the Apple farm.
“We can’t give up hope yet. I know, it’s been a rough three weeks, but there’s still a chance to find her. We haven’t checked the forest yet, right?” Twilight asked.
With a nodding of the head, Fluttershy replied: “Yes, but the birds haven’t seen anypony there.”
They arrived at the edge of the forest as the light started to dim. Nightfall had come, and though the four ponies did their best to schedule their search for the day, they had other work to do as well. The ground beneath them was frozen hard and most trees had lost their leaves, giving them a menacing appearance. it sent shivers down Twilight’s spine. Despite this, she said:
“We should split up. We’ll be able to cover more ground that way. Pinkie, you come with me to the right, Fluttershy, Rarity, you two search to the left.”
They were wandering along the edge the snowy forest, Twilight with a cautious stroll, Pinkie with the typical energetic jumps. Twilight sighed. “Rarity was right, this is hopeless… but I can’t just give up on AJ like that! Especially after what happened to-” “Don’t worry! My Pinkie sense is telling me that today is a good day for searching!” Pinkie said surprisingly cheerfully considering the situation. Twilight sadly couldn’t share her enthusiasm.
A strange, almost cheese-like smell hit her nostrils, and Twilight pulled a grimace. It smelled after rotting meat and decay. Out of nowhere Pinkie pulled two clothespins, sticking one over her nose. She handed Twilight the other, and the Alicorn accepted thankfully.
Catiously approaching the source of the smell, Twilight lit up her horn with magic, as it was getting too dark to see otherwise. The soft thumps of Pinkie landing beside her stopped, and her pink friend let out a gasp.
In front of them, AJ laid. Based on the state of Decay she must've layed there for at least two weeks, Twilight concluded. Most of her extremities were rotten, the grey, mushy flesh exposed beneath them. The visible eyesocket was inhabited by a pile of maggots, worms and bugs. Same went for her abdomen. They had also left little holes in Applejacks skin, from where they had pried their way inside.
Applejacks mouth laid wide open, and her spine was bent into a U-shape as the muscles along the back had tensed. Frostbite was covering parts of her body, turning the affected areas almost black. Her bones were sticking out in an unhealthy manner, she must've sucummed to the cold and lack of food. The ground beneath her was darker, her fluids soaked into it.
Next to her laid her hat, relatively clean compared to the body next to it. Twilight picked it up. Something to give to Applebloom, as a last memory of her Sister.
She hadn't really expected to find Applejack anymore, but this was far beyond what she had painted as the darkest scenario in her head.
Mournfully they called for Rarity and Fluttershy, and together they managed to bring their friend's body back to town. They didn't show it to Applebloom. Her big Sister should remain alive in her memory, not in this pityful state of decay.
In only three months they had lost almost as many friends. Was there even hope anymore?
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The immediate continuation of this story will be released with my next death video. Stay tuned!
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Music:
Amnesia - a Machine for Pigs --RED MEAT
Desmeon - Back From The Dead
Isolated - Circus
Neoni - Haunted House
WATEWA - Ber Ser Ker
Vosai & Facading - Fighting Fire