Applejack screamed. Her life depended on it.

"STOP! PLEASE! HELP! ANYPONY PLEASE HELP ME! NOO!"

"Shut your dirty mouth," Pinkamena spat. She raised the bat once more. "It'll be over soon."

"NOOOO!" And the bat came down onto AJ's body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight galloped down the hall and bursted into Applebloom's room. The filly was in bed, another dart found sticking out her neck. Same for Granny Smith.

"Twilight, I'm scared!" Rarity cried as they trotted to the cellar door. The cries were becoming louder.

"It's okay to be scared," Twilight comforted. "Take my hoof."

She reached for the handle. She pulled it once, then twice. Then she tried to push it. "It... Won't. Open!" She grunted with effort between words.

"Back up." She demanded Rarity. Rarity quickly nodded and took a step back.

Twilight turned around, lifting her hind legs. With a jolt of speed, her hooves crashed into the doors. Her legs came bouncing back to her body and she fell forward.

"Ow..." She said rubbing her head.

"Oh my," Rarity trotted to her marefriend and helped her up. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah. I'll have to teleport in."

"Okay. Be safe-"

Twilight disappeared in a blast of magic. "-please..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The purple alicorn stumbled down the stairs. She muttered to herself to quiet down and she did. Almost in complete darkness, she used careful steps to guide her way down.

"AUUUUGGGHHH! PLEASE! NO-O-OOO!" Applejack's screams rang in Twilight's ears. She felt like crying. Pinkie was hurting her. Pinkie was hurting her.

Twilight finally reached the bottom and saw light. If she stood on the stairs, she could be hidden in the dark. Fortunately, she had a full view of the scene before her.

She bit her tongue to fight back the urge to scream.

Applejack was on the ground in the corner, only her hind leg hooves tied. Her forelegs were up, shielding her face. Her face- it was terrible. Her once white and green eyes were now red and moist from tears. AJ's blood was everywhere. It was coming out of her nose, mouth, and wounds on her body.

Twilight noticed now that Pinkamena was nowhere in sight. Applejack looked up with eyes of pure terror.

"R...run." She said. Her words were shattered like her bones.

Twilight felt something brush against her flank. "Stupid, Twilight. Trying to mess up me and AJ's play date."

And her vision went black.