The Friendship Test (A Creepypasta) by Magpiepony

Part 2 - The Loyalty Test

Starlight lit her horn to douse the fire beneath the metal egg and pushed it back into one of the dark corners of the room. Next she magicked a simple dagger with an ornament handle and a thin but hard metal rod and placed them at Rainbow Dash's hooves.
"Since Rainbow Dash here took it upon herself to break the rules and rob us of our dear Applejack, I believe it is only fitting that we resume our test with the subject of loyalty." Starlight started.
"Fuck you." Rainbow whispered
Undeterred, Starlight continued. "This test is also about choices, though it will be made clear that they are far more deadly than the last. Rainbow Dash, how far does your loyalty go for your friends? Will you take the dagger and stab Princess Twilight to the hilt of the blade, or allow me to give you three swift lashes with the metal rod?"
Rainbow remained silent as the timer above her head counted down.
"Five seconds Rainbow Dash, it's not very fitting to allow another friend to die just because you refuse to—"
"THE ROD!" Rainbow screamed, startling Starlight at the intensity of her response. Starlight removed the magic encasing Rainbow Dash and she pounced; though not at her, but instead to the remains of Applejack. Rainbow covered AJ's body with her own as if she were protecting her friend. Starlight lifted the metal rod with her magic and brought it down hard across Rainbow's back. Rainbow wailed into Applejack the instant that the rod struck. It came down two more times leaving the Pegasus with great bruises and lesions on her back that had narrowly missed her wings.
"Now, Twilight, will you—"
"The Rod." Twilight said almost emotionless.
"You didn't let me finish." Starlight said with a smirk. "Twilight, will you stab Rarity to the hilt... or give Rainbow Dash three more lashes?"
"WHAT?!" Screamed Pinkie Pie in horror.
"It's all a part of loyalty, Pinkie Pie. Where does Twilight's loyalty lie?" Starlight wondered aloud, locking her gaze on the horrified princess.
"To my FRIENDS! ALL of my friends! I'd rather you take my life than subject me to this sick decision!" Twilight spat bitterly.
"Ah, but that's not how the test is performed. If you refuse to choose I suppose there's a one in five chance that it'd be you that was killed, but I don't think the Princess of Friendship is willing to play the odds." Starlight retorted.
Twilight looked to Rainbow Dash, still sprawled over Applejack, then to Rarity.
"A knife can do serious damage no matter where it is stabbed... it doesn't give me any real choice at all." Twilight explained to no one, rationalizing her thoughts aloud.
"Twilight, no... you can't!" Pinkie sobbed.
Starlight presented the rod to Twilight and stood back to give her ample space.
"Just do it Twi." Rainbow whispered.
"Hit her hard, Twilight, or it won't count." Starlight said keeping a close eye on the Princess's movements.
Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and brought the rod down hard on Rainbow's back. A sickening snap was heard and the Pegasus screamed in agony. When Twilight opened her eyes to see what had happened she noticed Rainbow's right wing now laid helpless down her side, the bone clearly fractured.
"RAINBOW! I'M SO SORRY!" Twilight screamed, realizing her mistake. Rainbow just continued to sob.
"Two more Twilight." Starlight reminded her.
Twilight kept her eyes open for the remaining lashes, avoiding her wings as best she could. Starlight nodded in approval and the princess returned to her place.
All eyes focused in on Rarity as it was her turn to make the choice.
"Stab me, stab me Rarity please!" Pinkie demanded, watching Rainbow struggle to breathe from the pain.
"Now now, Pinkie, this is Rarity's choice not yours. Your time will come." Starlight cautioned.
"If... I were to choose the blade... where would I have to stab Pinkie Pie?" Rarity asked.
"Anywhere you like, though it must be to the hilt." Starlight said calmly.
"Rarity don't! There are too many places that could kill her!" Twilight cautioned.
"Oh come now, Twilight, the blade isn't THAT long. There are plenty of places that would keep Pinkie Pie alive." Starlight said rolling her eyes.
"Rainbow?" Rarity asked in a voice barely over a whisper.
"I know, Rarity." Rainbow said. "You have to do it."
"No! NO RARITY SHE CAN'T TAKE MUCH MORE!" Pinkie screamed.
Rarity disregarded Pinkie's outcries and levitated the rod as her choice. She would have kept her eyes closed but learned from Twilight's mistake not to do so. The rod came down hard three more times and the Pegasus moaned softly with each new strike.
"Now it is your turn Pinkie Pie." Starlight said placing the two objects before her.
Pinkie looked up at Fluttershy who was shaking her head and pleading to be spared.
"She'll die Fluttershy! I have to do this!" Pinkie cried, she grasped the blade and took a shaky step in Fluttershy's direction. Fluttershy pleaded for Pinkie to reconsider, but Pinkie tuned out her cries, thinking only of the pain she would be sparing Rainbow Dash. The blade made contact with Fluttershy's back left leg and the pegasus wailed in response. Pinkie had been aiming for something closer to her hoof, but a combination of her blurred teary-eyed vision and Fluttershy's reflexive movement had landed the dagger closer to the flank. Pinkie noted the excess of blood already pouring down the pegasus' leg but knew the job wasn't completed. 'To the hilt' Starlight had said, and Pinkie didn't need to be reminded. Fluttershy saw Pinkie approaching her again and tried to make an escape. Pinkie pounced, pinning the pegasus to the ground and forcing the blade deeper into her friend's flesh until Starlight was satisfied.
"You're lucky that Pinkie Pie had the sense to stop you, Fluttershy. Your impulses could have cost somepony her life." Starlight pointed out.
"Am... am I going to die?!" Fluttershy panicked, covering the wound with her hooves as Starlight pried the dagger free. Once the blade was free, a spurt of blood followed but the flow eased as Fluttershy applied pressure.
"Hard to say, really. Only time will tell. Though I'm sure Rainbow Dash was grateful for the decision." Starlight said, guiding a silent Pinkie Pie back to her place. Pinkie didn't dare look up from the ground to see the damage she had done.
"Now yours is an interesting choice, Fluttershy." Starlight started. "You can whip Rainbow three more times or stab any player of your choosing."
Fluttershy whimpered in pain and reached out for the metal rod.
"Fluttershy... wait..." Twilight cautioned.
"Stab me! Stab me!" Pinkie screamed.
"I can't..." Fluttershy said wobbling on three hooves with the metal rod held by her wing. "I'm sorry Rainbow... I just can't stab somepony, I can't."
Rainbow made a soft gurgle sound in response.
Fluttershy grunted and brought the rod down lightly on her friend.
"Ah ah ah, that doesn't count." Starlight cautioned.
"Please...." Fluttershy sobbed. "Please don't make me do this."
"You know the penalty, Fluttershy." Starlight reminded.
Fluttershy cried out in anger and came down hard with the metal rod. She swung to hit her again, but missed and hit Applejack instead. Her vision blurred with tears as she brought it down for the fourth time making contact with Rainbow's broken wing. Everypony expected screams of anguish from Rainbow in response, but she remained silent.
"Rainbow? Rainbow! Say something, please!" Fluttershy pleaded.
"One more Fluttershy. Quickly now." Starlight said growing bored of the wait.
Fluttershy brought the rod down for the fifth time and once again Rainbow made no response. Pinkie screamed Rainbow's name repeatedly and Fluttershy dropped the rod in shock.
Starlight leaned down to examine Rainbow, noting  the severity of her lacerations and the discolored fur along her back.
"Hmm... internal bleeding and possibly a damaged organ; I'm afraid our dear Rainbow Dash has left us, proving that loyalty to your friends is indeed subjective. Not all friends are created equal for you ponies, are they?" Starlight said feigning sorrow at Rainbow's death.
Starlight jotted down more notes on her parchment while the remaining four ponies mourned in shocked silence. When she finished, she ignited her horn and a great burst of magic filled the room. When it struck each pony in the chest, they were left momentarily dazed before collapsing unconscious on the ground.