It was the annual Week of Magic, hosted by Princess Twilight Sparkle herself. The day was full of fun festivities for Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns alike.
 
Apple Jack was hosting her own magic display at Sweet Apple Acres. She was to climb into a huge tank of water, and amaze her audience by escaping the rope that tightly bound her hooves.
 
“Apple Jack! The show is about to start!” Princess Twilight shouted as she stood atop of the giant tank.  
AJ leapt up onto the tank and said to the surrounding ponies;  
“Howdy y’all, this year I’ll be blowin’ your minds with a trick inspired by the one and only Hoofdini.”  
The crowd cheered. There wasn’t many ponies there, as most were in town and elsewhere in the Acres enjoying many other tricks and shows.
 
“Apple Jack, would you mind?” Twilight smiled and opened the hatch at the top of the tank.  
“Don’t mind if ah’ do, Princess!” AJ laughed as she leapt into the tank, hind hooves first.  
“And here’s the rope!” Twilight picked up a strong piece of rope and bound AJ’s hooves tight.  
Twilight leaned over to Apple Jack and whispered “Are you sure this is safe?”  
“Sure as hay!” AJ hollered! And with that, Twilight closed the hatch, standing on top of it so AJ couldn’t escape unless untied.
 
Ponies gasp as she dropped into the tank and floated with such ease. They stood there in awe as Apple Jack maneuvered her shoulders and hind legs in an attempt to loosen the rope. As she wiggled and squirmed, her hair ties came loose and floated about the tank.
 
Apple Jack thought to herself ‘Why ain’t they loosenin’?’ as she tirelessly tried to escape.  
A slight twinge of panic hit her and she suddenly craved air.  
As the fear grew stronger and stronger, the more she struggled, the harder it was to concentrate, the tighter the rope seemed to grip.
 
She couldn’t take it much more and gave up trying to loosen the rope. She flung her back legs about in a vital attempt to swim to the tiny gap of air between the wooden top and the lukewarm water.
 
It was then that her body grew fatigued, her mind seemed to slow and in one last attempt at survival, she gasped, inhaling water, making her almost unconscious. It was almost a gargled cry for ‘help!’
 
She flailed about, internally screaming, but ponies just watched, pointed and laughed. They loved every moment. She could feel her freckled cheeks becoming red, and her lungs so tight they could tear. Her eyes began to slowly close, and her body grew limp.
 
Little by little the bubbles she produced became fewer.
 
She floated there, her hair flowing like woven gold, and her blushing face looked almost kissed by a rose. She looked somewhat beautiful in her final moments.
 
The last thing AJ could hear was the thumping and laughter of a pony banging her hooves against the glass.
 
The ponies became a blur, and with one last exhale, AJ fell into darkness.