The last couple weeks had been eventful, friends lost, loves found. One of those loves, was of the young Dragon and filly. Spike had his eye on another, but found a better connection in Apple Bloom.
At first, Applejack had no problem, she saw how they were, her sister would bring in gems just for the dragon, but she started to think, as her mind cleared of the recent incident with Rainbow Dash, she started to get worried about her sister with one twice her age, and outside their species. She tried not to be judgmental, but the idea of her sister with a dragon was unsettling.
Applejack confronted her about it, but the fiery filly would not listen. She became stern, and put her hoof down. "Y'all are too young to be in a relationship, and y'all don't know well enough if'n you want to be with a dragon, of all creatures"
"What he is? Shouldn't matter, and besides, since y'all gonna use it against him, he's also about my age, by their age" Bloom countered. "Ain't nothing wrong with him, and I am too old enough to know what I want. Just cause I ain't got no cutie mark, and am so small, every pony thinks I'm too young or little. Candy Apple understands me, Adams Apple does too, why can't any pony else?"
The older mare's ears flicked at the mention of the two. "Y'all not suppose to be hang'n around those rotten bunch, y'all no idea who they are!"
"Cause y'all ain't tell'n no pony, and because he respects you, he doesn't either. He cares about you, and us all too. I think y'all being a immature filly with Adams"
"This isn't about me, it's about y'all. Stay a way those two, and I forbid y'all to be courting that dragon!"
"Y'all ain't my mama!" She let it out, and regretted it. She covered her mouth, and Applejack stood silent, a shadow fell over her face by her hat. Making her eyes unreadable. "Applejack... I..."
She turned a way. "I cannot deal with this, I just lost a long time friend, and now you are running around with lovey eyes on some dragon" She did not look at her, as she went on. "You have no idea what Big Macintosh and I go through to take care of y'all. That is why I say y'all are too young, you don't know how hard life is.
“I let y'all have your fun, and pretty much do what ever y'all want, but when either of us try to set boundaries, y'all make a fit. Maybe I ain't mama, maybe I ain't got what it takes to raise a filly, but here I am... Doing it!"
She turned, and looked at her. "Y'all will learn that life isn't just all games, and looking for cutie marks. Y'all wanna be treated like a full grown mare, then y'all gonna stay here and work, here, and Apple Cider's. Gonna put in full days, and see what it is you've been wanting so damn bad"
Apple Bloom studied her, and looked down. "Maybe I don't know all the work you two do, but it ain't like I don't try to help out. I do a lot of work too... Y'all are willing to let me do more work, but not fall in love" She looked back up. "Ain't nothing wrong with Spike, he's a good g-" Applejack cut her off in a sharp tone. "I ain't hear'n no more of it, y'all will listen fer once! So long as it is me and Big Mac taking care of y'all, it's our rules!"
Apple Bloom did not drop it, and shot back. "It ain’t ‘You and Big Mac’ It’s only you! I doubt he cares either. But y’all are so steadfast at being the head of our family. Y’all won’t have to take care of me, I'll be fine on my own!"
She dashed out of the room, and soon out of the house. Applejack was stunned for a moment and then tried to follow, but she was gone. The fields were bare, but the land was vast, it was easy to loose sight of a small figure in the countless shapes.
"Damn it..."
]Magick of Friendship chapter 12
Salvation in Temptation
Apple Bloom galloped from the farms and orchard, and out past the boundary of her old life. She was young, but she was also far more mature than most gave her credit for, and she was tired of it. She wanted to go to Sweetie Belle, or Scootaloo, but knew it would be the first place Applejack would look, and she needed some time away. She had a couple other friends, but neither would truly sympathies with her mistreatment.
She knew it then, the one place she could go, one that Applejack would think last to look. She would hesitate to even look at all.
Applejack got a hold of her brother, Twilight, and a couple others she could count on. She fought back the pain, when she thought about how much help Rainbow Dash would have been. Luckily, both Pinkie Pie, and Ditzy Doo came to the call. With their abilities to find any pony, her little sister was sure to be found.
She did not know what to feel about this; one hoof, she was worried, and mad at herself for causing the little filly to run off. The other, she was even more enforced that she was still immature, and needed to grow up. Galloping away from a problem, was not the way to solve things. The longer it took, the more the first hoof was on her mind.
"I wish mama was still here, this would never have happened..." She thought, as she was at Rarity's
"Hello Applejack, Sweetie Belle is right here" She had received the message on her Bay-B about the whole thing, and made sure her little sister was there so her friend could talk to her.
The little filly came out, looking nearly as worried as Applejack. She was one of Bloom's closest friends and obviously cared a lot for her, but also meant she did not know where she was.
They all talked, Applejack, trying to get an idea where her sister would have gone. She knew many of her favorite spots to go, but Bloom was no foal. If she did not want to be found, she would not go to those obvious places.
She had little luck, as did Fluttershy, who had went to talk with Scootaloo. Twilight looked all over Ponyville, Pinkie, and Ditzy looked farther past. She could not be very far, but was a slim chance.
Big Macintosh stayed at Apple Ciders, hoping she might come there, and a few others, regulars, and friends, were keeping their eyes open for any sign of her too.
Applejack returned home, and waited there, for word, or sign of her sister.
With a loud thud, she slammed her head to the front door frame. She played it all over in her mind, trying to think of what she could have done differently.
Their father, a strong and proud pony, leader of the Apples, and made all the hard choices. He always knew what best to do, and Applejack thought she had that trait too. She stood in the middle of the room, and took off her hat, his hat. She looked at it, her brother was suppose to be the one wearing it, he was the first in the family, and a stallion. He gave it too her, because he believed she was the one too next lead the family, and because the ribbon she wore, that their mother gave her, was due to be passed onto Apple Bloom. She had her cutie mark, and it was tradition that the youngest or with no mark, was to have it. She did not want to give it up, it was all that she had left of her mother, and she worried she would loose her mama forever without it. When Macintosh gave up his hat, so she could still carry a physical memory of their parents, she realized that it was not bows or hats, but they themselves, who carried on their parent's memories. She knew her mama would wanted for the bow to be passed on, as she had before.
She put the hat down, doubting herself more and more, that she was not ready to be head of the family, and felt she shamed the memories of them both. Apple Bloom, was the last foal of their parents, and she neglected to take care of her, and now she was gone some where.
Again, she replayed the fight, this time something of it struck her. "Temptation" She muttered.
She thought it over, how Apple Bloom brought them up, and was in defense of those outcast Apples. She then realized, "If she was to go some where none would want too look, even if'n they thought too look, it would be his place in Everfree" The very last word sent a new terror in her. "If'n she is there, she went into that beast riddled Forest!"
She did not grab the hat, or anything else, she dashed right out and headed straight for the Everfree Forest.
***
In Everfree Forest, a land avoided by most of ponykind, few dared enter here. Since the time, long ago, when Nightmare Moon first struck and destroyed the Castle of the Royal Sisters. The land was changed forever; where most of Equestria was ruled by magick forces, Everfree existed on its own, with no need for outside influence. With that, the land was also where many of the dreaded creatures lived. It was once, a place where the Night Beasts lurked, now it was scattered with creatures of legends. The Cockatrice, whose gaze could turn any to stone, multi-headed Hydra, swamp creatures, who could devour ponies into their muck, deadly flowers, that poisoned, or even ate other creatures, the oversized insects, Dark Witches, who fell from the gentle path that normal witches walked, Sorcerers, and so many other dangers. If a pony was lost here, hope would be likewise.
Applejack did not care for herself, she knew the risk, and wanted only to find her sister. Her cousins lived in their terrible place, and that only added to their crimes. No good pony would choose to live in a place so full of danger, and bad history.
She hoped, despite her feelings about Temptation, that if her sister came here, she made it too him. He was the lesser evil at this point.
This would be the first time she had ever been to his place, and honestly had not an idea what she was looking for. Figuring she would find the lost ruins of the Castle before finding him, but when she came upon a small hut, it looked a bit odd for a pony, even him. The hoof prints, and many of them, told her it had to be Temptation and Candy. What other pony could live in this Queen forsaken forest? She was hoping she did not just find a Centaur home.
With a knock, she alerted the owner of her presence. Applejack heard a sound, and then hoof falls. A pair, not four, so was not a centaur. The mare was hopeful, although oddly so, till the door opened. There stood another mare, hardly dressed, and what she wore was not typical of the Equestrian breed. She was in a worn looking wrap, adorned with many kinds of jewels, bangles, rings in her ears and on her fingers, several rings around her neck, giving it a bit of a longer look. Also had a Mohawk mane, and did not look like a pony, but some strange creature. White with black stripes, or maybe black, with white? Applejack could not figure, did not much care.
"Who this be, who give my door a knock. Do not get visitors, so this is a shock" She spoke in a foreign accent, one the orange pony did not know.
"I was looking for somepony else," Applejack started slowly at first, still taking in the stranger. "Y'all know of any ponies who all live in this here Forest?"
She nodded. "That I do, indeed I do. One Stallion, and a Mare too. Both Apples, but not of a tree, but they are friends of mine you see"
The rhyming was a bit odd to her, but she still was not here to worry over little things. "Do y'all know if'n a little filly has been about? Maybe she's gone to their home?"
With another nod, she pointed down a path. "I see things, with my sorcery and powers. A little filly was by, only ago a few hours. Follow this path, and you'll find the three. The little one you seek, that is where she'll be"
She looked down the path, then to the strange pony like creature. "Thank you..."
"Zecora. She'd welcome you back, any time Applejack" She gave a bow, and disappeared inside closing the door. Leaving the other wondering how she knew her name.
On she went, with the strange Zecora behind, she followed the path hoping it was not some trap or trick.
Applejack spotted the house, and nearly rushed to it, but stopped herself. She was worried about seeing Temptation, but was also concerned about Apple Bloom. She was torn, she knew where her sister was now, and she should be safe. Then she remembered why she personally had it out of the Stallion, and charged on to the steps leading to the door.
With hard strikes, she knocked on the door, hearing the sound to hoof falls again, and waited to see who would answer. It was none other than Temptation. "Well, cousin, ain't expected to see y'all" He spoke as upbeat as he could, but the lingering doubt of this being a good visit, was in his voice.
"Y'all have my sister?!" She was quick to shout, after all the years she had been at odds with him, Applejack had little control talking around him.
"Have? I don't keep her. Nope, somethin' else be keep'n her here. She won't say" He turned, and moved a way, giving an inviting gesture. "Welcome to come in, but she seems might upset cousin"
The reminder was not needed, but it did calm her temper some. She nodded and trotted in.
His home was not too unlike her own; it was done up in a western style, a bit more poor, seeing how lived out here, one did not really bother with fancy styles. It was not much in the family’s style, any how.
She did not take in too much, wanting to know where Bloom was, and Temptation lead her to there.
Candy Apple saw her cousin, and stood up, Bloom saw her too, and stayed in place, looking more angry. Both of the cousins decided to leave the sisters alone.
"Didn't think y'all come here..." Apple Bloom said, looking away.
"I would go any where to find y'all, make'n sure y'all are ok. Near all of Ponyville is out and about... I was so worried"
"Why? So y'all could boss me around more?!"
Applejack lowered her head. "I don't try to boss y'all around, I try to take care of y'all... I'm not the best, I know that... I don't even deserve to lead out family, if'n I can't prevent my own sister from running away"
The other noticed the lack of her hat; she usually took it off for work, but otherwise wore it proudly as a sign of leadership.
"I worry so much about y'all Apple Bloom, about y'all growing up too fast, and not enjoying your time" She took a pause. "Maybe, I just keep treat'n y'all like a filly, cause I hope y'all never have to grow up, and face the troubles of adulthood. I was fast to grow up too, and though I’m happy with most things, I look back and wish I hadn’t been in such a rush”
Apple Bloom was quiet for a moment, listening to her sister speak. She knew Applejack had nothing bad intended for her, and was doing her best. "I'm sorry I ran off. Guess I ain't so old yet, that I still run away from home" She gave a weak smile, Applejack tried to return it, but she was still embroiled with her own demons, feeling unfit to be the head.
Apple Bloom stood up, and came to her sister. "I know y'all are doing yer best Applejack, heck, y'all are doing a might fine job at it. The Farm is doing better than it has in some time, least what I've heard from Granny and Big Mac. Apple Cider's is doing very well too. Maybe I didn't get to know Mama and Papa too well, but I bet they'd be proud of y'all" Applejack looked at her, tears in her eyes. "I know I’d be, and am mighty proud to have y'all as my sister" Bloom finished.
Applejack leaned down, and the two sisters hugged for some time. "I guess, y'all are much more mature than I give y'all credit fer"
Apple Bloom risked it, and asked. "So... can I see Spike?" She spoke slowly, and was worried she would ruin the moment, but Applejack did not get mad or anything.
"If'n y'all like him so much, I guess then y'all know what y'all want"
They did not stay long, Applejack still was not too comfortable around Temptation. Before they left, she did thank him for watching Apple Bloom.
"It's what family does, cousin. Even if y'all don't much care for me, I'm still part of the family"
She sighed, and nodded slowly. She did not linger, and the two were on their way back home.
***
After the crisis, every pony returned to their lives, and things between the two Apple sisters had changed. Applejack did give her more work, but also did not try to hinder her chances to have fun. Bloom decided to go easy with her quest to grow up so fast. She never stopped seeking way to earn her mark, and the trio of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, would go on till they each had theirs.