//------------------------------// // First Encounters // Story: Apples to Ashes // by Gnome //------------------------------// Scythe was not much of a get-out-there type of pony. He mostly just minded his own business,and he didn't get out there very much. Him and his mother had moved from Fillydelphia to Ponyville,and had been there about a month. His mom,Cherry, worked as a mail-pony and Scythe's mom put him in Ponyville High School. _________________________________ Dear Journal, I am Scythe,I had come to Ponyville,because my mom wanted me to have a better life.Rather than the life I had in Fillydelphia. I am going to Ponyville high school.I like it,I guess...I like the teachers and stuff. I've been having dreams,strange dreams. I can't really explain them. In one scenario: I am in a dark room,praying that I am not dead or will not soon be dead. And suddenly a doorway is busted open and a vibrant,majestic mare puts out a hoof. She looks like she can't be more that my age,at least. She also looks like she has a gold fur,and a blood-red mane. I don't know what these dreams cooritlate to but I every time I wake up I am on the other side of the bed that I was originally on,and I am staring at the other side of the bed,but nopony is there. It really frightens me that I would be having these dreams.I had asked my mom why I was having the nightmares/dreams and she said that it is probably just a phase I am going through. My teacher,Cheerilee. Told me to stay after school for something,I did and she told me that I was going to tutor somepony that was failing in math. She told me her name was "Applebloom". The name didn't sound familiar. I still loved to help out others. Cheerilee told me to go to a place called "Sweet Apple Acres" and knock on the door of the household that was there,and asked for Applebloom. She told me also that another mare names "Applejack" would most likely greet me at the door. I am assuming Cheerilee had already told her that I will be tutoring Applebloom. Scythe...out. ________________________ When he got to school he was met by a pink pony with a tiara. "Hi,my name is Diamond Tiara." She said as she reached out a hoof,to Scythe to shake. Scythe looked around,uncomfortably. "Uh,Ok." Scythe shook her hoof. "Come with me. We will be late for class." Diamond Tiara reccomended as she smiled. She started to walk off,Scythe followed. "Alright class,lets start the lesson for today," Cheerilee said,as Diamond Tiara and Scythe entered the classroom. Diamond Tiara motioned Scythe to sit to the desk beside her. He sat down and she suddenly handed him a note. The note read: "Hey do you want to hang out,later? After school." There was a check box with a "yes" or "no",he checked yes. Cheerille spoke up,"Excuse me Diamond. No passing notes in class." Diamond Tiara got the note back from Scythe and it looked like she had just handed him the note. "Yes ma'am," Diamond Tiara said lightly, Scythe looked at the board,as he had a black-out. "Scyth? Are you alright? Scythe!" Cheeriee shouted across the classroom,as she saw her student fall out of his chair. ____________________________ Scythe woke up at the Pony Hopital with a nurse and Cheerille and also his mom by his side. "Mom,what happened?" Scythe asked, "You had a black out,honey." Cherry responded,comfortably. Scythe looked puzzled at why he would have black outs,just randomly like that. "And you had me and the other fillies worried." Cheerillee spoke up. Scythe noticed another pony that he didn't reconized completely "Exuse me,who are you," Scythe asked the mare, "Oh,Uh. My name is Applebloom. I was kinda worried so I visited you." She said. Scythe noticed she had "Gold Fur" and a "Blood-Red Mane". He almost passed out again,because she looked like the pony in his dreams. He kept himself from passing out. He looked back at Applebloom. Cheerilee noticed,"Well Scythe. This is who you will be tutoring." Scythe looked up to his teacher,"Really?" Cheerilee nodded. "Alright,Scythe," The nurse spoke up,drawing Scythe's attention,"You should be signed out of the hospital in no time." The nurse smiled. Cheerilee,Cherry,and the nurse left the room. Leaving Applebloom and Scythe. "Uh,Applebloom." Scythe said looking down as his hooves moved nervously. "Yeah," Applebloom perked up. "What can you tell me about,Diamond Tiara." When Scythe said that name Applebloom suddenly changed her worried face to an angry one. "Uh," Applebloom drew closer to the colt,"Listen,don't get TO close to her. She will tear you life apart. Just like my friend experienced." Applebloom quickly turned around,mumbling to herself why she had just told him that. "What?" Scythe began,"Who did she hurt?" Appebloom took in a deep breath and turned and faced Scythe. "My friend Sweetie Bell." Applebloom said,as a tear rolled down her face,"That mare had hurt her feelings pretty bad." "Oh I had no idea-" "Don't worry about it." Applebloom began to leave the room. "Wait." Scythe spoke up. "What," "Thanks for caring," Applebloom blushed pink. She left the room. "Alright come on," The nurse said entering from the other entrance. A couple of other nurses came in and lifted Scythe off the hospital bed,and put him in a wheelchair. They pushed him into the lobby where his mom was waiting. "Hey mom," Scythe began as he got up from the wheelchair,"Where did Cheerilee and Applebloom go?" "Well they went back to the school. But you need to stay home the rest of the day,though." Scythe looked down in dissapiontment that he wasn't going to get to spend time with Appebloom and to get to know her better. After all he was her tutor,so he might as well get to know her as best he can. ______________________________________ Cherry took Scythe home and laid him down on the couch. She had to hurry,she had to get back to her work. "Hey Scythe." "Yeah,mom." "I have to go to work,I will be back in about an hour." "Oh ok." Scythe carefully got up from the couch and hugged his mother. As a tear tumbled down his face. "What is wrong,hun?" Cherry asked as she pulled away. "Nothing," Scythe laughed,"Its just I am so glad to have a mother like you and friends like Cheerilee and Applebloom." "Aw,Scythe." Cherry embraced her son. "Well I don't want to make you late." "Oh,right." Cherry hurried out the door. Scythe laid on the couch once more,looking up at the ceiling... Scythe to himself,"I wonder if Applebloom has and email." He looked at the clock,it read 5:00 p.m. "She should be getting out of school soon..." Scythe ran into his room and fired up his computer and went to his inbox. He wrote to Applebloom,"Hey,its Scythe. The one that passed out in class. I was wondering if you were willing to meet me soon..." Scythe looked sat back in his chair,he pressed "Enter." "Ok,now it is a waiting game." Scythe said to himself. He waited a couple minutes, He heard a "New Message" tone come from his computer. It was from Applebloom,he read,"Sure,but not today. I need to spend some time with my friend. But yeah. Soon." "Hmm..." Scythe scratched his chin,"I wonder if I can help her with her friend." He didn't bother sending her another message. He closed his laptop and laid on his bed...Thinking,wishing that he might be able to help with what Diamond Tiara had done to Applebloom's friends. He said to himself,"Why would a mare do this. A MARE no less. That is low for anypony to do something like th-" A smile came across his face as he got up from his bed. A smile almost sinister. ___________________________________________ He walked around Ponyville,looking for his target. He examined everypony carefully not to miss how he was looking for. Scythe saw a group of mares talking amongst themselves,when suddenly he saw Diamond Tiara,he got off the bench he had been sitting on. He walked over to the group,careful not be noticed. He if he did,his plan would be flaud. He waited until nopony was around Diamond Tiara. Then he made his move,he went up behind her,and put a hoof over her. Startling her. "Hey Diamond,you said you wanted to hang out,right?" It took a second for her to reconize that it was Scythe. "Oh yeah," she smiled. "Perfect," Scythe said,trying to hide his sinister smirk. Scythe and Tiara walked over to a pavilion,nearby. Scythe looked around for if any ponies were around. Diamond noticed this strange behavior,"What's wrong,Scythe." "Don't worry," Scythe looked at her,with hazy eyes,"Everything is fine." "Are you sure,you are kinda freaking me out." Diamond Tiara responded as she held his hoof in her's. Scythe's eyes suddenly shot open,with a sinister laugh. "Scythe!" Tiar shouted,as he tripped her. Scythe looked down out of sarcastic pity,"Oh don't worry," "Scythe! Stop!" Tiara shouted once more,as she closed her eyes. Scythe just laughed again. Tiara curled up,scared for her life. "Well,whats wrong,Tiara." Scythe said. "Wha-," She opened her eyes,seeing Scythe worried,"I thought you were gonna kill me." "What,why would I do that?" Scythe looked puzzled. "Don't worry about it," she said as she walked ahead of him,not seeing the sinister smile come upon his face once again. His plan had worked,he had installed fear into somepony who made other ponies fear her. "I have a great place for you and me." Scythe said keeping up with Diamond. "Oh really," Diamond grinned happily,as she was recovering from what had just happened. The two went to a hill,overlooking Ponyville. "This is beautiful," Diamond said,as she walked up to the edge... ~ "Uh,Scythe,what are you doing." she said as he approached her with another sinister grin. Scythe pushed Diamond off the hill,seeing her body tumble out of control down. "AHHH!" Diamond screamed,as she sped to a building in the proximity. "Ha Ha Ha," Scythe laughed histarically.~ "Diamond! Diamond!" "Wha-" Diamond opened her eyes and she was on the ground again and saw Scythe holding out a hoof. "What happened,Tiara?' Scythe asked,worringly. "Oh nothing,sorry I am not my best today." Diamond chuckled,as she just stared off the hill. Diamond Tiara's face was flushed...She didn't know why these "Scenes" had popped into her mind. "Well,I wanted to ask you something." Scythe said as he laid down,along side Tiara. "Shoot." "Well do you know who 'Applebloom' is?" He stared at her with hazy eyes once again. "Oh," Diamond looked away,"Well-" "Tell me." Diamond could tell that he was getting impatient