A Stallion with a Question

by Ugly-Duckling123

chap 23

After Applejack had got off the phone she went back to helping unload the truck and set it in Fluttershy's room, the girls agreeing that that seemed the safest place for all this until it was needed.

"So... How did it go?" Rainbow Dash asked smirking.

"Fine," AJ returned placing the last box with the others.

"Well as long as this wont be all for nothing," Rainbow said pointing around the room. "I don't really mind. And I'll help place those posters around town and ask my football team if you'd like Shy," she said switching to her other friend in the room.

"Oh thank you Rainbow I hope we do find that pup's real family, not that I don't think Bloom wont do a good job," she said timidly looking to Applejack, "Just it will seem right wont it?"

With that Fluttershy gave Rainbow a few of the posters and each girl went their separate ways, Applejack returning with a poster herself to the farm.

---

In the kitchen, the friends had just finished packing up so it looked like nothing happened over the coarse of the weekend, and were now in the kitchen with Granny Smith, all enjoying some well deserved apple pie and ice cream.

"I'm back!" Applejack called from the front door coming into the kitchen.

"So dear how's that little pup then?" Granny Smith said smiling.

"Fine but she's doesn't have a collar or a chip, so Shy printed off a few of these posters so if anyone knows her..." Applejack said placing the poster on the table, after a few seconds it being snatched by Diamond Tiara who was studying it up and down.

"I know who she is," she said a scowl on her face for some reason "And who the owner is."

"But that's good right?" Spike asked confused.

"Depends how you look at it," Tiara said whipping out her phone and pressing a speed dial number she hadn't pressed in five years.

---

By her family's pool Twinkle was reading a fashion magazine, when her phone started ringing.

Sighing since she had been reading a very important article about the right color nail varnish to wear on which occasion, Twinkle picked up her phone surprised to see it was Diamond Tiara calling her.

"Hello?" she said in a 'couldn't care less voice'.

"So how's your new puppy?" was the first thing Tiara asked.

"Oh that ball of fur?" Twinkle asked "Well... As much as it so totally pains me to say this," she said acting all devastated "The rat ran away. Can't tell why."

~~*~~

"Could it be because you treated it like you teat me and my friends?" Tiara putting the phone on speaker telling everyone to be quiet and asking someone to record all this.

"Yeah right," Twinkle said "I treat that thing with love and affection. Unlike those losers you now hang out with. I get Lidia to feed it, I get Jones to take it for walks, I tell Taylor to play with it. See I care for it just fine."

"So why was she found in the middle of the forest, all alone and scared?" Tiara asked reading the poster out.

"Er... she ran away," Twinkle said "Didn't I just say this?"

"So if I ask if you want it back?" Tiara asked getting to the point she wanted "What will you say?"

"Yeah right want that bouncing ball of fluff again? Twinkle asked rhetorically "No thanks, whoever found it, the things their problem now."

And with that the line went dead.

"So why did you want us to record that Tiara?" Sweetie Belle asked as her friend shut off her phone.

"Just in case she'll change her mind when she sees Bloom with the pup," was the answer she got.

---

That night in the grotto, Apple Bloom was just finishing up her sausages, while Mac was looking over the list of names she had written for the pup, should they not be able to find the real one.

"Humm..." he said looking over the paper "Well, they're all good names sis. But the ones that get my vote are either Anna, Alice, or maybe Diana," he said giving the list back, and getting started on his burger that had now grown cold.

"That doesn't really help choose a name big brother," Bloom said placing her plate back in the basket, rubbing her eyes slightly.

"Well we'll just have to wait to see what everyone else thinks too and pick from there." Mac said smiling. "It'll be just like Honey-Crisp all over again."

"But... but she wont run into the forest will she?" Bloom asked "And then you'll go in after her and get hurt. Right?"

That put a stop to Mac's fun and games as he looked towards his baby sister.

"I promise sis," he said "I will try and not let that happen. Now..." he said finishing his dinner "What would her majesty want to help her get to sleep tonight?"

"Stories of Mama and Papa," Bloom said yawning and getting down on the ground.

---

The next morning, Mac got up extra early, to rouse Bloom enough to get her to come out of the tent so he can put it down and pack up.

"Do I have to go to school today Mac?" Bloom asked yawning as she was now up on Honey who was being nice and slow for her friend letting her lean against her neck. "I'm tired."

"Well if perhaps you went to sleep like you were suppose to Bloom, instead of ordering and ordering more and more stories," Mac said with a kind smile but checking back every now and then to make sure his baby sister wont fall off her horse "Maybe you wont be so tired. Besides I bet the minute you get some food into you you'll be right as rain again."

"Do I have to go to school today Mac?" Bloom asked again as if she didn't hear anything, but Mac thought there was something else.

Pulling the horses to a stop he helped Bloom down and got her to face him. "All right what's wrong Bloom?" he asked kindly yet orderly "Out with it."

"Yell... What's the point of going to a building to learn stuff, that you'll probably never ever use again for the rest of you're life," Apple Bloom said.

"I got a feeling that's not what this is about Bloom," Mac said shifting them so they were now sitting down on a fallen tree. "Now come on what's really wrong? You used to love school."

Not sure how to explain Bloom asked if she could tell Mac a story who agreed as long as it were quick.

'One upon a time, there was this sweet apple blossom who had three friends, a caterpillar...' Bloom said slowly trying to place her friends to the right beings 'A... A bird. And her newest friend a bee. They lived together in the apple tree forever and kept saying nothing will split them apart.
But then one day, the apple blossom was... harmed by a cat who got into the tree. Then her friends began to ignore her... The blossom not knowing what she did wrong... but knowing that she didn't want to see her friends again until she was all better. Even if that means hiding from the rest of the world.'

"Bloom your friends are Not trying to ignore you..." Mac said sighing gently gripping the girls hands in his own. "They're just... busy with something. Everything will get to the better side of things after your leg's all fine and dandy again. Trust me."

"The last time I trusted some one brother," Bloom began muttering adding a couple of sniffs "Honey got hurt."

"Ok I didn't want to play this card, but you leave me no choice," Mac said getting Bloom to pay attention "You remember how I said you could possibly have the pup is you take care of it?" he asked getting a nod "Well taking care of it means you need to be responsible right?" another nod "And does not going to school sound like being responsible?" shake. "No, it doesn't. Bloom, you may not like it there, especially at the moment and you can hardly do anything, but going to school even when you don't want to, is the first sign to being responsible. And the more responsible you are, the more alright me AJ and Granny will be with you having a small animal. Understand?"

"I... I think so," Bloom said but not looking into her brother's eyes.

Getting an idea on how to get his sister to go to school and back to the cove on Wednesday Mac said "How about this then... You continue going to school, that includes today, tomorrow, and the rest of the time your legs broken and all after that," he said just making himself clear "And On Wednesday, I'll see if Granny will let me have a day off farming and we can come back the cove to watch the eclipse there instead."

That catching the little girls attention, Apple Bloom went over the deal in her head to try and find any loopholes and nodded smiling when she didn't find any.

With that they continued they way out of the forest.

---

In the kitchen of Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Granny were having their breakfast, pancakes and syrup leaving aside two plates for Bloom and Mac.

"Mac better be getting back home soon with Bloom or she'll be late for school," Applejack said finishing up her meal.

"Oh I'm sure they're fine dear," Granny said smiling finishing her as well. "Why I wager they will be through that door in the next thirty seconds."

Shrugging, AJ just began counting and looked to the door not believing her.

29 seconds later

"We're back!" Apple Bloom cried opening the door and rushing over, as quick as she could to the table to have her breakfast, Mac following her.

Pouting slightly and rolling her eyes AJ just got up and went to go get the trucks keys so Bloom could get straight to school when she was done, even going to her sister's room and getting her rucksack.

"So how was your camping trip Sweetie?" Granny said laughing a bit at her elder granddaughters reaction of loosing the bet.

"It was ok, we found a puppy and Mac says if I'm responsible by going to school and no one claims her I can have it."

"I'm not sure I used those words Bloom," Mac said pouring syrup onto his pancakes.

"Well that's what I heard big brother," Bloom said her mouth stuffed with pancakes, getting a look from Granny and AJ. Gulping them down Bloom continued "By the way we need your opinions on names for her..." Bloom said pulling out the name sheet.

"We'll think about it when we have some more time dear," Granny said smiling "Right now you need to be going to school."

"Ok," Bloom said getting down and over to the door as fast as she could go never so eager to go to school. "Come on AJ! I'm going to be late!" she said to her sister confusing her, but allowed herself to be pulled out of the door anyway.

Once they were gone, Granny turned to Mac and asked "I presume that was your doing son?"

"I told her, after she told me a story of how she was feeling," Mac explained "That if she went to school and there fore showed us she was responsible, she was, the more alright me AJ and you will be with her having a small animal."

"Trying to bribe her with something cute and fuzzy," Granny said smirking a bit nodding "I have taught you well my boy."

Rolling his eyes slightly Mac remembered the second half of the deal he made with his sister.

"I also got an idea on how to get her back there on Wednesday," he said waiting for Granny to signal to carry on. "I said that on that day I'll see if you'll let me have a day off farming and we could go back the cove to watch the eclipse there instead. So technically I didn't spill the surprise since she'll think it's just me and her right?" he asked just making sure.

"That sounds right to me," Granny said nodding smiling too. "Just don't hurt yourself moving everything into the woods, we don't want her to have to loose her trust to another one of us because you're too badly hurt to fulfill it. No do we?"

"I'll call the girls and guys over to see if they'll help out later Granny," Mac said nodding. "The trouble is, we'll need to walk the tables and chairs in because the old hay-cart track's blocked."

"Do what you must son," Granny said getting up and leaving. "Just don't get hurt, or burn the grotto down." With one last smile she left, leaving Mac to enjoy his breakfast.

Author's Note:

I'm still here