Dawn of a New World

by KingBrony

Apple Bloom 3 - Family

"Just keep running!"

Apple Bloom felt so tired that she couldn't keep up. She galloped across the sands as Scootaloo flew overhead. They didn't know which direction they were traveling, but it didn't matter. The only thing they wanted was to get as far away from those changelings as possible. However, all that did matter was Applejack. "Ah can't leave her!" She yelled as sand flew up into the air.

"We've been over this! Applejack is strong! She'll meet up with us soon." Scootaloo panted, starting to grow tired from flying. Before long, the pegasus crashed right in front of Apple Bloom, who jumped over with a yell.

"Watch where you're going!" Apple Bloom yelled. The filly looked behind her to see if they were being followed. To her delight, there was nopony behind them; not even a small bird could be seen. Apple Bloom helped her friend up. "Want to stop here for a while? It looks safe."

Scootaloo looked around for a moment and nodded. Apple Bloom noticed that her friend's mane had grown out ever since the world ended. It draped over her herself and flowed when there was a breeze. She could also see the stretch marks on her wings, where the changeling known as Chrysalis tried to rip them right out. It was a surprise Scootaloo was able to fly this long in her state.

The yellow pony herself felt extremely tired and hungry. Her hooves still chaffed from the chains she was bound in, but all she cared about was seeing her sister again. However, right now Apple Bloom wanted to sleep. The place they had stopped was a little area spotted with some bushes and trees. A slight breeze had settled on the hot landscape, shifting the sands and blowing it into the fillies' eyes. Under normal circumstances, Apple Bloom knew her sister wouldn't have let them stay in a place like this for long, but she very well knew that nothing has been normal for a long time.

"We can use the bushes to hide." Apple Bloom said, wandering over to one. It pricked her skin a little as she touched it, but soon nestled right underneath it. The bush felt cold, which was odd considering they were in the middle of a hot desert. The warm sand underneath Apple Bloom balanced everything out. She could hear Scootaloo complaining under her breath, but she gave it no mention. You'll thank me later. Before long, Apple Bloom was passed out. She began to dream about Sweet Apple Acres. She and Applejack were bucking trees and harvesting apples. When they returned to the barn, Apple Bloom could see Granny Smith and Big McIntosh standing there, waving their hooves. Apple Bloom had never been happier to see her family.

A rustle in the bushes nearby woke Apple Bloom up from her dream. "Scootaloo, stop squirming!" She called out, annoyed that her dream was disturbed.

"What? I thought that was you!"

Apple Bloom's eyes widened as she sprang up. Somepony's here, she thought as she turned to the source of the rustling. "Is...is somepony there?" Apple Bloom called out to the bush, which began to rustle again. "Ah'm warnin' you...come out now!" The bushes suddenly parted, causing the fillies to huddle and cry. When Apple Bloom looked up, however, a huge wave of relief came over her. A mare emerged from one of the bushes, looking as tired as ever, but carried a confident smile on her face. A bright gem hung around her neck as if it were a part of her own body. Her mane, covered in dust, flowed in the wind.

"Applejack!!!"

With tears in her eyes, Apple Bloom rushed and jumped to hug her sister. Applejack stood there, looking better than ever. Her element glistened in the orange light, much like her mane and even her cutie mark. The sister Apple Bloom thought she lost was right here, in the flesh. Nothing would ever keep them apart ever again.

"Ah...ah was so worried about you, sis! You have to stop leavin' us alone like that!" She said, pressed tightly into her sister. Scootaloo smiled and approached the sisters as well. Applejack simply smiled and tightened her grip around the fillies, tears forming in her eyes as she did. Apple Bloom didn't care about anything else that would happen; she was with her sister again.

"Ah would never think twice about it...ah'm sorry ah scared you two. But, we're together again!" Applejack's voice was coarse, as if she had been screaming at the top of her lungs. Apple Bloom thought about her sister fighting off the changelings, and how gallant her sister must have been as she fended them off.

"How did you get away?" Scootaloo asked. Applejack laughed and wore an awkward grin. She must have done a good job on them, Apple Bloom thought as she studied her sister - she didn't have any marks or injuries from the battle, at least not anything she didn't already have. Did she really beat them without so much as a scratch? The filly shrugged off the thought, glad that her sister was alive after all.

"Let's not worry about that now. We've got some walkin' to do!" The orange mare quickly replied, turning to face a different direction.

Apple Bloom almost forgot about where they wanted to go now. "Are we going to see the zebras?" She asked, jumping up and down. She remembered the last time they were in the desert. They hadn't been with the zebras for long, but they seemed friendly enough. And, they weren't too affected by the end of the world; the zebras traveled throughout the entire desert and beyond, so they would simply move to another location if their previous one was destroyed.

Applejack laughed again and nodded. "Of course." was all she said before turning to face what Apple Bloom thought was south. "This way. Let's go! There might be more of them on their way." The fillies looked at each other, knowing what Applejack was referring to. They didn't want to get caught again; Scootaloo looked at her wings and immediately began to walk. Apple Bloom followed closely behind.

Even though the sun hadn't risen or set for the longest time, the desert still grew hotter and hotter as the three ponies ventured farther south. They passed many different rock formations they haven't seen before, suggesting that they were well beyond the region they had crossed earlier. Back in a different world, where we were all together, Apple Bloom thought. No matter; I have Applejack back. Nothing will separate us!

Of course, they weren't able to get by without being attacked at least once by the changelings. One flew overhead, nearly tackling Scootaloo right out of the sky. "Get down!" Applejack called to the fillies before running to meet the foe. With one great kick, she knocked the changeling right into a nearby rock. The fillies cheered on as Applejack charged the creature, but it simply got up and flew away screeching.

"Great job, sis!"

Applejack didn't respond; instead, she simply kept moving onward. Apple Bloom made a face, but didn't give it a second thought. She must be tired, or hot, or both. I know I am...

However, both fillies began asking questions of the mare they traveled with. While it was only filly naivete, Applejack only looked annoyed as they continued.

"How long will it be?"

"Do you think they'll remember us?"

"Can we go to Saddle Arabia too while we're out here?"

"What if we run into more of them?"

The mare soon stopped in her tracks. "ENOUGH!" She yelled in a tone that struck a chord in Apple Bloom's ear. I've never heard Applejack get mad like this, and I've seen her get mad... This caused both fillies to jump back, startled to see the fire in the orange pony's eyes.

After a moment of silence, Apple Bloom spoke. "Sorry, sis..."

"No, ah'm sorry." Applejack apparently regained her composure. "It's just hot...makes the blood boil. We had better get there soon." She said before continuing on. Apple Bloom could only look at Scootaloo, who shrugged. There was silence for the entire trip from that moment on, which was only broken when Applejack stopped to tell them to get some rest. "We'll continue after we wake." She said before falling asleep.

Apple Bloom looked up at the sky, the orange sky. As tired as she was, she just couldn't tell if was really time for ponies to go to bed. The sky would always let us know...now, it's just orange. The sun itself is sleeping, or dead. Maybe we should do the same? Is that what it means? Apple Bloom was not able to fall asleep, instead tossing and turning in the uncomfortable sands that surrounded her. They were situated right next to a cool rock and slept in its shadow. The twilight sun had cast a long shadow on everything, even the ponies themselves. Sometimes Apple Bloom would look at her shadow when she walked. Some times it looked as if she grew three feet, while other times it looked nothing like her. The sand distorted the shadows sometimes, shifting around and changing form. They had no food and water, so Apple Bloom hoped they would find something before they perish in the desert. Would anypony come looking for us, as the sands shifted and buried us deep within, hiding us like a dark secret?

The pony didn't know how long it had been since the end of the world - a few weeks, months, maybe even a year. She just wasn't sure. The days blended together, especially now that the days literally couldn't even be told apart. She felt that she had grown a lot in the time she spent traveling. The filly felt more mature now, even if she really was still a filly. The pink bow she kept in her mane had been lost long before, possibly out over the ocean after visiting the griffons, or back when they saw the dragons. Her mane had grown very long and even began to curl in a few places; she would brush it, but there was no way to out here. Her flank was also still blank. She turned to look at Scootaloo, who was sound asleep. Her cutie mark raised and lowered as she breathed in her sleep. Ah will not die without my cutie mark, Apple Bloom promised herself, although she didn't know if she could keep it.

She didn't know when she fell asleep, but she woke up to Scootaloo tapping her on the shoulder. "It's time to go." She said before walking away. Apple Bloom rubbed her eyes, getting some sand in them, and shook her head. Apple Bloom saw her sister standing a short distance away, looking annoyed. It was time to keep moving. Or end up as another secret for the desert to keep. As she walked, Apple Bloom began to wonder how many ponies were buried where she slept, hidden away for nopony to find.

Red lines streaked the orange, cloudless sky. The sun was red as well, which left an unsettling feeling in Apple Bloom's stomach. However, the others didn't look bothered, especially Applejack. She still had that confident grin on her face and walked on. Ah have to be more like her. She's strong, The ponies walked for hours through the desert, stepping on rocks and desert plants along the way. The sand only got hotter as they went along, to the point where Apple Bloom would start bouncing along just as Pinkie Pie did. She began to miss Pinkie Pie, and Applejack's other friends as well. Rainbow Dash...at least the others were still alive, or at least I hope so.

Apple Bloom collapsed into a pile of sand and rocks. She felt too tired to carry on and just wanted to rest. She knew her sister would understand, given the situation...or, so she thought. The next thing she felt was a hoof slap her on the shoulder. "Get up! We don't have time to rest!" Applejack's voice sounded different again. This puzzled the filly even more so than before. Applejack would never...

She could hear Scootaloo's voice as well, trying to defend her fallen friend. "...She's just tired. We all are. Do you-"

"There is no time! If she doesn't get up, Ah'm leavin' her! And if you want to stay with her, ya can!" Applejack's voice had never sounded more...gruff. The sudden curiosity gave Apple Bloom enough energy to stand back up and stare at her sister. She looked like Applejack, there was no doubt about it. The sun, the heat...The heat, Apple Bloom's mind repeated to her over and over again. The filly then looked to the sun in question and found something rather strange: the three ponies were moving towards it. She knew from her days in Ms. Cheerilee's class that the sun rose in the east and set in the west. They were supposed to be moving south, but if they were moving towards the sun, they were not going south.

"...Where are we going?" Apple Bloom spoke up. It sounded so blunt that Scootaloo began to laugh.

"We're going south, to the zebras." Applejack said quickly, looking as if Apple Bloom had something ugly on her face.

"But...we're walking towards the sun, which means we're not going south..."

Applejack looked guilty, the filly could see it in her eyes. Her bright green eyes. "You got me..." Applejack said sullenly. "There's a small town to the west of here. Ah wanted to restock and get some - oh, Ah don't know...food and water for our trip." The way she said it made Apple Bloom feel guilty herself.

Scootaloo walked next to Applejack. "Yeah, Apple Bloom! We don't have food or water! You can't possibly expect us to go south hungry and thirsty, do you?"

You don't have to say it like that... "Ah guess you're right...but, you should'a told us!" Apple Bloom looked up to her sisters eyes. Those green eyes. "Ah'm sorry, sis."

Applejack nodded. "It's alright, sis. Ah just didn't want to get your hopes up in case there was nothin' there..." She said before turning back to move west.

The little filly was suspicious now. What happened to Applejack? Did she...did she kill that Chrysaslis lady? Apple Bloom that something as big as murder would change the sister she knew. Hot sand or not, she had a feeling that something big had to have happened in that house to get Applejack so...mad. Even worse, she lied to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo about where they were going.

She felt slightly better, at least, when she saw the rooftops of worn-down buildings appear on the horizon. At least she didn't lie about that. Scootaloo was flying again, although this time her wings fluttered differently than before. It seemed as if the pegasus need more effort to fly than before. It must have been the stretch marks that did it. Apple Bloom wanted to tell her friend to stop flying, but Scootaloo would never do that. Even if she lost her wings forever, she would still find a way to fly. Maybe she can teach Berry Bunches how as well, if we ever see her again.

"Almost there!" Applejack called out. The tone of her voice sounded more eager than anything, Apple Bloom reflected as she saw the buildings come into better view. The wooden structures all looked like they would fall apart at any moment; in fact, one did before they even approached the town limits. It looked to be a small home, which possibly housed a family of four. The roof collapsed into the rest of the structure, taking down the frames and supports as if they were dominoes. She saw another building, two or three spots down from the collapsed house. It looked like a grocery store at first, but when she got closer she could perfectly see what it was...

...a bar. A bar that looked very similar to one they had been in before.

That's when it hit Apple Bloom. She turned around quickly to see Applejack smiling, as if nothing were wrong. But, there is something very wrong. She saw buildings that all looked familiar, even though they were worn and destroyed, Apple Bloom could tell.

They were back in Apple Loosa.

She began to back away a few steps. Scootaloo, who was oblivious to Apple Bloom's discovery, walked closer to Applejack. "Where should we start looking?" She asked.

Apple Bloom saw her sister lick her lips. The realization hit her harder than a ton of bricks. Applejack's smile, her attitude, the lies...

...That was not Applejack.

"Why are we back in Apple Loosa?" Apple Bloom said with a heavy voice. She faced her sister's impostor dead on. The mare only laughed.

"Why, to get food, of course!" was all she said. Before Apple Bloom could even blink, the pony that looked like her sister pounced right on an unsuspecting Scootaloo, holding her by a wing and a hoof. The pegasus gasped and tried to struggle free.

"Applejack, what are you doing?" She asked in a scared tone. Something told Apple Bloom that she didn't want to know the answer to that question.

"That isn't Applejack." Apple Bloom said. "That is..." She's wearing my sister's element. No doubt it's her's. "WHERE IS MY SISTER!?!?!?"

The imposter laughed, her voice sounding much different than Applejack's. "I can't believe you saw thorugh my disguise. You fillies are smarter than I thought." The figure in front of Apple Bloom shifted, revealing Queen Chrysalis herself, holding Scootaloo in place. She bit a feather right off the scared pegasus's wing. "Don't worry; your sister didn't suffer. Her services were...most welcome." Apple Bloom wanted to kill her, to strangle her and tear her wings and horn off. She wanted to plunge her hoof right through those holes in her legs and rip right through...however, Apple Bloom wouldn't believe it. It's just a trick.

"No...NO! You're lying!" Apple Bloom spat, only making the changeling queen laugh louder.

She rubbed the element that hung around her neck with a hoof before placing it back on Scootaloo's wing. "Don't want to believe me? Fine! I'm not going to be a savage and show you what's left...I only offer food to my children." They killed her and ate her...no! It's not true! Apple Bloom had never felt angrier. "You let her go now! Both Scootaloo and my sister!!"

"Or what?" The queen spat. "You'll cuddle me to death? You'll get your sister to come after me? I don't think either will ever happen, not anymore." She took another feather into her mouth. Scootaloo's tears stained her orange fur and the ground in front of her. "Let's face it; your Elements of Harmony failed back when they failed to kill me in the Crystal Empire. They've all been falling, one by one, ever since Rainbow Dash was eaten...Ha! Each of the elements, eaten up! How rich!" I will kill you. "Children!"

Chrysalis wasted no time. Changelings appeared out of nowhere, surrounding the three who stood in the center of Apple Loosa. Applejack didn't flinch. If Ah make a move, Ah die. If Ah stay here, Ah die. Apple Bloom began to lower her head in defeat. Ah'm sorry, Scootaloo.

"You want to know the last thing Applejack said before I killed her? 'Don't hurt mah sister!' ...and the last noise she made when I cut her op-"

Apple Bloom jumped right onto the queen. She didn't care what happened, she won't let Chrysalis get away with what she did. If she died, she would take as many with her as she could. It took everypony by surprise that none of the changelings responded until Apple Bloom knocked Scootaloo right out of the queen's hooves. The filly did her best to pound her hooves right into the face of the changeling queen. She ripped the element of honesty right off of Chrysalis's neck and threw it to the ground. The queen's blue and green hair was all over the ground, and her green eyes...Apple Bloom pounded right away for a good second or two before being pulled off by the changelings behind her. She screamed as she did it, and even afterwards. Tears poured from her eyes as her heart sped up. When she was being dragged off of Chrysalis, Apple Bloom thrashed about so violently that she was able to break free and stomp her target one more time before being grabbed by the rest of them. They pinned her down to the ground alongside Scootaloo, who was too scared to run. Why didn't you escape, Scootaloo!?

Queen Chrysalis got up, wiping a small strand of blood from her lip. "A commendable effort, little pony, but a vain one. I will make sure you are slowly eaten alive. I'll make sure you're still conscious even when my children rip that last bit right off of-"

A blast of green fire hit the queen so hard that she fell over, knocking the element right out of her grasp. The other changelings let go of Apple Bloom as they turned to face the source of this new distraction. Before they could, they were all enveloped in a green aura. The changelings began to screech before they were lifted into the air and thrown through the window of a nearby building. Apple Bloom didn't know what was going on until she saw purple scales and another breath of fire emerge from a dragon's mouth. The building the changelings were thrown into was lit ablaze, burning wildly as it spread to other buildings and ruins. Apple Loosa was on fire.

"Apple Bloom! Scootaloo!" A filly's voice was heard, but Apple Bloom passed out before she could realize who had saved her. The last thing she saw was a green aura surround her, lifting her up into the air.

*********

Apple Bloom slowly opened her eyes. It was very cold, but she woke up next to a strong fire. She could still feel sand underneath her, but the cold air puzzled her. She tried remembering what happened before: Scootaloo, Applejack, the changelings...

She quickly rose, so suddenly that a sharp pain coursed through her body and fell back down. She felt a hoof on her, and immediately jumped again. She turned to see the filly from before. She was a white unicorn, with a long, pink and purple mane. She had a cutie mark in the shape of a heart-shaped music note. It took a while before she realized.

"Sweetie Belle!!!"

The two fillies hugged tightly. Both were crying, happy to see each other. She looked at her friend and turned to see Spike there as well. "And Spike!" She cried as she hugged the little dragon.

"Where's Scootaloo!?" Apple Bloom quickly said, fearing for her friend's safety.

"Over there." Sweetie Belle turned and pointed to a wall. The pegasus was sleeping soundly against a cave wall.

A wall.

That was when Apple Bloom realized where they were. It was a small cave, most likely somewhere close to Apple Loosa. As she pondered, Sweetie Belle spoke again. "We couldn't go far because the Sleipnir came out...they are attracted to the magic, and I used it to save you. We're hiding here until it's safe. Are you okay?" Apple Bloom only hugged her savior in response.

"How did ya find us?" Apple Bloom wasn't sure what was luckier: Sweetie Belle and Spike finding them just in time, or actually saving them from the changelings.

Sweetie Belle touched the gem that hung around her neck. The element of generosity. Apple Bloom heard the entire story of Sweetie Belle's experiences right then. After crying for Rarity, she saw the element glow. "Spike and I decided to go south, away from Equestria. We were just walking when I felt the element glow. It grew stronger as I kept going, eventually leading me to you!"

Spike continued the tale. "It was pretty weird, but I guess that's what the Elements do best. Anyway, we saw you with Chrysalis. Sweetie Belle wanted to run and find somepony to help, but I told her there was nopony out here that could. It had to be up to us...even though we've never fought before, I guess we did a pretty good job."

Sweetie Belle's horn began to glow. "I've been working on my magic quietly for a while. I know the others said it would drain me, but I did my best to try and conserve as much power as possible...but, it did get us captured in Las Pegasus...and Rarity..." The unicorn held back a tear. "My anger came through in the end, though!"

Apple Bloom was shocked that the elements could do that for somepony who was not a wielder, but she then realized something else. "Where's...the element of honesty!"

Sweetie Belle smiled before lifting another hoof, revealing the orange element. Apple Bloom was so happy that she couldn't hold it in anymore. She hugged her friend even tighter this time, more tears than before.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" Apple Bloom rejoiced. The last thing I have of Applejack. I will treasure it always. As Scootaloo woke up, Apple Bloom fastened the element around her own neck. The three stood staring at each other, each with sad faces. "...So, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and...and..."

"They may be gone, but we are together now. The CMC!" Scootaloo said, trying to lift Apple Bloom's spirits. She felt a little better, but nothing could ever replace the void that the death of her family left. Apple Bloom then realized that she was the only one of the three without her cutie mark. "Ah guess we have to change the name now, huh." She said, looking at her friends' cutie marks. "Sweetie Belle...did Rarity get to see yours before she..."

Sweetie Belle nodded sadly, which just made Apple Bloom feel sorry for asking. "Hey," Sweetie Belle said. "I'm sorry Applejack couldn't see yours, whatever it will be. I'm sure it will be great!"

Spike interjected the conversation. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we can't stay in this cave forever. Where should we go next? Now that we're together, do we go north to meet up with Twilight again?"

The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at each other before nodding. "We decided..." Apple Bloom began.

"To not go back to Equestria." Sweetie Belle continued.

"We will go south. As far south as we can." Scootaloo contributed.

"To find the zebras."

"To find safety."

"Until such a time comes that we can safely come back to Equestria."

"For we may be young,"

"But we have each other!"

"And no matter what happens, we will keep each other safe."

"Because we are family!" They said in unison. Apple Bloom felt much happier right then. Ah didn't lose mah family - Applejack, Granny Smith, and Big Mac are still in mah heart. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Spike are also mah family. Still mah family.

Spike frowned a moment before nodding. "I should let Twilight know." He said before pulling paper and a pen out of a saddlebag. "It will be hard for her to know that three fillies are traveling by themselves, but I will protect you all....so I guess it won't be that bad."

Scootaloo laughed playfully. "You're going to protect us, Spike?"

"I made somepony a promise."

*********

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

Sweetie Belle and I have found Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. Unfortunately, Applejack is...Well, just know that the four of us are safe and intend to move south for now, away from Equestria. While we could try to make the trip to the Crystal Empire, we feel that it may be too dangerous to travel so close to the Sleipnir. Do not worry; I will protect the fillies as best as I can. I promise you.

Spike

After finishing, the dragon blew the letter into the wind.

Comments

[KingBrony]

I have one more chapter left before I'll consider this story done. I will write a sequel, but not until later. Before I do write the last chapter, I am going to go back and revise/add to everything I have now, to either explain things better or flesh out some inconsistencies. The idea I had for this story has grown and changed since I started, so I plan to go back and work on making everything coherent before continuing.