First day of school
Four grey walls surrounded me as I sat with my back to the bars. There was no window for me to take a last look, but that’s fine with me. Why would I want to look at the world who created the pony I am today, then punished me for it? It didn’t make sense. If they didn’t want me to turn out this way then they should have been nicer, but that’s how the world works. They made a monster and punish it when their plans backfire. Just like they had done to that monster in Frankenstein.
My ears catch the sound of familiar voices behind the bars. One of them was the rough voice of my new guardian: Bill the prison guard. Well I don’t know if Bill was his real name, since we never talked to each other, but it seemed right for a prison guard. Tough yet relaxed enough to remind you that he was nothing but a worthless pony.
The next familiar voice was something I’ve heard since my birth: My older siblings. The large red pony, Big Macintosh, with a blank stare in his eyes all the time. Of course the blank stare wasn’t there anymore. No, I could feel the burn of a strong emotion: betrayal? Hate? I didn’t know since I hadn’t look into his large eyes, and I doubt I ever would.
Of course, like usual, he said nothing as he stood in front of the bars that separated us physically. But he didn’t have to since my older sister, Applejack, did all of it.
“Face us!” She commanded to me in her old accent.
I said nothing as I stared at the wall in front of me. I had nothing to say to her, or any pony. Users and ignorers was what they were.
Applejack slammed her hoof down on the bar to not only express her anger, but to gain my attention. My ears twitched as the loud echo throughout my cell, but that’s the only reaction I allowed to show. I had no reason to give her the satisfaction of my last moments of attention.
“Apple Bloom!” She screamed. “Why did you do this? How could you betray the family? Granny Smith would be ashamed of you!”
My body twitched at the mention of a long gone relative who actually cared about me. Her death was one reason I cracked, but I didn’t blame her. It wasn’t her fault she died at the wrong time. It wasn’t any ponies expect the one in black.
“You should be ashamed! Doing that to ponies is unforgivable!” Her voice cracked on the last part. I knew she lowered her hat after that, so no one would see her cry. That’s right, the honest pony in all of Equestria couldn’t even let anypony see her cry over her sister. That would only shame the Apple family even more.
After a minute of silence she spoke again, but her tone had changed to a softer one. The same one she used on me when I was upset. “Sugar cube, please write to us why you done what you done. We can’t bare the feeling of our little sis’ being a mass killer like my old friend, Pinkie Pie.”
“Eeyup.” My brother replies. The same thing he said ever since he learned to talk (Granny Smith told me so.).
I narrowed my eyes. Why couldn’t they see that they were part of the problem? Why couldn’t they understand that they created this monster? Oh that’s right, it would bring shame to the Apple family. As long as they weren’t the cause, they had nothing to fear.
I looked behind me when I heard something hard hit the floor. It was a whiteboard with a purple marker attached to it. Purple? Did they think that color would brighten my day and change my ways?
I, for the first time in a long time, looked at them. Applejack looked at me with a small frown. She held her hat in her left hoof as she pleaded me silently to write. I look over to my brother to see what he had to say. I wasn’t surprised by his change in appearance: There were dark bags under his eyes to show the countless nights he had been up. The bright green of his eyes had dulled down into a pathetic excuse for green I had ever seen. The wild blonde mane that he had had spots of grey in it. The strong body that every Apple family member looked up to had been worn down into a bigger body size. I doubt he’d even fit into his old yoke if he tried.
That change was from putting work ahead of family. I bet Applejack would soon look like that. Disgusting workaholics.
I looked back at the whiteboard. I walked over to it and placed my hoof on it. I looked up to see smiles on their faces. I removed my hoof from it and picked it up with my mouth. I slid it back in the small slot in the bars and pushed it so it fell in front of them with a hard impact.
My brother sighed sadly. He went to pick it up, but my sister’s back hoof stopped it. She slammed down on the whiteboard. “Apple Bloom!” She screamed. “Ah’m tired of your tricks! Explain!” She slammed her front hoofs on the bars. She did it three times before my brother pulled her back. He dragged her away while she continued to scream at me.
The guard closed the slot and followed them. He’d soon return though to keep watch over me, like he always did. I moved to the back of my cell to where my single bed was. I stuck my hoof under it and moved it around until I made contact with a solid object. I dragged it out and looked down at it.
It was a pink book with a gold lock on it. I flipped it over to reveal the small golden key taped to it. I took the key and unlocked the book.
This book isn’t actually a book, but instead a diary I was given when I first learned to write. I always kept this under my bed at home and wrote in it whenever I experienced something interesting. Of course I couldn’t write in it now, since they wouldn’t give me anything to write with, but I don’t have to.
I just read it like a book. Relived the memories but pretended it’s another character instead of me. At least I tried to pretend.
I opened the book to the start of when it all happened. When the young filly named Apple Bloom world's would crumbled.
May 15
Ah looked myself over in the mirror in the bathroom. Mah bright red hair was neatly combed. Mah teeth sparkled white and mah breath smelt like mint. I giggled. “Ah’m ready to make friends!” Ah told myself. Applejack always said that thinking positive made your day better.
“Apple Bloom, hurry up. Your breakfast is getting cold!” Applejack said from the other side of the door.
“Ah’m comin’!” Ah called. Ah jumped off of the stepping stool in front of the sink and opened the bathroom door. Ah saw the glimpse of mah sister’s tail as she went downstairs. Ah rushed downstairs to get to the kitchen so Ah could eat and hurry off to school.
Once Ah reach the kitchen mah nose was met with the delightful smell of homemade applejacks: It was flapjacks with apple toppings and sweet syrup on top. That was one of Applejack’s special dishes that she made only on special days, but they had to be really special. Something like selling all our apples at the market didn’t count. The last special day she made those was when I could finally eat solid food. Ah still remembered that sweet taste that just melted in mah mouth-
“Apple Bloom! Stop drooling and take a seat.” Applejack commanded as she took her usual seat at the dining table.
Ah tried to ask her what drool, but a small line of spit travelled down mah chin and stopped mah question. I grinned with embarrassment that flooded mah cheeks. Ah took mah seat beside mah big brother, Big Macintosh. He bit off a piece of his applejack and chewed it slowly, just like he did to everything. He was a simple quiet pony that worked at his own pace, but he would increase his speed when the work day was almost over. ‘Slow makes for good work.’ He had told me once on his rare talkative days.
Ah took the napkin from beside mah plate and wiped the small drool from mah face. Ah placed the napkin down and picked up mah fork. Just looking at those applejacks made mah stomach growl with impatience, but before Ah could bite into those soft jacks, my Grandma, Granny Smith, spoke to me. “Apple Bloom before ya’ll eat, I have a present for you.”
“Um, thanks Granny, but can it wait? Ah'm awful hungry.” Ah responded. The small piece on mah fork begged to be eaten. Mah teeth ached with the need to chomp on it.
“Now Apple Bloom,” chimed in mah sister. “you can eat later. Granny Smith has a present for you before ya’ll go to school.” She looked at the older mare. “Ain’t that right, Granny?”
Granny turned her head toward Applejack. “What’s write?”
“Not write. Right. Ah was telling Apple Bloom about your present for her.”
“Present? What present?”
Applejack sighed. “The present that you wrapped yesterday.”
Granny Smith placed her hoof against her forehead as she tried to remember. Ah had to admit that Granny Smith was funny that way. Ah don’t know why she kept that act up, but it was great! Ah used to laugh at her act, but my sister--or brother on rare occasions--scolded me for it, though they never explained why it was wrong to laugh at some pony’s jokes.
Finally Granny removed the hoof from her forehead as her face lit up into a brilliant smile. “Of course! Apple Bloom Ah have a present for you.” She reach under the table to grab the present. She grumbled about her joints as she brought the package up. “Too old for that.” She muttered. She placed a red wrapped box in front of mah. “Here ya go!”
Ah sighed in defeat as Ah placed my fork down. Ah wouldn’t be tasting those applejacks anytime soon. Ah reach over mah plate to take the box. “Thanks Granny.” Ah said before Ah opened the gift. It was polite after all.
Ah unwrapped the paper and gasped at what was inside. It was a large pink bow. Ah grinned widely as Ah took the bow. “Whoa! For me?”
Granny nodded. “Been in the family for years.”
Ah hopped off mah chair and ran up to Applejack. “Help me put it on!”
She chuckled. “You’re more excited than a rattlesnake in the summer.” She spun me around so mah back was facing her. Ah closed my eyes in excitement as Ah awaited to feel the bow in mah hair. Finally Ah would stand out in the crowd. Ah usually blended in crowds whenever Ah want to the market with my sister or Granny. They’d lose me quicker than Winona loses her ball. They said it was because mah hair wasn’t bright enough to see, but Ah knew it was because Ah was shorter than the big ponies.
No longer would it be a problem. Ah'd finally be seen as a big pony!
“There ya are!” Applejack said. “All nice and pretty.”
Ah jumped up and bolted for the bathroom, the only place where we had a mirror. Ah faintly heard mah sister yelled at me to stop running as Ah ran up the stairs. Ah slid to a halt in front of the bathroom door and jumped up to grab the handle with mah teeth. The handle went down with a soft click and opened. Ah let go and landed softly on mah hoofs. Ah climbed up on mah step stool and looked in the mirror with a bright smile.
The pink bow stood up high which made me a few inches taller, so they’d be able to spot me in crowds. Not to mention that it made mah bland hair unique and cute. Mah insides burned with giddy happiness as Ah imagined all of the other foals invited me to play in their games, and invite me to parties. Finally Ah would be with others mah age.
Ah hopped down off mah step stool and went back downstairs to grab mah school bag and go to school. Ah found it placed near the door, just like Ah had planned. Ah placed the bag on mah back, said mah goodbyes, and headed to school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ah arrived at the school and saw foals in the playground. They all laughed and giggled as they played various games together. Some played on the swings, others played in the sandbox, and other things. Ah ran over to the yard as fast as Ah could before it was time to go in. Ah stopped and looked at the different foals. Ah had seen many of them before at the shopping center with mah older sister or grandma. Or when they came with their parents to the farm to buy some Zap apples or cider, but never had a chance to talk because they’d get pulled away by their parents and head to their next destination.
Ah placed mah bag down by the school and ran to a trio of young fillies. They were playing jump rope and the filly who jumped was a blue Earth pony. “Twelve. Thirteen.” She counted as she jumped. Ah watched in wonder and amazement. The highest Ah had gotten was five, but Applejack and Big Macintosh always quit at that time because something important came up about the farm. Ah wonder if she played with her parents, siblings, or the other two ponies a lot to get that high.
“Um, are you ok?”
Ah looked up and seen the blue Earth pony look at me with a raised eyebrow. Her two friends did the same. “You keep staring at us. Can we help you?’
Ah blushed once Ah realized Ah had drifted off into another world. “Oh, Ah was just wondering’ if Ah could join you.” Ah smiled.
All three of them looked at each other then at me. “Sure.” Said the blue Earth pony with a smile. “You can jump with me.”
Ah grinned widely and ran over to join her. She stood beside me and the other two grabbed the handles of the rope and skipped it. Ah looked at the pony beside me and jumped when she did. I felt a giggle raise up inside of me, but Ah held it back. If Ah giggle then I’ll distract her and she’ll trip and she’ll get mad. Ah watched the rope to see when to jump next. We had reached the sixth jump when a yell caught mah attention. “Look, it’s a blank flank!” [/color
“Huh?” Ah looked over to the voice, but Ah didn’t see who yelled because the rope smacked against mah bottom hooves. Ah screamed in pain and fell backwards into a pile of sand. Ah groaned and sat up covered in sand.
“Hey!” A filly called to me from behind. Ah looked behind me and saw two fillies glaring at me. One of them was purple with a bright green mane. The other was a yellow filly with a bright orange mane. “You ruined our sandcastle!” Yelled the purple pony. She pushed me hard and caused me to fall over the edge of the sandbox face first. Mah jaw smacked against the ground and shut mah teeth against mah tongue.
“Ow!” Ah yelled. Ah tried to raise mah head, but a hoof pressed against it and held me to the ground. The pony moved mah head against the grass and dirt. “Stop!” Ah yelled.
The hoof released mah head. Ah raised my head up and saw a pink Earth pony with a pink and purple mane. A diamond tiara sat upon her head. She smirked down at me. “Hey, blank flank. Enjoying the dirt?”
Ah glared at her and raised up. “No, and that wasn’t nice. You should apologize.”
The filly gasped. “Me? Why should I apologize for treating you like you should be: a worthless blank flank farm pony.” She laughed a long with a grey pony with glasses. Slowly the other foals around us laughed.
Ah looked in horror as the three fillies Ah had played with were laughing. “Blank flank!” The blue pony chanted, and soon others followed her. Mah eyes darted back and forth so Ah could see the other foals.
Ah had heard blank flank in town before, but it was never directly called to me. Ah knew it was some pony without a cutie mark, but there had to be other ponies at this school without a cutie mark, right?
Ah was proven wrong when Ah saw that every foal had their cutie marks. How had Ah not noticed before? The chant grew louder and louder until the bell finally rung. “Alright my little ponies, time to for class!” A mare called, though Ah couldn’t see her.
All the foals slowly broke apart and headed inside the school house. The pony with the diamond tiara on her head, and her grey friend, shot me a smirking look. “Hope you enjoy your class for the rest of the year.” The tiara one said. They laughed and walked inside the school.
Ah bit my lip as Ah looked at the school. Ah couldn’t decide if Ah should walk in or run off and stay at home forever. If Ah ran off then Ah'd be seen as a baby and Applejack would force me to go back and tell me to face mah fears.
Ah gulped when Ah saw a purple mare with a pink mane look at me. “Well, come on. Class can’t begin without all my little ponies!” She smiled brightly.
Ah felt the stiffness in mah small legs melt away at her smile. Ah knew she would protect me from…everypony. Ah gulped again at the thought of everypony in school ganged up against me. Ah looked back at her smile and felt mah fear melt away once again. Ah took a deep breath. “Just let me get mah bag.” Ah called to her and ran over to where Ah had placed the bag, but it was gone. Mah eyes widen. “Oh no!” Ah called out.
The teacher ran over to me with raised eyebrows. “What’s wrong?” She asked in a stressed voice.
Ah pointed to the spot where mah bag should have been. “Mah bag is gone! Gone! All mah things were in it too. Now Ah can’t write down stuff for class!”
She placed a hoof on mah shoulders. “Don’t worry. It’s the first day, so you won’t have to write anything down.” She smiled. “And I’m sure we’ll find your things before the end of the day, and everything will be there.”
Ah looked up at her and smiled. Ah felt safe around her. She was like mah big sis Applejack. Ah always felt safe around Applejack, so why shouldn’t Ah feel safe around her? “Thanks, Miss…”
“Cheerilee. Call me Ms. Cheerilee.” She noticed mah pink bow. “I love your bow! It suits you well.”
Ah smiled. “Alright!” Ah followed her inside the school and walked into mah new--and first--classroom.
Ah wish Ah had ran off during the only chance that Ah would get…