//------------------------------//
// The Plan 
// Story: Grow Up, Apple Bloom 
// by Lux 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 4 – The Plan

Apple Bloom returned to Sweet Apple Acres, the aging potion concealed neatly into her saddlebag. She was so excited that she was more than willing to try it out on herself the moment she arrived at the orchard. But Apple Bloom knew that what she was doing had to happen where there would be no interruptions, especially from her family. If her family found out what she was planning before she was able to actually do it, they would be really upset. The fact that she tried something similar before to get her cutie mark and failed didn’t help matters. She had to be somewhere safe and secluded where no pony could interrupt her.  Luck for her, Apple Bloom knew the perfect place. 

She galloped through the forest of apple trees, a single goal on her mind, and a single location she needed to be.  Finally she came to the familiar clearing where the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ clubhouse stood. With her friends and fellow Crusaders not meeting her today and with the knowledge that the rest of the Apple Family was working on the opposite side of the orchard, she was able to breathe a sigh of relief that her plan would actually go through. 

She entered the empty clubhouse and took out the potion from her bag. “Ah’ know it wasn’t right lyin to Zecora an’ doin’ this behind mah family’s back, but ah’ want mah cutie mark now, and I’m not wantin’ ta’ wait fer it several years.” With that she opened the bottle and smelled the contents. She immediately backed away as it smelled worse that the slop that she fed the pigs. “Well bottoms up ah guess,” she said as she drank the bottle. Immediately Apple Bloom began to gag, and it was through sheer will power that prevented her from throwing up.  “No wonder why Zecora said not to drink this, this stuff tastes bad. Well ah’ guess ah’ just have ta wait until ah become an adult.”

Apple Bloom paced about the clubhouse, waiting for whenever the changes to begin. She wondered when it was going to happen and how. She wondered if she was going to age over the period of a few days or suddenly. She hoped for the later as this would take care of her troubles quickly.  She also was worried if the changes were going to be very painful. 
A half hour passed and Apple Bloom was getting frustrated. “Ah come on! Nothin’ is happenin’. Ah think this potion’s a dud.” Suddenly when she said this, Apple Bloom began to feel strange. “That’s strange. Ah’m feelin’ dizzy all of a sudden.” She tried to walk but she kept stumbling and bumping into the few pieces of furniture in the clubhouse. “Ah’m feeling so tired of a sudden. Think… ah’m… gonna… lie down.” After taking two steps Apple Bloom’s legs gave out and she collapsed onto the wooden floor of the clubhouse with a loud thud.  

(Author's note: Sorry about the short chapter, but this was a good place to break up the scene.)