As Celestia was raising the sun, Applejack looked at her glorious field, the Apple family dreamed of having rich sales, and now they get to sell not only just their apple treats, but also some of their delicious apple cider, and with it being a holiday, they’ll make twice as much, and when all her hard work will be done, she and her friends will go and enjoy the festival of hearts, something she and her family had heard about earlier, now she and the other Apple’s will have more money than any other moon they’ve had, now the sun was going over the hills in which Applejack knew it was time.
“Yeehaw, it’s officially Hearts and Hooves day!” Applejack said as she was running down the field, she bucked one of her trees, and all of the apples fell into the basket, but one thing was missing.
“Where is Applebloom and Big Macintosh?” AJ asked herself, she looked around the field and saw neither of them, then she remembered.
“Oh, of course, they must be loading the barrels with cider,” she slammed her hoof on her face then went to the back of their barn and she saw that nopony was there.
“Where is everypony?” Applejack said shouting, she looked everywhere inside the house, outside to the field until she had to take a breath.
“I don’t know, maybe try Applebloom’s clubhouse,” a voice said, Applejack looked and saw the baby dragon that always made her smile.
“Spike! Thank Celestia you're here, I need your help finding the others, I don’t think I checked the clubhouse, but I will, you could check the backfield, then we’ll meet here to see if we found anything,” AJ said, making her plan.
“Okay I’ll try to do my best ma’am,” Spike said, saluting then running to the direction she pointed, Applejack stopped Spike before he was out of reach.
“Wait! Why are you here in the first place?” she asked.
“Oh, I just wanted to tell you something, but it can wait, we’re on a mystery,” Spike said as he got out a hat and an eyeglass.
“It was a strange Hearts and Hooves Day,” Spike said monologuing as the entire place went gray, “Applejack and I were on a case, the case of the missing family, I was looking all around for a clue,” Spike said in a British voice.
“Excuse me, ah told ya where to go,” Applejack said annoyed, she saw herself now in a black suit and tie and wearing a monocle.
“Right Applesworth, but just stating a direction won’t get us anywhere with our case,” Spike said, Applejack was done with all of this silliness.
“Spike, we need to focus on finding my siblings, not playing detective,” she said, scrunching her muzzle as the colors went back.
“Oh come on AJ I’m just trying to make this a little fun, I don’t get to be a detective every day, and you don’t always have fun anyway,” Spike said, folding his claws.
“I have fun! Why me and my friends are going to the festival of hearts later tonight after I close...” Applejack then realized that she was supposed to be at the festival already.
“Oh no, I forgot about the festival! ah still need to get everything and load it all to my booth,” she said frantically going around in circles.
“Not to worry, I’m sure Granny Smith is already there,” Spike said calming AJ down
“I bet yer right, she left early today, so maybe she already went,” Applejack said, they moved on before she stopped again
“Or she went with Big Mac and Applebloom and they all left me here to fend for myself!” she said going to the direction of the festival,
Spike came in front of her and stopped her before she left. “AJ, calm down, look, we can go over to the festival but if Granny Smith is there, can we go back to being detectives, please,” he said putting his claws together and did sad puppy dog eyes, Applejack looked at his eyes and she couldn't resist.
“Oh, fine, come on, let’s go,” she said mad at herself for falling for his trap.
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The festival was full of ponies being in love, but AJ didn’t focus of that, she only focused on finding her booth and hoping that Granny Smith was there so she can just go find her siblings, with the exception of playing detective with Spike, she didn’t know why he wanted to just go all out and play, but she made a promise, and Applejack never breaks a promise.
“I don’t see her Spike, where do yah think she is,” Applejack said searching everywhere.
“There she is,” Spike said, running to her as Applejack's relief went up a bit.
“Granny, thank goodness, ah thought you left with Big Mac and Applebloom to Celestia knows where,” Granny Smith looked at Applejack with a mad face.
“IT’S ABOUT TIME Y'ALL GOT HERE!” she said shouting, “I’ve been bustin’ mah flank off trying to sell our apple products, while you're out here wasting the day with Spike like ah was nothin’!”
“Granny, I’m sorry that I got so… distracted,” Applejack said looking at Spike with him giving a nervous smile,“but I’ve been looking for Applebloom and Big Mac, and I have no idea where they are or how to even find them, I want to find ‘em soon, so I can just forget the worry and move on for today,” she hung her head at the thought of her family in danger.
“Look, if you have any evidence, you better spill,” Spike said, making all of the colors go gray again, he was looking at AJ with the same puppy dog eyes.
“Fine,” Applejack said, pulling out her costume and rolling her eyes, but making Spike smile wide.
“Now, what do you know about Applebloom and Big Macs disappearance,” he said as Granny Smith was tied to a chair,
“I ain’t yappin’,” she said turning her head deniably,
“Tell us or we’re going to have to take it to more extreme measures,” Spike said holding an apple and playing with it,
“You wouldn’t!” Granny Smith said looking worried,
“Are you sure Spike, Granny is really delicate about her apples,” Applejack whispered,
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this all under control,” Spike whispered back, he squeezed the apple and said, “Talk or I’ll do it,” he said squeezing the apple more.
“Fine! I’ll talk,” Granny Smith said while Applejack and Spike smiled at each other.
“I don’t know where they are, but I did see Applebloom go into a cart Big Mac was sending. Said something about giving somepony a pie or something,” Granny Smith said with her head down in a glare.
“That leaves us with our first clue,” Spike said, they both left the booth not even hearing Granny Smith say “Alright, you kids just run along, it’s not like ah needed y’all to help me!”
Applejack felt a bit of happiness as they left the festival, it started to make her feel less stressed about her crisis, maybe that’s what Spike wanted all along, but she also thought they were just wasting time.
“Spike, this has been fun and all, but I don’t think we’ll get anywhere if we just look for clues,” AJ said stopping the hearted dragon.
Spike turned around and looked at AJ with a frown as he sighed and said, “I know, this is too much for you, I guess I always thought if there was a mystery or a certain adventure. you and the others would save the day, but this time, this one time, I can actually be a hero, I can solve the mystery, I can save the day.”
Applejack looked at Spike with sorrow as he continued “I know you all make me seem like I belong, but to be honest, I don’t feel like I do, I just want to belong for real, I just want to be special.”
A tear trickled down Spikes cheek as he stifled, Applejack couldn’t bear this feeling of sadness in him, she came closer and embraced him, he didn’t want to let go but knew it would get awkward if he pulled her back in, AJ broke away and looked into Spikes eyes.
“Spike, you are special, who is the first dragon who lives with ponies and the best helper to us all?”
“Me?” Spike asked
“And who saved me from the Timberwolves when I really needed help”
“I did,” Spike said cheering up
“And who is going to help me find my siblings and become the best detective Equestria has ever seen?” Applejack said raising her voice,
“I AM” Spike shouted,
“Who is?” AJ asked
“I AMMMMM!” Spike raised his claws high and shouted so loud making a Pegasus say “What was that?” to another who shrugged her hooves.
“Thank you applejack,” Spike said hugging Applejack once again. This time, it was different for AJ, this time she felt happy, like a feeling she had before was brought back to her a long time ago.
“I don’t think I could do this without you,” Spike said, holding her closer, now AJ felt even happier, she knew this feeling before, but she didn’t know where, but she knew this feeling before.
“And you know what,” Spike said looking at her with a simple glow in his eyes.
“What,” Applejack said smiling.
“Well, while Twilight might be my best friend, I would much rather have you as my assistant.” they both held each other for a while before Spike broke their hug and blushed of embarrassment
“Uh, I think we got a little off track, we should go back to finding Applebloom and Big Mac,” he said pretending to look far.
“Ah don’t think that was the proper language for a star detective.” Applejack said, giving Spike his hat and eyeglass, she then pulled out her own costume.
“Well then, shall we go find those whippersnappers, Applesworth?” Spike said in his British accent again.
“On it, detective Spikelock,” Applejack said as Spike got onto her back and they rode off to find Applebloom and Big Macintosh,
---------------
“Well, well, well,” Spike said as he looked through his eyeglass to find something interesting.
“What is it,” AJ asked, coming to see what it was.
“These wheel prints, they lead over to the Everfree forest, but look,” he said pointing to another path that leads another way, “These prints have faded out, they were brushed off,” he continued as AJ came to a conclusion.
“So, whoever made these marks, didn’t want anypony to follow them,” they walked until they found harder tracks that led to the train station.
“Good eye Applesworth,” Spike said, patting Applejack on the head, making her get annoyed.
“if my guess is correct, then Big Mac and Applebloom went into that train to another part of town,” they walked to the station and realized a train was going to a specific spot that made AJ get a little panicked.
“We need to get on this train, now!” she said taking Spike by the arm and leading him inside the train, he pulled away thinking Applejack was crazy.
“Why? Where is this train going anyway, and why do we need to get onto it?” he asked.
“Because this train is going to stop at Starlights village!” Applejack said pale like, Spike gasped and now looked as worried as AJ.
“So, either they decided to visit her village, or…” Spike said hoping that Applejack wouldn’t say what he was thinking.
“Or somepony captured them both,” AJ said, making Spike faint, she picked him up as he went back to consciousness.
“Now Spike, it’s just a theory, I’m sure they’re fine,” Applejack said, calming Spike down.
“‘sides, that village hasn’t done anything bad… yet¨ Applejack said now looking worried again.
“But what if it’s true, your siblings could be in serious danger and..” he said as AJ put her hoof on his mouth.
“No, don’t say that Spike, don’t make me even more worried than I already am, I’m trying so hard not to freak out and you yelling will not help, would a star detective do that?” she put her hoof off of his mouth.
“You're right, we should just think about finding Big Mac and Applebloom and not worry about what might happen to them if we don’t worry or…” he said looking at AJ with a mad face, “Uh, I mean, we should just find where they are.”
They both heard the conductor say this was the last chance to get on the Friendship Express, they went in hoping that nopony would wonder why they don’t have their tickets.
“We made it, now let’s go sit down and wait until we arrive at Starlights village,” AJ said, finding them both a seat, Spike fell asleep minutes after, with all of this detective work he was getting very tired. After all, he was a baby dragon. However, when Applejack looked through the window she couldn’t get her siblings out of her mind.
“What were they up to? Are they in danger? Are they just making a delivery? Or has sompony really capture them and they need help?” AJ thought. She could just see both Applebloom and Big Macintosh hanging from a rope upside down above a big case of water with dangerous animals.
“Ticket ma’am,” her thoughts were thankfully, but not, fortunately, interrupted by the ticket taker.
“Um, well, I can explain, let me just check with my friend,” Applejack said, nudging Spike to wake up, he looked dazedly at AJ with confusion.
“What’s going on, are we there already?” he asked.
“Spike, this nice pony is wondering where our tickets are,” Applejack said pointing her eyes at the ticket taker, he finally got what was going on and nervously said.
“Ooh, eh, ha, ha, can I talk to my assistant for a second,” the ticket taker looked mad but let them have their privacy.
“What’re we going to do, we don’t have tickets, and we have no way of escaping!” Applejack whispered as they huddled together.
“Maybe we just tell him, I mean, what are they going to do, throw us out of a moving train?” she said and looked to see Spike not looking worried at all, thinking.
“Aren’t you the least bit worried, we could get in serious trouble if we don’t tell him the truth,” she whispered.
“No, that will never work, we might get him mad and he’ll tell the conductor to stop the train and we’ll have to walk, but don’t worry I have an idea,” he said smiling like he was before this entire mystery.
“Why couldn’t you have been like this when we were panicking about mah siblings,” AJ said, looking very annoyed at him as if nothing was wrong.
“That was when we weren’t on a moving train,” he said, smirking.
“Who are you and what have you done with Spike?” she said wondering if he was captured and replaced by a clone in the mirror pool.
“No, I guess all of the stress went away in my nap, and now I’m calm,” he said.
“We're getting off track, we need to figure out how to tell the ticket taker without getting in trouble, the only question is how,” AJ said, putting her hoof to think of what to do.
“What if we do without telling him the whole truth,” Spike said with a smile.
“I’m listening,” AJ said, getting closer to make sure that the ticket taker doesn’t hear a word.
“We tell him that we forgot our tickets, thus implying that we have them but forgot them, and we can’t show them,” Spike said profoundly, Applejack smiled at the plan, but it faded when her logical side came back.
“Spike, you're looking at the element of honesty,” AJ said, doubting herself.
“You don’t have to do anything, just sit there and watch my magic,” Spike said going back into his seat.
“I’m afraid to say this sir, but we have forgotten our ticket,” Spike said looking as innocent as he could.
“Yeah right, I’ve heard that excuse before, you obviously came here without a ticket and now you know that we can’t throw you out because of the fast-moving vehicle, but this is not the end of our stop.” the ticket taker said angrily, making Spike panic.
“Sir, we are trying to get to a village far away from where we started and find my siblings that I have lost and am so very worried about, could you please forgive me and my friend and just let us go to the village and let me see my sister and brother,” AJ said, truthfully she was really worried and was about to cry.
“Wow, nopony ever has been honest with not having tickets, but your honesty is definitely ticket worthy, and I’ll even accept your friend, for trying his best to help,” the ticket taker said with a smile, he walked away and Spike looked at Applejack in awe as she was smirking.
“What was that about honesty not working,” she said as they both laughed, and Spike said.
“Ok, ok, I have to admit, that was pretty awesome, I didn’t know that you could hold such power with being honest,” he said.
“Well I do know how to use it on special occasions,” Applejack said as if she was a superhero.
“I mean it, I have never seen somepony be so honest, even me and Twilight aren’t that honest,” Spike said getting closer.
Applejack saw that Spike was looking quite sad after he made that comment, and she knew exactly why.
“You miss her don’t ya Spike,” she said.
“Yeah, she’s at the Crystal Empire and Cadence apparently only wanted her, leaving me all alone, that’s one of the reasons why I came to visit you because I was so alone,” Spike said all sad like.
“That’s why you came to the barn because you were lonely?” Applejack said feeling sorry for Spike, “Spike, you aren’t lonely now are you?” AJ asked, wondering.
“No, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not missing her, I’m also getting homesick, but that’s normal for me when I go on adventures,” he said putting his knees on his face.
“Then that means we have something in common.” Applejack said looking at Spike with the same glow as he did.
“What’s that?”
“We both are homesick and worried about those we love, but I know that I never am lonely when I’m with you,” Applejack said sitting beside him, they both couldn’t stop staring and blushing at each other.
“Applejack, that is the nicest thing anyone has said to me,” Spike said, not taking his eyes off of her.
“Applejack, I think…” Spike said before Applejack shushed him, they leaned in closer and were almost at a lips distance when the conductor yelled out, “NOW ARRIVING… a village.”
They both realized what was going on and blushed embarrassingly. Applejack's mind was racing for what she was doing, Spike was reacting the same.
“Um, we should go and find your siblings,” Spike said leaning farther.
“Oh, uh, yes, let’s go,” Applejack said getting out of the seat, Spike couldn’t help getting the two words out of his head.
“So close,” his knees were up to his mouth when Applejack said “You coming?” and Spike saying “Yep, be right there,” and continuing to think about what just happened, “No, I have to focus,” and he got off the seat to catch up with Applejack.
------------
They both walked to Starlights village and saw that they were having some sort of celebration, too.
“What’s going on here?” AJ said.
“Well, this is the annual pre-celebration of when we were freed and got our cutie marks back.” one of the ponies of the village said. They didn’t pay much attention as they had another mission to accomplish.
“Well, this is a small village so we’ll be able to find them easily unless they have already left,” Applejack said, regaining the memories of what this village looked like compared to now.
“Or they got lost and don’t know where to go from now on,” Applejack said, getting worried again.
“Oh no, we’re not going through that again. Think, if Big Mac and Applebloom went anywhere, then where would it be?” Spike asked looking around.
“I don’t know, the last time we were here, we went to somepony’s bakery, Sugar Belle was her name I think,” AJ said, lifting her eyes to look for the bakery.
“Good work Applesworth, our mystery is now leading us to somepony with a bakery,” Spike said once more in his British accent, making Applejack like it, even more, it was strange how her mood changed.
They both found the bakery and walked inside, seeing only sugary treats on a table, Applejack and Spike were getting more worried by the second, thinking of there horrible assumptions were correct, then a screaming “EEEEEEEE” came from below the flooring, Applejack found a door to a cellar, which she distinctly remember from an earlier experience, she bucked the door open and ran to the floor.
“Applebloom, Big Mac, don’t worry, I’m…” AJ said, she looked to see that Big Mac was holding Sugar Belle in his hooves, and they both looked at AJ like she was crazy,.
“Applejack, why are you here, and what are you talking about?” Applebloom asked.
“And why are you and Spike dressed up like you are on a mystery?” Scootaloo asked going around Applejack and Spike looking to see what they were doing.
“Well, um… it’s kind of hard to explain, you see…”
“We were on a case that led us to Starlights village then leading us to your bakery,” Spike interrupted. everypony looked at them weirdly.
“Then why are you here in my cellar?” Sugar Belle said looking as if they were going to steal something.
“Oh, that’s because we heard screams and wanted to know if anypony was in danger” they all looked at each other relieved that nothing happened.
“Well, no one’s hurt, but we are being disturbed,” Sweetie Belle said frowning, Applejack looked at Big Mac and Sugar Belle and realized that she and Spike had interrupted something between them.
“Of course! It all makes sense, that’s why I couldn’t find either of you. Big Mac told me about Sugar Belle, it makes perfect sense why he was here,” Applejack said then looked and also saw that the CMC was also here.
“But that still doesn’t make sense why you’re here Applebloom,” she said now looking at the CMC who was standing on a table all together looking worried if AJ told them, then they would all get in trouble.
“That’s a long story,” Sweetie Belle said.
“And besides, it’s getting late, aren’t you supposed to be with the others?” Sweetie Belle said.
Realizing what Sweetie Belle’s words were true, she panicked.
“Oh no! Yer’ right! What am I going to do! It will be too late before I get back, it took us almost 2 hours to get here, and that was on a train!” she said.
“How am I going to get there before they realize I’m gone,” everypony thought hard before Sugar Belle had an idea.
“What if we can get you there in a few minutes,” they all looked at Sugar Belle with surprised looks, it was impossible to get to Ponyville from here, so they all were interested.
“Maybe, just maybe, we could go to the cave where Starlight kept our cutie marks,” Everypony now looked at Sugar Belle with confused looks, then Sugar Belle realized they didn’t know about the cave.
“Oh, when me and my friends were looking around in the cave, we saw that after Starlight was defeated, she used her magic to make a portal that goes to Ponyville to “study” you and your friends Applejack, but even though she stopped using it, it’s still there, and lucky for you, I wondered how she used it and studied the spell, though I never really used it, I think I can help,” everypony stared at Sugar Belle amazed at the glorious plan.
“Well then, let’s get to it,” Applejack said, they all entered the cave and gasped at the portal that Sugar Belle was talking about, they all looked at the spiraling blue which made Spike become hypnotized with his eyes getting spiraled, too.
“Well, here it is, the gateway to Ponyville,” Sugar Belle said showing the portal.
“And you definitely know the spell and not something that could turn us into a squirrel or anything else,” Spike said worriedly, hoping he was going to stay a dragon when he entered the portal.
“As long as I can concentrate, I think I can get you through,” Sugar Belle said, sparking a bit of magic and sweating, this was way beyond her magic expertise, she couldn’t bear it, she stopped and panted.
“I can’t do it,” she said looking disappointed.
“Come on Sugar Belle,” Sweetie Belle said.
“We know you can do it.”
“We believe in you”
“Eeup,”
“We have all the faith in you sugarcube,”
Hearing all of these compliments made Sugar Belle confident she could do this, she sparked her magic again and let out the spell to the portal, it glowed brightly and sucked all of the debris.
“It is done, you must go now, or else it will close,” the CMC went in, then Spike but not before he said “I knew you could do it,” then getting sucked in the portal, AJ came into the portal back at Ponyville, then she realized that Big Mac was not there, and the portal was closing farther, she went back in and found Big Mac close to Sugar Belle, she didn’t want to break away their moment, but she had to grab him before the portal closed.
“Come on Big Mac, this portal is closing faster than a bull running at a red cape,” Big Mac followed her into the portal and the portal closed completely, everypony sighed a breath of relief of cutting it close. Applejack looked at the sky and realized that it was almost time to meet her friends, the CMC went their separate ways and Applejack went to say something to Spike.
“Spike, I want to thank you for all your help, without you, I would of never found my siblings, and not to mention I had fun doing it, you made me realize that I can have fun while in a serious problem, but I do wonder, while you said you would choose me for an assistant, I still wonder why?” Applejack said looking at Spike who was blushing, making him adorable.
“Well that’s easy, it’s because you are so profound about the problem, Twilight would try to research, Rarity would just complain, Pinkie would do anything else, Fluttershy would freak out, and Rainbow Dash would just not include me, I chose you because you let everyone be included, and not to mention your honesty makes you a better pony than the others, but it’s also because, you, I mean, you are so amazing to me, what I’m trying to say is,” spike leaned in closer and kissed AJ making her blush so hard, she knew he liked her a little bit after the whole timberwolf accident, but she thought he got over her and went back to liking Rarity, but she never expected this, they broke away the kiss and were still blushing like crazy,
“B-but how… w-when” Applejack stuttered.
“Because I love you, and after the dragon code,” Spike whispered.
AJ could see the truth in his eyes, she didn’t want to leave him now but saw that Pinkie was heading to Sweet Apple Acres and she knew she had to go, but she didn’t want to leave Spike, even though she had to.
“I have to go, I’m sorry,” AJ said running to her barn, Spike felt sad letting go of her, but he knew what he did was right,
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The rest of the night went pretty crazy, everypony was surprised by her story, they saw the Wonderbolts show and met Rainbow dash after, being more tired than usual, they even saw a fight between Rarity and some other stallion, but that’s another story when AJ went back home, she saw her field once more, to think, all of this madness happened because of one buck of a tree, Applejack went in the house and saw Applebloom fully asleep along with Granny Smith and Big Macintosh, she went into bed and looked to her ceiling, had all of this really happened in only one day, had all of this mystery stuff, role play, blushing, and admits, really happen? It made AJ fall asleep but not before her she thought, “I wonder how everypony else’s Hearts and Hooves day went,”.