//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: As the Spring Bloom Withers // by Jinzou //------------------------------// After Applejack got out of the hospital time flew by much quicker. Forgiving her hadn’t erased all the bad feelings like I’d hoped, and I found I got short with her much quicker than anypony else. While she was still my sister, she still made a mistake that screwed me for life, and no matter how desperately I wanted our bond to go back to how it was before the crash, I was starting to think it never would. I thought forgiving her would be the hardest thing I’d ever emotionally have to do. Well, I’m not gonna try and directly compare them, but three months later something else happened. We were holding some elections for Student President, and who’d have guessed, Diamond Tiara was running. But so was Pip. When he asked us to be his campaign managers, we were like “What the heck, campaign manager cutie marks, maybe?” So we sang a couple songs, Pip got elected, and we didn’t get our cutie marks. We were like 0-200 at that point, but oh well. What can you do? But no, that’s when something else happened. We were walking around downtown after school got out, thinking of maybe getting a celebratory bite to eat at Sugarcube Corner, when it happened. When I first saw Diamond Tiara’s mom, my own thought was “what the hay happened to her muzzle? That can’t be natural.” But then she started raising her tone with Diamond Tiara. And then she raised her hoof to the sky, stared right at Diamond Tiara, and Diamond Tiara flinched. Not like “I heard a loud noise and my eyes shut all on their own.” No, like she was expecting to get slapped. Like that had happened before. And then Diamond Tiara’s mom started talking about how trash all blankflanks were, and how Diamond Tiara needed to beat them at any cost, no matter what. This was also in public too, though I’m not sure anypony else heard. Well, a lot of things started making sense right then. Then Diamond Tiara started singing. Singing about how she wasn’t the kind of pony she wanted to be, and had no idea how to change. We ran right to Twilight and told her everything. Diamond Tiara wasn’t at school the next day.  But she was the day after. And she had the biggest, most innocent smile I’d ever seen. She took me, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo off to the side that day after school, joined by Silver Spoon, who actually seemed proud. And she apologized to all three of us.  She apologized for all the years of bullying, then she looked between Scootaloo and I, and said the last thing I’d ever expect to come out of her mouth. “I don’t expect you two especially to forgive me after the horrible things I did to you, but I’m really sorry. I’ll leave you alone from now on, but if there’s anything you two need, please let me know and I’ll do my best to earn your trust.” I only accepted the apology at first, but after a week and a half of her actually showing change every single day, I did the one I never thought I’d do. I forgave her. It wasn’t an easy choice, and my mind was screaming “No!” the entire time, but I had a long talk with Applejack about it - she seemed the best choice due to obvious reasons - and eventually I did. Again, it wasn’t just a clear cut “we’re friends now and it’s not weird at all” like I was hoping, but hey, at this point, I’ll take it. Of course, I kept fiddling around and trying to invent new things, and that led me to the top of the mountain our sisters had found that one sleepy dragon at, six months after Applejack got out of the hospital. It was for a special occasion. It was Scootaloo’s birthday. And I had worked on her present for almost two months. I led them up, and they saw the gift in all its glory. A large tank, a leather harness attached to the bottom, steel slabs jutting out the side, and a large piece of metal attached to the bottom of the tank. “Uhhh… Applebloom? What the hay is this?” Scootaloo questioned. “I mean, thanks and all, but what is it?” “Your birthday present!” I smiled. “Uh, that’s.... awesome?” Scootaloo blinked. “I was thinking of that time we all got them fireworks, an’ Sweetie Belle here blew them up before we was supposed to,” I explained. “Those dang things nearly knocked me on my flank, so I asked Twilight if there was any way to control explosions like that.” “A controlled explosion is called a detonation,” Sweetie Belle clarified. We both gave her funny looks. “Anyway, we talked for a mite. And then I came by the next days with some plans and we started plannin’ this,” I finished. Both my friends just stared on, equally confused. “Well, see, it’s filled with some chemical called uh… ‘thethlyborate’… ‘triethylborane’… uh, sumthin’ like that. Th’ important thing is that it burns in air.” I walked over and tapped the metal tank. “So Twilight an’ I did some thinkin’. I asked her if you could put it in a container an’ enchant the chamber so just the inside was cooled, if it’d be safe. When she said yes, I came up with this crazy contraption.” I pointed at the bottom of the tank.  “There are three chambers. This here bottom one has the chemical, an’ has a magically controlled temperature.” I pointed to the middle area. “This part has water. There ain’t no special temperature magic schmagic goin’ on here.” I pointed to the top of the tank. “This here part has somethin’ Twilight called an ‘impeller’ in to to raise th’ pressure.” Sweetie Belle cocked her head to the side as Scootaloo furrowed her brows. “So… you spend two months with Twilight making… a tank that has different temperatures in the same area?” Scootaloo started uncertaintly. “Thanks, I guess? What’s the weird looking shield thing at the back, too?” Scootaloo gestured at a long piece of metal jetting out from the nozzle in the back of the tank. “That’s so y’all don’t burn your tail off, Scoot,” I smiled. “But... why would I burn my tail off?” Scootaloo questioned. “Well, you know that chemical I was talkin’ about that burns in air, right? So if it bleeds into this sealed off nozzle doohickey, and y’all can hit a pedal that releases the pressure from that impeller chamber an’ opens the base of the nozzle here…” I walked over and tapped a pedal attached to the bottom of the tank. The base of the nozzle opened up and a large flame burst from the pack, knocking open spring-clamped valves at the end of the nozzle and knocking the whole contraption over, immediately shutting off the flame as the nozzle slammed back shut. “Y’all can get lift!” I finished with a flourish. Both of my friends continued sharing confused faces for another moment before a manic smile appeared on Scootaloo’s face. “So… y-you mean?” Scootaloo trembled. “If I’m right, y’all can fly right next to Rainbow Dash with this.” I smiled back. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” Scootaloo yelled, practically tackling me and throwing her forelegs around my shoulders. “Applebloom, you’re the best! Thank you!” I hooked a foreleg around Scootaloo and nuzzled her. “You’re welcome. Happy birthday, Scoot.” “B-but…” Sweetie Belle spoke cautiously. “How is Scootaloo gonna be able to lift this? It looks really heavy.” The smile wavered from Scootaloo’s face as she broke out of the hug. “Princess Twilight enchanted it wit’ light weight. Should weigh ‘bout the same as our saddlebags on a school day,” I replied quickly. The smile returned to Scootaloo’s face. “Can we try it now?” She asked eagerly. “All we gotta do is hook you up to th’ harness an’...” I paused. “One condition, Scootaloo.” “Anything!” She chirped back. “Until I can make sure I can fix this up so it’s perfectly safe… I don’t want y’all using this without an adult pony around. Preferably a pegasus. This is dangerous stuff.” Scootaloo frowned. “Applebloom, I’m not some small foal, I can handle some risks.” “Scootaloo…” I started. “Besides,” Scootaloo put a forehoof placatingly on my shoulder. “I do dangerous tricks and stuff on my scooter all the time! This should be nothing.” “Scoot-” I protested weakly. “And even if I have a little accident, so what? I can take a fall. You’ve seen me do it several times. We’re tougher than we look, remember?” “No!” I shouted, knocking her hoof off and poking her in the chest. “An accident with this can involve you blowing up in midair! I may be lucky to only be half paralyzed, but I sure as heck ain’t letting you roll th’ dice and maybe end up dead! Agree to my terms or I’ll break this here thing apart right now!” Mirroring looks of shock appeared on both Sweetie Belle’s and Scootaloo’s faces. But I wasn’t going to apologize. They say live and learn, well I learned a whole lot after the cart crash, and I was gonna make sure I used it so Scootaloo could live. Scootaloo bit her lip. I could tell she wanted to argue back, but I guess I had some sort of crazy desperation on my face that shut her right up. She just sighed and sank to her haunches. “Alright Applebloom, you win. I promise.” I realized at this point I was breathing heavily and my eyes were burning.  I took several deep breaths to calm me down as I wiped my eyes. “Now look,” I continued. “This ain’t the whole surprise. Twilight asked Rainbow Dash to wait nearby, saying she got a surprise for her too. So we’re gonna get y’all all strapped up in this, and y’all get to share your first flight with your big sister. Don’t that sound nice?” Scootaloo’s whole body shuddered as tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. This was the first time I’d seen her tear up since the day we volunteered to carry the flag in the Equestria Games. But these weren’t tears of sadness. These were tears of joy. Scootaloo pulled me into another hug and softly whispered into my ear. “You really are the best, Applebloom.” I pulled her in closer and whispered back. “This is just me getting square for all those pep talks that meant th’ world to me. I couldn’t’ve made it through this past half-year without you.” I put myself to work strapping the eagerly shaking Scootaloo in as Sweetie Belle padded around us, eyeing the contraption warily. “Are you sure this will work, Applebloom?” she asked nervously. I let out a quick laugh. I’d never admit it to them, but I had practiced what I was gonna say next. “Cross my heart, hope to fly…” I pulled the final strap and smirked. “Put a pegasus in the sky.” I kicked the lever that opened the nozzle, and with a cry of pure joy, Scootaloo rocketed into the sky. Sweetie Belle and I idly watched Scootaloo pull flips and tricks for a couple moments, dopey smiles mirrored on both our faces as we watched our friend live out one of her dreams.  But that was just the start. “Now if only I could make it a bit safer, so she don’t need no supervision…” I muttered to myself. “...Applebloom.” Sweetie Belle called out in a breathless voice. “I like the idea of powerin’ it with steam. Maybe work more with that so I don’t need no dangerous chemicals?” I continued muttering. “Applebloom! Applebloom!” Sweetie Belle insisted. Ignoring her, I pawed at the ground for a moment. “Maybe have it so th’ pressure system is more easily worked with? I don’t like th’ thought of what’d happen if the pressure built up too much and was ignored...” “APPLEBLOOM!” Sweetie Belle demanded, slamming her forehoof into the ground. “What?!” I snapped a little more forcefully than intended. “You got your cutie mark!” She grinned, pointing at my flank. “I… wha- huh?” My head whipped around, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. On my flank was an image of a wrench crossed with a bone, making an “X” over the image of a gear. It was… I had a... My whole body started shaking. I had a… I had a cutie mark? After all of this? “Oh my Celestia, Applebloom!” Sweetie Belle squealed, throwing a hug around me. “I’m so proud! Congratulations!” I couldn’t believe it. I turned as best as I could and poked my flank. It moved with the skin. ...It was… It was real… “...I did it,” I spoke in a shaky voice. “You did!” Sweetie Belle grinned. “I did it!” I laughed. “Oh my stars, I did it!” “You did do it!” Sweetie Belle laughed louder. “I DID IT!” I screamed, throwing my own hug around Sweetie Belle as I squealed wildly into her coat. The sun rose fully on that day with the excited squeals of two fillies on the ground, as another filly was joined by her sister in the sky, all four of them watching a dream come true right before their very eyes. Y’know, I didn’t need all four legs to be useful. In fact, I was pretty happy where I was right now.