//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: True Loves // by SweetCarol //------------------------------// At the Sweet Apple farm, Big Mac started to become more and more distressed when his eldest son had returned from wherever he went and his little daughter wasn't yet home. He loved his two kids unconditionally, but for his little filly he had a special affection for her being so much like their deceased mother. He told his son, who also became dismayned by the delay of his younger sister. "What do you think that happened?" Bright Mac asked, as he spun around the living room, so many times that in a short time he might make a hole in the floor. "I don't know, son, but we won't know if we stay here at home." Big Mac said, as he got up from the couch, determined to go look for Apple Belle. But before he reached the door, incessant knocking began to be heard. He answered the door and was confused to see her little friends' mothers. "Good afternoon, Big Mac." Marble greeted him with a nod. "Good afternoon, I was really gunna talk to you both." He said, relieved with the thought that he would soon hear news from his daughter. "Talk about what?" Pinkie Pie asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's just that Apple Belle hasn't arrived yet and maybe she ..." "What?" Marble said, louder than she expected to say. "If Apple Belle didn't arrive, where are the rest of the girls too?" "What? Are they all missing?" He asked in total amazement too. "It seems so, oh goodness where did those little fillies go?" Pinkie Pie said, also getting distressed. Chee Chee passed on the Sugarcube Corner and when she was told that her mother and her aunt went to the farm, she immediately went there, showing the note, only caused more despair among them. "And now? What do we do?" Marble asked, as tears streamed down her cheeks. "The way's to look for them, we look for them here in Ponyville and I know who can look elsewhere!" Big Mac said, as he picked up a parchment, a quill and started writing to his younger sister. "Oh, what happened to my little sister?" Chee Chee said starting to cry with so much concern. Bright Mac immediately went to his beloved and consoled her, avoiding calling her by any affectionate nickname he gave her, so as not to cause their family members to be suspicious. "It's okay, be optimistic, think that soon we'll find them." He murmured, stroking her back. "Okay... When we find them... They'll get a scolding that they will never forget!" She said between loud sobs. Meanwhile, at the School of Friendship, the students have already gone home. After correcting some homework, the teachers also went home. The 3 BTFF's (Best Teachers Friends Forever) always walked out of school together, without losing that habit even after Apple Bloom had moved out of Ponyville when she married and started a new family. She laughed at the thought that if someone had told to her 8-year-old self that 19 years in the future Twilight's assistant and she would fall in love and get married, she'd have a fit of laughing as if had heard the funniest joke in the world and would say they were crazy. "How are the kids?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Holly Dash is fine, I don't think I've ever seen a baby Pegasus as cute and sweet as he is." She said, fondly remembering her adopted son. "But the egg hasn't hatched yet, this suspense of finding out if it's a boy or a girl is killing me." "Aw, but I'm sure this baby dragon will be born soon." Scootaloo assured her. "Oh I think your ride has arrived." She pointed to a carriage, which was sent by Princess Twilight to pick up Apple Bloom as soon as she left school. "Well, here I go, see you guys next week." She shared a loving collective hug with her best friends and greeted the pegasus who always took her back to the castle. "Hey Bolt Fitz!" "Apple Bloom." He greeted her back with a nod. When the little carriage rose in the air, Apple Bloom spread his arms. It felt so good to feel the wind hitting her face and waving her red hair. "Well, did you manage to make your mark?" Bolt Fitz asked, to break the silence between them. Apple Bloom shook his head and smiled. In the first year that she moved to the castle, everyone in Canterlot only knew her as "The Royal Advisor's wife" which caused her great annoyance. She did a lot of amazing things, like turning Hearts and Hooves day into a commemorative date for everyone to celebrate, after all, romantic love wasn't the only one that existed. Before she answered, she was startled when a dragon flame appeared in front of her and a scroll appeared from the smoke. "What is it?" She murmured as she opened the paper. "Dear sister, Sorry for not being able to communicate this to you personally, but it's very urgent. Apple Belle, Buttercup, Rocky, Andi and Honey B are missing and all of us here in Ponyville are very concerned, could you please look for them in Canterlot? And if you find the girls, take care of them and don't let them out of your sight until we get them. Thank you in advance, Big Macintosh" Upon finishing reading the letter, the yellow mare was completely desperate that her little nieces were missing. Because they were an interspecies couple, even after they got married it took Spike and her a long time to get to adopt Holly Dash and the orphaned dragon egg, so they developed a parental affection for all of those little fillies. "Bolt Fitz, speed up!" She ordered, she'd be more polite if she weren't desperate. "What happened?" He asked, but increased the speed of his wings. "There's no time to explain, I need to talk to Princess Twilight!" She said. Meanwhile, in the throne room, Twilight and Spike were reviewing some projects and deciding whether they would be approved or not. Suddenly, they were startled by the noise of the gate opening. Noticing that it was his wife and how distressed she looked, Spike immediately dropped the papers and flew to her. "Oh my gosh honey, what happened? Are you okay?" He asked, as he searched her body to see if he'd found any bruises. "Our nieces, missing, help ..." She said between wheezing breaths. "What? What are you talking about?" Without saying anything, Apple Bloom handed the parchment to him, who was soon equally distressed after read it. "What? Where are they at?" He asked. "I don't know, I think nobody knows, I'm so worried!" She said, as tears started to stream from her eyes. "Hey, calm down, we'll find them." He murmured sweetly, wiping her tears away, taking care that his claws didn't scratch her face. Apple Bloom leaned against his body and let his arms wrap embrace her in a hug. "I'm sorry that I'm worried too much, it's just that after my parents died because of the Timber wolves, I became overprotective with each of the people I love." She whispered between low sobs. "Hey, love." Spike said, running his claws through her mane gently. "You don't need to apologize for anything, I'm immensely worried about them too, we're family after all!" "Heh, only you to be able to calm me down at a time like this." She said, lifting her head to look him in the eye and forcing a smile. "You know the last thing I want is to see the love of my life sad." He replied, before bending down and gave her a short, but sweet kiss on the lips. Twilight watched them from a distance, they were so sweet to each other, it almost made her want to meet her other half too. Almost. They communicated to princess and she quickly ordered a group of guards to search in every corner of Canterlot to see if the 5 little girls were there. "Well, I think I better go look with them." Apple Bloom said. "Wait, I'm going with you." Spike said, holding her by the tail so she wouldn't follow. "Don't you have more important things to do?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Nothing in my life is more important than you, my beautiful apple tree flower." Spike said. Her eyes lit up and she fell to the floor, feeling that if her heart was filled with a little more love, it would explode. "Uhh are you okay?" "Gosh, I love you so much." She whispered. "You'd better go with her, to make sure she doesn't fall around." Twilight said between laughs. "Don't worry Spike, I can handle it myself here." "If you say so." He said, while helping his wife to stand up again and went out with her. "Oh my, where did these little girls go?" The ruler of Equestria murmured to herself as she returned with her duties.