//------------------------------// // An Apple’s Interlude // Story: Cutie Mark Camp Blues // by Moonbeam Thought Writes //------------------------------// The forest had been part of her life for as long as she could remember. When ponies inevitably disappeared into it, she’d collect the newspaper clippings and put them into a little chest under her bed. When the harvests bore less fruit than normal, and the townsfolk blamed the forest, she’d agree, laugh along with them, shake her hoof at the mass of trees looming in the distance. Once you’ve been around The Everfree Forest long enough, it digs roots into your soul. Applebloom had had the lion’s share of adventures in those woods, and had seen more than most ponies. When campers complained of strange noises and disturbing sounds coming from the dark trees, she would shake her head and stare at the forest. What most didn’t get was that strange noises and disturbing sounds always came from the forest. The Everfree being the poster child of The Unknown was just a fact of life, so there was no point getting worked up about it. All the same, whenever Applebloom took a stroll beneath the great boughs of the ancient trees, a chill crept slowly down her spine. Memories of misadventures in her youth swept back in a flood. There were reminders of those precious moments etched into every knot of wood and hoof-shaped root. She was an Apple to her very core, and that core was wrapped in Everfree heartwood. How long had she spent playing in the cool shadows of the trees? How often had she been awoken by screeches and cries from the dark entanglement of the forest? How had the woods crept into her every day, sitting comfortably at the edge of her memories and casting long slivers of darkness over her childhood? Applebloom didn’t mind the near-constant disruption of normal by Ponyville’s most eccentric citizens, but when the Everfree played a part in that disruption, things got ugly, quick. The year dark vines with blue thorns had overtaken the quiet borders of the woods had been one such disruption. Granted, Sombra’s takeover of, well, everything had stolen the show. Another year, when an Ursa Minor had attacked the town was still fairly fresh in the minds of most. The menagerie of beasties that stalked the woods was a heavy enough deterrent for most kids, but the ones who’d grown up around the edges weren’t so easily scared. Terrifying flora and pony-eating plants didn’t exactly put off the rumours that swarmed the forest like flies in the summer. Regardless of the dangers, the rumours, the missing ponies, the disturbances and the dark shadows haunting her memory, Applebloom still liked to walk beneath the canopy of large green leaves when she needed a break from the world. Sometimes her job necessitated such a break. Like when a certain Citric Quartzite decided to send exhausting amounts of letters addressed to her, all detailing his fury, and his inevitable plan to take back his previous role as director. All of which were sent over the course of several eventful days, and curiously smelled strongly of sage and fire. Did it add to his pleas that sometimes the letters were spotted with patches of damp? No, it did not help Citric’s case at all. But what could Applebloom say to him? She certainly wasn’t going to return his correspondences after some of the similarities he drew between her and the tyrannical days of Starlight Glimmer. It was his fault that she wasn’t going to reply, really. As she took another lazy step through the trees, she took a deep breath in. Pines, firs, the oddly acidic scent of wildflowers… it was almost as familiar as the sickly sweet perfumes of the blossoms Applebloom was named after. There was a bewitching undertone of petrichor and dead leaves, just beneath the more presentable aspects of the forest’s wide range of smells. It was heavenly. It was home. “Applebloom? Is that you?” An earthy, heavily accented voice carried through the trees, reaching out to the golden-delicious coloured mare haunting the Everfree. She took in one last delicious breath of woodland air, eyes shut in appreciation, before turning to see who was calling her. A sunset-coated mare with a mane like pale white-gold. Emerald eyes set in a friendly, though wrinkled, face framed by charming freckles and mare-killer dimples. Applejack. Applebloom’s face lit up with joy at the sight of her dearly beloved sister. It had been a few weeks since they’d last seen each other, but it was always nice to see her again. A weather-beaten Stetson rested serenely on Applejack’s head, and a bottle-green hair tie kept her blonde mane tied back in a messy bun. “Applejack! Am Ah glad to see ya or what?” She called back. “It’s always nice to see ya, sis. But Ah must admit, Ah am curious. Why’re ya out here in th’ Everfree?” The older orange mare trotted closer to her younger sibling, an easy smile already on her face. As she got closer, Applebloom could pick out all the tiny details that made up the personality so clearly written upon the earth mare’s appearance. A patch of purple fabric, sewn into the Stetson where a hole must have been. The stray hairs poking out of her rumpled manestyle. The pale honeysuckle-coloured neck scarf patterned with vivid red apples and edged with pure white lace. The small indentations in the pattern of pony teeth, encircling her wrist, and the only remaining mark from a particularly nasty wound she had suffered barely nine years ago. “Jus’ came out here to catch a break, AJ. The woods haven’t changed one bit since Ah was last ‘ere.” Applebloom replied breezily. “Ya wanna tell me what’s on yer mind? Ah’m good to talk to ‘bout yer problems, sugarcube!” Applejack’s cheery demeanour showed not a crack, despite the many years she’d worn it. “Nah, Ah’m good thanks. Ah’d love to stop an’ chat, really. But Ah’ve gotta work through it on mah own. Need to know basis, ya know?” A wide smile spread itself across Applebloom’s face. It was pretty obviously fake, but it usually got the job done. Applejack frowned, a small sliver of uncertainty crossing that cheery face of hers. It was there for a second. No, not even a second and it was gone again. “Well, ok then. At least come in fer some tea with Big Mac an’ Sugar Belle. Ya haven’t been ‘round ‘ere in ages, sis!” And there it was again; her sister’s exuberant exterior was back. “Ah’d love to.” “That’s great! Ah’ll put the kettle on when we get back to th’ house.” Applebloom smiled and nodded, though her mind was elsewhere. Before she knew it, the two of them were walking back through the trees of the Everfree, back to the house in the centre of Applebloom’s childhood. A beautiful old red-painted farmhouse, repurposed and built onto until it looked nothing like the original structure. Heart were carved into the eaves, and ancient, thickly varnished wood decorated most surfaces, making up a variety of different, yet uniquely gorgeous pieces of decor and upholstery. Dashes of pink and swathes of cream white extended throughout the house. Applebloom loved it with all her heart, and all of her soul. She was glad to see it hadn’t changed one bit in the few weeks she’d been away. A small mercy, considering all the trouble she’d been through in the last two weeks or so. The sweet yet spicy aroma of warm chai tea wafted from the scarlet-toned ceramic pot of tea that Applejack balanced carefully on her back, separated from her flesh only by a emerald-coloured tea towel. A set of four matching teacups and dainty dishes were placed carefully on the small circular coffee table, which was made from a rough-hewn tree trunk and lacquered in a lovingly spread, yet uneven lacquer. Applebloom remembered that same coffee table from her days of trying everything for a special talent. Needless to say, she hadn’t gotten a cutie mark in woodworking. “So, how’ve you been, sugarcube?” Applejack asked as she poured the milky liquid from the pot into the small porcelain teacup in front of Applebloom. The yellow mare took the steaming cup, wincing as it burned her hooves. “Good, good. Yerself?” “Yeah, Ah’ve been alright. The farm’s been harder to manage since Granny… y’know.” Her sister sighed deeply and her voice wavered. There was no denying the thick silence that settled over the room like a muffling blanket. This was torn wide open by a set of eight hoofsteps clattering swiftly down the stairs behind the two sisters, and the accompanying voice of Sugar Belle, tittering away to the low speech of Big Macintosh, Applebloom’s dearly loved brother. “Heya Big Mac, it’s been a minute since Ah saw ya last. How’ve ya been?” The pale red stallion nodded, beaming. At his side stood a dusty-lilac mare with a cloud of indigo curls framing her head. A rounded point jutted out sharply from her forehead, poking through her mane. Sugar Belle was the first one to bring unicorn blood into the Apple family. None had been more surprised than the late matriarch of the Apples, but Granny Smith had welcomed her eldest son’s wife with open arms, and the rest of the family had done the same. “An’ Sugar Belle, how’ve ya been holdin’ up?” “I’ll be better when it’s spring again.” The mare had deep shadows under her warm plum eyes, and a streak of grey ran through her mane and tail. “Ah agree whole-heartedly, sugarcube. It’s been a tough winter.” Applejack muttered from the seat she had taken at the coffee table. “Winter Wrap Up will be along soon, so Ah wouldn’t spend too much of mah time worryin’ ‘bout it.” Appebloom took another sip of her tea. “Eeyup” Big Mac affirmed. “So, uh, Applejack, how’ve ya been handling the last few weeks, y’know, with the Winter Moon Festival an’ everything?” Applebloom quickly asked, in an attempt to stave off the silent awkwardness that was quickly descended upon them. The mare in question nodded grimly and clutched her teacup close to her chest. “Mah wife’s helped, but ya know how those nights always are.” Big Mac and Sugar Belle moved to sit around the coffee table, nodding contemplatively. “Speaking’ of that week, did any ‘o y’all hear anything… odd from the Everfree lately? Like, in the past week?” The other three stole nervous glances at each other. Applebloom’s teeth clenched and ground together, and she nearly upended her tea. She hated it when there was something that ponies just weren’t telling her. It was her second least favourite thing other ponies did to her. The first was treating her like a foal. “Well, uh, Ah did hear somethin’ right howling in the Everfree a few nights ago…” Applejack started. Applebloom took another sip of her tea, and waited for her sister to continue. “Ah’m afraid to say Ah didn’t go out to investigate, ‘cause Ah thought it was probably just a timberwolf.” Big Mac shook his head; “Nnnope.” “I don’t think any of us thought it could be anything else.” Sugar Belle added. “But that’s the strange thing. It sounded so eerily familiar. Y’know, like, somepony ya know, Applebloom.” The orange mare finished. “Ah see what yer gettin’ at. Ah’m terribly sorry Ah can’t tell y’all the truth, but mah work is kinda on a need-to-know basis.” Applebloom took another tiny sip of tea. It was beginning to get cold. Applejack sighed deeply. “Ok then. Ah don’t wanna pry.” But hadn’t Applebloom been free to tell her friends? Not being able to talk to some of her closest confidants, her family, felt like a punch to the gut. But new information about Incident 032A demanded a new layer of secrecy. Her associates were considering reclassification of… recent events as Incident 032B. She didn’t disagree. “Anyway, have ya heard the news about Scootaloo, and her coltfriend? Turns out he was a conpony! Ah knew it!” Applebloom quickly changed the topic. “Who, Honey Tongue? Ah thought he was a nice young stallion. He certainly had a way with words!” Applejack exclaimed. “I didn’t get the chance to meet him, but Applejack made him sound so lovely. Was he really a conpony?” Sugar Belle sounded incredulous. “He was, he was. And he shredded all ‘o mah letters Ah sent to Scoots! It was awful!” “Ah dunno, sugarcube. Shreddin’ letters ain’t the worst thing that could happen to somepony.” Applejack raised one eyebrow. “He was also wanted by the EUP!” The element of honesty lowered her brow and nodded. “Then he was probably a bad pony. Ah knew Ah was gettin’ a bad feeling whenever he spoke to me.” “Well sis, ya were right ‘bout him. He was a rotten fruit.” “Ha! Ah’m never wrong! If only that rainbow nutcase could see me now!” “…you aren’t in touch with Rainbow Dash?” “Nah, Ah still am, but it’s moments like these that make me want to rub it in her face!”