Apple Bloom was bleeding.
The elf scarcely looks upon her. Leaves and magic are lain into her wounds. A flash of orange sun in the distance. She was back then, to just this ominous morning. Back before Applejack had told her...
Today, she had woken up to the best day of her life. The sun looms blood-red through her curtain. Light falls on odd nick knacks- her best knitted scarf, her notes on cutie marks, and her own hat!
“I got my own hat like my sister!”
She blinks.
“Ow.” Apple Bloom says.
Itham stares his golden eyes soften. There is a mist at the edges of his eyes. His hands continue their work. I wonder what will happen to me when its over?
A cough.
“I am sorry. What I ask of you is cruel…”
“It is. But...family...is everything too me. And Granny can’t lose Aj.” She adds. With a hint of a dry, brittle smile. A smile that reminded her of just hours ago...
She jumps. Her hooves thud on the hardwood floor.
“One more day, hat! I’m going to be back for you yet!” She says, tying her bow into place.
“Apple Bloom! Breakfast!”
“You are well. I will take you to your brother now. He has searched most of the safe land in your Everfree.” Itham says. His gaze off in the distance. A twisting sigil burns in the air. Where the throes of noon and shadow meet.
A curving seems to bleed into the world.
I wonder whats going to-
“He truly loves you. Just...as my sister loved me.”
“Am I doing the right thing? Please tell me?”
“Please.”
“Ah just love my family.”
Silence.
“Would they hate me?” She whispers. The scent of the forest grows richer. She can smell the dew. The rot. The worms. The crushed leaves on her fur. The scent of magic in his blood. At touch of other in his bones.
In her own. Growing and growing.
Is this what Miss Twilight feels? All the time? Luna? The princess?
Is this what it means to be alicorn?
She breaths in and tastes Honey Perfume
rose on the wind.
A whisper.
Then.
The forest speaks.
She tries to listen.
She only gets the murmurs.
“I say that filly is much too young! Too think, our Itham would do such a thing! What a tragedy!”
“Areobar! Gather your roots and smack that elf! This is not to be done! We forest can fend for ourselves, you fool elf!”
“Areobar, nothing! ”
“Itham risks invasion! We have a had covenant with the Griffons of the south and east.”
“Celestia would never hurt one of her ponies! She works to hard!”
“I remember! About fifteen hundred years ago! She slew a court of ponies! Shes capable! And, able!”
She tries to stare. But, her head feels heavy, fuzzy and like a dream.
She falls.
A yank. And, her limbs seem looser. A pull. An itch on her back. Her back felt lighter.
“Oh! Look, Itham she grew wings! Whats next horns!”
“Ah! There they are!”
She moans. Stomping a hoove into the earth.
There she sees a spot of green horn bursting out of her crown.
How will my Aj hat fit!? The thought was sudden. And, then she was…
calm.
Is that river flowing in the distance?
Strange.
Is this what its like?
“Well, I think its a fine idea! Have you ever heard of a earth pony with real magic? I want to see some pony on pony fights.”
“Imagine a elf pony! How would old stiff Equastria react? Old Sun?”
Silence.
“I give my gentle-trees a question. How would Twilight Sparkle? Control-mare extreme, handle...her change?”
“Oh! Stuff it with my pine needles, Gertrude! We want hugs!”
A sound like a arrow going off.
Thunk.
Thwick.
Thunk.
Thwick.
A pressure builds. Tingles stretch down her legs.
“Stop fighting! I can hear you!” Apple Bloom bellows with the rest of her strength.
I’m…
“Is it happening...will it hurt?”
A crunch. Hoovesteps?
AJ?
A voice. A filly speaks as if from the air. As if she not Celestia was the sun.
She manages to open her eyes. Hints of a archway peek through the looping green horns. More Sigils burn with the gold of Ithams eyes before fading.
Something in her eyes burns. There was a tree that was so large that-
Its so pretty...
Its leaves were stars. Its roots were galaxy's. Its branch's…
Its reaching for me.
Me. Apple Bloom!
A long branch stretch's from the void. Somehow no time passes. Or, all time passes before…
Its before her.
She can feel her hoof. Heavy thing.
Stupid thing!
It reach's the rest of the way.
Was it in her mind? Was she the tree?
But, no, there was a face the color of amber. And, eyes like the void between the candy ponys stars.
Oh, dear filly. You don’t think this is all there is? Just this world? Just this universe has too much to offer! Dear!
“We are going to have so much fun together!”
Are you in...my head?
“Yes! Yes! Such vigor!”
Some how she breaths. The creature…
The elf turns to Itham.
“You have succeed well, my servant. My forests will grow strong with such love and vigor at its helm. I will have ripe new magic to protect our lands.”
Itham sighs. A shift of grass.
Is he bowing?
“I am tired, My Liege. I wish to see my family. I have not seen them in...eons. And, to see them...I have just stolen a filly and her family.”
She hears the rush of her blood rising.
“Impudent as that was...they will be together. Their love will pave the way. I know this well. Perhaps, in time they may even succeed...me. After all who has heard of an equine fairy?”
“Old Wendy hasn’t heard of the Breezies!” Gertrude says.
Thwack!
“Ow! That hurt! Apple Bloom smack him!”
Aj, Granny's and Big Macintosh faces flicker in and out. As a odd rage takes hold.
Why do I have to do this?
Why…
Why…
Why...
I...love.
I hope I can see my family again before I die.
Apple Bloom turns.
The smell of oak and damp grass is familiar. She barely sees the shapes of animals prowling in the great dark of the forest.
She begins walking.
“Apple Bloom! Come back! It’s mighty dangerous in those damn wood’s!” Applejack yells.
She tucks her ears forward. Apple Bloom runs into the forest. A buzzing. A humming in her head. A swish of branchs on the wind. The smell of fire. A edge of one eye catch's the sight of a bright blue flame.
Luna?
Twilight?
Something about it drove her hooves harder. Her mind on-
The second knock that day had been tentative.
Unsure.
Apple Bloom can’t hear.
She couldn’t hear her. No. No. No.
The forest loom’s tall. Crocodile green grass falls before her hooves. What little sound fades into noise. The growing bird song pilfers words she never, ever wants to hear.
Never.
Nostrils flaring, sweat dripping and Apple Bloom ran and ran. Ran the memory down. Trampling words, thoughts and more-I can’t believe. I can’t believe it! It can’t ! Not! her! Take Granny-
No!
“I'm sorry.”
Leg’s pumping like pistons.
“I'm sorry.”
Trees blur. Bushs are green hair.
A odd scent of of petrichor lingers.
“Oh! This is the filly! The wishing mare I see! No cutie mark! What a pity! What a crime!”
“Karlons suggestion was a good one, Areobar. The ponies fear the woods! And, what of the griffons? Queen Wendy’s plan to convert one of Celestias own is-”
She slows.
“Are those voices?”
Only a moment.
A flash of brown.
Thwap.
Her world is spinning.
Blind.
Dizzy.
“Wha?” She croaks.
Bush and branch twist- snap like timber wolf teeth. Her bow rips. Through her roaming eyes- it becomes a sole spot of pink long gone. Body rolling end over end. Dirt and grass fills her mouth.
And then…
she stops.
A swallow crows in the distance.
She spits. Staring.
Sunlight bleeds from above.
Silent. Alone.
Lost.
Lost like-
“Ow. Ow! OWA!” She groans. I must have hit...something. Muscles sore. Bruises begin to form. The sun was bright and searing. Burning.
“I don’t want to wake up! Why don’t you understand!?” She yells. Sore hoove thumping on the damp soil. It gave and her hoove sank with a squelch. Oh. Come on! I trying to-to-to-
“Having trouble?”
It was then that she opens her eyes. White. Burning. Burning-
“Ah!”
“Aj! Sweets, Scoots and I built a cabinet! And, look!” Applejack had simply smiled. Her hooves around her. Her warmth inviting Apple Bloom into a hazy stupor that-
“Ow!”
“Ah. Yes...hurts doesn’t it?” The voice was the stillness of ice. The frost on Moms resting place.
“The change always does.” The voice continued.
Nostrils flaring, her tail tucks, clamping under her dock. And, she. is. still. So...very still.
“What?”
Standing in front of her was a stranger. Stranger still...its...shape. It...did not walk on four hooves. It did not walk on two. A mane grew on the top of it’s head. It lacks...fur. Even, minotaurs have fur...But, most startling of all was…
its eyes. Eyes that burn gold. Eyes that were too wide and...did. Not. Blink.
Swallowing, she tries for speech. And, finds her cuts the least of her worry's. I can worry about bleeding once I dealt with this situation.
Thing though it was. She could recognize a symbol. Three leaves twisting upon each other. It was there pinned so, upon it’s front. Like Iron Will...
“My dear filly, I heard your cries from over in my little corner of this ancient forest. Now what has gotten you in such a tizzy, my fair filly?”
None of your business. Not in a million. Billion!
Her lips tingle. Her tongue felt like that one time she drank to much. The time she drank Big mycs cider. Thick and heavy and...yet...different.
Strange.
Magic, whispers somewhere in her mind.
Magic. And, somewhere her mind remembers the touch of Miss Twilight's spell. The rush of chasing after a-
“What?”
“What, my dear, is the question? Now, answer me, please? Be a good filly.”
Too her astonishment...
She spoke.
“-a doll.”
“A doll? What prayer is this?”
Its not a prayer! You...You!
I am not someones doll! Someponys!
“My sister...told me a few hours ago, my Lord, that she myy perish from disease. I ran overcome with emotion and grief into this here wood. Your Queens wood, my Lord.”
That doesn’t sound...like me...
It’s smile was thin as a Griffons knife. It was a smile that promises...things. Things I don’t want to thinking about…
“Something happened to maribel. That old dog well...The other day...Sugarcube...She didn’t make it, Blooms.”
Mouth dry as long limbs like spiders legs skitter across the forest floor. And, noting with horror. Mouth now her own. Free.
No crinkle of leaves.
No crunch of branches.
No squelch of wet, soupy soil.
It was like it wasn’t there.
Like in front of her was...a shadow...or…
a ghost.
Zecora had been tending a potion. It was a simple swirl of Blue Holly, Ironwood Bark, and genuine Spinx tears.
Ponies had always feared what they didn’t understand. Zecora was proof. She was proof. And, when Zecora spoke.
She steels her spine.
“Be wary of the forest, my dear apprentice. Our kind may indeed be old. But, something else has long been foretold. A kind both terrible and wild seeks its aims...by any lanes.”
A talon like Spikes touch's her cheek. Unlike his own there is no gentle. No warmth. Only the sometimes strange famliar feeling. Like when Miss Twilight was fixating on a problem. Like there was nothing else ,but the solution.
Apple Bloom and her body across the room...were the problem.
A problem.
It was soft. That was the worst part. Soft meant good things. Granny's pie. Tucked under Big macs whole barrel when she was small and scared. Like now. Where are you Big mac?
Probably searching for you, you idiot! A voice said sounding like her Scoots.
Not AJ.
NO.
Soft was bad. She tries to move, to run ,but-
Pain.
She neighs. Trying to bat at it with her hooves. Her tail clamping so far that she can feel its touch under her barrel.
“Do you think I play games? Nod your head if you agree or disagree…” At the disagree its grip tightens. She whimpers.
She nods.
“Now you have come into my glade. But...know that it was not by choice…
Far away is the sound of a voice. It was-
“Apple Bloom! Blooms! Sis!” Her brothers voice cried.
“Big mac!”
“I’m here!” She moves to run. She is half way across the glade when the creature speaks.
“Do you wish your sister to live? To breath the fresh air? To dream her dreams? What of your grandmare? Does Granny wish to see her grand-foals some day? Knit and win the Golden Filly's competition as her family looks on?”
Aj! Granny!
“Granny's going to live a long time!”
“She will. She will. With...your help. In the future. For duty is important is it not?”
Somehow the forest, the glade was still. Quiet. No Crooked Crows. No Quail Keeper birds. Perhaps,it senses its occupants? Its hopeful masters distress? Perhaps, it was bearing witness…
to a moment of history.
“I offer you something for the future. And, a way to save them…”
Her lips tingle. Her tongue licks her sudden dry, bone-dry lips…
She opens her mouth…
“What is it?”
“Life. Health...Hope. Forever.”
Eyes wide and her last breath had surely gone sometime ago. But, she remains conscious...aware...so...she nods. Not considering that it could not see her.
“I have need of a servant. A companion of sorts! In truth...a successor. It has been Millennia since I have seen a human. Now...it seems only you creatures remain. At least...you don’t butcher Her myjesty’s wood.”
She turns.
Light from the canopy above blooms on its face. She looks at first what looks like minotaurian tattoos. Strange shapes arc and flow across the creatures jaw. Blue lines burst into buds. Her gaze trails across the skin…
They’re blooming. Wow.
“Wow...”
She prances at the glare of beauty- short and quick.
Fear. Apple Bloom. Be on your hooves! You need to get back no matter what! Your family and friends need you! Especially with Applejack...
“Ah. Your eyes do not deceive you. You are in the presence of the lady of the woods herald. And, these…” It jesters with a talon. “Are my bindings. It is because of these I have need of a bargain. A oath. Of a kind, Earth pony.”
She nods as sudden tears flood the damp earth.
“Oh! Well...cry. Get it out. Get it out. Because what I am about to offer you is everything you wanted…and everything you surely dreamed.”
It turns. Its masculine cut garb were winding, twisting leaves woven with care. She could scarcely see the seams.
“It was no accident you came here. No. You live near the Everfree woods, her wood’s. Thus, I heard your plea. Did you not wish in your heart?”
It paces in the glade. Like a lion. Like Discord...
“Hear this Apple Bloom of house Apple. Youngest of Bright Macintosh and Pear Butter. I will be honest with you in the ways of your Applejack. I grant you kindness in the ways of Fluttershy. I will grant you laughter soon...in the joy that I will cure your sister and grandmother. I grant you my loyalty. I shall not harm you or your kin. through means magical, mundane or through proxy's.”
It bend’s its knees.
“I grant you generosity. Long, Long life is yours and your familys. You will be hail and healthy.”
“The only virtue of your kin I cannot give you is friendship for I am old, and cruel even among the Elf-kin. And, I-”
“Boop.” Apple Bloom says. Lowering her hoove. She ignores its shaking, shivering nature. The wind hisses.
That almost sound like laughter...
Laughter?
The creature blinks. Stares. Mouth agape.
“I wouldn’t be honest. If I didn’t say you scared me. ” Still do…
She narrows her eyes at the creature.
“You are called...elf?”
“Indeed.” It had lain bent. Head lowered. Hair the color of moon and-
silver. She thought.
She smacks her lips in thought.
“Do you go by anything?”
“Call me Itham...or second son of house Jorian of the eastern wood on planet Tharan.”
Whats a planet? Came the thought.
She turns to her injury’s inspecting them with a glance.
Her cuts were shallow, they ache ,but she manages to get to her hooves. Rubbing a hoove at her tears. She can feel a line of dirt and warm blood on her cheek.
She begins to walk. Slow. Slow. And, eventually stands in front of the knelling creature. Looks into it’s eyes that burn like the sun.
She can feel the press of her tail. The shacking of her hooves. Her breath huff’s along in little gasps.
She raises her neck. Puts her legs apart and locked. And deliberately raises her tail. And, stands her ears up right up.
“I wouldn’t be my sisters...sister if I didn’t listen. I saw how ponies treated my friend Zecora and I will hear you.”
In someway and in somehow...he reminds me of Luna. Perhaps in words that I would never speak to anyone...like The Princess...
“We tend forests. ”
Apple Bloom had stood there for hours. Shifting one hoove to one hoove. She had gone over it and over it.
Aj is probably sitting at home.
Shes look for you!
Well she was ending!
“I got something. Something final like. Lasting too.” Her words had been curt. Blunt.
Honest.
Circling the...elf. The cloths were the same. The silver hair. The talons on her face.
“My sis-”
“My sister is dying. My granny is well shes tired. See, and if Aj goes...Well, I don’t know. And, my brother…”
“Your brother?” I’m shouldn’t say anything. Not with something so...important...but…
She bit her lip. Blood blooms and falls.
“He wants to be a alicorn. In his dreams he fly's and plays with magic like most creatures do pottery. He talks...with love in his heart. I want that for him. I want it all for them…”
Apple Bloom with her family's faces in mind...says the words that she hopes gives them forever.
“Just...tell me what I need to do.”
She sees all of ten summers. The weight of the world on her barrel. Her head felt strangely light.
I’m used to this. I help my family on a farm. I have raised pigs. I have seen calves be born...
“Its no choice. I do it for them.”