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// Plan of Action 
// Story: Mystery on Sweet Apple Acres 
// by Scribble Worthwords 
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That night, Applebloom didn't sleep. She tossed and turned, she pondered paradoxes and counted apples, but try as she might, her thoughts kept returning to the missing apples, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding their disappearance.  ah've got it! she thought to herself, the beautiful, brilliant gem of an idea already forming in her mind. firs' thang tommorrow, ah'll get the g- she stopped short, as the sudden realisation hit her.  ah'll be on mah own.... this is apple family business, no other ponies allowed, its tradition.... oh, they'll be crushed if'n they think i done had an adventure without 'em. Aww hay, what'm ah 'sposed to do about it? she sat there thinking for a while, before she finally fell into a fitful sleep.

The next morning, Applebloom trotted downstairs, to find her elder siblings sat at the table, tired, troubled and hopeless. 
"Mornin'!" she said cheerily "hey now... Why so grim? ah' Jus had the greatest idea!" At these words, her sister turned to face her, brightening a little.
"really Applebloom? You got a plan that'll get them apple-thievin' varmints, get us our apples back, unharmed mind, an' all in time fer cider season?"
"Well... Yeah, that's the idea!" she laughed. Applejack thought.
"ah don' know sis. Seein' how your cutie mark plans have gone..."
"You doubt me?" Applebloom asked, tears forming in her eyes. "how 'bout you Big Mac? d'you think ah can do it?" the stallion studied his sister. He knew her determination, gutsy resolve and sharp mind. He knew she could do anything she wanted enough.
"Eeyup" he said with a decisive nod.
"Tell ya what: you do this, an' ah'll let you lead in this years sisterhood social." Applejack offered
"Yer on! or as Scootaloo would say, challenge accepted! An' I might get mah cutie mark too!" Applejack looked at the exited little filly. 
"Ah thought you crusaders agreed to only crusade together?"
"we did, and I was worried about that at first, but then ah realised- this ain't crusadin', this is apple family duty!"
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once she was outside, she quickly reveiwed her plan of action.she reached over, as pinkie had taught her, and pulled a grey detective hat and matching magnifying glass from thin air.
"here ah go- Detective Applebloom, off to find clues!" with that final remark, she trotted off, up the hill to the south field. when she arrived, however. she was greeted by the same horrific sight as AJ; nothing but mounds of dirt with occasional roots sticking up.
"oh mah gosh!this is... horrible"she looked around, and all the time, something was niggling at her. "these look familiar, but ah can't think where from! It's infuriatin'." she hung around for a while, before calling it a day. her stomach grumbled loudly. "p'haps a trip to sugarcube corner 'll help..." she scampered off, her order already forming in her mind.