//------------------------------// // Finding The Seed // Story: Apple Bloom and the Golden Apples // by Animegx43 //------------------------------// The one problem with telling a story like this is that I'm never 100% certain on how other ponies are feeling. Frankly, I don't want to know just how angry Apple Bloom was at Silver Spoon when she learned about what she and Diamond Tiara did. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Miss. Cheerilee was still light-headed after everything that happened, as well as the confusion caused when every pony in town went to the school after the timberwolf attack, Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon managed to sneak out. Before leaving, Silver Spoon went on about how she and Diamond Tiara saw Apple Bloom and her friends with the giant golden apple, grew jealous, and stole whatever was left of it. "Please tell me everything you just told me was a lie." Apple Bloom demanded. "I could, but I would be lying" Silver Spoon answered. "Now you tell me what the apple has to do with that timberwolf attack!" Apple Bloom didn't want to say too much, like Pando's existence, so she did her best to say only what Silver Spoon needed to know. "I think those timberwolves want the golden apple, and if we want our friends back, we're going to have to give it back. Now where is it." "I can't tell you. Diamond Tiara will kill me if I tell you." "If you say nothing, those timberwolves will kill her." Apple Bloom made a very persuasive argument. While Silver Spoon was still afraid of what would happen if Diamond Tiara found out about what she was about to do, she knew that something worse was ready to come to her friend's way. "Alright, we brought it to her house. I'll take you there now." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Around that time, back in the Everfree Forest, the timberwolves returned to their master to show their progress. Sadly for them, Pando was not happy with what he was given. With the three fillies brought back to him, Pando held Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Diamond Tiara's front hooves with large roots and held the three in the air. "Where is the Apple child? Apple Bloom I believe it was." Pando asked. "I never seen this pink one before." "Well, you asked them to bring you three fillies, did you not?" Applejack asked, mocking Pando. "Quiet!" Pando ordered to Applejack before turning his attention to Diamond Tiara. "Pink one, who are you and what do you have to do with Limproot?" As much as I'd like to give a good spanking to that spoiled girl, even she didn't deserve what she got. At the time, she was still comprehending the fact that a pack of timberwolves had picked her up and brought her into the Everfree Forest. She didn't know what to think of about a giant talking tree. "Child! Tell me now what you're doing here!" "Hey, leave her alone!" Sweetie Belle shouted. "Wait, did I just stood up for who I think I stood up for?" "Who are you?" Scootaloo asked. "Are you the panda I've heard about?" "DO I LOOK LIKE A PANDA BEAR TO YOU?" Pando yelled with anger, frightening all three of the girls at once. "I am Pando Everfree, guardian of the Everfree Forest and lord of the trees. Now tell me who the pink one is! How come my timberwolves brought her here?" Again, poor Diamond Tiara was too scared by Pando's presence to say anything. Staring at the giant tree's face caused the filly to breath heavily. Before she knew it, she was hyperventilating. "SPEAK!" He shouted with a loud, booming voice. And just like that, the shock and heavy breathing caused Diamond Tiara to lose consciousness. As much as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle despised her, they felt that she was suffering more then what she deserved. "Now calm down, Barkfa- I mean, Pando." Applejack said. "She didn't take your seed or nothing, and I'm certain that the other didn't-" "My patience grows thin!" Tired of hearing Applejack talking, Pando used had the wooden spears surrounding her come down and force Applejack down to the ground, crushing her body. From the weight of the wood, she was unable to stand up, nor was she able to breath as well as she was before. Because of this, she barely had the strength to breath, let alone speak. "Now then. Which of you have the seed of the golden apple you stole from me?" Moments before, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were defending their schoolmate/mortal enemy, but after hearing Pando's voice rising more, they were both hoping they could somehow defend themselves. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back at Ponyville, Silver Spoon brought Apple Bloom to Diamond Tiara's house as promised. Despite being a rather large house due to her father being Filthy Rich, and that actually is what her father's name is by the way, but Silver Spoon knew her way around like it was the back of her hoof. In the backyard, they found the discard golden apple, left completely destroyed. "What the hay happened?" Apple Bloom asked. "We decided to plant our own apple tree to try and get more of those apples." Silver Spoon answered. "We looked through the whole thing, but the stupid apple only had one apple seed in it. Anyway, the wolves want the apple? Well by all means take it, since we don't even need it-" "WHERE'S THE SEED?" Apple Bloom screamed at the top of her lungs. "THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY AFTER!" Silver Spoon got intimidated by Apple Bloom's voice and decided not to say anything. She knew that there was no stopping Apple Bloom, so she pointed to the stop where she and Diamond Tiara had planted the seed. After spending a few seconds digging, Apple Bloom had finally found what Pando was emending to be brought back to him. She knew that she could save her friends, and even considered the possibility of saving her sister, by bringing the seed back. That said, she tossed the apple seed into her saddlebag and began marching off Diamond Tiara's home. "Wait! Where are you going?" Silver Spoon asked. "I'm going into the Everfree Forest! Those Timberwolves want the apple seed back, so I'm going to bring it back." Apple Bloom answered, only telling half the truth. "Are you insane? Those things will rip you to a bloody pulp!" "If I do nothing, they will rip our friends to a bloody pulp. Which you rather have that happen?" Apple Bloom asked. "Oh, and don't tell anypony what I'm doing. "If the town hears of this, they will try to stop me." "But they could help! I bet Rainbow Dash could-" "No, Silver Spoon. As hard as this is to believe, this is a family matter. And if you do say anything, you're never going to taste zap apple jam again." With her request/threat given to Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom ran off and headed to the EverFree Forest as fast as her little legs could move her. Just as Apple Bloom said, the reason she wanted to return the seed to Pando alone was for family reasons. Ever since she realized what Applejack did that morning, she felt like she had been nothing but a burden on the family. First her parents gave their lives up to keep her safe, and then Applejack tried giving up her life as well. She felt it was entirely her fault in Applejack's case since she was the one who took the golden apple in the first place, and on top of that, her best friends got involved when they shouldn't of had to. Apple Bloom was tired hurting anypony. She felt responsible for everything that had happened, so she wanted to take responsibility and sought to set everything right. Take my word, for as a mother, I know that an attitude like that shows how much she was growing up. Great pride can be taken with that kid, and she certainly brought pride to the Apple Family that day, for she was determined to end the dispute between the Apples and Pando Everfree once and for all.