Usually a typical morning for Applebloom included a quick wash, a check of her homework (except for weekends, of course) and then a hearty Peppermill-made breakfast. While it wasn’t completely necessary for her to wake up as early as her hard-working older siblings, she still tended to be an early-riser.
Today she was up and out of the farmhouse long before anypony else was even stirring.
Once again she found herself inside the old barn, gazing at the Eclipse, the very transport that was going to be used hours from that moment. Peppermill and his five friends had intended on a small, simple trip just to see how the carriage handled and if there were any major improvements needed to make it the ultimate mobile clubhouse.
Applebloom had every intention of seeing that it would be the first and last voyage for the wheeled craft, even if it meant taking it apart board by board by her own hooves.
It ain’t lahk I’m gonna completely destroy it. thought Applebloom to herself. Ahm just gonna make sure that a couple of things go wrong. That ought to be enough to make them think twice about riding it.
They ain’t gonna be too happy with you. Especially ifin they find out wut ya did… The annoying little voice of reason had been nagging at her for days now, and it had reached a point where the filly was beginning to get genuinely worried. Usually the voice tended to be so silent that she could easily claim ignorance, as her laundry list of misadventures could attest to. But lately it had become much more insistent, especially when it came to Peppermill.
It’s one thing to keep Peppermill out of danger, but wut right do ya have to do it to his friends? Besides, why would them boys want to do anything to hurt him? Applebloom winced at this blunt statement, mostly because she knew it was true. She had not seen Peppermill as happy as he was when he spent time with the other colts in town his own age. She knew he would never do anything to hurt them, and vice versa.
But I am his big sister. It would hurt me worse ifin he got hurt than it would his friends. It means I ain’t being responsible.
Do ya see Big Mac or AJ getting’ all hot under the saddle about this? They trust the boys…
“Shush!” hissed the Apple filly, trying to silence the nagging voice. The young pony drowned out the commentary by climbing on board the boat and using a small knife to cut the rope that was tied around the anchor. Not all the way through, but just enough so that it wouldn’t take much for it to snap. It was just one of the few ‘modifications’ she had decided would serve her purpose. In her mind, it wouldn’t so much destroy the boat as it would scare the colts enough to think twice about their big ideas.
Shameful…jus’ shameful. Ahm sure Applejack would be proud… Sarcasm dripped from the voice, and the filly bit down harder on the knife handle in anger. He hated the fact that she couldn’t stop comparing herself to her older sister. But she also knew that there was an incredible strong bond between herself and the grey colt, which started from the moment she laid eyes upon him. She knew with every drop of Apple blood in her that she would protect him forever.
And if it should mean doing something she would regret for the rest of her life, then so be it…
***
“So, we aren’t really going anywhere right?” asked Snails in his slow drawl.
“That’s right. We are just going to see how the boat handles. I mean, we need to know if we can actually use the wind or if we’ll have to tow the Eclipse everywhere.” explained Rumble.
“Still, it’s going to be a smashing adventure! The wind in your mane, the heave of the boat under your hooves…” gushed Pipsqueak, who had been bouncing around the group of colts as they headed towards the barn at Sweet Apple Acres that their mobile clubhouse sat.
“Heave of the boat? I’m seasick just thinking about that.” grumbled Snips.
“Let him have his fun Snips.” chided Featherweight, to which the stubby unicorn gave a snort.
“If I had…known we were just…doing a test run…I wouldn’t have…stayed up so late…working on our supplies.” yawned Peppermill.
“We can still have some later right?” asked Snails hopefully.
“Believe me I…took into account…the fact that some…of us have bottomless pits…instead of stomachs.” The colts all laughed, while Snails blushed slightly knowing that the chef was referring mostly to him.
***
“Oh ponyfeathers! They’re here!” Applebloom had been busy loosening some bolts that kept one of the wheels attached to the body of the boat when the laughter of colts made her ears twitch. She had intended to do her dark deeds and be out of there long before anypony arrived at the barn. In fact, she had been convinced that their ‘maiden voyage’ was going to have as much pomp and circumstance as the christening. She was certainly not counting on a half dozen boys discovering her deception.
“No tahm to get outta here…gotta hide!” Tossing aside her tools of destruction, the filly scrambled back on board and leapt down into the hold. She found what appeared to be a small cupboard and squeezed inside just as the door to the barn opened.
“Isn’t she beautiful?” sighed Pipsqueak, looking upon the boat longingly.
“As beautiful as Princess Luna?” teased Rumble.
“Yes...I mean no…I mean…bloody heck.” The pinto colt blushed and squirmed, caught once again in his adoration of the dark alicorn. The others just grinned as they began to move the transport outside. None of them were aware that they had an unwanted passenger, the filly in question having something close to a panic attack while cramped in the hold.
Eventually the Eclipse was out in the sunlight, and the colts were making the final preparations. Ropes were tied, loose items were fastened down and every pony was in their assigned position. The fact that nopony considered checking below decks, outside of Peppermill quickly putting some food in another cabinet right next to the one Applebloom was in (who was holding her breath the entire time) was perhaps pure dumb luck.
“Okay guys, this is it. Are we ready to…shove off, is that right Pip?” asked Rumble of his second-in-command.
“Aye aye captain!” cried the pinto pirate jubilantly. “Raise the main sail!” Snips and Snails pulled on the rope that lifted the dark fabric into position, while Featherweight and Peppermill hauled the anchor off of the ground. Everypony on board, Applebloom included, held their breath waiting for something…anything to happen.
…
…
…
“Maybe we are too heavy?” offered Rumble.
“Are you blokes sure you pulled the anchor all the way in?” asked Pip desperately.
“Wow, what fun…” muttered Snips sarcastically.
And then it happened…
Whether it was a passing Pegasus, a rogue gust from a nearby storm or just plain circumstance a massive breeze blew up around the Eclipse. So sudden and fierce was the wind that the wheeled boat suddenly lurched forward, sending all of the colts sprawling onto the deck. The groan of the wheels as the vessel slowly moved could be felt as much as heard. The weighty transport, despite protesting mightily, was indeed moving…
…and picking up speed by the second.
It proved to be an incredibly rough ride, for the carriage bounced and jostled over every bump and rock in its straight ahead course. The boys found themselves bounced around like pinballs all over the deck. Meanwhile down below, Applebloom was having a considerably rougher time of it. At the first major jolt the boat took, she shot out of the cabinet like a balloon out of Pinkie’s party cannon. The crashing and banging of the ship masked the thunderous crack that the back of her head made impacting the far wall. The bright white pain eventually led to blessed darkness.
The same fortune did not extend to the boys above.
Bodies were tossed and nasty sounds of breaking wood and wrenching metal. And all the while the Eclipse kept picking up speed heading for a heavily wooded area outside the boundaries of Sweet Apple Acres. Somehow Snails managed to grab at the creaking mast and dared to open his eyes at the looming mass of brown and green coming up fast. While the lanky unicorn might have been considered slow at the best of times, he could occasionally have a flash on insight.
“Hold on tight!” he bellowed as he gripped the wooden pole with all his might.
CRUNCH!!!!
The wheeled boat slid into the woods like a knife through one of Applejack’s best apple pies. It didn’t slow down for a moment as it vanished into the gloom. And if any ponies had happened to be there, they might have noted with surprise and alarm just how quickly the trees seemed to…grow back hiding any evidence that something as large as a cart had even entered its inner sanctum.