"Ugh! Where is she?" Scootaloo was pacing with Sweetie Belle in Ponyville Park. "This has been like the thousandth time she's been late!" Sweetie Belle sat on the ground and put her head in her hooves,
"ever since that sleepover last week, she's been acting all funny." Scootaloo nodded, Sweetie belle continued, "We need to investigate."
"Maybe we'll get a sleuthin' cutiemark!?" Sweetie Belle perked up, "But where will we start?" and slumped down again.
Scootaloo sighed, :The Apple Family of course."
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Ten minutes later, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle reached Apple Acres. On their way over to the main house, Granny Smith bumped into them, "What the-, oh hi there! What can I do for ya young fillies?"
"Granny Smith? Do you know where Applebloom is?"
Granny Smith scratched her head, "Nope, go ask- Hey! Would ya'll like some zap-apple jam?" Scootaloo groaned, while Sweetie Belle facehoofed herself. After twenty of repeating their question, Granny Smith hollered," Weel it was nice talkin to ya young fillies!" and walked off.
"Well, that was hopeless." Scootaloo scowled out loud to herself. they continued down the dirt road, and saw a deep red clydesdale picking fresh apples.
"Morning Big Macintosh!" Sweetie Belle ran up ahead to catch up to him.
"Mornin'." he replied in his normal deep baritone voice.
"have you seen Applebloom?"
"Ermm can't say I have." he cleared his throat," Haven't seen her since supper."
Scootaloo gasped, "Supper?! Are you sure?"
Big Macintosh nodded,"Eeeyup, went out to finish harvestin' after, try AJ she went in before me last night."
"Thanks Big macintosh!"
"Eeyup."
The two foals galloped toward the Apple family's house, as they approached, Apple Jack walked out with Rainbow Dash and a huge barrel of apples. Scootaloo bounced up to Rainbow Dash, "Ohmygosh!!Ohmygosh!! RAINBOW!! FREAKING!!DASH!!Your the greatest, fastest, most awesome pegasus in all Ponyville!!"
Sweetie Belle grabbed Scootaloo, "I think she gets it Scootaloo."
Rainbow Dash smiled uneasily at first then realized she was being praised for her awesomeness,"I'm not the greatest pegasus in all of Ponyville I'm the greatest pegasus in all Equestria! ", she smiled a cocky grin, while ruffling Scootaloo's mane.
Scootaloo gasped, she tried to speak, but was too overwhelmed by how her mane was just ruffled by her hero; Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes, " We're searching for Applebloom have you seen her?"
Apple Jack pushed past Rainbow Dash, "She ain't with ya'll?"
Sweetie Belle snuck an uneasy glance with Scootaloo, "Uh...no, we thought she was home, with you."
Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously, "What?"
Scootaloo stepped forward, "She's never on time anymore, and she's apparently not home anymore."
Rainbow Dash frowned, "That doesn't sound like Applebloom."
Scootaloo shrugged, "Well if she's not here, we can go check the tree house."
Before the four ponies departed, Scootaloo turned toward Rainbow Dash, "Rainbow Dash?"
"Yeah?"
"Whats with the apples?"
"Oh, I'm using them for my new trick, it needed some flavor." she laughed her own joke; which no else got.
""Oh, okay. Bye Rainbow Dash. Bye Apple Jack!"
"Bye!"
Apple Jack went back to the porch and began count barrels," Dag nab it!", the foals looked back at Apple Jack ,
"What wrong?" Sweetie Belle stepped forward
"Another barrel of apples are missing!"
Scootaloo gasped, " Another?"
Apple Jack explained in a very frustrated tone, "Big Macintosh brings in at least seven barrels every evenin', then by mornin' one barrel's missin'!! Someponies been stealin' from the Apple family!!"
Sweetie Belle thought for a moment; then answered, "Who in the world would steal apples? There just apples?"
Apple Jack snorted, " Just apples? They are not just apples! They are like family!!" Apple Jack began to recite every tree's name in Sweet Apple Acres.
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo tiptoed away when Apple Jack's head was turned. They began to gallop to the tree house when Scootaloo called out, "Sweetie Belle! Look!" Sweetie Belle trotted over to Scootaloo, Scootaloo pointed to the ground, "Look a hoofprint!"
"Soo?"
Scootaloo sighed,"Sweetie Belle! We're being dectectives!! Remember? Its a clue!"
Sweetie Belle gasped,"Oh Yeah! Is it Applebloom's?"
Scootaloo looked at it for a moment," No, I don't think so. Appleblooms is smaller."
Sweetie Belle followed the trail of mysterious footprints to a large shrub, "Umm Scootaloo?"
"Yeah?"
"You might wanna come see this?"
Scootaloo walked over with excitement in her eyes, "What is it?"
Sweetie Belle lifted up a couple branches of the bush, revealing eight apple barrels, each branded with S.A.A, "Well these are definitely stolen apples...well barrels for them anyways." The two fillies quietly tiptoed up to the treehouse stairs, and ever-so-gently pushed past the door.
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"Applebloom! Wake up!" Sweetie Belle pounced on the golden filly, "Wake up!! Wake up!!"
Applebloom slowly opened her eyes, "Wha? Whats goin' on?"
Scootaloo scoffed,"You forgot again, didnt you?"
Applebloom sat up and facehoofed herself, "Oh! I'm sorry!I've just been really tired...honest."
Sweetie belles's expression softened, "Its oh-phhb!" Scootaloo put her hoof to Sweetie Belle's mouth,
"No it's not okay! You've been late almost every day this week! You have a reason don't you?" Scootaloo didn't like yelling at her friend; but Scootaloo felt like she was losing Applebloom.
"Uh...uh...reason for what?!" Applebloom's head raced for a legitamate reason to tell them why she's been so tired, "Uh...I haven't done anything."
Scootaloo rolled her eyes, "Thats the biggest load of-"
"Apples!" Sweetie Belle bounced up, "Whats with all the apple barrels?" We all know you can't eat a whole barrel in one night let alone eight in a week. Plus there were some strange footprints out there."
Applebloom froze, 'Oh no, they're going to find out! No; remain calm Applebloom.' she stopped from thinking to answer her meddling friends, "Their my hoofprints, and I was usin the apples to help me sleep!"
"What?!", Scootaloo wasn't buying it, "To help you sleep?"
Applebloom smiled uneasily, "Uh...yeah...I don't know why...but when i go to my room and fall asleep, i'll wake up in here with a overfull belly."
Sweetie Belle gasped, "You sleep walk?"
Applebloom nodded grimly, "Yall can't tell Apple Jack though."
"Why?" growled Scootaloo.
"If yall tell her, she'll send me to to Equestria's Mental Institution!"
Sweetie Belle gasped in pure horror, Applebloom continued, "They'll trap me in a room, put me in a straight jacket, and feed me......OATMEAL!" Applebloom pretended to shake and quiver.
Sweetie Belle ran to her friend's aid, "No! Not oatmeal! oh no! I prom-no Pinkie promise I won't tell Apple Jack or anyone ever!"
Pinkie Pie eerily rose from a nearby hedge, "If you really promise...Pinkie Promise, you must recite after me! Cross my heart Wish to Fly! Stick a cupcake in my eye!"
Sweetie Belle jumped up, "Cross my heart, wish to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." and she followed the motion of sticking a cupcake in her eye, Scootaloo scoffed.
Pinkie Pie leaned in real close, "Now you can't ever, ever, NEVER tell anyone." Pinkie Pie began to slowly disappear under the hedge, then popped out again, "EVER!"
Once Pinkie Pie stopped bouncing back and forth from the hedge and them, Scootaloo got up and stomped over to Applebloom, "You know Applebloom, your a lot of things but i never thought you a liar!"
Sweetie Belle gasped, "She is not a liar! How could you say that?!"
Scootaloo scoffed, "Sweetie Belle! She's straight lying to you!"
"I am not lying! I swear on apples!" Applebloom stood up in her defense.
Sweetie Belle smiled, "See? She swears on apples!"
Scootaloo scoffed, " "Sweetie Belle...she stole apples; then hid them; then lied about it straight to us with no guilt." Scootaloo gently placed her hoof on Sweetie Belles shoulder, "Don't believe me?Ask her or...should we go to Fluttershy?"
Sweetie Belle gulped," Are you sure she's lying?"
"Would I pull a Fluttershy if i wasn't?"
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Twenty minutes later, the three foals slowly walked to Fluttershy's cottage, Scootaloo sighed, " Applebloom, I'm sorry; but you know i wouldnt do this unless i was absolutely about you lying."
Applebloom sighed in acceptance, "I know Scootaloo, I know." Sweetie Belle cowered to the back as Applebloom knocked ever so gently on the door. Fluttershy opened the door in delight, "Oh hi girls! What can i help you with today?" Fluttershy's smile dissappeared when she noticed the solemn expressions on the girls faces.
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"Are you sure...uh...you want me to do....this?" Fluttershy shifted uneasily. The foals nodded, Applebloom sadly trotted to the recently placed chair in the center of Fluttershy's living room, Sweetie Belle cowered behind a cushion on the couch. Fluttershy trotted in, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Scootaloo nodded, "Absolutely." Sweetie Belle whimpered and Applebloom gulped in a reply.
Fluttershy prepared in her Stare stance, she tipped her head untill she was looking down into Applebloom's golden eyes. Fluttershy sent her body into a frozen position.
Sweetie Belle's voice turned into a raspy whisper, "We only want the truth Applebloom."
Applebloom knew what was coming, Fluttershy's caring eyes turned into a pounding, truth finding, soul gazing, burning into your deepest thoughts and regrets pair of eyes. Applebloom tried, but she couldn't take it; her eyes finally averted the strong gaze of the pure, raw material of Fluttershy. She sighed in guilt; Scootaloo smiled smugly, Sweetie Belle gasped, "Scoot- Apple-UGHHH!!!! Applebloom? You lied to me?!"
Applebloom looked down grimly at the ground, "I stood up for you! I did a Pinkie Pie promise! STICK A CUPCAKE IN MY EYE!! At first I thought Scootaloo was just being paranoid! But Now! The Applebloom I know, uh...I mean knew...would never ...NEVER lie to me!!!" Sweetie Belle plopped down on the the floor and took deep breaths. Fluttershy sat down beside her and began to comfort Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo walked forward, "Will you at least tell us why you lied to us?"
Applebloom couldn't tell them about Mountain Dusk, he was just beginning to trust her! Applebloom shook her head, "No."
Scootaloo scoffed in ignorant disbelief, but her eyes filled with betrayal and the hurt that she felt, "If you tell just tell us whats going on, this will be over!" Sweetie Belle nodded, in hope of a cahnge of heart from Applebloom.
Applebloom just shook her head again,"No, I can't tell ya'll."
Scootaloo sighed, "Fine. Come on Sweetie Belle," she turned around holding out her hoof to her friend, she looked back at Applebloom,"When we walk out this door, I am no longer friend anymore, these lies have ruined our friendship. I hope what ever your lying about is worth losing me, your friend!" She continued to the door paused, in hopes of Applebloom blurting out what she's hiding. When she realized Applebloom had no intentions of telling her, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Applebloom looked at Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Belle let out a breath of air, "Um....I'm sorry Applebloom, the lies, the sneaking around, stealing! Its too much for me to bear." Sweetie Belle galloped out the door, not wanting to allow Applebloom see the tears welling up in her eyes. Applebloom layed in the chair for a minute, letting the heart splitting stake of realization sink in. Her two best friends were gone, just like that.
Fluttershy gently walked over to the sad-stricken foal, "I'm so sorry Applebloom, is there anything i can do?"
Applebloom looked up in the pure misery, Fluttershy sat by her and wrapped her wing around her,"I bet they'll come around." Applebloom nodded sadly, gently shook Fluttershy's wing off her back and trudged out the door.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Don't you think, you were a little hard on her?" Sweetie belle snuck a glance at Scootaloo, they hadnt said word since Fluttershy's cottage. Sweetie Belle felt guilty about how they left Applebloom.
Scootaloo shrugged, "Yeah, but if she couldnt trust us enough to tell us why she's stealing, and sneaking out, then......no, i don't"
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"Hi Applebloom! Why are you so sad?! I know! Evil alien ponies came down and stole the apple trees with their laser beams-WOOOSSHHH!" She self simiulated alien lasers beaming up apples, "And now Ponyville has no delicous apples to eat!"
Applebloom growled under her breath, "No Pinkie." She wasn't in the mood for jokes, or games or fun! She wanted to be left alone.the happy-go-lucky party pony stopped bouncing, "I know what will cheer you up! A giant cupcake from sugarcube corner!"
Applebloom shrugged, "No thanks."
Pinkie Pie thought for a moment, "Come on!" Before Applebloom could stop it from happening, pinkie pie was shovig Applebloom throught Ponyville to Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie placed the confused and bewildered foal in a seat and dashed to the kitchen.
Pinkie came out pulling a cart full of cupcakes, Applebloom's jaw dropped, "Pinkie! What is this?"
Pinkie Pie smiled, "Well," she took a deep breath, "youwerewalkingaroundPonyville,allsad," she reancted Appleblooms slow trudging from twenty minutes ago,"thenIsawyouandsaid,"HIApplebloom!Whyareyousosad?!IKnow-mmmhmm" pinkie had shoved a cupcake in her mouth, "ohh...mmm...sorry..that cupcake was distracting me, so the only solution was to eat it," she giggled, "It was just so delicous looking . Want one?"Applebloom nodded, the ooey gooey frosting was to tempting to resist.
Pinkie Pie slid over a green and pink cupcake, "Why are you so sad? You know my Grandma always told me to TURN THHAAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN!! Wait, where's Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle?"
Applebloom shifted uncomfortably, "We're no longer friends."
SPLOOSH!! "Wha??" a bright pink cupcake hit the floor, "What about the Cutiemark Crusaders?"
Applebloom shrugged, "I don't know PINKIE!"
Pinkie Pie burst in to tears and her mane went razor blade straight, it scared Applebloom a little bit, Pinkie pie finished sniffling, "No! But how are you guys gonna find your cutie-nevermind! Here!" Pinkie Pie pushed the cart of cupcakes to Applebloom, Applebloom gasped and struggled stopping the forceful cart from toppling over, "Uh...pinkie pie? How am I supposed to pull this around Ponyville?"
Pinkie Pie facehoofed herself, "Well, duh!! Let me wrap em up for You!" pinkie pie went back in the kitchen. After ten minutes of strange noises, hundreds of little snips of ribbon flying out the door, Pinkie Pie returned with a wagon filled with ten boxes of fresh cupcakes, "Here ya' go! one hundred and twenty cupcakes baked to the finest by your one and only Piiiinnnkkkkiiieee Piiieee!!!!!"
Applebloom smiled, "Wow thanks Pinkie Pie!!!" Applebloom attached the saddle and wagon to herself with the help of Pinkie Pie. She trotted away waving a good-bye and thank you to The bouncing pink pony.
Applebloom's head was held a little higher as she walked,she began to think to herself, 'Mountain Dusk will love these!! This should a week to two weeks, but knowing us, it'll most likely last a couple days. I really hope he's not allergic to cupcakes, but what if he is....then I have one hundred and twenty cupcakes for myself, I'll eat me all, And tur-'
"OW!!" Applebloom was so lost in her thoughts, she forgot to pay attention to what was in front of her.
"Applebloom? Are you alright?" Spike was scrambling to catch the scrolls and quills he dropped.
"uh.....yeah, what's with all the....umm....writing supplies?"
Twilight Sparkle cut in as she caught up with her assistant, "Restocking my supplies, but wow, that's a lot of cupcake, why so many?"
Applebloom smiled , "Pinkie Pie needed to get rid of the extra cupcakes she had, she said something about how they're distracting her."
"Oh." Twilight Sparkle nodded in amusement at her friends small distraction, " Were Mrs. And Mr. Cake there?"
"No, see or hear them or the twins while I was ther."
"Alrighty then, bye Applebloom!"
"Bye Twilight! Bye Spike!!"
Before she could be stopped again, she galloped as steady and fast as she could back to sweet apple acres.
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"Finally! What took you so long?" Mountain Dusk stood when Applebloom finally reached the top, "What Is that?" Mounntain Dusk gasped as Applebloom came up with a wagon full of apples and two white boxes tied in a pink polka dotted ribbon.
"Sorry i took so long. Pinkie Pie gave me one hundred and twenty cupcakes, so I brought apples and twenty-four cupcakes. Just on case ya didnt like the ones i brought.." Applebloom and Mountain Dusk unlatched the wagon,sat down, and relaxed for a minute. "Wanna cupcake?" Applebloom perked up and trotted over tho the wagon, Mountain Dusk nodded. "Hmm, seems like this box is chocolate." Appleblom closed the box and grabbed the ribbons in her mouth and brought it over to their spot. Mountain Dusk used his horn to magically float his cupcake to his mouth.
"Mountain Dusk?"
"Mmmm?"
"Why do you wear a cloak?" Applebloom had become quite curious about Mountain Dusk's cloak. It was a magnificent black coat made of the finest silk, It shimmered like a sea of black pearls in the night and Applebloom couldn't imagne how regal it would look in the day time. Its hood laid before his horn, letting the moonlight shine ever-so perfectly upon his young cheerful expression. Mountain Dusk's cheerful expression evaporated and was quickly replaced by panic.
Cupcake spit substance rained over the edge of the hill, "Whaat??Why does this matter at this time?"
Applebloom stepped back, taken by surprise at his sudden burst of his colt-like demeanor, " Well, uh...ah...jusst was curious. I mean why wear a cloak when there is no one around and during the night?" Her last few words became a whimper, as she looked at Mountain Dusk. He began to realize the fear on his friend's face, 'i was too harsh, I should just tell her.' he thought.
"Mountain?"
"I'm sorry Applebloom, I was just caught off guard."
"we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Applebloom smiled at her friend, in reassurance that she push the sensitive matter.
Mountain Dusk sighed< "Thank you, Can i have another cupcake?"
She nodded, as she nibbled into a chocolate buttercream, he magically floated a vanilla on to his hooves.
Applebloom watched for a moment, "Thats funny, I thought you were an earth pony."
"You havent realized im an unicorn?"
"Well its pretty dark and never really paid attention to your head, until you used magic today."
Mountain Dusk shrugged, not really wanting to press on, and continue their subject, instead he chatted aimlessly through the evening.
Applebloom eventually told him about what happened with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo and also explained about the raw material of Fluttershy and such. Mountain Dusk looked at Applebloom...his expression sent sympathy and empathy toward his friend. He couldn't believ, or begin to understand, why she sacrificed her friends for him, a foal she barely knew. He felt bad, actually the correct term would be guilty, in his case, "Applebloom?"
"Then Scoota-oh, hmm?"
"I'm so so sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"For you, sacrificing your friends to keep me a secret."
She shook her head, 'Mountain Dusk, don't be sorry, it's gonna urn out fine in the end.....i hope." she added the last of her sentence to reassure her more than Mountain Dusk.
"But, why?"
"Why what?"
"Why would you give up your friends for me?"
she smiled, " Because you need a friend, i realized you spoke of anyone close to you-family or friends, so i figured you need one more than i need two. I hope ya arent mad."
<ountain Dusk chuckled, "I have..a..friend!! I HAVE A FRIEND!! I have a friend..you!" His insides jumped for joy, he chuckled uncertainly for a moment, letting it sink in.
"hey Applebloom!"
"Yeah?"
"Heads up!"
She looked up in time to have a cupcake fall on to her face, "Hey!" She wiped off the majority of the cupcake out of her, eyes . Mountain Dusk rolled around laughing, "Ya think that's funny?" Applebloom picked a cupcake, jumped on Mountain Dusk and smashed it into his face.
"Thhbbpppbb!!!" Mountain Dusk spit cupcake everywhere, "Thats how its gonna be? Fine!" he floated the second box of in-touched cupcakes and dumped it over Applebloom's head.
Applebloom gasped in surprise, "Mountain Dusk!" Applebloom chased him around the hill chucking apples at the frosting covered unicorn, "Come back here!!"
"No!" Mountain Dusk laughed as he threw back his head, unfortunately, a branch or reasonable proportions layed in front of Mountain Dusk's path. Mountain Dusk to busy to pay attention tripped over it falling face first into the dirt, "Owww..." he lifted his head in confusin, "Applebloom? Where are you? Aren't you gonna hel-what's wrong?"
"Applebloom stood there frozen with shock and fear. Mountain Dusk was very confused, "Uh.. hello?? whats wrong?"
Applebloom pointed, not at him, but at his magnificent cloak. It laid tattered and torn a few feet away, he gasped in horror and let his look toward his ribs, a pair of pegasus wings were folded in peace.
"Why....wha?....Why do you have wings and a horn?" Applebloom was stunned, her mind raced with thoughts and fears.
"Oh...Applebloom...I'm sorry...I didn't want to tell you, I was scared. Ans you were my only friend, I didnt want that to disappear."
Applebloom breathed slowly, "Does that mean your...a...um...." her words trailed off, letting the an awkward silence fill the void.
Mountain Dusk chuckled in disbelief, but even as disbelief and worry filled his face, he puffed his chest out with a pride, "Yes, I am an Alicorn. I am Mountain Dusk, son of Princess Celestia."