Apple Bloom pressed the bean into the ground and furtively glanced around. She couldn't see anypony in the darkness, nor could she hear any signs of pursuit. She was on edge, and her heart raced as she dug through her saddlebags and extracted her potion. Before she uncorked it, she glanced up. The cloud looked like a black splotch against the night sky, but she knew it was Rainbow Dash's home. Nodding silently to herself, she slowly pulled the cork out of her potion bottle with her teeth.
Pop.
Apple Bloom froze up. The sound wasn't that loud, but it carried far in the still night. With all of the pegasus asleep, there wasn't even a gentle breeze to rustle leaves. Apple Bloom felt cold sweat drip inside her tight-fitting dark outfit. She didn't like this, but Scootaloo was too embarrassed to ask Rainbow Dash directly and their joint project for Twilight time would never get off the ground, so to speak, without a working model to start from.
Nopony jumped out to scold her, so Apple Bloom resumed breathing and set to work on what she'd come to do in the first place. Two, three drops of her growth potion should do the trick. It was hard to see in the dark, but a waft of smoke from the ground let her know the potion was taking effect. Apple Bloom tip-hoofed into the bushes and awaited the results.
She didn't have to wait long. The bean erupted from the ground and grew into an immensely tall, twisted stalk. This was a lot louder than uncorking her bottle, but Apple Bloom felt safer concealed in the bushes. She waited a minute or two in case somepony noticed, but nopony did. The beanstalk stopped growing and twisting and looked as if it reached up past the cloud. It was ready to climb, but Apple Bloom wasn't all that sure of her work. She strapped on her parachute securely in case the beanstalk vanished or exploded before she reached the top. As ready as she could be, she wrapped her hooves around the plant and started pulling herself up.
Climbing was a lot of work. She should have practiced before doing this, but there was no point in worrying about that now. At least the plant was easy to climb. The twists in its 'trunk' and the giant leaves sticking out made for great hoof-holds. She sat on a branch-sized leaf to catch her breath about halfway up. She didn't rest long, and resumed climbing. The plant was very sturdy near the base, but it felt like it swayed more the further up she went. She glanced down and gripped the plant even more tightly. She was very high up.
Now was not the time to worry about falling. She focused on looking up instead and tried to suppress her nervousness, exhaustion, and fear. Finally, she reached the top of her climb. The beanstalk's placement was just about perfect. There was only about a three foot-wide gap between the plant and Rainbow Dash's porch. Apple Bloom checked to make sure that her parachute hadn't shifted and jumped. She landed softly on the cloud and laid there.
It was soft and fluffy and cool and embracing. For a moment, she felt her sleepiness return. She shook her head and got up. It would be a terrible waste of her efforts if she fell asleep to be discovered in the morning. She could sleep after she'd pulled this off, not before, and certainly not during.
The door was locked, but there was a spare key under the welcome mat just like Scootaloo had said. Apple Bloom opened the door and peeked her head in. Even in the dim moonlight the whiteness of the walls and floor was apparent. She suddenly felt very conspicuous in her black uniform. It would be best if she hurried.
The walls were lined with what were presumably posters, but she wasn't going to turn the lights on to have a look at them. Trophy cases displayed Dash's many awards, the kitchen was well stocked, and there was a pile of books on one of the tables. None of that stuff was what she was after. She was going to have to look in Dash's bedroom.
It wasn't hard to find; she could hear the snoring even through the door. When she creaked the door open, the snoring flooded the hall and drowned out any sound Apple Bloom made. Rainbow Dash was flat on her back with her legs up and wings spread out. A snot bubble expanded and contracted with each breath she took. Apple Bloom nervously glanced at her. That didn't look comfortable.
In the corner of her eye, she spotted the item she was searching for. Tank's tank was illuminated with a permanent yellowish magical glow. That was needed to prevent the earth creature from falling through the cloud house.
“Sorry, Tank,” Apple Bloom whispered to the tortoise, “but Ah need to borrow this.”
Next to his cage, Apple Bloom grabbed Tank's helicopter and stuffed it into her saddlebags. As quietly as she could, she retraced her steps and crept back out the house. Every step she took made her heart race. It also felt heavy. Though she planned to return it, it still felt a lot like stealing. As she closed and locked the front door, she felt a sudden urge to run back inside and wake up Rainbow Dash to ask permission. She shook her head. That would be an incredibly stupid way to get caught. She could ask for permission later.
The beanstalk was still there. Apple Bloom had expected the potion to have worn off by now, but was glad it hadn't. She felt safer rappelling down the plant than riding on her untested parachute.
***
“Guys, Ah got one.” Apple Bloom placed the magic-propelled helicopter rotor on the table. “We don't have to read through all those stuffy books anymore; we can just copy this.”
“Wow, that's great, Apple Bloom.” Scootaloo picked up a screwdriver and prodded it. The blades started spinning as soon as she touched it. “Uh, Sweetie, do you think you could...?”
Sweetie Belle furrowed her brow and stared at the magical glow around the device. “Give me a minute. That spell looks different from the one I tried to use earlier. I don't want to remove the enchantment until I know what it is.”
Broken metal blades stuck in the ceiling of their clubhouse stood as a testament to Sweetie's last attempt at enchantment. To be fair, it might have worked if their prototype had held together. Scootaloo make it look like a helicopter but it rapidly fell apart after it started moving.
“I already looked at it.” Apple Bloom flipped through her alchemy handbook. “It's not all magic and screws that hold it together. If Ah use some adhesive potion, our next prototype should last longer.”
“You mean glue?” Scootaloo asked.
“No! It's a potion. It's like glue but better.”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Right.”
“That's what I did wrong.” Sweetie Belle poked the helicopter blades and watched them spin. “This isn't a levitation spell at all; it looks like come-to-life magic.”
“That sounds advanced. Do you think you can do that?” Scootaloo asked.
“Twilight gave me a whole book on that spell. She wouldn't have suggested it if she didn't think I could do it, right?”
“She gave me a book on mechanical engineering, and you don't see me reading that one.” Scootaloo stuck out her tongue.
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom glanced at her pile of books stuffed into a dark corner. “I'm still having trouble with the simple stuff; Ah can't waste time on complex theories when, well, ever.”
Sweetie Belle groaned. “I know how you feel, but it doesn't look like I have a choice. I'll have to do at least some studying.”
Sweetie Belle scrunched up her face and concentrated on her magic. Her greenish magic mixed with the device's yellowish glow and both auras faded. “Okay, you can dismantle it now.”
“Thanks, Sweetie.” Scootaloo bit her screwdriver and set to work on turning the thing into a pile of parts.
“Why the hay does this potion call for so many hoof clippings? You'd think it's made from the stuff. We'd better not mess this up because Ah'm not going to wear my hooves down to nubs just to make a second batch.” Apple Bloom ran a file down one of her legs. “And I feel like Ah should be at the spa.”
The three of them stopped talking and focused on their tasks. Aside from the clink-clack of Scootaloo's screwdriver and the bubbling of Apple Bloom's potion, the place was almost silent. Sadly, that didn't last very long.
“Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo held up the belt strap and pointed at the letters 'R.D.D.' scribed on it. “I thought I told you not to ask Rainbow Dash! She'll get the wrong idea if she sees me fiddling with flight aids. I don't want her to think I'm a cripple.”
“What?” Sweetie Belle looked up from her spellbook. “I thought you said you'd get one from Mr. Breezy.”
“He didn't have any. And Rainbow Dash doesn't know. I kinda borrowed it from her house last night without asking.” Apple Bloom glanced back and forth between the potion apparatus and the other Crusaders. She turned a knob to reduce the size of the flame under the boiling beaker.
Scootaloo gave Apple Bloom an odd look. “You do know she lives on a cloud, right?”
“Well, yeah. I used my growth potion to make a giant beanstalk to get up there, and then Ah snuck in and borrowed the helicopter thing.”
Sweetie Belle snorted in disgust. “If you're going to lie, you could at least try for something believable. I don't know what's more ridiculous: your growth potion not making something explode, or an earth pony walking on clouds.”
“I'm NOT lying!” Apple Bloom furrowed her brow in anger. “Ah fixed my potion, and Applejack told me all about that time she visited Cloudsdale with the rest of her friends including earth ponies and unicorns. None of them had any trouble walking on clouds. You can believe her; she never lies.”
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo raised eyebrows at each other. Neither of them had heard about that.
There was a knock on the door, and three sets of pony ears swiveled towards it.
“Coming.” Scootaloo hopped over and cracked open the door. Outside stood a rather perplexed pegasus. “Rainbow Dash! Wha-what are you doing here?”
“Oh hey, squirt. I've been asking around but nopony seems to know–”
Scootaloo swallowed nervously. Here it comes: Rainbow Dash would want the helicopter rotor back.
“–but I found the strangest thing growing outside my house this morning. Would any of you happen to know what this is?” Rainbow Dash stepped aside to reveal a giant bean pod that she'd been carrying around. Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief.
“What? That's still there?” Apple Bloom stuck her head out the door. “Uh, Ah mean... No, Ah have no idea what that is.”
“Seriously?” Rainbow Dash pushed open the door. “You three aren't getting yourselves into trouble again, are you?”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nearly had panic attacks but the partially disassembled flying device was no longer spread out on their table. Sweetie Belle sat on an overturned cardboard box that wasn't there a minute ago. “Nope. Nothing suspicious going on here.” She grinned.
“We certainly aren't dismantling anything of yours,” Scootaloo added. Rainbow Dash looked unconvinced.
“Say, can you tell us about that time my sister went to Cloudsdale?” Apple Bloom asked. “These two won't believe me when I say that earth ponies can walk on clouds.”
“They can't, usually. I freaked out when I saw Pinkie Pie jump out of the balloon, but Twilight cast a cloud-walking spell on her so she wouldn't fall through. Why do you ask?”
“A what the what now?” Apple Bloom scrunched up her face.
“A cloud-walking spell. You know, so earth ponies and unicorns can walk on clouds like pegasus.”
“See, I told you it was impossible,” Sweetie Belle said. “There's no way you could have done it.”
“But Ah did!” Apple Bloom whined.
“What? What did you do?” Rainbow Dash asked, suddenly concerned.
“Something about this just doesn't add up.” Scootaloo scratched her chin. “Rainbow Dash clearly doesn't know, and Apple Bloom clearly couldn't have done it either.”
“Hold it!” Rainbow Dash spread her wings to get everypony's attention. “Now what, exactly, don't I know?” she huffed.
A brief stillness descended in the clubhouse while Rainbow Dash glared at the Crusaders, who fidgeted nervously. The adhesive potion bubbled ominously.
“I confess! I did it!” Apple Bloom yanked the cardboard box out from under Sweetie Belle, knocking her over. “I snuck into your house last night and took Tank's helicopter. But I was going to give it back when we were done. Ah swear!”
Rainbow Dash looked agape at the exposed pieces of the helicopter rotor. She held up the belt strap with her initials on it. “Scootaloo,” she scolded, “you should know better than to take stuff without asking.”
“Me!?”
“It wasn't her! It was me.” Apple Bloom grabbed onto one of Rainbow Dash's legs. “I'm sorry, Ah should have asked first like you said.”
Rainbow Dash pushed her away. “Uh, no offense, but this is between me and Scootaloo. It's nice that you want to take the blame, I guess, but it's obvious that you didn't do it. Now, Scoots–”
“I did too do it, and I can prove it!” Apple Bloom yelled.
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes dangerously. “Oh, so that's how you want to be, is it?” She grabbed Apple Bloom and carried her outside. “Hold on, then, because we're going flying.”
It was clear there was no getting out of this, so Apple Bloom climbed up and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow's neck. Rainbow Dash spread her wings, then took off and flew straight up. Apple Bloom looked down and shivered. Once again, she was very high up.
Rainbow Dash stopped and pointed at a small cloud just below her. “Well, now's your chance. If you think it will hold your weight, feel free to jump.”
Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes. She jumped.
“Wait! I didn't mean for you to actually do it!” Rainbow Dash dove under the cloud and frantically looked around. “Apple Bloom! Apple Bloom, where are you!?”
“Ah'm up here.” Apple Bloom looked down from the cloud. “Now do ya believe me?”
***
“Twilight! Can you explain this?” Rainbow Dash shoved a cloud through the library's door with Apple Bloom sitting on top of it.
Apple Bloom protested, “Is this necessary? Ah kind of left–”
“Rainbow, don't bring weather in the–” Twilight paused and looked up at Apple Bloom. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“If so, I don't hear anypony laughing.” Rainbow shook her head. “I was hoping you might know something.”
“Hmm,” Twilight poked the mist. “It's definitely a cloud.”
Rainbow Dash facehoofed.
“...and it doesn't belong in the library. Outside, please.”
“Do I get a say in this?” Apple Bloom asked as she was pushed out the door.
“No!” Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof at her. “I want answers!”
“Rainbow!” Twilight glared at her.
Rainbow Dash's eyes popped open and she softened her harsh look. “Uh, sorry, squirt. I'm just a bit perplexed, is all. If you really don't want to do this...”
“Don't worry, Apple Bloom. This won't take long.” Twilight looked up at her. “It's probably just a leftover effect from one of my old misfires. The cloud-walking spell lasts for months. All I have to do is search for the... um...” Twilight framed a scanning screen with her magic. A magenta light slowly passed through Apple Bloom but nothing appeared on the screen. “That's odd. The only magic in her is her own.”
“Huh, what does that mean?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I'm not sure.” Twilight rubber her chin. “Have you drunk any odd potions or touched any strange plants recently?”
“No, and not that Ah know of. Hey! Maybe my special talent is walking on clouds.” Apple Bloom looked hopefully at her still-blank flank. “Aww.”
“Are you thinking poison joke?” Rainbow asked. “We could try the spa remedy.”
Twilight shook her head. “The thing about that plant is that it makes jokes, and obvious ones at that. I don't really see anything funny or obvious about this.”
“Apple float, maybe?” Rainbow guessed.
“That's a bit of a stretch. Hmm.” Twilight furrowed her brow in thought. “Apple Bloom, can you hop down from there?”
“Uh, sure, Ah guess.” Apple Bloom hopped off and landed with a thud. It was a bigger fall than she'd anticipated. While she was on the ground, Twilight ran a hoof over her flank.
“What?” Twilight ran her hoof over Apple Bloom's flank again. “That's...”
“What? What is it, Twilight?” Apple Bloom looked up at Twilight looming over her. “Did ya figure it out?”
“I... maybe. But I'm going to need a second opinion before I say anything. I need to take you to the hospital.”
***
“Aw, Ah don't like the hospital.” Apple Bloom sat on bench in the lobby while Twilight talked to the nurse on duty. Rainbow Dash sat next to her circling hidden images in the waiting room's activity magazine, thus ruining it for everypony else.
Twilight walked over and sat on the other side of Apple Bloom. “Sorry about all the fuss, but I'm not sure I want to be right. If I am, though...” She shook her head. “Anyway, the doctor will see you once he finishes up with his other two patients.”
“You know the answer but you don't like it?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You're worrying me, Twi–” Rainbow Dash glanced at the filly, who curled up into a ball on her seat “–and you're worrying Apple Bloom too.”
“She's not sick if that's what you're asking.”
The examining room's door opened up and two irritated fillies walked out. Their fur was patchy, burnt in places, and they wore a couple of bandages too.
“Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, what happened to you?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie pointed a hoof at her.
“You left the fire on and your potion thing exploded.” Scootaloo frowned.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Apple Bloom, what have I told you about leaving the brewing apparatus unattended?”
“It's not my fault. Somepony abducted me before Ah could finish.” Apple Bloom pointed a hoof at Rainbow Dash and hit the magazine.
“Oh, thanks. I'd been looking for that hidden breezy,” Rainbow Dash said, and circled it. Everypony else stared at her. “What?”
Nurse Redhat passed a clipboard to Dr. Stable when he entered the waiting room, and he started reading it. He raised one eyebrow, then the other. “Twilight, can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Sure, what is it, Doctor?”
He motioned his head towards one of the rooms down the hall. “Privately?”
“Oh! Right.” Twilight got up and followed him out of the room.
“What's that about?” Scootaloo asked.
“Twilight saw me on a cloud and did some tests. She said she might have an answer for it, but wanted a second opinion so she brought me here.” Apple Bloom sighed. “Ah don't see what the big deal is really.”
“You know how Twilight is.” Rainbow Dash put down the magazine and rubbed Apple Bloom on the head, who cringed. “She has to find an explanation for everything.”
“Actually, I'm curious too.” Sweetie Belle said. “It is really mysterious.”
“Yeah, if you're here for answers, then I want some too,” Scootaloo said.
The door opened again and Dr. Stable stuck his head through it. “Apple Bloom, we're ready for you now.”
Apple Bloom hopped off the chair. “Say, uh, Doctor, can Ah bring my friends too?”
Dr. Stable stood there in the doorway in his white hospital uniform with a stethoscope dangling around his neck. He looked at the ponies in the waiting room. All of them had their eyes wide open. Apple Bloom frowned while the others smiled hopefully.
“I guess that's all right.” Dr. Stable pulled the door open the rest of the way to let them all through. “We won't be doing any invasive tests that require privacy.”
Apple Bloom looked even more worried and slowed down. Her impatient friends caught up with her and swept her down the hallway into the examining room. Twilight was already inside sitting on a stool by the counter with the medical supplies. Rainbow Dash took the guest chair and left Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to sit on the floor.
Dr. Stable pointed, and Apple Bloom hopped up on the padded examining table. The papery cover on it crinkled when she did so. “Please, lie down,” he instructed.
Apple Bloom did so and the doctor felt at her flank like Twilight had done. “Shears, please,” he said. The tool floated over next to him surrounded by a magenta glow that shifted to teal as he held it with his own magic. He turned it on. It buzzed against Apple Bloom's flank and fur went flying.
“I guess we won't be the only ponies with patchy fur after all,” Sweetie Belle said.
Dr. Stable turned off the electric razor and set it aside. “Twilight, you should take a look at this.”
Apple Bloom had lost count of the number of times that she'd turned around to look at her side in the hopes of finding something there.
Something was there.
She... didn't know what to make of it. Hidden beneath her fur was a faded white semicircle. It looked sort of like a cutie mark, but what was it doing on her skin right behind her shoulder? Twilight loomed over her and cast a shadow on it.
“We should check the other side too,” Twilight suggested.
“Good idea. Apple Bloom, can you turn over please?”
Apple Bloom frowned but did as she was told. The papery surface crinkled as she shifted her weight and flopped down again. The razor sprung back to life and Apple Bloom cringed as more of her fur coat was removed. The same mark was visible on this side too.
“What is that?” Apple Bloom asked.
“It's a scar,” Twilight said.
“A scar?” Apple Bloom Scrunched her face up in confusion.
“Should I bring in the X-ray?” Dr. Stable asked.
“No need. The evidence is already overwhelming.” Twilight sighed and hung her head.
“Evidence? Evidence of what? What's going on?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yeah, tell us. We're dying to know,” Rainbow Dash said. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo glanced over at Apple Bloom and looked up at Twilight.
Twilight took a deep breath. “You're a pegasus, Apple Bloom.”
“What!?” Jaws dropped around the room.
“Th-that can't be right,” Apple Bloom stammered. “Ah don't have wings. Everypony knows pegasus have wings.”
“You had wings.” Twilight poked at the scar. “But, uh...”
“Twilight's right.” Dr. Stable brushed Twilight's hoof aside. “These scars are very old, and they're also very clean. Based on on their appearance, I'd say that your wings were surgically removed at birth.”
“Wha?” Rainbow Dash twisted her face. “Why? Who'd do that to a pony?”
Dr. Stable shook his head. “I don't know, but I do know it's abuse. I'll have to report this.”
Everypony fell silent while Dr. Stable took pictures and further examined the scar tissue. Apple Bloom stared up at the ceiling. There was an image of flying bluebird with a twig in its beak painted up there. Somepony with wings had done that.
“Ah can't believe my whole life has been a lie.”
“Aw, Apple Bloom. This doesn't really change anything,” Sweetie Belle said. “You might be a pegasus, but you don't have wings. You're still the same pony you were before.”
“Yeah, it sucks being a pegasus who can't fly–” Scootaloo stood up and buzzed her wings “–and trust me, I know what that's like, but you never even knew about it until now. Unlike me, you can forget about the whole thing and just go back to living like you always have.”
“Scoot's right.” Sweetie Belle walked up to the examining table. “Unless somepony can magically make you sprout wings then there's nothing worth worrying about. Something like that can't be fixed.”
Twilight stepped down from the stool and wrapped a wing around Sweetie Belle. “Actually, I'm pretty sure we can.”
***
“Apple Bloom, you can't keep this a secret. We have to tell your family.” Twilight waited at the entrance of the farm for Rainbow Dash to gather the other members of the Apple family. It was getting late in the evening and the sun was low in the sky.
“Ah know that, but why does he have to be here,” Apple Bloom hissed. Further up the road a brown stallion in a police uniform was walking up to join them. They could hear the clinking of the hoof-cuffs draped over his back.
“It's like Dr. Stable said, what was done to you just wasn't right.”
“My family would never do nothin' to hurt me!” Apple Bloom stomped her hooves and snorted.
“Perhaps not, but they might know something about who did.”
“She's right, Miss.” Officer Duty walked in and joined their conversation. “I've worked on the force for years and what happened to your family never sat well with us. We've long suspected foul play, but this just about proves it. If those genealogy tests come out like we expect, we can blow this case wide open. Anything your family might know could help us.”
Rainbow Dash flew in and landed next to them. “Hey, officer.”
He nodded at her.
“Granny Smith's hip's acting up again, so they're gathering in the house. Applejack's making flapjacks.” Rainbow Dash licked her lips.
“Please don't mention flapping,” Apple Bloom moaned.
There was no point in standing around, so the four of them followed the path towards the house. The farm was in a lull this time of year. All of the spring planting was over with and the apples, while growing, wouldn't ripen for another two months. Sure, there were some off-season harvests, but for now they focused primarily on mending their tools and keeping the barn in working order.
Apple Bloom kicked at a pile of debris on the road. It was full of brown, decayed stuff. Fallen petals from the apple blossoms rotted away into the soil a lot faster than the leaves did. Apple Bloom frowned and looked at an exposed scar on her flank. Was that her fate? To rot away into the ground? She shook her head. At any other time she'd laugh at such a silly comparison because she was an earth pony. But, she was a pegasus...
They knocked on the door and Big Mac answered it.
“May we come in?” Twilight asked.
He opened his mouth to say something but hesitated when he saw the police officer. He just nodded and opened the door for them.
Granny Smith was asleep in her rocking chair. Big Mac gently prodded her to wake her up. “Hunh, wha?” She shook her head to clear the sleep from her eyes and stuffed her false teeth back in her mouth. “Applejack! Get a move on; we've got hungry guests to feed!”
“Commin', Granny.” There was shuffling in the kitchen and Applejack came out carrying a huge plate of pancakes in her maw. She gently placed it on the table. “One pile of flapjacks, courtesy of good 'ol Apple hospitality.”
Applejack smiled, but that didn't rub off on anypony. Nopony made a move to touch the pancakes aside from Rainbow Dash. “So uh, what's all this about, anyway?”
“Go on.” Twilight nudged Apple Bloom. “Tell them.”
Apple Bloom sighed and moved the plate of pancakes from the table to the floor so she could stand on it. “I...”
“Did y'all hurt yourself? Why is your fur shaved off?” Applejack asked.
“Go on.” Twilight prodded her again.
“I-Ah'm a pegasus! Those are scars from where my wings used to be.”
Apple Bloom's declaration reverberated across the walls. Said walls were lined with family photos, but there was a rather disturbing lack of images showing her parents on display.
Applejack couldn't contain herself and bowled over laughing.
“Applejack, it's not funny!” Twilight scolded her. Apple Bloom buried her head under her hooves and groaned.
“What's all this nonsense?” Granny Smith spat out. “Everypony knows she got those scars when her parents died fighin' off them timberwolves.”
“Eeyep.” Big Mac agreed.
“Hoo boy.” Officer Duty shook his head. “That's what he wanted you to believe, but–”
“Listen here, you hootenanny hooligan! What business do you have commin' in here with some crackpot rubbish 'bout Apple Bloom bein' a pegasus? Yer upsettin' the poor girl! We're all earth ponies and we're proud–”
“But Ah really am a pegasus! Granny, why won't you believe me?” Apple Bloom sniffled.
“Easy there, Apple Bloom. I know it's hard to accept.” Twilight sighed. “This is why I wanted to be outside. It'd be a lot easier if we had a cloud for you to stand on.”
“I can go get one,” Rainbow Dash suggested. She wiped crumbs off her cheeks.
“We are not bringing weather inside.” Twilight stomped her hoof down.
“Wa-wait.” Applejack pointed at her sister. “She can stand on clouds? But that's impossible.”
“That's the truth.” Apple Bloom bit her lip. She was wavering on the edge of tears.
“She's not lying.” Twilight narrowed her eyes. “I saw it, and so did Rainbow Dash.”
“And Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo,” Rainbow Dash added. “Look, Applejack, you're making a huge fuss over something that's totally awesome. Now that we know she's a pegasus, Twilight can make a spell that will bring her wings back and I can have a brand new flying buddy!” Rainbow Dash squeezed her cheeks with a goofy grin on her face.
“Whoa there.” Twilight pushed Rainbow Dash aside. “You're getting ahead of yourself. I know it's technically possible since, well, I got wings and I wasn't even born a pegasus, but I'm going to have to write to Celestia and do a lot of research first.”
“Now ain't that just somethin'.” Granny Smith poked at one of Apple Bloom's scars with her cane. “Ah always believed it was the timberwolves.”
Officer Duty shook his head. “They're far too clean and symmetrical for an animal attack. I wish we'd examined her more closely when it all happened eight years ago.”
“What really happened, officer?” Applejack asked. “Do you know?”
“There are still parts we're missing, but I think I can speculate and piece things together. I imagine it all started about nine years when our suspect, uh...” He looked at the young filly standing on the table and adjusted his red necktie. “Anyway, Clementine never reported a crime. If she had, things would be a lot different now. We'll never know for sure what really happened since she's dead now.”
“Wait a minute. Are you sayin' that Apple Bloom's not even my granddaughter?”
“Granny!” Applejack yelled. “How can you say something like that!?”
“If the genealogy test comes out positive, then she's not even really an Apple,” Officer Duty said.
“Ah'm not an Apple!?”
“Now, wait just a minute! Our mother might have been born into the Orange family, but she was just as much an Apple as the rest of us. A- A- Bloom here's an Apple to the core.”
“Applejack, you're not even looking at me.”
“Sure I am, sugarcube.” Applejack looked past her at one of the family portraits on the wall. “Ah'm looking at the very same Apple Bloom that I've always known and loved.”
“So what happened when Apple Bloom was born?” Twilight asked.
“It probably happened something like this: The Apple family's not of mixed lineage, so when a pegasus popped out, they knew something was wrong. Jonathan was pretty hot-headed, so I imagine that escalated into a confrontation with our suspect. Long story short, two dead ponies and some garbage about an animal attack later, he got off scot-free.” Officer Duty sighed and pointed at Apple Bloom. “An earth pony foal would not arise suspicion, but a pegasus would.”
“Who? Who did it? Who did that to my Jonathan Apple and his dear, sweet Clementine?” Granny Smith asked.
Officer Duty shook his head. “I'm not at liberty to say until we've apprehended him.”
“This... mom, dad... I...” Applejack chocked up and ran outside.
“Applejack, wait!” Apple Bloom ran after her.
Those left in the room sat in silence. Something had passed in those last few moments. Something that had turned their lives upside-down. Big Mac hung his head and walked over to look out the window. Granny Smith opened a hidden drawer and pulled out an old photo album. “Jonathan...”
“Yikes, I'm sorry about what happened to your family. But hey, who wants more pancakes?” Rainbow Dash bent down and picked up a plate full of guilty-looking dog.
“Urf.” Winona licked Dash's face.
Outside, Applejack stood facing the horizon. Her orange coat blended in with the hues of the sunset.
“Applejack.” Apple Bloom ran up next to her.
No response.
“Applejack, it's me, your sister.”
“Hello, h-half-sister.”
“Half!?”
Two parallel shooting stars streaked through the sky. Applejack started sobbing and ran inside.
“Wait, Applejack!”
Apple Bloom ran after her, but she was stopped by a large hoof. She looked up. A large, red stallion scooped the little filly up and give her a hug.
“B-big Mac, I'm still yer sister, right?”
“Eeyup.”
Apple Bloom pressed her face into his fur and sniffled. “Thanks, Ah needed that.”
***
My name's Apple Bloom, and I'm an earth pony a pegasus.
Twilight recommended that I start a journal to help keep track of my thoughts. I– My life's a mess right now. Tomorrow I get my wings, and...
Ah feel so conflicted about this. Let me start by mentioning the trial. As it turns out, the police chief was right. He'd suspected for a long time that foul play was involved in my parents' deaths, but that case went cold eight years ago due to a lack of evidence connecting us, the Apple family, to his prime suspect.
Journal, I... I met my real father. He's awful; Ah hate him. I'm glad they locked him up. He's a pegasus by the name of 'Twofeather' and I'm not really looking forward to having a daily reminder of what he did to us stuck to my sides. Poor Granny Smith. At least she finally got some closure on what happened to her son, though it feels really odd knowing that Ah'm not directly related to her.
Speaking of family, Applejack's trying to put on a strong face, but Ah can tell she's torn up about this. Everything she says is supportive but her eyes tell a different story. She's been looking at me like she doesn't even know who I am any more. I don't even know who Ah am anymore. I've tried to stay cheerful and continue like nothing's happened, but everything I do just feels so fake. How can I live the life of an earth pony when Ah know that's not who I am?
Even when I'm at Twilight's, all she does is keep looking me over in preparation for that spell of hers. Ah'm still learning about potions, but it's not really the focus anymore. We fixed Tank's helicopter and even made one of our own. It was a huge success; it should have been a big deal, but the excitement kind of got swallowed up by everypony's attention on me. I didn't ask for this.
At least Scootaloo's excited. She keeps bumping into me and badgering me about all of the exciting things that a pony can do with a pair of wings. If it weren't for her, I'd probably be a mushy pile of gloom right now. Her excitement's been rubbing off on me, Ah guess. Though I can't help but notice that all of the things she talks about are things she can't do herself.
Sweetie Belle's been more level headed, or at least Ah thought she was. That picture she drew of me flying through the sky, sparkling in the sunlight with a rose in my mouth and an apple in my hooves was, well, kind of creepy. She said she got the idea from a scene in her favorite novel and had that look on her face of barely-contained excitement. I kind of snuck away before she could start singing.
Journal, I've been thinking about this and Ah wonder if I should say, 'No.'
I might be a pegasus, but I've been raised as an earth pony. I don't want to identify with my father; I'd rather just forget about him. Applejack might not know who I am, but if Ah tell her I'm an earth pony and Ah'm staying that way then I'm sure she'll recognize me again. I'd recognize me again. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Just turn it down and things can go back to how they were.
But...
Ah can't. The world doesn't work that way. It's not fair. Life never is. If I gave this up, I'd forever wonder if I'd made the right choice. I'd forever wonder what it might be like to fly. Sweetie Belle's over-romanticization aside, there's a whole new world up there, and it's my birthright. Scootaloo told me about all of the things that a pegasus can get a cutie mark for. I must admit Ah like the idea of expanding my choices, but whoever heard of a pony who spent her whole life doing one thing, then got her cutie mark as soon as she went somewhere else? Erm, Fluttershy...
Oh, who am Ah kidding? My mind's already made up. Tomorrow, I get my wings...
***
Apple Bloom awoke with a start and looked out the window. It was still somewhat dark out. The roosters hadn't crowed yet. She suddenly felt very apprehensive. It wasn't too late to turn back yet. She didn't have to say anything; she could just run an hide.
A streak on the horizon caught her attention. The grayness in the sky broke apart and the sun shone through.
“Cock-a-doodle-do!”
Apple Bloom bit her lip and glanced around her room. They'd be coming for her soon; if she was going to hide, she should do it now.
“Sorry about that kiddo.” Rainbow Dash flew in the window. “We can't have a gloomy morning on your big day.”
“Uh, hi, Rainbow Dash. I was just about to, um... breakfast!” Apple Bloom grinned for the effect. “Ah can't go until I've eaten.”
Rainbow Dash picked her up and hopped back out the window. She took flight as soon as she was outside. “We talked about that, remember? Twilight's worried the spell might make you queasy so we're holding off on breakfast until its over.”
Apple Bloom looked down at the scenery streaking past. “Won't we be early? Why are we flying? Ah can walk there on my own.”
“Everypony else is already there. I was wondering what was taking you until I saw that gloom cloud blocking your window. You could walk, but this is a lot faster. Look; we're already here.”
Rainbow Dash placed Apple Bloom on the grass and walked over to take her place next to Twilight. All six of them were there. Big Mac and Granny Smith were there too along with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Spike was off to the side making pancakes.
“Wow, Ah'm flattered you all showed up.” Apple Bloom grinned but her droopy eyelids ruined the effect.
“Yer darn tootin' we all showed up. We wouldn't miss out on yer biggest day for nothin'!”
“Thanks, Granny.” Apple Bloom tugged at her bow. “I, uh...”
“Apple Bloom, Ah can't tell you how excitin' this is. To think that my sweet little sister is gettin' a pair of wings.” Applejack grinned and showed her teeth. They sparkled. She may have been uncertain before but there was only fire in her eyes now.
“Ya really mean it?”
“Of course Ah do, sugarcube.”
“And you, Big Mac?”
“Eeyup.”
“Then let's do this!” Apple Bloom stood firm and put on a brave face.
“Right then, everypony in position, please.” Twilight set down the spellbook she was studying and stepped forward. She and her friends formed a circle around Apple Bloom. Though all of them were on different sides, each one seemed to cast a shadow on her. Apple Bloom swallowed.
“Even without the Elements of Harmony to back it up, the Star-Sparkle spell should still be strong enough to make this work. Isn't it great? We can use the power of friendship to accomplish what medical science could not.” Twilight clapped her hooves together and smiled. Everypony else nodded to show that she was ready.
“Ahem. From all of us together–” Twilight's eyes flashed white. Apple Bloom looked around and everypony else's eyes glowed white too.
“–together we are friends–” An aura spread to encompass Twilight's whole body. Each pony glowed with her own color.
“–with the marks of our destinies made one–” Streams of light flowed between the ponies in a myriad of colors. Apple Bloom was completely encircled.
“–there is magic without end!” Beams of magic shot forth and collided with Apple Bloom. She nearly panicked from the flood of power that smothered her tiny frame. A white bubble formed around her and Apple Bloom stopped struggling. It was... calming. She closed her eyes and let the magic happen.
The white sphere fluctuated, and burst with an intense flash of light. When the spots faded from everypony's eyes, they could see Apple Bloom standing there with a fresh pair of wings folded up against her sides.
“It worked! It worked!” Twilight ran in to examine the results of her spell. “I'm so glad you're all right, Apple Bloom. I was worried the spell might not take hold.”
Apple Bloom gaped at the wings on her side. “They're... I...”
“Aren't they awesome!?” Rainbow Dash butted in. “Wings are like the best thing, ever.”
“It's just like having a present on your birthday.” Pinkie gasped. “It is just like having a present on your birthday because you did have wings when you were born but they were taken away but we gave them back and now you have them like you should have all along but since you didn't, us giving them back now is like a present but since you should have had them on your birthday, it's like getting a birthday present that's not on your actual birthday.”
“Uh, thanks, Pinkie?” Apple Bloom said, confused.
“Well?” Scootaloo asked.
“Aren't you going to open them?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“We're dying to see them, dear,” Rarity said.
Apple Bloom stood there with her wings folded against her sides. “Uh...”
Fluttershy spoke up, “It's like another pair of legs. If you stretch them, they should come open. Um, if that helps...”
Apple Bloom closed her eyes and stretched. Her wings unfurled in their full glory. Sweetie Belle squeed. They were about average for a filly her size, but they were hers. That alone made them special.
“Thanks, everypony. This means a lot to me.” Apple Bloom sniffed something on the wind. “Ah'm just dying for pancakes!”
***
Dear journal, these last few days have been rough. I've often wondered why more pegasus don't take up farm life since they're often just as athletic and energetic as earth ponies, but Ah guess now I know. The wings get in the way of everything. They got caked in mud sloppin' the pigs, the harness for plowing doesn't fit around them, and Ah bruised them when bumping cows while herding the cattle. On top of that, Ah have to take time out every day to clean them and keep the feathers straight. They call it 'preening;' I call it, 'boredom.'
Sure, there are plenty of things Ah can still do, like apple-bucking, but it's just not the same when I have to worry about my wings all the time. They say it's 'cause I'm not used to them yet, but Ah don't see how I can ever do things like before. Well, even with all the disadvantages, there's got to be an upside to this, right?
Ah've never felt so weak in my entire life. Rainbow Dash took me on as her student since nopony in the Apple family can fly (I'm the first.) It was exciting for the first five seconds, but it was so exhausting that I spent most of the time on the ground panting. Dash said it's nothing to worry about; I just need time and practice to build up my muscle mass. Ah suppose that's true, but right now it feels like torture. Honestly, I'd rather crack open those dusty tomes on advanced potion theories. I said as much to Scootaloo and she stormed off in a fit of rage.
I... don't know what's up with her recently. She was overly excited when I mentioned flight practice, but took it personally whenever I expressed disapproval towards my wings. I thought she might be jealous but this is just weird.
Speaking of weird, Sweetie Belle's been laying it on thick recently. What the hay is up with that? Ya'd think she'd broken the sensible part of her brain and all that was left was mush. Yeesh.
Ah'm... wondering if this was a bad decision. I'm half a mind to just get them to take the wings off. Ah miss the way my friends were before. I miss being able to do all my chores. Ah hate all this practice, practice, preening, practice.
Ugh.
Things are so bad I can't even finish my thoughts. I'll write again in a week but I don't expect things to get any better.
***
Dear journal, things got better. Ah know I said they wouldn't, but Ah was proven wrong, very wrong.
I'll mention flight practice first. It's been almost two weeks since I got my wings, and I flew for the first time. Sure, I only got up to the treetops before my wings cramped, but I flew. Another month or so of this and Ah'll be flying proper. Dash was so proud of me that she let me take the rest of the time off. I told her about Scootaloo then. She seemed shocked, but promised to talk with her.
I should have told her sooner. Scootaloo apologized to me. She said that she was trying to live her dream through me. I don't really know what that means, but she promised to treat me like the pony Ah was rather than the pony she wanted to be. Ah'm just glad we worked things out. She's also going to be using our extra helicopter rotor and joining with flight practice from now on.
Since it worked great for Scootaloo, Ah mentioned Sweetie Belle's odd behavior to Rarity. Rarity mumbled something about 'invasion of privacy' while rummaging through Sweetie's stuff. When she found that novel Sweetie mentioned, everything became clear. The synopsis described a character almost exactly like me. Well, real life is NOT a trashy romance novel. Rarity cleared that up very quickly and we all laughed at how stupid it was afterwards.
On the farm, Ah've gotten used to avoiding the chores I can't do anymore, but Ah still don't like it. Now that I'm starting to fly, though, I can see myself finding new ways to do things that just weren't possible before. Other chores will get a lot easier too. We'll never have to worry about jammed gutters again, and Ah'll be able to keep those ornery vampire bats corralled in their section of the orchard all by myself.
Things might not be back to normal, but they're getting that way. Well, settling into a new normal anyway. Overall, it's a lot like the old normal. Ah'll never be the same, but in many ways, I've never changed. It's kind of funny; when I decided to cut corners on that joint project of ours for Twilight time Ah certainly never expected wings to be the result. Heh, who knows what might have happened if I'd actually sat down and opened those books on advanced potion theories instead...?
***
Apple Bloom set down her journal and looked at the pile of books gathering dust in a dark corner of the clubhouse. She walked over and wiped the top one clean enough to read the cover: pH, and Why It's a Factor. She opened it.