Chapter 2
“Wow. It sure is old.”
Sweetie Belle flipped open the cover of the decrepit tome, and gave a small cough as the yellowed pages released a dark cloud of dust.
“Of course it’s old.” Apple Bloom chuckled while her friends cough gave way to a fit of sneezing. “The best magic books always are. Aren’t they?”
She glanced questioningly towards Scootaloo, but the orange pegasus simply gave her a small shrug.
“How should I know?”
“Well, you were the one who found it.”
Not for the first time, her friend gave an exasperated huff.
“I didn’t find it.” she insisted for the fifth time that morning. “It fell on my head.”
“Well… what’s your definition of ‘find’ then?”
Scootaloo frowned at the earth pony, but chose to ignore the taunt as she instead moved closer to the book. Being careful to not disturb any more dust, the pegasus turned the pages of the tome until she found the section she had been searching for.
“Here it is!” she exclaimed excitedly, moving so that the other fillies could take a look. “Just like I said.”
“Destiny’s Calling…” Sweetie Belle read slowly, her eyes narrowing as she tried to make out the faded words. “Well… it doesn’t look too hard.”
“Right?” Scootaloo agreed happily, her face beaming as she looked from one friend to the other.
“It’s super short! And with a name like that, I know it’ll help us discover our special talents.”
“I ain’t so sure. Remember what happened last time we tried using magic to get our cutie marks?” muttered Apple Bloom uncertainly, and for a moment the two other CMCs stared glumly at the ground between their hooves.
“It was only a little fire.” Scootaloo said defensively.
“Maybe… maybe we should ask Twilight?” Suggested Sweetie Belle, pausing at the looks of incredulity on her friends’ faces.
“She was the one who told us to stay away from magic last time.” Apple Bloom pointed out. “And I don’t reckon anythin’s changed since then.”
“Exactly!” Scootaloo pressed. “This may be our best chance to get our cutie marks. But that means we can’t tell Twilight. So what do you say? Wanna give it a go?”
Both of the other ponies glanced uncertainly at one another before finally giving acquiescing nods.
“Great!” their friend laughed, wings flapping excitedly as she turned her attention to Sweetie Belle. “This is going be so cool! So did you bring what we needed?”
“Oh, right.” the white filly gasped, running over to a bag she had brought from her sister’s boutique. “I hope this is good enough.”
Trotting back to where her friend’s stood, the young unicorn turned the bag over with her teeth and allowed the giant diamond inside to land next to the spell book.
“Woah!” the other fillies murmured, their eyes going wide at the sight of the gem.
“Think you could’ve gotten it any bigger?” Apple Bloom chuckled; admittedly impressed her friend had been able to carry the giant stone. Her sarcasm was not lost on Sweetie Belle, who scowled as she gave an annoyed snort.
“Next time you want to ask Rarity to borrow one of her diamonds, be my guest.”
“So you actually asked her if you could take this?” the earth pony responded skeptically, causing her friend to flush with embarrassment.
“… not exactly?”
“Alright, let’s just do this quickly, before Rarity notices it’s gone.” Scootaloo sighed, interrupting the other ponies. “Apple Bloom, how about you go first. You can go second Sweetie Belle, and I’ll finish the spell.”
Both fillies nodded and quickly took their positions next to their friend. Making sure they could all see the page, Scootaloo smiled while her friend prepared to begin.
“Oh great book…!” Apple Bloom chanted loudly, halting immediately as a hoof smacked her lightly on the head.
“Ow! What’d I do?”
“What was that?” Scootaloo asked. “That’s not part of the spell!”
“I was improvising!”
“No!” Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shouted simultaneously, remembering clearly how the fire had started last time.
“Just… read the spell.” the pegasus sighed, watching as Apple Bloom rolled her eyes in annoyance.
“Alright fine!” the earth pony agreed, clearing her throat before trying again.
“Our fates unknown, we seek the path, which darkness hides from sight. Of purest hearts and courage true, we ask for fortune’s light.”
The trio of ponies stared at the book, wide-eyed and waiting for something amazing to happen. For several minutes their gazes bounced back and forth between the tome and the diamond lying next to it. Yet it soon became painfully obvious that nothing was happening, magical or otherwise.
“Maybe it’s a dud?” Apple Bloom suggested.
“No way!” replied Scootaloo with a vigorous shake of her head. “It’s probably just supposed to be like this. Read the next line Sweetie Belle. And remember to do what it says.”
With a tentative nod the unicorn took a step forward, her horn glowing blue as she did so. Once she had received a nod from Scootaloo, the filly began to speak and carefully touched the diamond with the small spark of magic she could manage.
“Upon this day, we cast aside, the bonds by life imposed. To grow in grace, our bonds displaced, to bloom just as a rose.”
The effect was almost instantaneous. No sooner had the words left the pony’s lips than the massive diamond lurched into the air, coming to rest just above eye level. The unicorn gave a terrified shriek and hid behind her friends.
“Cool!” the other fillies exclaimed in unison, smiling as the gem shimmered brightly above the ground. Slowly the stone began to rotate, and they laughed in excitement as rainbow-colored lights began to dance over the ground before them.
“Is… is it supposed to do that?” Sweetie asked, peeking cautiously out from behind the other two ponies.
“No idea.” Replied Apple Bloom, bending down to read the book. “There ain’t nothin’ in here about what’s supposed to happen. But it sure does look nice.”
The three friends continued to stare at spinning diamond, and a soft breeze began to flow past their manes. The air was gentle and warm, and carried with it a strange energy that tickled the fillies as it passed.
“Are we sure we want to do this? It’s not too late to tell Twilight.”
“But there’s only one line left.” Scootaloo pressed. “We’re almost there! We can’t just stop now. Especially since we’re so close! Come on, what’s the worst that could possibly happen?”
The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and next to her Apple Bloom gave an exasperated sigh.
“What’s the worse that could possibly happen?” Apple Bloom repeated, earning an embarrassed grin from the pegasus. “You just had to say that, didn’t you Scoots?”
“Well… if you two really want to stop…”
“No, you’re right.” Sweetie admitted with a small shake of her head. “We’re almost done anyways. Besides, if something goes wrong we can always get Twilight afterwards, right?”
Both other fillies nodded, and it was obvious that their confidence was improved greatly by the reminder that Twilight and the others would always be there to help. With a determined grin, Scootaloo glanced down at the old book and carefully read the incantation’s final lines.
“With crystal’s gleam, and magic’s spark, we open now the gates. And free the chains which bind us here, that we may find our fates.”
With a flash the diamond before the trio grew brighter than the sun, and the ponies were forced to shield their eyes with their hooves. A wave of heat washed over them, and Scootaloo laughed as the tingling sensation along her body intensified.
“Wow, it really tickles.” Sweetie Belle giggled; turning away from the flaring gem to look at her flank. “But I don’t see any cutie mark yet. Maybe…”
A deafening roar interrupted the unicorn; the terrifying sound causing the very earth beneath their hooves to tremble as all three fillies dropped to the ground in fear. The light from the diamond rapidly vanished, and Scootaloo soon found herself staring at a floating gem the color of a moon-less night.
With another crash of thunder, a pitch-black lightning bolt erupted from the diamond towards the sky. It was followed almost immediately by a second bolt, this one striking a nearby patch of earth and causing the ground to erupt in a fountain of smoking dirt and blackened grass.
From where she lay trembling upon the ground, Scootaloo watched in terror as the diamond appeared to take in all the light of the surrounding area. Before she could even have a chance to react, the darkness of the gem erupted outwards and the young pony soon found herself alone in a void of utter blackness. Soon after, the tingling from before was replaced with a terrifying numbness. The lack of sensation was all encompassing, to the point where she could neither tell if she were standing or simply lying upon the ground.
Without light nor feeling to aid her, all Scootaloo could rely on was sound. And what a sound there was. A terrifying howl like a raging storm roared all about her, as if a great wind was threatening to carry her and the others away. Yet soon even this too began to fade, leaving the young pony alone in a silent black abyss. Franticly the pegasus attempted to call out to the other fillies, but it was of no use. Their names simply vanished into the darkness; consumed by the void before they had even left her mouth.
For what felt like an eternity the young filly could only float helplessly through the dark. As she did so, even her thoughts began to fade. Fear… loneliness… all emotions simply floated away into the endless black. It felt as if she was slowly being unraveled as, one by one, even her memories began to vanish.
Where had she been before the darkness took her? It was so hard to remember. She had been with somepony else. Of that she was certain. There had been another filly. Or… had there been two?
What were their names?
The thought sprang only momentarily to the front of her mind before fleeing to join its brethren in the void.
What is my name?
Who… who am I?
______________________________________________________________________________
With a rush of sound the dream came to an end, and though sleep still attempted to cling stubbornly to her mind, Scootaloo slowly allowed her eyes to open. Peeking out from beneath heavy lids, she was momentarily blinded by a harsh white light which hid the world from view. Without sight, she found herself forced to rely on her other senses to piece together a picture of her surroundings. Not a simple task by any means
Despite the cool layer of sweat on her skin, she could feel that air around her was warm and dry. Though it was impossible to say for sure, she certainly seemed to be somewhere indoors. Nearby she could hear a low murmur of voices talking to one another, so she was not alone at least. However, her mind was far too foggy to understand a word of what was being said. Slightly closer than the voices was a low humming noise, continually punctuated by a repetitive high-pitched beeping.
“I think she’s waking up.” one of the voices called out suddenly, silencing the unintelligible conversation. “Neuronal activity just spiked! Get doctor Helix! Oh, and inform doctor Ocsid our subject is awake. He’s requested to be kept up-to-date on all new developments.”
Neuronal activity? Scootaloo thought sleepily to herself. Subject? What in Equestria does that mea…
The glowing diamond… A dimly lit room… A metal-clad giant…
THE MIRROR!
In a flash Scootaloo’s memories returned, and as adrenalin began to pump, her eyes snapped wide open. Franticly she attempted to bring her forelegs into view, wishing to prove to herself that it had all been a terrible dream. However, something was very wrong.
Her limbs would not move!
It felt as though they had been bound as she slept; tied to whatever it was on which she now lay. Immediately Scootaloo tried to look down to see what it was that held her, but even these attempts proved fruitless. Struggle as she might, she could shift her head no more than a few degrees. Something rubbery was pressed tight against her cheeks and forehead, making it impossible to move anything but her eyes. Yet what these revealed did little to calm her; for while she could not see her body, it was painfully obvious her fur-covered snout was nowhere to be seen.
It really happened! Scootaloo thought; her mind reeling even as it attempted to process the waves of strange sensations that now assailed it.
It wasn’t a dream at all.
Tears began to fill her eyes, and she could already feel her heart beginning to race. Nearby the incessant beeping began to accelerate as well, apparently determined to keep pace with the pounding in her chest.
Where am I? What happened?
Recalling the ruined towers and her capture by the giant, the terrified girl began straining against her bonds. She was already well within the realm of panic, and it only grew worse as the restraints showed no signs of loosening. Out of sight, the faceless voices quickly took notice of her distress.
“She’s definitely awake! Confirmed, subject has regained consciousness!”
“Heart rate increasing! Now at 165 bpm and rising! Prep 20 CCs of Xylefol!”
“Neuronal activity continuing to rise. Subject’s vitals beginning to push into the red.”
“We need to bring her back down. Where the hell is that sedative?”
“Prepping now! Be sure to inform doctor Helix tha… lieutenant? Lieutenant, stop! You can’t just…!”
Scootaloo felt something large and warm touch her shoulder, and instinctively she tried to pull away. Whatever it was did not let go, yet neither did it cause her any pain. Instead it only gave her a shoulder gentle squeeze.
“Easy now kid. You’ll be alright.”
A tall figure suddenly appeared before her, silhouetted against the bright lights of the ceiling overhead. As the stranger slowly came into focus, Scootaloo found herself staring into a familiar pair of sparkling green eyes.
“Settle down now.” the giant whispered, his voice surprisingly warm as he attempted to reassure her.
“You’re going to be ok.”
The man looked far different than he had at the top of the ruined tower. For one thing, he no longer wore the giant metal suit that had previously covered his form. Instead he was dressed, as far as she could see, in a light blue single-piece suit. An eerily familiar emblem of a golden winged-lightning bolt was emblazoned on his right chest, though in her current state Scootaloo could not recall where she had seen such a symbol previously. A second emblem adorned the left side of his uniform, this one a completely unfamiliar image of two swords crossing a golden sun.
Staring up at the giant, Scootaloo found her gaze drawn towards his. There was a warm kindness in those eyes, and despite herself, the former pony felt her panic slowly begin to fade.
“Heart rate dropping.” one of the voices sighed in relief. “160… 150… 135… all vitals returning to normal.”
“Lieutenant Soarin!” another shouted, clearly annoyed. “I’m sorry sir, but you can’t just touch a subject like that! We have protocols for a reason!”
The giant, who Scootaloo could only assume was the one called Soarin, gave her a playful wink before turning to look at someone behind her. However, as he did so, she saw his smile quickly vanish.
“She was scared!” the giant snapped, his sudden change in both demeanor and tone coming as quite a shock to the still restrained girl.
“It’s to be expected.” the second voice responded defensively. “A reaction like this is normal, and is certainly no reason to break from SOP.”
“I don’t care if it is normal. It’s not necessary. And it sure as hell is not right!”
“What’s going on here?”
At the sound of a new voice, all others immediately fell silent. Even Soarin did not say a word, though his eyes quickly lost what little of their warmth remained as he turned in the direction of the recent arrival.
“Doctor Helix…” he greeted coldly. In a swift motion the giant raised one arm in what seemed to be a salute of sorts. Yet by the look on his face, such a sign of respect came with great reluctance.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again so soon, sir.”
“Indeed.” the new voice responded.
Though she could not see its owner, Scootaloo could detect an obvious sneer in his tone.
“I suppose congratulations are in order lieutenant. You did well to bringing us back such an excellent specimen.”
Still unable to move, the Scootaloo could only watch as Soarin glanced sadly down at her.
“I was only doing my duty sir.”
“Quite…” came a small chuckle, signaling that the newcomer was drawing closer. “But duty or not, you have served us well with this one. If the data you collected is accurate, the sheer number of potential modifications we can make… its staggering. I can scarcely control my excitement.”
A sudden whir of gears arose from somewhere behind her, and Scootaloo immediately felt herself move as the surface to which she was bound began to rise. Slowly the world around her came into view, and as it did the girl felt her throat run dry.
She was in the middle of a decently sized room, with ivory-colored walls that gleamed from the light of the ceiling above. The entire area was so white as to be almost blinding; except for a single large wall-mounted mirror which sat directly in front of her. The room was unnaturally clean, for as she allowed her eyes to take in everything, Scootaloo found that she could not see the smallest speck of dust nor dirt.
From the ceiling were suspended several long metallic arms, all colored in the same fashion as the walls. Below each mechanical limb sat a table, also white, holding a wide assortment of strange-looking metal instruments and glass tubes. Like everything else she could see, these were spotlessly clean. And while a few of the vials appeared empty, most contained a collection of brightly colored fluids.
However, Scootaloo soon found her attention drawn away from the room and towards the two figures standing before her. For from her new position she was finally able to get a good look at both Soarin and the one he had called Doctor Helix.
As she had noticed earlier when he had been standing at her side, Soarin was dressed from the neck down in a single light-blue suit. Though now she could also see that the giant wore a pair of pitch-black shoes which had been polished to a fine shine. Even though he lacked the metal suit from the ruins, Soarin still appeared a goliath to Scootaloo’s eyes; and this perception was only reinforced when juxtaposed against the figure who stood across from him.
Like Soarin, the stranger called Doctor Helix had no fur except for the white-blond mane at the top of his head. He wore a white coat that came down to his knees, and a pair of thick glasses which hid his eyes behind the reflected gleam of the ceiling lights. While he stood nearly a head shorter than Soarin, there was an air of arrogance about this newcomer that made the difference in size seem almost insignificant.
The surface to which Scootaloo was strapped stopped moving, and the doctor turned to stare directly into her eyes. It was unnerving seeing nothing behind the glint of his glasses, and the young girl felt herself break into a cold sweat as the white-clothed man gave her a leering smile.
“How extraordinary.” he muttered, slowly approaching. “Most are so… primitive. I wonder why we have never seen a specimen this advanced before.”
“If you’ve looked over my report doctor…” Soarin pressed, moving to stand at the man’s side. “It show’s that she’s a human. A real human.”
“No…”
Shaking his head, the doctor’s reply was slow and calculated. Yet there was a strange longing in his voice as looked Scootaloo up and down.
“She’s far more than that. I have indeed read your report lieutenant. Quite thoroughly, I might add. Whatever she is, with recordings such as those, she’s certainly not human.”
Soarin began to say something else, but was immediately silenced by his companion.
“I know what you are about to ask of me lieutenant, and the answer again is no. This specimen will remain here. It represents an unprecedented opportunity, and I am not about to let it pass us by.”
Reaching forward, the doctor slowly raised a gloved forelimb towards Scootaloo’s face. Though she wanted desperately to pull away, all she could do was wait for the man’s rubber-covered digits to gently caress the bare skin of her cheek. When they did, the strange sensation sent a cold chill down her spin and immediately brought tears to her eyes.
Behind the doctor, Soarin’s face darkened angrily. Yet the bespectacled man before him appeared not to notice, and instead continued to speak with a voice barely above a whisper.
“She’s the future, lieutenant. The breakthrough I have been waiting for. Just you watch. With a few modifications she shall be the first of a whole new generation of Guardians. Can you imagine it?”
Scootaloo could feel the tears dripping down her cheeks now. Looking over Dr. Helix’s shoulder, she stared pleadingly into Soarin’s eyes.
“Please…” she begged, her voice cracking. “… please, don’t let him hurt me.”
At the sound of her voice the doctor jumped back with such speed that the glasses fell from his face, revealing for the first time his cold grey irises. Meanwhile Soarin’s face instantly turned to one of complete shock, his own eyes going wide with amazement.
“She spoke!” he exclaimed. “She just spoke! They never speak!”
Fumbling with his glasses, the doctor starred silently at the young girl for several moments. However, as his surprise wore away, his countenance somehow became even more sinister.
“I don’t believe it. This is extraordinary Soarin!”
With a cold chuckle Dr. Helix withdrew a small glass slate from inside his coat. The object was covered in lights of various colors, all of which began flashing as he rapidly tapped the surface.
“Simply fascinating! This feeling… I can barely contain myself. The sheer possibilities of what I can accomplish… what I can create with a template this advanced! It’s amazing! Oh yes my dear. By the time I’m done with you, you will be my masterpiece.”
“You can’t be serious.” Soarin spoke up suddenly, his tone one of disbelief. “She can speak. She can think! You just heard her yourself. You can’t really expect to make her one of those… abominations… can you?”
Scootaloo watched in terror as the smile vanished from the doctor’s face, only to be replaced by a look of sheer loathing.
“You may be just a soldier, lieutenant…” he muttered slowly, not bothering to look back. “… but I would have thought that even you would understand the significance of my work. Yet it appears as if I have given you too much credit. Remember always lieutenant, that while Sanctuary may survive because of men like you, it thrives because of me. Content yourself with your own duty, and now leave me to mine. You are dismissed.”
“But sir…”
“Return to your post!”
“Doctor, I really think…”
“THAT WILL BE ALL LIEUTENANT!”
The man’s sudden shout echoed off the white walls, and Scootaloo felt her heart stop at the angry snarl that had appeared upon the doctor’s face. For several moments the only sound that could be heard was the constant beeping of the nearby machines. Finally, barely batting an eye, the lieutenant raised his arm again in salute.
“Sir!”
Glancing one last time in Scootaloo’s direction, the soldier turned on his heels and strode quickly towards one of the glistening white walls. As he approached, a small door appeared as if out of nowhere, revealing a darkened corridor beyond. Within seconds the man had passed through the archway and vanished, not even bothering to look back.
As the hidden door slid shut with an audible hiss, Dr. Helix gave a happy sigh and returned his attention to the tablet he held. While he readjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, Scootaloo was able to momentarily see his grey eyes studying her from behind the gleaming lenses.
“Now then…” he chuckled, causing his prisoner to gasp as the metal arms overhead suddenly sprang to life. “Shall we begin?”
Glistening blades and needles slowly began to emerge from the ends of the mechanical limbs, and the terrified girl could only whimper as the glint of sharp metal drew ever closer to her.
“Save your tears my dear. They will do you no good here. Besides, we are only just getting started. A masterpiece takes time after all… and we have a long way to go.”
The last thing Scootaloo felt was the sharp prick of a needle as it slid effortlessly into the side of her neck. Within moments the world disappeared in a swirl of sound and colors, leaving her once again adrift on a dark sea of unconscious thoughts.
Sweetie Belle… Apple Bloom… where are you?
______________________________________________________________________________
From high above, rays of an afternoon sun fell gently upon the great expanse of an orchard. The warm air, disrupted only by an occasional breeze, was infused with the sweet smell of ripening apples and the sounds of songbirds chirping merrily from the branches of countless trees which dotted the land. It was a bright and beautiful day, with only an occasional cloud drifting lazily across the cerulean sky above. Yet despite the peace of the surrounding land, the soft cries of a young woman could be heard from somewhere within the orchard, the sound almost completely hidden beneath the cloaking harmonies of the cheerful birds.
Through the center of the orchard lay a stream, its crystal clear waters bright and shimmering as they reflected the light of the passing sun overhead. The river gently wound its way through the various apple groves of the farm; every so often passing beneath one of the white-painted bridges which spanned its breadth. After traveling the entire expanse of the orchard, the waters eventually found their home at the southern end of the plantation and emptied into a small pond ringed with decorative stones. It was on one such stone that a young woman sat, clothed in a yellow shirt and torn denim pants, sobbing quietly as she hid her face from sight.
For several minutes the girl continued to cry quietly to herself; light red hair falling loose about her shivering frame. She appeared a teenager, and sported the slight tan of one constantly at work outdoors. Yet while her well-worn pants and boots gave her the appearance of farmer, not a single spot of dirt could be seen soiling her clothes.
As time passed and the sun continued to climb high overhead, the girl’s quiet whimpers began subside. Slowly her heavy sobs grew more infrequent, and her shoulders ceased their quaking as her breathing began to calm. Finally, as a blue jay called out from somewhere nearby, the young woman proceeded to lift her head from her arms. Her beautiful saffron-colored eyes glistened with the tears that still continued to run down her cheeks, and she gave a trembling sigh before staring disbelievingly at her own hands.
Carefully she leaned forward, and a single tear fell from her chin as Apple Bloom shivered at the sight of her own reflection in the waters before her.
It had taken her over an hour to finally come to grips with the fact that the creature in the pond was in fact her. But even now, she could hardly believe it.
"What have you gotten yourself into this time Apple Bloom?" she muttered quietly, watching the stranger’s mouth mirror her every word. This may not have been the first time she had seen her reflection, but that fact did not make it any less alien.
The sun had barely been above the trees when she had first awoken to find herself in the same spot she now occupied. At that time Apple Bloom had tried calling for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo; shouting as loudly as her voice would allow. Yet it had rapidly become apparent that either both of the CMCs were unable to respond, or else were simply nowhere near by.
In the end, the filly was not sure which possibility had terrified her more.
It was around that time she had attempted to take a drink from the pond; inadvertently discovering her new... condition. Since then she had been sitting beside the shimmering waters, her mind a storm of terrifying questions to which she had no answers.
What could have happened to her friends? What had happened to her? Why had the book done this? And perhaps most importantly of all, where was she?
Asides from her transformation, Apple Bloom had been able to surmise with some confidence that this was not her family's farm. It was an apple farm, to be sure. Or at least the many apple trees surrounding her made it appear as such. However, the young filly knew every square inch of her family's orchards, she could recall the location of every rock and tree, and so knew that this was someplace else entirely.
"Stupid book." the girl sniffed, trying as best she could to wipe away her tears. "What in Celestia’s name did that spell do to me?"
Both the silence of the pond and the young girl’s ponderings were suddenly interrupted by an unexpected rumbling from her stomach. For the first time since waking, Apple Bloom was reminded that it had been almost an entire day since she last had a bite to eat. Blushing at the ridiculousness of being hungry, especially at a time such as this, she shook her head angrily at the thought of looking for food.
“Come on stomach, you can’t really expect to eat now.”
A second rumble was quick to prove her wrong.
With a defeated sigh, she glanced at the many apple trees rising up around her. At least food was not going to be difficult to find.
Carefully standing upon the rock, an accomplishment which had taken many attempts earlier that day to achieve, the red-haired girl cautiously studied the various fruit trees that grew nearby. One in particular stood out from the rest, and with a steadying breath Apple Bloom slowly made her way towards it.
Unlike the various other trees in sight, this one appeared to be in rather poor health. Most of its leaves had fallen off to collect in a dirty ring around its base, and those that still clung desperately to its branches were already beginning to turn brown. Only a small handful of fruit could be seen hanging from its otherwise empty limbs, yet even these appeared soft and rotten.
Staring sadly up at the dying tree, Apple Bloom reached out and gently touched its dark trunk.
"Poor fella...." she whispered tenderly, gently rubbing the coarse bark. "You ain’t lookin' so good."
It was certainly strange feeling the rough wood with neither hooves nor fur to get in the way. Yet it was not a completely unpleasant experience. As she slowly caressed the tree, Apple Bloom gave a heavy sigh at the sight of a sickened leaf falling to the ground at her feet.
Closing her eyes, the red-haired girl leaned forward and pressed her forehead softly against the trunk. The patterns of the bark were rough against her bare skin, but to Apple Bloom it was almost as if she could feel the tree straining grow. It was a fight the tree was losing, and in her current state, she was in no position to help.
"I'm sorry my big sis ain’t here." the young girl sighed, as a new tear fell from her chin. "I wish… I just wish I could help."
A sudden warmth rushed through the wood beneath her skin, and Apple Bloom gave a yelp of surprise before pushing herself away from the tree. Doing so proved to be a mistake and the young girl, still unfamiliar with her new body, quickly lost her balance.
Landing painfully on her rear, Apple Bloom watched in awe as bright yellow sparks began rushing across the tree’s decrepit trunk. She had never seen anything like it before, and was left speechless as the tiny specks of light began to burrow into the dark wood. A moment later the ground started to tremble, causing the now terrified girl to brace herself as she watched an impossible metamorphosis take place before her very eyes.
The apple tree, which only moments ago had been no more than a withered shell, was rapidly growing taller. The ground beneath it heaved and shifted as massive roots began to spread outwards in all directions, the earth at its base rising up as the plant’s trunk grew wider with each passing second. Within moments the entire tree had almost doubled in size, yet this appeared to be only the beginning of the changes which assailed it.
Soon rotting leaves began to give way to lush green foliage. Lily colored flowers blooming one after another amongst the ever-widening branches. Not long after, tiny green fruits joined these blossoms; only to moments later swell into bright red apples. All the while the tree continued to grow taller, its canopy swiftly climbing until it towered over its nearest neighbors.
Then just as suddenly as it had begun, the transformation halted. A strange calm descended upon the orchard and birds quickly began to make new homes in the branches of the rejuvenated tree.
Not sure what else to do, Apple Bloom simply stared in awe at the now thriving plant. What had occurred should have been impossible. Yet she had seen it with her own eyes. However, even as her startled mind attempted to piece together what it was she had just witnessed, her fascination was interrupted by a soft tingling along her legs and rear.
The same yellow sparks she had seen earlier now danced merrily along her arms, falling to land upon the ground on which she sat. What these tiny specks of light could be, the young girl could not fathom. However, their effect was immediately noticeable, as was the source of the strange tickling sensation. The grass on which she had fallen was slowly lengthening; the thin green blades extending further from the ground to tickle her even through the fabric of her pants.
In an instant Apple Bloom was on her feet, pulse quickening as she came to the only obvious conclusion.
This clearing was haunted!
On instinct she began to run, fleeing the pond and enchanted tree as quickly as her legs would allow. As she ran the yellow sparks began to dim, eventually vanishing completely as the clearing was left far behind. Yet this did little to ease her fear of the strange magic that had touched her. Instead she ran on, all thoughts of hunger pushed aside as she darted around the many trees that threatened to block her path.
What’s going on? The filly thought frantically as she struggled to continue running in this alien body.
Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle! Where are you now?
In the end she did not know how far she ran, or how much distance she had put between herself and the enchanted clearing. When her legs would allow her to run no further, the red-haired girl simply collapsed with her back against a tree. Gasping for air, she stared up at the blue-sky overhead and tried her best to ignore the pangs of hunger that began to once again resurface.
Striking the back of her head angrily against the tree, Apple Bloom gritted her teeth while her stomach gave another loud series of rumbles.
Now ain’t the time for food. She berated herself, gingerly rubbing the small bump rising on the back of her head. However, when she looked up into the branches spreading over her, she could not help but feel her mouth water at the sight of the juicy looking apples suspended overhead.
But maybe… maybe just one wouldn’t hurt.
The moment the thought crossed her mind; Apple Bloom felt an eerily familiar rush of heat pass through the tree behind her.
How she felt it, the former filly could not begin to describe. It was as if the towering plant were reaching into her… or she into it. Either way, she shivered as the warmth rushed upwards along the trunk; eventually spreading out to the very tips of the tree’s branches.
Instinctively she found herself reaching out, and a moment later the largest apple in sight detached from its perch to land in her outstretched palm.
“What the…?” Apple Bloom gasped; her eyes widening as she stared at the piece of fruit. “How did…?”
Turning her head, she was just in time to see several yellow sparks dance along the tree’s limbs before fading into nothingness. Glancing back at the apple, similar lights could be seen traveling along the fruit’s red skin and, perhaps even more importantly, her own.
In a panic she tossed the apple aside, yet the sparkling lights continued to float about her palms for several seconds before vanishing as well. It was only then that the strange sensation which had connected her to the tree began to dim. However, they did not vanish all together. Instead they simply became muted, as though retreating to the back of her mind.
A sudden thought occurred to Apple Bloom, and almost on instinct she reached out with her will, attempting to reel in the sensations which now lay at the periphery of her consciousness. Within moments the heat had returned, and the young girl watched with a combination of awe and terror as the sparks appeared once again; floating gently above her outstretched palms.
Recalling what had happened at the pond, the girl warily reached down to touch the earth on which she sat, and within moments the lights had begun to delve into the rich soil. Soon enough the grass surrounding her began to lengthen rapidly, just as it had in the clearing before.
“What…” she muttered warily, her voice catching in her throat. “What’s happenin to me?”