“So you wish to be an Angel, do you?” The blue furred pony stroked his unceremoniously long beard whilst staring directly at the camera. His voice was the stereotypical voice of an old man’s tone coming through the crackly speakers of the old black and white televisions. Televisions that had recently been brought to the world of Equestria.
The old pony chuckled and shook his head lightly. “My my… The youth of today have no idea as to what an Angel truly once was. The Angels were mighty mares and stallions that fought many villains and banished them back to tartarus!” The old pony stood up in excitement before looking back at the camera and sitting down. “But I get ahead of myself, do i not? Your dreams are crushed Fillies and Colts…” The old stallion smiled deviously and put both of his hooves on the old oak desk he sat by. “The dream is now over… and your new life has just begun…”
The projector shut off, leaving the room to be darkened by the oncoming shadows that were reality. The reality of which nopony wished to face in Equestria. The bright, fluorescent lights sparked overhead as they were turned on. Rows of ponies sat on uncomfortable towels haphazardly placed around the room. Two creatures stood at the front of the room, their bodies covered in what looked like a black uniform with grey bands on their shoulders and ankles.
It was then he stepped in, and I, along with the other ponies shivered in fear. The cloaked being coming with a scythe, slithering in. To end our lives, to end our drea-
“Applebloom! Wake up! You’re gonna be late for school!” Applebloom shot up from under the covers and promptly rolled off the side of the bed. “There ain’t no time for foolin’ around Bloom, you gotta go!”
Applebloom groaned as she picked herself up. She struggled to get out of the covers she was tangled up in, but sighed in relief as her sister came to her rescue, pulling the covers off of her with a mighty tug of her hoof. “I had another nightmare Applejack…” Applebloom shivered slightly before starting her morning routine.
“Well that’s ain’t no good, but you still gotta get up and movin’! You got to go right now! It’s quarter to eight!” Applejack pointed to the clock at Applebloom’s nightstand. Applebloom looked over to the clock and squeaked in slight fear.
“Oh no!” Applebloom dashed under her sister’s legs and bolted out of her bedroom door. She grabbed her saddlebag with her teeth as she ran, slowing her down slightly.
“Slow down Applebloom!” Applejack sighed as she watched Applebloom run downstairs. “You ain’t gonna have breakfast!?”
“Not hungry sis!” Applebloom called back as she slammed the door, wincing as she heard a slight crack come from the frame. She’d have to fix that when she got back home, but for now she left it be, opting to not be late for school. Her hooves kicked up dust as she dashed down the path leading from her home to the main road entering Ponyville, the school house not far ahead. Her eyes widened and her pupils turned into pinpricks as the bell rang. She froze in her steps for just a second, but it was just enough to send her tumbling down the hill leading to the school. She made a cacophony of sounds while tumbling down the hill, ranging from “Uff” and “Oof”s to words that she probably shouldn’t have said. The schoolbell had rung, and it had never surprised her as much as it had ever before.
Applebloom picked herself up and sighed. She was late, there was no point running for the school house. Granny Smith would get the small slip saying that “Applebloom was late to class today.” and then she would have to do extra chores as punishment. “It wasn’t even mah fault though!” Applebloom grunted in frustration and let her ears droop.
She stopped at the entrance of the schoolhouse, gulping before walking inside. The class was chattering amongst itself while Miss Cheerilee seemed to be going over the attendance. Applebloom hoped that Cheerilee had not noticed her latecomings. She quickly made her way to the back of the room, opting to sit in the back left corner.
It was indeed the beginning of the new school year for Applebloom. Her sixth grade year if she was not mistaken. The year where unicorns were admitted to a special school to help them advance in magic, and the year where pegasi enrolled in special schools to learn more about aerodynamics and flight. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were not here to speak to from here on out. To top it all off, she had forgotten her bow at home, letting her red mane spill down her neck. She did admit, the bow was starting to feel rather uncomfortable. So perhaps this one of the few good changes this year.
Applebloom looked back at her flanks and sighed. “Still a blank flank…” She mumbled to herself. She turned back forward and noticed Cheerilee giving her a somewhat sad look, before moving on to check the next attendee of the school. “Ahm just a dumb earth pony, stuck in this school…” Earth ponies had never amounted to much. With only their hooves and strength, they were usually left to aspire as soldiers or farmers. Nothing more or nothing less.
A brief thought passed through Applebloom’s sunken mind. ‘What if earth ponies could be as good as unicorns or pegasi, what if earth ponies could fly and manipulate matter at will as well.’ Applebloom bolted upright as Miss Cheerilee coughed to get the smaller class’s attention. Which was rather short. She snickered to herself as the classroom settled down, the cacophony of sounds turning into quiet murmurs. Miss Cheerilee stood at the front of the classroom, looking rather pleased with herself.
“Welcome once again class! This year, it will just be us earth ponies, because the unicorns and pegasi have gone off to learn about more delicate subjects. While we earth ponies learn about more interesting and, mind the pun, down to earth topics of education.” Cheerilee snickered to herself as the classroom groaned in disapproval. Applebloom snorted at the joke, it was pretty bad.
“While pegasi learn more about aerodynamics and flight patterns, and unicorns are off learning more about the arcane arts… The board of education has decided to move some more mathematical and generally scientific topics over to the earth pony curriculum.” Applebloom’s ears perked at the sound of a head thunking down on a wooden desk, she became interested as Cheerilee explained what they were going to go over for this year. They were going to be learning about the scientific and mathematical arts. Starting with algebra and the properties of basic elements.
Applebloom became interested as Cheerilee gave an example of helium. She pulled out a small tank with a valve protruding from the side of the tank. Cheerilee attached a balloon to the mouth of the opening and twisted the valve slightly. “Watch, as the helium enters the latex. Helium is lighter than air, as such, it will fill the latex and make the bulbous shape. When i release and tie the balloon with a string…” Cheerilee struggled with the string as she tied the balloon’s mouth, sealing it and preventing the helium from escaping. “The balloon will float!” She let the balloon go.
Applebloom watched with curiosity and amazement as the balloon floated to the rafters of the classroom. Another idea and an image flashed through her mind. A balloon that could float and propel itself through the air. Like the engines utilized by the Flim Flam brothers. Except instead of propelling the wheels forward, it could propel something similar to Tank’s propeller. She shook her head and wondered why nopony had thought of something like this. Hot air balloons could fly, but they were inefficient and expensive.
Soon after that came lunch. Applejack seemed to have packed, surprise surprise, and apple for her. She opted to sit against the side of the schoolhouse alone. She heard the other earth ponies muttering about her in small groups, nothing mean, but the comments they made irked her slightly. Twelve years old, going on thirteen, and still no cutie mark. However, what she did not expect was that there were no comments about her blank flank. They were mostly about her having no friends this year. They were pitiful comments. Equestria was a land of love and friendship, and Applebloom was robbed from the latter.
After lunch, it was time to head home. Earth ponies were apparently released from school earlier than pegasi and unicorns, because their studies were of the less important variety, and required little effort to complete. Applebloom retrieved her saddlebag from her designated desk and began to trot out of the classroom. She was suddenly stopped by a hoof on her back. She turned her head to stare at the cerise colored hoof.
“Applebloom, I know you were late today, but you looked so sad. I won’t send a late slip to your guardian, but I ask you not to be late again, okay?” Cheerilee had the sweetest and most forgiving voice a pony could ask for. It was no wonder Big Macintosh fell for her allure and twinkly eyes. Applebloom nodded her head. Cheerilee removed her hoof and motioned for her to move on. “Go on home sweetie, and have a nice day!”
Applebloom trotted off back home. Hooves kicking up dust on the dirt covered path. As she came close to the farmhouse, she could hear the sounds of Big Mac and AJ bucking apples. It was applebuck season after all, and she could hope that she could find a way to get off on helping them this year. She didn’t know how, but she would find a way to keep occupied while they bucked the rows of apple trees.
She sped up to a quick gallop as she entered the humble home, setting her schoolbag next to the door and sighing in relief. Applebloom never was interested in working the fields, she was more interested in playing with her friends. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle ought to be home by now, but she would let them come to her… If they did. She hummed to herself as she thought back on the idea she had earlier. It could be like a ship that sailed through the air… An airship…
Of course, where would she get helium and large enough balloons… She could ask Pinkie Pie for helium, but then she would probably have to pay for it. Applejack would never pay her to work the fields, because around here it was considered part of the daily routine that they somewhat made a profit out of. Then there would be the propellers and engines, she knew that the engines used pistons and belts… Maybe she could draw something from that? Maybe she would need a pencil to write down her thoughts…
Applebloom lazily glanced back at her flank, but instead of it being blank, there was a picture there! “Wha!?” Applebloom sputtered. “How could I miss that, why hadn’t nopony told me about it!” She had gotten her cutie mark. It was a strange picture, but it was still a cutie mark. Her cutie mark was a rubber pulley and a wrench in a crisscross pattern.
That night was one for celebration, and she feasted on cake. Too much cake...