As the crowd cheered for them, the Cutie Mark Crusaders waved to them in response. They had just finished performing their act to represent Ponyville for the Equestria Games in the Crystal Empire. As the players came out onto the field, the Cutie Mark Crusaders made their way off the field and into the stands.
"Can y'all believe that?" Apple Bloom asked cheerfully. "We were awesome!!"
"I know, right?" Scootaloo said. "Hopefully, some kids our age will see that and want to become members of our club."
Sweetie Belle then chimed in with, "Girls, the games are about to start; we should find some seats and watch."
"I'll catch up with y'all later," Apple Bloom replied. "I gotta use the restroom." As she walked toward the restroom, Apple Bloom couldn't control the warm feeling inside her. Not only did she perform with her friends in front of everypony in Equestria, but Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and Applejack were also there to watch her perform. Nothing could ever break the happiness she felt inside. Except...
"Well, well, well" a cruel and familiar voice said from behind Apple Bloom. "If it isn't one of the blank-flanks." Knowing that voice, Apple Bloom regrettably turned around to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, each wearing a smug and mischievous look on their faces.
"What do you two want?" Apple Bloom asked. "I'm not in the mood to talk to either of you." As she said this, Apple Bloom saw that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon started walking towards her.
"We just wanted to congratulate you for performing with your friends in front of everypony." Diamond Tiara said, still keeping that evil look on her face.
"Yeah," Silver Spoon added. "Too bad not all of your family members were there to see it."
"What are you two talking about?" Apple Bloom said back. "Of course they're all here. I saw my granny, big brother, and big sister as I was waving to the crowd."
Suddenly, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon broke out into hideous, cruel laughs. "Wow," Tiara said through giggles. "All that apple-bucking must have made her more dim-witted then she already was." Seeing the puzzled look on Apple Bloom's face, Diamond Tiara composed herself in order to keep talking. "We weren't talking about those three, you dumb hick." she continued, "We were talking about two ponies in particular. You might know them as...your mommy and daddy."
At this, Apple Bloom knew there was going to be trouble. "We noticed that neither of them were here to cheer you on." Silver Spoon chimed in. "I wonder why? Could it be that they didn't want to cheer on the disappoint in their life, or could it be that when they looked at you when you were born, they left you and your siblings in disgust?"
Silver Spoon's words were like a dagger had pierced Apple Bloom's heart. Before she could retaliate, however, Diamond Tiara decided to include her own insult. "Maybe it was a little bit of both, Silver Spoon," she said, "maybe they were disgusted by the fact that she would never have a cutie mark like her siblings that they left all three of them to live with their grandma." It was then that Tiara got into Apple Bloom's face and said, "Maybe that's why we never see them; it's because they consider their own daughter a FREAK!!"
Apple Bloom tried to come up with a response, but could not due to the pain she was feeling inside. Instead, she turned away from her tormentors and ran away with tears in her eyes. As they watched her run, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara threw back their heads and laughed evilly.
After running for five minutes throughout the stadium, Apple Bloom soon stopped and took a seat in the nose-bleed section. When she sat down, she continued to cry and sob; no pony paid any attention to her as the games were continuing. Maybe they're right she thought. Maybe ma and pa left because of me. Maybe I'm the reason my siblings and I don't see them anymore. As she continued sobbing, she failed to notice a stallion standing over, looking at her.
"Excuse me," he said, "are you alright?" Apple Bloom looked at the stallion and soaked in his features. He was a Pegasus pony with grey fur, his mane and tail were a mix of black and aqua-green, and his cutie mark was a musical note and what looked like a sideways 8. His eyes gave off a look of concern and kindness.
"I-I'm fine." Apple Bloom sniffed.
"You look like you were crying," the stallion said, "what's the matter?"
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Apple Bloom looked up at the stallion and said, "Some bullies were being mean to me about my parents."
"Oh no," the stallion replied, covering his mouth with his hoof, "where are your parents?"
"They left me and my siblings to live with my granny. Them bullies were saying that I'm the reason my parents left us." Apple Bloom replied shakily.
"Oh" the stallion said; but before he could continue, Apple Bloom saw Applejack, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo on the other end of the row. Upon spotting her sister, Applejack sprint toward Apple Bloom and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
"Apple Bloom, you had me worried," Applejack said sternly. "Your friends and I have been wandering around looking for you. Why didn't you go to your seat with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo?"
The stallion turned to Applejack and said, "Excuse me, miss. But from what I know, she encountered some bullies who said that she was the reason her parents."
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other, nodded, and said, in unison, "That would be Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara."
"Sugercube," Applejack said, looking down at her sister. "I've told you a hundred times to forget about what they say." As she said this, however, Applejack noticed that tears were starting to form in her little sister's eyes.
"But what if it's true, Applejack?" Apple Bloom said. "What if ma and pa left us because of me?"
Applejack sighed; she knew this moment would come sooner. "Apple Bloom," she began, "Ma and Pa didn't leave us because of you. Ma and Pa have been dead for over four years." She looked to see a shocked expression on her sister's face. When Apple Bloom didn't respond, Applejack decided to continue. "Before you were born," she said, "ma and pa were in a terrible cart crash. The doctors had to operate quickly if they were to save you. After a few hours or so, you were born. But the doc said that ma and pa were fading fast and that there was nothing they could do about it."
Applejack paused and looked at her sister to see if she was alright. However, Apple Bloom gave her a look that indicated that she should continue on. "When I went to see them one last time," she continued, "ma asked me to bring you over so that she could hold you one last time. As she cradled ya, she said that you were the most beautiful baby girl she had ever seen. Then pa called me over and said 'Can you do us a favor, Applejack? Promise to take care of Apple Bloom for us while we're gone. She'll be lookin' up to you to be there for her; we know you'll be a great sister to her.' Finally, after five hours, ma and pa died." Applejack paused again, this time to wipe a tear from her eye before she finished her story. "The reason me, Granny Smith, and Big Macintosh lied to you about ma and pa was to protect you. You were too young and we didn't want to traumatize you at such a young age."
After her sister's explanation ended, Apple Bloom finally spoke up. "I...I don't understand." she said.
"I think what your sister is trying to say," the stallion said as he placed a hoof on her shoulder, "is that your ma and pa loved you with all their hearts. It also means that even though they aren't with you anymore, they will always be watching you grow and become a mare that will shine above every other pony."
At this, Apple Bloom ran to Applejack and wrapped her in a warm embrace with tears of happiness streaming down her face. After what felt like forever, the two siblings finally broke apart. However, when they turned to thank the stallion, they realized that he was gone. Sweetie Belle then took the opportunity to say "How about we enjoy the rest of the games?"
The rest of the games went off without a hitch. By the time the halftime show started, Apple Bloom looked as happy as she was before she came across Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. They saw Princess Cadence come onto the stage, levitating a microphone with her magic. "Now for the halftime show. Mares and gentlecolts, please give a big hand for our musical guest...BlackGryph0n!!!" As she watched the performer come out onto the stage, she couldn't believe who she was seeing. It was the stallion who had comforted her when she needed it!!! She turned to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and saw that they each shared the same look of shock on their faces.
"What's up, Equestria!!" BlackGryph0n called out. After the cheering had died down, he continued to address the crowd. "I have a good idea of what song you want me to sing. However, I can't sing without the assistance of somepony. I'd like to call to the stage...APPLE BLOOM!!!" Just then, two royal guards stood on both sides of Apple Bloom and carried her over to the stage. As they set her down, Apple Bloom looked up at BlackGryph0n who gave a mischievous wink at her. "You ready to sing, Apple Bloom?" With a smile on her face, Apple Bloom nodded her head vigorously. "HIT IT!!!" BlackGryph0n called out.
They told him don't you ever come around here
Don't want to see your face, you better disappear
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it
You better run, you better do what you can
Don't want to see no blood, don't be a macho man
You want to be tough, better do what you can
So beat it,
but you want to be bad
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
They're out to get you, better leave while you can
Don't want to be a boy, you want to be a man
You want to stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it
You have to show them that you're really not scared
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare
They'll kick you, then they beat you,
Then they'll tell you it's fair
So beat it,
but you want to be bad
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it...
Beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or who's right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it.
As soon as the two finish singing, the entire stadium went wild. Apple Bloom scanned the cheering crowd and saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, each wearing a look of utter despise toward her. As she moved her vision away from them, she suddenly noticed a mare and stallion smiling down at her and waving at her. They looked vaguely familiar. Apple Bloom rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things. When she looked again, the couple was gone. Apple Bloom smiled and thought I love you, ma and pa. I'll see you again someday.