//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Apple Bloom // by Noratcat //------------------------------// Dilapidated, old, decrepit, and no, that wasn't one way to describe Granny Smith. In the present case, it referred to the building. Apple Bloom hadn't noticed it before, it stood far enough from her home, and secluded enough that nobody would notice it. The house itself looked just like the ones back in Ponyville, only far grander, similar to Rarity's place. Although that may have applied back when it was new, by now the paint had dried and peeled away. No more windows hung, more than likely due to time and wear breaking them. A side of the upper floor had caved in, making that room inhospitable, if the room underneath even remained. Sure looked like a haunted house. Perhaps Snips and Snails weren't lying? Then again, anything that came out of the mouths of those two colts could be taken with a pinch of salt. Apple Bloom reminded herself of that. It helped keep the fear at bay. She had come here alone. Last she left Spike, he was still interesting himself with that slug. How one could find such a thing interesting went beyond the filly. Then again, Spike was a boy. Looking onward, Apple Bloom gulped. "Ya think Ah should go in Little Me?" Apple Bloom asked. Whom she asked rode upon her back, the little doll. She didn't know what else to do besides take it. Apple Bloom felt curious, yet she still wondered who would model a doll after her? The whole thing was baffling. Childish curiosity would be the only reason she came to this place. And so her curiosity got to her, that and the doll. She made the doll nod a "yes", and inside they went. The ancient door creaked open, not so loud as Apple Bloom was careful to step inside. A musty smell hit her nose, gazing inside she could see the white of many cobwebs dotting the room. It must have been a nice room back in the day, the whole house even. A living room to the side, complete with an ancient furniture, and a kitchen on the other side. Though that was then, this was now. Now everything looked like a derelict waste. Everything lay broken, shattered, generally not the most ideal of living conditions. Many could agree, Apple Bloom certainly did. Working her way down the hall, she noted the many pictures that hung, some of them happy. In the distance, she could see a staircase, or what was left of it, a part of the above ceiling had crashed onto it, destroying the steps, and preventing no way upward. Dust kicked up at her hooves, it made her legs close in together, for fear of any critters that may be scurrying about. All the while, the little doll rode upon its back, bouncing occasionally. The staircase lay within a separate room, Apple Bloom thought it could have been a study of sorts, or at least a room with a fireplace, kind of redundant seeing as there was a living room just behind her. Not much standing, a few end tables, bare book cases, all sorts of things that the young filly didn't really take care to note. The wall's were just about bare, all dim and worn. It all followed a similar pattern, until she noticed something, far in the back. The pattern that the wood followed seemed disrupted. A hint of discoloration drew Apple Bloom in. She felt the doll upon her back fall off. Ducking her body lower, she could see the discoloration. Her knack of exploration, attributed to being a child, led her to what seemed to be a rusty old door latch. Sure enough, it was attached to a door. Small enough to fit a child. "Wonder where this leads?" she asked herself. With her hoof, she scrapped off any rust that she could and attempted to open the door. Much as she pulled, nothing budged. Noticing the key hole, she realized it was locked. A sigh of defeat escaped her. Looks like the adventure had come to an end; How very boring for her. Moment she turned around though, she noticed something peculiar. The doll was gone. Funny, she had felt it drop, so by logic it should still be there. "L-little Me?" Apple Bloom called. A chill ran up her spine. Maybe the ghost stories were more than just little pony tales. A whimper scratched her throat as her head darted around for any spokes. Then she saw it. A flash of color and there it was, the doll! The chill vanished halfway, for the question remained. "How'd y'all get over there?" From the way the doll sat, it looked as if it was pointing to something. Apple Bloom followed its hoof to see something just a few feet away, right underneath an end table. Curiosity peaking again, Apple Bloom reached under and pulled out a long metal object. It was a black key, and at the end it held a curious shape, which was that of a black button. Although she wasn't concerned with the craft, Apple Bloom put two and two together. Key, plus locked door equaled…….well she went to school after all. Her adventurous spirit welled up inside her once more. Taking the key, she found it a perfect fit for the keyhole. It turned with a metallic click. A creak gave away, the door opened, Apple Bloom's little heart beat faster in anticipation. Then it fell, when she saw nothing but a brick wall behind it. "Really?" Apple Bloom frowned. Closing the door, she dropped the key, and picked up her doll. It was time to go home. XXX Certainly enough, a rainstorm had followed, luckily the Apple family had made it home before they were caught in the downpour. If anything, a hot meal would make this day better. Apple Bloom actually looked forward to that. That is until she saw what they were serving. "Beets?" questioned the young filly. This usually wasn't their choice of family meals. Bur here it was. "Well, Ah thought we might try something different tonight, besides, beets are good for a growing filly." Applejack spooned some more onto her sisters plate. "Big Macintosh replied with a simple "Eyup." Apparently he agreed with his younger sister. Granny Smith said nothing, she merely dozed in and out, going into her meal whenever she managed to stay awake. "So Apple Bloom? How was your day?" Applejack attempted to open up a nice conversation, noticing her sister's mood, and partially because she wanted to make up for her sour mood from earlier. "Boring." She responded. "Oh, well didn't ya spend any time with your friends?" Applejack continued. Apple Bloom grimly took a bite of her beets, trying to manage the taste. "Sweetie Belle is sick, Scootaloo got hurt, and Spike was busy playing with a slug. And y'all were too busy for me." Apple Bloom made certain to add that part. "Well excuse us for trying to keep food in your belly and make a living." Applejack was very proud of the work she did, as was the rest of the family. "Ya know, a lot of little fillies would be happy to have your life." Applejack scolded. Apple Bloom muttered "Ya aint my momma." "What was that?" Applejack caught only a faint trace. "May Ah be excused/" Apple Bloom didn't give her sibling time to answer, she left the table and headed off to bed. Applejack almost said something, but put the words away, save for a disappointed sigh. At this moment, Granny Smith finally awoke, fully that is. Her eyes looked about, still seeing if she was in the same place. Her eyes fell upon her youngest grandchild, or rather what was on her back. A little doll, the spitting image of Apple Bloom. "Hey Smith. Look what Ah found." A voice crept out from the recesses of her mind; Something old, and partially forgotten. "Something wrong Granny?" Big Macintosh asked, noticing the slight distress upon his grandmother's wrinkled visage. Granny Smith shook her head just a bit before she answered. "No, i-it's nothing." With that said, the family resumed their meal. XXX Apple Bloom flopped upon her bed, snuggling under the covers, "Well, here ends another boring day." She spoke aloud. Indeed today had been boring, as if some overpowering, outside force made everything go wrong for her. The only thing she could do now was sleep. "Goodnight Little Me." Apple Bloom yawned to her little doppleganger. The doll, being a doll, said nothing. It simply sat there upon the bed as the young filly slept. Simply sitting so quietly, almost as if it was watching it owner. XXX "Dear little filly, come and play." The door sat there, silent. "We'll have treats, toys, and games to play." A creak gave way. It started to open. "Come to my parlor, leave your world behind." Slowly and steadily it opened. "Here you shall be loved, a family who will show attention only to you." At last it fully opened, and light filled the room "I'm waiting for you, my dear, sweet, Apple Bloom." XXX Apple Bloom awoke with a start. Eyes opening wide, she saw nothing but a darkened room. That dream, she didn't know how to explain it. "Those beets must have made my stomach funny." Apple Bloom reasoned, although that could have been her distaste for them which brought her to that theory. The voice, she couldn't put her hoof on it, but she knew one thing, that door she recognized. Inside her mind, she felt a little voice prodding her. It said one word. "Go." So she did. Apple Bloom left her bed that night, making her way through the house, trying best not to make a sound. Whatever was driving her, she didn't know. But her sense of adventure was in control now. The night air felt cold, the moonlight managing to peek through the openings in the clouds. The rain had stopped, lucky for Apple Bloom. The filly remembered the path well. "I'm a big pony." She told herself. Apple Bloom kept chanting that and before she knew it, she had made it back to the house. Working her way past the door, and down the darker hallway, she kept the chant going as she went down the darker hallway. Before she knew it, she was in the room, and there it was, the door. Right near it, was the key, still laying there from where Apple Bloom had dropped it. Picking it up with her teeth, Apple Bloom stared inventively at the door. A small gulp slid down her throat as she put the key into the hole and turned it. A metallic click gave away as the door opened. But there wasn't a brick wall behind it this time. A light flashed before her eyes as she saw a strange, glowing tunnel appeared before her. Apple Bloom widened her eyes in surprise at the sight. An unknown breeze hit her face as she looked down it. At the very end, she could see a similar looking door. With curiosity peaking, she dropped the key where it was, and went down the tunnel. It felt soft, spongy almost. The light felt so warm and welcoming, that could have been why she entered it. The door wasn't locked, with a simple push it opened, and Apple Bloom stepped inside. "What?" the moment she stepped through, she noticed something peculiar about her surroundings. The room she entered appeared normal, but something was familiar about it. Before she could look further, a wonderful smell wafted through the air. "MMM, what smells so good?" Apple Bloom wondered. She followed the smell down a hall, as she did she couldn't put her hoof upon it, but something about this place seemed so familiar, if with a happier demeanor. The smell ended at a kitchen, and the familiarity didn't cease. She recognized this kitchen right away. This was her kitchen! The door had led her back to her house strangely. Then she noticed the pony that was busy in the kitchen. "Applejack?" certainly it was Applejack, her back turned as she prepared the wonderful smelling meal. "What are y'all doing here?" Then Applejack turned around. "Oh Apple Bloom, you're here!" From that moment, Apple Bloom knew one thing, this mare wasn't her sister. Oh she had Applejack's body, even her hat, but there were two distinct differences which tipped the young filly off. Firstly the voice, it lacked the drawl every member of her family possessed. In fact, it sounded like Applejack if she didn't have said drawl. Though most of all, it was the eyes, in place of them were a pair of black buttons. "You're not mah sister." Apple Bloom put her feelings into words. "Are those?" her mind froze as her eyes stopped upon the button eyes. "Buttons? Why yes they are! What do you think?" the mare asked, tapping one of her buttons with a hoof. "The color may not be flashy, but black is traditional." The mare spoke further. Apple Bloom's mind was still trying to process everything that was happening. "Who are you?" the question was simple enough. The mare smiled warmly at the filly. "Why I'm your other mother sweetie." The mare paused as she considered what she had just said. "On second thought, call me your other sister sugar cube." The mare seemed pleased with that title. Apple Bloom still found the words frozen in her throat. This couldn't be happening. Then the smell came once more, more appetizing as the aroma filled the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready soon." Said the strange mare, the Other Sister. "Now go get your other brother and other grandmother. They should be in their studio working on their new pieces. Wait, Other Brother and Other Grandmother? That would mean. "Go on hurry up dear. We don't want the food getting cold" urged the Other Sister. Stunned as she was, Apple Bloom didn't say a word. Merely she gave a bewildered look, and left the room, following where the mare pointed. Apple Bloom found herself in another room. When she entered, she noticed two main features. Firstly a grand looking piano sat in the room. Secondly, there were several easels and paintings framed upon the wall. But what she noticed were the two ponies, an old mare and a young stallion near the piano and paintings respectively. "Granny? Big Macintosh?" upon hearing Apple Bloom's voice, the two ponies whirled around. "Well bust mah hide! It's Apple Bloom!" "Hello there sport! How y'all doin?" Apple Bloom immediately noticed these weren't her grandmother or brother. They both had the same button eyes as the Other Sister. They both held these grins, as if seeing her was the happiest moment in their lives. Apple Bloom didn't know what to say, the Other Granny Smith held those honors. The old mare, moved with a vigorous youth, far much more than her counterpart. "Oh my stars! Y'all are so thin, they feeding you well deary?" "Um well." Apple Bloom started to speak. "Hey Apple Bloom! Check out my latest masterpiece!" the Other Big Macintosh called to her. Apple Bloom trotted over to her doppelganger brother slowly and cautiously. But what she found there made all caution vanish from her system. Turning the easel around, Apple Bloom got a good look at the painting. "That's me!" she announced happily. Indeed, before her eyes was a painting of herself. Right down to every detail, save for the flowers border lining the painting. "So what do ya think?" asked the Other Big Mac. Apple Bloom turned to her somewhat brother with an enormous grin on her face. "Ah love it! It's the best painting Ah've ever seen in mah whole life!" The Other Big Mac ruffled the young one's head making her giggle. "Glad y'all are happy with it." "If y'all want to hear some art, listen to this!" the Other Granny Smith turned to the piano. A bright, fast tune played as she jammed on the keys. Apple Bloom sat entranced by the piano tune. For one of her age, the Other Granny Smith was able to make a great tune. The tune ended with two definite keys. Apple Bloom clapped at the display. "That was great, but she wanted me to tell y'all that dinner is ready." The Other Granny Smith grinned at that prospect. "Well bout time, Ah'm as hungry as a horse. "Well we are horses, well ponies actually." The other Big Macintosh corrected. Apple Bloom giggled at that. XXX If the day could get any stranger, it did just about now. Dinner looked amazing. Apples, mashed potatoes, apple pie, apple fritters, buttered corn and rolls, carrots, oats, the list went on. "Is something wrong sugar cube?" the Other Sister, or Other Applejack (either phrase worked), asked. Apple Bloom returned to reality. "Oh no, Ah—Ah just don't know what to say. This is all……different." she admitted. At last she dug into her meal, which her Other family watched. The moment she took her first bite, her eyes went wide, the taste was absolutely incredible. Apple Bloom ate heartily of what was on her plate. "Mmmmm! This is good." She exclaimed between mouthfuls. The Other Big Mac chuckled. "Well, sis here is the best cook darn cook there is." "Didn't get it from me, I can say that." Grinned the Other Granny Smith. The Other Sister bashfully waved a hoof at the praise. "Thirsty?" she turned her attention back to Apple Bloom. The little filly nodded her head as her mouth was too full to talk. The Other Sister clapped her hooves together. A squeak came from beside Apple Bloom. Turning, she could see dinner cart. Attached to it was a pair of mechanical hands. On one it grabbed a cup, while the other poured a liquid into a container. Shocked by the scene a tad, Apple Bloom took a gulp. "Yum a milkshake!" she cried excitedly, gulping down more. "Extra hay." She muttered. "Well I hope you saved some room for dessert sweetie." Said the Other Sister. Apple Bloom looked up from her drink. "Dessert?" "Sure. ice cream, cake." the Other Sister listed. "Anything you'd like." "We could even have smores." The Other Big Mac suggested. "Can't have smores without a campout." the Other Granny Smith offered another suggestion. Apple Bloom was about to answer, when a yawn escaped her. Shaking her head, the young filly looked briefly out the window. A bright night sky lay outside. That was when she remembered. "Thanks. That all sounds fun, but Ah better be getting back, it's getting late and mah other family is waiting." Apple Bloom excused. "But we're your other family dear." the Other Sister responded to that. "Ah meant my other, other family. Mah sister who treats me like a baby sometimes, my brother who goes….eyup…….and mah granny………who needs a new…..hip." Now that she said that, she realized how dull it sounded. The Other Sister rose from her chair. "There's no need to leave Apple Bloom, your room is right here." Once more, Apple Bloom found herself being led to another room. She memorized the path well, for this was the same way she went towards her room, in her other house that is. But what lay behind the new door, wasn't her old room. No, it was far grander. This bedroom looked like it was made for a princess. The bed had pink drapes, apple themed pictures deputed upon them. "Hello Apple Bloom!" tiny voices squeaked below her. At her feet, stuffed bunnies frolicked by, in fact, all the toys were alive. To trains moved on their own, moving along no tracks, stuffed animals of various kinds. They all pranced and played around the pony's hooves. Apple Bloom hopped into bed, snuggling under the covers. So soft and velvety they felt. In no time, she fell asleep. Her other family stood at her bedside, eyes on her. "Good night." They all chorused. XXX Apple Bloom's eyes fluttered open. Within her mind, faint memories played within her head. A dinner, a fun room, and button eyes. As her mind fully awoke, she recalled everything. Her heart soared, then fell in one crescendo. Her room looked the same before that wonderful dream began. Yet it felt so real.