//------------------------------// // Wish... // Story: The golden Apple // by Verzeih Turncoat //------------------------------// The lavender Alicorn Princess shook her head hard. Refuses with every feather in her wings, every hair in her mane, what Applebloom had asked for. "NO APPLEBLOOM! I will not do it!" Big filly eyes looking at her pleading for her wish to come true. Twilight knew this look far to well, but this time there was noway she would give in. "No no no! I will not put an age spell on you! Not again!" "What difference does it make? Ah was born fourty years ago and ya aged ma body additional twenty years and Ah am still a filly! Ma body is sixty, Twilight. Look at it!" Twilight saw the young filly in front of her not a day older than the first time she met her. "Still, Applebloom , what... what if you are still mortal? What if you are just looking young but are able to die of old age? I can´t risk losing you." Applebloom watched her hooves, her small filly hooves. Hard to believe getting her cutiemark was her biggest problem so long ago. At first everypony though she was just a late developer - like Scootaloo´s wings - but after some more years it became undeniable. Applebloom had stopped aging. They even tried to forcefully grown her up. Twilight had focused her studies on age spells for many month. But the spell did not work or atleast not in a way satisfying for Applebloom. In the area of the effect has the plants grown and got rotten in matter of minutes. It was such a disappointment that she had not even let them reverse the spell. "Thanks for ya concern, Twi." The filly hold her head in gloom. "I wish I could help you more. About the other spells. Be sure you come in time. Cloudsdale is not as near as it looks on the map this time of the year." They left the barn together and part ways at the door. The princess heading for her castle. The eternal filly for the southfield. Looking how her brother teaches his son- in- law about the farm business. Eventually she found the elderly Bic Mac, from her perspective time was nice to him. You could see his experience in his face. Every year out in the field has left its mark in his stern look. Yes, he was old, knowing and a true country gentlecolt. Then look at his son-in-law a pale grey unicorn weak in body and mind. His pale green mane was messy from all the hard work. Pathetic, how Blossom could ever fall in love with this stallion was beyond her understanding. "Mint Condition! Ah don´t care HOW you get the Apples out of those trees!" Applebloom shouted at him: "Use ya magic if ya like but Ah tell ya. The days in the fields are long and nothing is as efficient as a good ol buck to the trunk." Big Mac let us hear a mighty: "Eeyup." This city ponies no power and no endurance. Will he ever become Apple-worthy, probably, after all big brother is watching him. She walks up the first best tree and kick it with her hind legs. Every single apple landed in the baskets below the treetop. Applebloom gave Mint Condition a gaze. The most discouraging gaze you can ever receive. The gaze of a foal looking down on you. He knew about her condition, but it was hard to not see a young filly in her. Just like Applebloom never got rid of calling her sister-in-law "Miss" Cheerilee. Cheerilee on the other hoof - she was quite a catch for the Apple-familiy. Strong, honest, intelligent and creative. Right now she was in Manehatten to prolong the advertising contract with the Equestrian Wrestling Entertainment. Almost every contract runs over Big Mac and Cheerilee as negotiators. What company would run business with a small filly... . Applebloom was reminded of one particular company that does... "Big Mac, has Barnyard Barns tried to contact you?" "Nope." The little filly sigh in regret. Barnyard Barns, the biggest business in Ponyville and surrounding countryside with branches all over Equestria. Applebloom surely did not want to knock at this door, but it was one of Sweet Apple Acres most important treaties. The worst part about it was that SHE knew it as well. Behind a giant elegant desk - that was designed to make any applicant feel inferior - sat the mare in charge of this business. Cold blue eyes stared at the small filly body of the Applefarmer. A smirk around her pink muzzle in strong contrast to her else stern poker face showed that she enjoyed to seeing her prey in front of her. The beauty and the beast in one body - Diamond Tiara. Contract negotiations with her always feels like a game of chess. They both knew they need each others. Both know that making a one sided arrangement would hurt both of them in the long run. Diamond Tiara would only negotiate with Applebloom about it, just to piss her off. That is what this game is all about, who could win the tug of War in their mind - without letting the rope rip. "Don´t try to leave these terms BLANK, Applebloom. Competition tries to FLANK Barnyard Barns we need to be sure." Diamond Tiara was particular aggressive today, something had happen Applebloom could feel it. Something personal. This special something interupted the business talk all of the sudden. "Applebloom!" The applefarmer was not prepared for the sudden hug. All she could see was the rose gold afro mane her face was burried in. The brilliant white hooves loosen their grip around her neck. Golden eyes full of joy and a smile brighter than Pinkie Pies greeted Applebloom new regain line of sight. "I got my cutiemark!" The little pegasus swung herself up in the air. Posing like a model to show off her flank to her. A dark storm cloud stood out in comparison to her brilliant white coat. Out of the cloud fell golden bits like a rainshower. Diamond Tiaras face was a battlefield of emotions while she tried to keep her business face. "Great Goldrain. Now you have showed her, so you don´t have to go to the CMC meeting later." Dismay showed in the fillys face as she landed on the floor: "But I WILL go. All my friends are there. I want to help them get their cutiemarks!" It causes Diamond physical pain to say the following sentences: "Fine, you can. Now please leave your mother and her business associate alone will you." Cheerfully Goldrain left the room waving Applebloom good bye: "See you later, Applebloom." Diamond Tiara´s mask had fallen once the door was closed. All the pain and saddness were displayed in the wide open of her eyes. "Ya have a wonderful daughter, Diamond." "Tell me how you do it..." Applebloom was confused: "Ah am sorry, but Ah don´t know what ya mean." "When she got her cutiemark the first thing she wanted to do is showing it to YOU! Why does my daughter love you more than me?"