Bloom's New Life

by Rakoon1

Farewells and Decisions

Big Mac was on top of the hill that Applejack had indicated to Cherry Blossom. He was sitting next to the apple tree that was at the top, as the sun was setting. He straightened his mane to make sure he was not all disheveled. Then he took the velvet box which contained the horn ring he bought for Cherry and watched it, smiling. He could not wait to see Cherry accept his marriage proposal and to put the ring on her horn.

He then began to hear the sound of hooves approaching. He looked and saw Cherry approaching. He hastened to close the ring box and hide it under tree raised roots. She then arrived.

"Howdy, mah love" Big Mac said, getting up and going to her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Cherry then smiled a little sadly. Big McIntosh, very observant when it came to his marefriend, asked:

"Are ya okay, Cherry? Ya seem a li'l down."

"I'm fine, Big Mac" she lied, outlining her best smile and rubbing her face into Big Mac's.

He smiled and returned her caress.

They then looked at each other. Big Mac made a great smile. Cherry Blossom felt uncomfortable with that. She had to say goodbye to Big Mac and go meet up with the others before the train to the Crystal Empire left, but she could not find the courage to do so. Trying to start with something simple to be able to find the courage to say she had to go.

"So, Applejack told me you wanted to meet with me here" she said.

"Actually, yeah" he said, taking her hooves and sitting with her next to the tree, making sure he was back to the root that had the box with the horn ring. "Ya know, Cherry, Ah love ya a lot an' Ah hope we stay together forever."

"Me too, Big Mac, but..." Cherry Blossom began.

"Let me finish, please, or Ah cannot do that" Big Mac said "Ah... since Ah knew ya, always wanted to do this.

And he began groping secretly behind, trying to catch the velvet box.

"Cherry, Ah love ya so much and Ah want'd tah ask..." he began, finding the box.

But before he could grasp it, Cherry said:

"Big Mac, wait a minute. I have to tell you one thing and it's very important and I have to tell you now, or I'll never be able to do it."

"Oh, okay, Cherry" said Big Mac, removing the hoof from the box.

"Big Mac, I love you a lot and I always tried the best I know to give back to the same feelings you have for me" she said.

"Ah know, an' that is one of tha things Ah love in ya."

"But... I'm so sorry, Big Mac, but I'll have to leave you" she confessed.

"Yeah, Ah know what ya mean..." Big Mac said, after realizing what she said. "Wait, what did ya say?"

"I have to leave Ponyville, Big Mac" Cherry said.

Big Mac remained without expressing any reaction to that news. That was all that he did not expect... and he did not wanted. What he did not understand was the reason.

"You... you're leaving? To where?"

"I'm going back to my homeland" she replied, standing up and looking at the horizon. "A place far from here."

"But why?" Big Mac asked, standing up and taking also one of her hooves, turning her to him. "Don't ya like tah be here?"

"Of course, yes" she replied, passing her hoof down his face. "But I need to go. I need to be with my family. I was forced to be apart from them, but now I feel like it's time to get back, you know?"

"An' go back to yer old coltfriend, right?" Big Mac asked. "Ya're tir'd of me, aren't ya?"

"Don't said that" Cherry Blossom replied. "How could I go back to someone I no longer love. I love you with all of my strength."

"So why do ya have tah go? Stay here with me."

"Big Mac, please don't ask me that. I have to go back to my family. I bet you'd do the same if it was you."

"So Ah'll go with ya" Big Mac decided. "Even if ya go tah tha end of tha world, Ah'll go with ya."

"No, I cannot ask you that" Cherry said. "I will not allow you to give up your good life for me. I don't want you to leave your sisters, your grandmother, the farm and your friends for me. I would not forgive myself if that happened."

"But... Ah love ya."

"And I love you too" Cherry Blossom said. "But you don't know the whole truth."

"So tell me" Big McIntosh said. "Ah'm sure Ah'll understand."

For a moment, Cherry Blossom even thought about telling everything to Big Mac, but then she stopped herself.

"I can't, sorry."

And having said that, she kissed Big Mac's lips one last time and he closed his eyes, savoring the moment. Cherry later broke up and said:

"Goodbye, Big Mac. I'll never forget you."

And she started to run out of there. Big Mac opened his eyes and saw her departing.

"Cherry, wait!"

But she didn't stop, walking away as her eyes were crying. It was hard to do that, but she knew she had to do that. Big Mac saw Cherry walking away with a tear dropping. But he was not willing to give up from the mare of his dreams. He began to chase her, calling her. But then he lost the sight of her when he reached the orchard on the base of the hill. The trees were so close that gave a good hiding to everypony. Cherry Blossom was actually hidden behind a tree, hoping to get away from Big Mac and then move to the farm and meet Applejack who was going to try to bring Apple Bloom to Cherry so she could say goodbye to her.

Cherry came to the farm where she found Applejack, already prepared to go, and Apple Bloom was with her. As she expected, Apple Bloom didn't react very well to the fact that Cherry Blossom was leaving.

"But why do ya have tah go?" Apple Bloom asked, crying. "Ya were so happy here with us."

"I know, my dear" Cherry said, passing her hoof by her mane.

"Ya Pinkie promiss'd tah me that Ah would see ya every day" Apple Bloom said.

"I promised that we would see ourselves as long as I lived here because I thought I would live here for a long time" Cherry said. "But my family needs me. I have to go."

"But what 'bout mah brother?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I've talked with Big Mac now and I told him I needed to leave" Cherry Blossom replied. "It costed me a lot to do it, but it had to be."

But Apple Bloom turned her back, crossed her forelegs and she began to sulk.

"Come on, my dear, don't be like that. I do not want to go away mad with you. You are my favorite filly and that will never change."

Apple Bloom sulked for a few more seconds, but the truth was she also could not be angry with Cherry Blossom. She turned to her and then gave her a big hug, what Cherry returned.

"I'll never forget you" she said.

"And I will never forget you, my little one."

They separated themselves and then Applejack asked:

"Shall we?"

Cherry Blossom waved.

"But why is that you can go with the Cherry and I can't?" Apple Bloom asked to her older sister.

"Because Cherry doesn't want to go alone and she also doesn't want tearful goodbyes in her homeland" Applejack replied, making Apple Bloom to pout.

"But if it helps, Apple Bloom, I would prefer a thousand times that you'd come with me" Cherry said to the little filly who smiled. "Can you give a hug to Granny Smith for me?"

Apple Bloom waved and smiled to Cherry. Then, she turned to Applejack and waved to her and she waved her back. The two then started walking away, heading towards to the Ponyville's train station, where the others were waiting for them.

Later, Big Mac came to the farm where he found Apple Bloom near the barn.

"Apple Bloom, did ya see Cherry Blossom?" he asked, as soon he got to her.

"She went tah tha train station ta..." Apple Bloom began to say.

But as soon he heard "train station", Big Mac hurried away toward the village.

"You're welcome" Apple Bloom told him sarcastically.

At the train station, the seven mares were already boarding the train that would take them to the Crystal Empire. All of them had entered except Cherry Blossom. Before she entered, Cherry still gave a last look to Ponyville. She smiled, happy to have lived in a place as wonderful as that place where she met great friends and the love of her life. She sighed and then got in the train.

Big Mac galloped as fast as he could until he reached the train station. When he reached the boarding platform, the train where Cherry and the others had embarked started moving.

"No!" he exclaimed.

He tried to follow the train, trying to reach it, but then the train picked up speed and moved away quickly. Big Mac stopped, not wanting to believe that he had arrived too late. The bitterness began to grow in Big Mac as if his heart had been stolen from him and broken into very small pieces. He knew that he would never love anypony as he loved Cherry, that he would never feel the happiness he felt when he was with her... Never again.

Night fell and the Crystal Empire Express proceeded at full speed to its destination. The mares went to sleep for the day they would take in the next day, but there was somepony who couldn't sleep.

Cherry Blossom was in the passengers carriage, sitting and watching the view illuminated by the moonlight. She could not believe she was close of seeing the people she loved and see her home. However, she couldn't feel much enthusiasm. She was happy, but not that happiness accompanied by enthusiasm, like someone who knows that must to do something but have no desire to do so. Her thoughts were interrupted by a hoof that was placed on her shoulder. She looked and saw Twilight, who smiled her.

"Twilight" she said.

"So you can't sleep, hein?" Twilight asked, sitting in front of Cherry.

"And I'm not the only one" Cherry noted.

"Well, let's just say I'm excited to go see my brother, Cadance... and, of course, Blue. He is the Crystal Empire to help my brother with a few things due my brother's prince duties."

"You really like Blue, don't you?" Cherry asked.

"I wouldn't date him if I didn't like him" Twilight replied. "I like to take things seriously and calmly. But I confess the things between us are going so well, that now I find it hard to be so far away from him."

"To me, it looks like it won't be long for you to go up to the altar, no?" Cherry asked smiling.

"Cherry, don't say that!" Twilight said, blushing. "It's too early for that. First, I want to live my love without commitment with Blue Sword to the fullest. Moreover, Shining Armor barelly accepted my relationship with Blue. I think, if he asked for my hoof in marriage, my brother would flay him alive."

That made Cherry drop a laugh and say:

"I see Shining Armor is very protective with you, isn't he?"

"He's just doing his role of overprotective older brother" she replied. "But despite that, he's my best friend. He's the pony I trust the most. He took care of me, protected me and supported me in everything. When I need help, he was always there for me to offer a helping hoof. When I was sad, he comforted me. Of course I tried many times to repay his acts, helping him in everything I could.!

"And how did you do it?" Cherry asked, curious.

"Well, I'm even a bit ashamed in telling you this, but let's say I got a little possessive with Shining when he was to marry Cadance."

"And how did that help him?"

"Let's say it was my possessiveness towards Shining and also my deep bond with Cadance that allowed me to distrust and find out that the pony who was marrying him was a Changeling."

"A Changeling?" Cherry asked, remembering the creatures who could take the form of anypony.

"The Queen to be more precise" Twilight said. "She took Cadance's appearance, kidnapping her, and starting to feed Shining Armor's love for her. She messed with his head and when I accused the false Cadance to be bad and that she didn't deserve to marry my brother, he and I had a big disagreement that ended with him telling me that I was no longer his best mare and it was for the better if I even didn't show up at the wedding."

"That is terrible" Cherry said.

"Yes, but then I was able to find the true Cadance and help to defeat the Changeling Queen."

"It's amazing what you did for your brother."

"He is my B.B.B.F.F., after all. I mean..."

"Your Big Brother Best Friend Forever?" asked Cherry.

"Yeah! How do you know that? Even my friends didn't understand when they heard that for the first time."

"Just a hunch."

"You know, right now, you looked like Pinkie" Twilight commented with a laugh.

"I just hope my mane doesn't turn pink" Cherry said, causing her and Twilight to laugh.

"But in the end, I think for Shining Armor, seeing his little sister and his best friend together is a thing a bit hard to accept."

There was a pause and then Cherry said:

"You know, your relationship with Shining Armor reminds me my relationship with my older sister, Daphne."

"Yeah?" Twilight asked.

"She saved my life when my home, Domino, was attacked" Cherry said. "She sacrificed herself for me and even after that she helped me in everything she could. All I ended up doing for her was bringing her back from her state of nonexistence."

"It seems we have a lot in common, isn't it?" Twilight said. "We both have older siblings who are our idols."

"Yes, it's true" Cherry said.

There was another pause and then Twilight said:

"It's because of your family that you cannot sleep, huh?"

Cherry nodded and said:

"I think I'm too nervous to rest. Probably tomorrow I'll go back to see my parents, my sister, my friends..."

"But I think I'm noticing in some sadness in your voice" Twilight said. "It's because of Big Mac, isn't it?"

Cherry nodded.

"Cherry, if you love Big Mac, I don't know if you should get back" Twilight said. "You must fight for your happiness. I'm sure your family and your friends would understand and accept it."

"I'm sure about that, but... I don't know" Cherry said. "I... I'm confused. I know I said I wanted to return, but since we left Ponyville... I was filled with hesitations."

"I understand perfectly" Twilight said. "But only you can decide this, Cherry, and you must not let the others' opinions to manipulate you. Even mine."

Said this, she stood up and said:

"You still have time to think about what you want really to do, Cherry. But think very well about what you want, because there is no turning back."

And then she left the carriage, leaving Cherry to think about her words, while watching the view passing by.

The next day, they arrived at the Crystal Empire. Cherry was speechless when she saw it. It was totally made ​​of crystal, from the houses to the streets, shining a lot in the sunlight. When they passed through the entrance, which were two pillars made ​​of crystals with three blue crystals floating on top between the two, and entered in the empire, she saw that the ponies living there, all earth ponies, were made of crystal. But the most impressive was the castle. It looked like a huge single tower with four arched legs and other towers out of it.

"I know, it's amazing, isn't it?" Rainbow said to Cherry.

"I... never seen anything like this" Cherry said. "I had already read about the Crystal Empire and the crystal ponies, but I never thought it was so beautiful."

They advanced towards the castle and when they got there, a voice called:

"Twily!"

They turned and then a unicorn of the same size and structure that Blue Sword, with also a long horn, began to approach. He had a coat as white as snow, her mane was a combination of moderate sapphire blue and moderate cerulean with dark phthalo blue, his eyes were turquoisish white and their coatless hooves were moderate saphire blue. Following him, was an alicorn, like Twilight, but Cherry already knew her. She was Princess Cadance, Twilight's sister-in-law. So, that unicorn should be her older brother.

His theory proved to be correct when he arrived and gave a big hug to Twilight who returned the hug.

"It's so good to see you, little sister" he said.

"Me too B.B.B.F.F." she replied.

The two separated and then Twilight turned to Cadance.

"Cadance" she called her, going to her.

"Hello, Twilight" Cadance greeted.

Then the two began to make a kind of song-and-dance:

"Sunshine, sunshine..." the two did a trot in the same place "ladybugs awake..." they placed their hooves over their eyes and then took them like a window opening "clap you're hooves..." they clapped the forelegs' hooves "and do a little shake!"

They finished with a shake of tail and then they laughed and then they gave each other a hug.

After that, Twilight introduced Cherry:

"Shining, Cadance, this is Cherry Blossom, our new friend from Ponyville."

"Hello" she greeted shyly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cherry" Cadance said.

"Any friend of Twilight is also our friend" Shining said.

"Thank you" she thanked. "It's very kind of you."

"So what brings you here so suddenly?" Cadance asked.

"I think maybe you didn't come here to a courtesy visit, do you?" Shining asked.

"If you don't mind, we would rather talk about it later" Twilight replied, while the others waved. " Now, we were wondering if we could use the room of the dimensional mirror."

"But why?" Cadance asked. "That mirror is only actived in each every thirty moons."

"Later we'll tell you all about it" Twilight said. "Now we have to go do something. Now, where is Blue? I would like go greet him."

"Why do you want to know?" Shining Armor asked. "You don't want to be with your dear brother anymore?"

But then both Twilight and Cadance make a stare to Shining that made him shrink and give a nervous laugh and then respond to Twilight with a sigh and rolling his eyes:

"He's training."

"In the usual place? " Twilight asked .

Shining Armor nodded and then Twilight turned to her friends and asked :

"Do you mind if I go? I'll meet there on the double."

"Twilight, you can take as long as you like" Cherry said. "There's no hurry."

"Yes, you can go to your beloved one" Rainbow said, mockingly.

"We'll wait for you, darling" Rarity said.

"Thank you, girls" Twilight thanked.

And then Twilight started trotting toward the other side of the empire. Shining Armor pretended to follow her, but he was stopped by Cadance's magic who said him:

"You come with me. Let Twilight and Blue Sword be. It seems you don't trust them."

"I trust them, but I can not stop thinking about what they may be doing."

They then moved away. The other mares gave a laugh and then they went inside the castle. Cherry got marveled with what she was seeing. The castle was even more beautiful on the inside than the outside. They entered then in a room full of artefacts and then they found a large and adorned mirror in the top of two levels which was forming two steps.

"Well, here it is" Applejack said. "Tha magic mirror."

Pinkie Pie then advanced to the mirror, lifted a hoof and placed it in its glassy surface.

"Oh, is not sparking" she said, disappointed.

"Of course not, Pinkie, darling" replied Rarity, straightening her mane. "After all, it have not yet passed thirty moons since Twilight came back from that strange world where she was."

"Oh yeah, she was up there with Spike, right?" Cherry recalled.

"Yeah, a former student of Princess Celestia appeare and stole Twilight's crown and ended up taking it to the world beyond the mirror and Twilight went there to recover it" Rainbow told.

"We were afraid that she wouldn't returned, because it would be terrible if she had to stay there for another thirty moons if the portal closed before she could return" Fluttershy said.

"Fortunately, it didn't happen" Applejack said .

Cherry had heard many stories about Twilight and her actions and the more she heard, more admiration she felt for her.

Soon, Twilight was back, straightening her mane which was a little misaligned.

"Well, I see you both had a great moment, ah" Rainbow said in a provocative way.

"Don't be silly, Rainbow" Twilight said, blushing slightly. "What if we focused on what brought us here?"

It seemed like an excellent idea. Twilight turned to Cherry and asked her:

"Are you ready?"

She nodded. So Twilight and the others formed a circle around her, putting the Elements of Harmony. Twilight had her crown, but the others had a gold necklace that had pendents which would represent their Cutie Marks: red thunderbolt to Rainbow, orange apple to Applejack, pink butterfly to Fluttershy, blue balloon to Pinkie and purple diamond to Rarity.

Twilight began to focus her magic on her horn which started to glow and then her eyes shone with a white light and the star of her crown also began to shine, beginning to free two tentacles with the color of the rainbow and connecting the necklaces' pendents until they are all be connected. Twilight made a sign to her friends and the six began to say in unison:

"By the power of harmony, witch the portal of this mirror open to accommodate its new resident."

"By the sincere honesty..." Applejack said, making her pendent shine and launch an arched orange beam which stop just above the middle of the circle where Cherry was.

"...by the beautiful kindness..." Fluttershy said, making her pendent also shine and lanch an arched but pink beam which met the other.

"...by the wonderful laughter..." Pinkie said, makind a blue beam be lanched by her pendent to the others.

"...by the gracious generosity..." Rarity said in her theatrical way, making her purple beam meet the others.

"...and by the strong loyalty that we protect..." Rainbow said, making her pendent lanch its red beam to the others four.

"...open, portal" the five said at the same time.

"And now, finally, I invoke the most powerful force of all, the power of the magic of friendship!" Twilight exclamaid.

The five beams cast a combined beam that hit in Twilight's crown's magenta star that shone more intensely and then launched a rainbow beam that hit in the mirror, making it shine a lot. The magic then ceased.

"So, did it work?" Cherry asked.

"We'll see " Twilight said. "Pinkie, do you want to have the honor?"

Pinkie Pie let out a gasp of excitement that made ​​it looks like she was having an atack or something. She then approached the mirror, extended again his hoof and passed it across the mirror surface, but instead of touching a flat surface, it seemed she touched a shiny lake surface. Pinkie was just all fascinated by it and it was necessary for Twilight use her magic to take her away from the mirror.

"Okay, that's enough. Cherry, everything is ready for you. It's better you hurry or the portal will close and then it can only be opened in the next century."

Cherry turned to the mirror. It was there the portal would take her back to her home. She waited for that moment for months. She was happy, but not totally happy. But then she shook her head and then she turned to her pony friends and told them:

"Thank you for everything you did for me. I'll never forget you."

"We'll never forget you too, Cherry" Fluttershy said.

"It's a Pinkie promisse" Pinkie said, starting to make gestures. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

"See if you can find some way to communicate with us, darling" said Rarity, dropping a few tears and using her handkerchief to wipe them.

"I will consult all the books I can here to find a way to communicate with you" Twilight promissed.

"Thank you, girls" Cherry thanked.

She then looked to Applejack and Rainbow and then the first one advanced to her and said:

"Cherry, Ah still think ya're making a foolish mistake and ya should stay here an' be happy with Big Mac, but Ah support ya a hundr'd percent on this."

"Thank you, AJ, it means a lot to me."

She then looked to Rainbow and saw that she was trying to hide the tears.

"Rainbow, are you... crying?" Cherry asked half laughing.

"Of course not!" she said, quickly wiping her eyes. "Crying is not part of my style."

That made Cherry drop a laugh.

"Goodbye, Cherry" Rainbow said.

"Goodbye, Rainbow" Cherry said.

She then turned to the mirror, took a deep breath and began to move towards him. Then there was a huge bright light which blinded all and when it stopped, they looked and then saw the Lord of Order in front of the mirror.

"But who the hay is that?" Applejack asked.

"That's the one who sent Cherry to here" Rainbow said. "The Lord of Order."

"It's an honor to meet the representatives of the Elements of Harmony personally" he greeted, making a slight bow to each of the six ponies. "I confess that I am a big fan of yours."

"Oh, shut up" Rainbow said. "I bet you're here to stop Cherry from coming back."

"I feel myself offended" the Lord of Order said. "As if I will do something to make it happen."

"Don't even try do anything" Cherry said. "I'll go through the mirror and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"I was not going to do anything" the Lord of Order said. "After all, you're free to do whatever you want. Come on, go forward."

And then he made an inviting gesture, retreating and putting himself next to the mirror. That left Cherry confused.

"Wait, you'll do anything to stop me?" she asked.

He shooked his head.

"Probably, it's a trap, Cherry" Rainbow said.

"Yeah, ya shouldn't trust him" Applejack said.

"Calm down, girls" Twilight said. "If what you and Cherry told me about the Lord of Order is true, Rainbow, so he is the representation of the order itself."

"So?" Rainbow asked.

"So he can't lie" Twilight replied.

"I thought I had already said that" the Lord of Order said.

But Cherry didn't want know any more of that. She had a time limit to go through the mirror and was not going to waste it. She advanced to the mirror and when she was right in front of it, the Lord of Order said:

"Are you really sure you want to do that, Cherry?"

He made her look at him and he continued:

"If you do it, you cannot go back anymore, because I've used my spell to send you here and no one in your world can accomplish it. You have to wait until the next century, but I think there would be a little late, don't you think?"

"If your goal is to try to dissuade me or distract me for the portal close, you are wasting your time" Cherry said.

The Lord of the Order pointed a finger to the portal and launched a lightning bolt that hit the portal, but nothing happened.

"Voilà" he said. "Now we can talk as long as you want."

"But what did he do to the portal?" Rarity asked.

"He should have stabilized the portal so it remains open as long as he wants" Twilight realized.

"But what is he up to?" Rainbow asked.

"Ah don't know why, but Ah get the impression that he will open Cherry's eyes" Applejack said.

"Answer me one question, Princess Bloom, are you really sure you want to come back?" the Lord of Order asked.

"Of course, yes" Cherry said.

The Lord of Order laughed and then he said:

"My dear, not only I can not lie, I can also see when someone lie to me, and you're not being totally honest.

"What?"

"Yes, you want return, but there is something in you that keeps you from running into this mirror" the Lord of Order continued. "You have attained the happiness that you had given up before you've come to Equestria. You managed to overcome it. Do you really want to give it up again? Do you want to win back your fairy wings, knowing what it cost to you? You have blended in so much in this world that now it is your new world. If you come back to your home reality, you will feel again the emptiness you felt when you got here. Besides, you will be unable to love someone like the love you feel for Big Mac. The loss of a great love can be replaced by another one, but the loss of a second great love can be devastating. But if you're so willing to come back, your time here was a waste of time."

The Lord of Order's words beated right in Cherry's weak spot. It seemed like he knew exactly what disturbed her and was using it to dissuade her to stay. If it was working, it was impossible to know.

"So what is your final decision?" he asked.

Cherry didn't know what answer, merely thinking about what he had just said. The others watched her, nervous about her answer. Cherry Blossom thought well what he was doing, about the decision that she would take. She measured well the pros and cons of her departure to her homeworld, but only one side had a significant weight and for only one reason. She then turned to the Lord of Order and asked:

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, my dear, anything you want."

Comments

[Claw_Cannon]

Teleport big mac to the crystal empire obviously

[ConsciousHaze196]

"He can't lie, but he can troll"