Chapter Five
Apple Bloom stepped through the doors to Sugarcube Corner.
Sitting at a table at the far end of the room were Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Ever since Apple Bloom had been meeting up with Cheerilee, they would meet up there before they went out crusading.
“Hey, Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle called out, waving frantically to her friend. “Over here!”
Apple Bloom chuckled. They sat in the same corner every Thursday. Not only that, the bakery was particularly empty this afternoon, so it made the duo stand out even more than they normally do.
“Hiya, Mrs. Cake,” Apple Bloom said, trotting over to the matronly mare. “Have ya seen Sweetie Belle an’ Scootaloo? Ah was supposed t’ be meetin’ ‘em here today.”
Apple Bloom chuckled as Sweetie Belle continued her frantic waving, desperately trying to get her attention. From the corner of her eye, Apple Bloom could see her pegasus friend shaking her head in exasperation.
“Why, no I haven’t, deary,” Mrs. Cake responded with a wink. “It’s been quiet all afternoon.”
“Hey! Apple Bloom! We’re over here!”
“Hmmm,” Apple Bloom hummed out loud. “That don’t make no sense… Mah friends are anythin’ but quiet.” She hung her head dramatically, before saying loudly, “They mustn’t have wanted to wait fer me no more.”
“Apple Bloom, look—”
The filly was tackled to the floor by a blur of white, purple and pink.
“—out…” Mrs. Cake finished lamely, before chuckling.
“We were over there Apple Bloom we were waiting for you I promise you just didn’t hear us,” Sweetie Belle babbled. “Please don’t be upset!”
Apple Bloom burst into laughter, rolling back onto her hooves as Scootaloo joined them.
“I told you she was just messing with you!” Scootaloo sighed, shaking her head. “How could she not hear you, shouting as much as you were. My ears are still ringing!” The pegasus filly rubbed a hoof to her ear.
“That was mean, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle whined. “I thought you were really upset.”
“So, now that everypony is here, are you ready to order?” Mrs. Cake asked. “Remember our three for the price of two special on milkshakes.”
That was another thing Apple Bloom loved about coming to Sugarcube Corner; for the last few weeks, the Cakes had been running a special on milkshakes.
“Can I have a slice of mudcake, and a strawberry milkshake, please?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“And I’ll have a slice of key lime pie, and a banana milkshake.” Scootaloo beamed at Mrs. Cake, until she started to wither under the baker’s stare. “Uhh… please?” Scootaloo asked with a sheepish smile.
“Of course,” Mrs. Cake replied with a smile, before turning to Apple Bloom. “And what would you like, deary?”
“Ah’ll have a vanilla milkshake, and could Ah have a slice of apple pie, please?”
Mrs. Cake nodded, then punched the order into the till. “That’ll be ten bits, all up.”
The fillies huddled in a circle as they argued over the splitting of the bill.
“Y’all have paid fer the milkshakes fer the past three weeks. Ah should pay fer at least one of them,” Apple Bloom said. “It’s only fair!”
“But… uhh… friends are supposed to do nice things for friends,” Scootaloo protested.
“And Ah am tryin’ t’ do nice things fer mah friends, but mah friends are too busy being nice t’—”
“Thank you, Sweetie Belle,” Mrs. Cake chuckled as she rang the till. “I’ll bring your order over soon.”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both looked up; neither had noticed Sweetie Belle had left the circle.
“Thanks Mrs. Cake!” she chirped.
“Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom moaned. “We were only arguin’ over who paid fer the milkshakes. Why’d ya go an’ pay for it all?”
“Rarity is always saying it’s good to be generous, and I want to be just like her!” Sweetie Belle explained.
“I’m not complaining…” Scootaloo grinned at her friends, ignoring their glares. “What? Mom and Dad only give me a really small allowance.”
The fillies made their way back over to the table, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo still arguing while Sweetie Belle hummed a tune.
“Hmm-hmmm all that I can give…”
“So, what was Miss Cheerilee helping you with this time?” Scootaloo asked as she sat down on the stool.
“Oh, uhhhh, she was helpin’ me with mah maths.”
“I don’t know why you don’t ask Twilight to help you,” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “She really helped you with your potion-making.”
“Twilight time is fer fun stuff, not boring stuff,” Apple Bloom protested.
“Yeah, but it’s less fun when you’re not there…” Sweetie Belle sighed.
“Yeah,” Scootaloo agreed. “Twilight and Spike have been asking how you’re doing. They said they miss you.”
“They did?”
“Well, Twilight said she missed having you there…” Sweetie Belle said. “Spike just said there were more nachos left over without you there. That’s kind of like missing you— oww! What was that for?” Sweetie Belle rubbed her side.
“It really isn’t the same without you, Apple Bloom.” Scootaloo grinned. “You gotta come back soon.”
Apple Bloom did miss Twilight Time, and the Princess had offered an ear if Apple Bloom needed somepony to talk to… but it wasn’t the same. Miss Cheerilee had promised that she wouldn’t say anything to her family; something she had come to believe when she had overheard her teacher getting angry at Big Mac. Apple Bloom felt bad that Miss Cheerilee and Big Mac’s friendship suffered because of her… but at least she knew she could trust her teacher.
“Ah’ll come back, Ah promise. Ah jus’ gotta…” Apple Bloom sighed. “Jus’ gotta get mah grades up.”
“Heyya girls!”
“Gyaaaah!” The three fillies jumped as they noticed Pinkie Pie sitting at their table.
“Pinkie, when did you…?”
“And an especially big hello to you, Apple Bloom,” Pinkie Pie said, as she pulled the filly into a hug. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen you here Mr. and Mrs. Cake get me to run deliveries every Thursday for some strange reason but today I did them early so I could come back here and give you a party…”
“A— A party?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yeah! Mr. and Mrs. Cake said you’ve been sad ever since you found out Applejack was your mom and even the free milkshakes haven’t cheered you up so I thought you needed a party.”
“Wh— What?” Apple Bloom’s breathing became labored. Pinkie Pie wasn’t hugging her nearly as tight as she normally did, but even still, the filly was finding it hard to breathe.
“Pinkie Pie!” Mrs. Cake shouted, as she came trotting over to the table. “You’re supposed to be out on deliveries still.”
“I’ve already done them,” Pinkie Pie responded.
“But that cherry pie was for Princess Celestia… in Canterlot…”
“That was easy, it’s not like it had to go to the Crystal Empire…”
“But— what— how?” Mrs. Cake shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. Pinkie, I am sure these girls would just like some time to themselves, no parties.”
“No parties?” Pinkie Pie asked. “But how else will we cheer up Apple Bloom?”
“Does Apple Bloom need cheering up?” Mrs. Cake asked, her voice higher pitched than usual. “I thought they were just here for milkshakes and cake.”
“Well, duh! Their here for milkshakes and cake because Apple Bloom is sad about—”
“Pinkie, dear…” Mrs. Cake silenced the pink mare with a hoof in the mouth. “…Mr. Cake needs your help in the kitchen. Would you be a dear and— stop licking my hoof!”
Apple Bloom’s chest tightened. The room span— she had to get out of there.
They know‽
The Cakes, Pinkie Pie… Twilight certainly knew, because she had offered her help. How many other ponies knew? Who was telling everypony? Why were they telling everypony?
Apple Bloom pushed away from the table, heaving ragged sobs as she bolted for the door. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo made to follow her, until Apple Bloom screamed back at them.
“Leave me alone!”
“What is this I see,” Zecora asked as Apple Bloom trotted up to her home, “Has my friend Apple Bloom come to see me?”
Apple Bloom looked up from the welcome mat she had been laying on. “H-Hi Zecora. Ah— Ah was just…”
“Do not fret, young Apple Bloom,” Zecora said as she helped the filly back to her hooves. “Come inside, let us escape this forest’s gloom.”
Apple Bloom silently followed the zebra into her house. She always liked visiting Zecora; the zebra was always friendly, and it was from her that Apple Bloom had first acquired her interest in potion-making. Of course, her first potion hadn’t really gone too well, but she was just making it up on the fly at the time. Her second potion hadn’t gone that well either, but then she wasn’t the one who had misread ‘poison’ as ‘potion’. She was getting better at them now, with the help of both Zecora and Twilight; there were significantly less disasters than her first attempts.
“So, is there a reason you have come?” Zecora asked, as she set a clay kettle over the fire. “…or is this just a social visit, little one?”
“Ah— uhhh… it’s nothin’…”
“No matter, a reason you do not need,” Zecora chuckled. “Perhaps your mood I did misread? I always enjoy your presence; time with my friends is always pleasant.”
“Thanks…” Apple Bloom fidgeted. She hadn’t exactly planned on coming to Zecora’s, it was just the furthest place she could go to avoid everypony… not that Zecora wasn’t anypony! Well, she wasn’t a pony, but it wasn’t like she didn’t count…
Apple Bloom sighed.
“Ah— Ah jus’ needed t’ get away from everypony for a bit.”
“I understand… you are a brave little filly,” Zecora said, smiling. “Most ponies would think running to the Everfree quite silly.”
Apple Bloom smiled. Outside herself and a few other ponies, nearly everypony avoided the Everfree forest for fear of the wild animals within. Apple Bloom had lost her fear of the trek over the previous year, and frequently visited her zebra friend; for some reason, the fearsome beasts of the forest left the path alone. Apple Bloom suspected it was the same reason they left Zecora’s hut alone.
She always did wonder what was in those alchemy books Zecora said she wasn’t allowed to read yet.
“The situation with your family,” Zecora started as she handed an earthen mug of herbal tea to the filly, “still weighs upon you heavily?”
Apple Bloom nodded as she took her cup. It was okay talking with Zecora, as she never offered advice, or tried to tell her what to do. She didn’t try to fix things, like Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo did. She didn’t try to get her to make lists or talk to her family. She just… she just listened.
“It’s… it’s jus’ that everypony seems t’ know about it now,” Apple Bloom said, before taking a sip of her tea. Zecora’s tea always relaxed her; Apple Bloom wondered if there might have been something special in it, but Zecora had shown her the recipe, and there didn’t seem to be anything unusual in there. “It’s like everypony’s talkin’ about me behind mah back. Ah don’t like it…”
“Yes, I see…” Zecora nodded. “Such matters should be contained to just family.”
“Exactly!” Apple Bloom shouted, spilling her tea. “Oh, sorry, Zecora.”
The zebra chuckled, then ran her hoof over the top of Apple Bloom’s mug, and the liquid was once again there. Apple Bloom gasped… it didn’t matter how many times she had seen it (and she had sadly seen it a lot, given her penchant for clumsiness), it still amazed her.
“It is very much fine,” Zecora chuckled. “Your anger is not out of line. Family is indeed a difficult thing… both happiness and sorrow they can bring.
“Let me tell you, of my life when I was smaller…” Zecora took a deep draught of her tea. “I came from a village rife with squalor.
“While my father was chief of our little village…” Zecora walked across the room, and picked up a small pouch before returning to the table. She pulled out a small hooffull of green powder, one Apple Bloom recalled from Nightmare Night. “I was not born into privilege.”
Zecora gently blew on the powder, which swirled before Apple Bloom’s eyes. In front of them was a glowing miniature village, with small huts of mud and grass surrounded by a tall wooden fence. “This place I once called home, long before this world I did roam.
“My siblings and I would play in the fields, unaware of the dangers concealed. A promise my father had made, for our freedom he did trade. He made a deal with a warlord… a stallion who sewed much misery and discord; it was my father’s promise that held back the sword.”
Another puff of the dust, and the scene changed. Three zebras sat inside a small hut. One was tall and stocky, his hair spiked in the same style as Zecora’s. The other two, both females, had longer, flowing hair. The smaller of the two was wrapped in the forearms of the other.
“When I came of age, I was to trade my freedom for a cage… Not one of iron or steel, but the prison of a marital seal.”
The scene changed again. The sturdy stallion from before was bowed before a taller zebra, one who wore an intimidating set of armor. Apple Bloom was certain she could recognise certain bones woven into the stallion’s attire.
“To this monster I was to be wed…” Zecora scowled at the figure. “Even though it filled me with dread. My mother fought, she would see us all dead, before she would give me up to his bed!”
The scene changed once more. The older mare was cutting the mane of the younger, and spiking it as the males wore their manes.
“‘I will not give that monster his prize. Live, my little Zecora, become old and wise. Tomorrow, your father will be forced into war, follow your brothers but do no more… when the fighting begins, you must soar. Flee to the north, away from this place, run so far they will not give chase. Live for me, my beautiful foal, a peaceful life should be your goal. Live for me, and bring peace to my soul.’
“I had done as my mother had said, when the battle came I had fled.” Zecora wiped her eyes with a hoof. “I watched from a distance, completely dazed… as my… as my family… my village was razed.
“A parent must choose for their child what is right,” Zecora said, a quaver in her voice, “but such decisions are fraught with fright. Rarely is the correct path clear, especially when deciding for one so dear.”
“My mother chose me, my father did not,” Zecora sighed. “It is because of her I live free, and my village does rot.
“Whether right or wrong, my mother made a choice… and because of that— I am my village’s last voice.”
Apple Bloom moved around the table and gave the zebra a large hug.
“Do not fret, little one,” Zecora said with a weak chuckle. “It is in the past, it is done. I told you this story, not to bring tears… but perhaps to help allay your fears.
“Whether right or wrong, when your mother was pressed, she decided for you what she thought best. You are both still happy, you both still live…” Zecora ruffled Apple Bloom’s mane. “There is still time yet to forgive.”
“Where in tarnation have you been?” Applejack pulled the filly into a hug. “Ah was worried sick! No pony’s seen ya since ya ran off, and then it got dark—”
“I apologise for our delay,” Zecora apologised to Applejack, “We were so busy we did not notice the passing of day.”
“Apple Bloom, ya can’t run off like that without tellin’ nopony. Big Mac an’ th’ girls have been runnin’ around town tryin’ t’ find ya!”
Apple Bloom struggled to escape Applejack’s hooves. She felt a little guilty, making everypony worry about her… and she guessed running off into the Everfree forest was cause for a little alarm—
But she still wasn’t ready to forgive Applejack. She squirmed her way out of Applejack’s hooves, and bid Zecora goodnight.
“What were ya doin’ fer so long?” She heard Applejack yelling at Zecora as she closed the door.
Apple Bloom stopped moving. Zecora wouldn’t…
“We did not know time had passed so rapidly,” Zecora said. “I was helping young Apple Bloom with her Alchemy…”
The filly breathed a sigh of relief, before trotting to her bedroom.
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I have such a soft spot in my heart for the Apple Bloom x Zecora relationship, it's so damn cute.
I was waiting for that interaction.
(...I would say I like how they have a mother / daughter relationship, but seeing how AB is kinda having mommy issues right now... >_>)
4419845
Hahaha, I totally did not think of it that way, but yeah, the mother/daughter relationship angle would be reeeeeeeeeeeeally awkward right now.
I utterly adore Zecora, and wanted to write a story where Apple Bloom becomes Zecora's apprentice… but honestly, this chapter alone nearly killed me, Zecora is hard to write for. A whole story?
Eeeeeenope!
4419923 RhymeZone becomes your best friend when you write Zecora's dialogue.
4419926
Oh, I used rhymezone, but it is kind of hard when you also want to deliver meaningful dialog along with simple rhymes.
There are some real STINKERS in this chapter.
Good fucking job, Pinkie Pie.
Guess this is one of those times she gets hit in the face with a sack of stupid.
I hope Applebloom forgives Applejack soon.
Or atleast talk to her without screaming.
That Zecora chapter earned my fav. I shall be waiting patiently for more.
4419932
There's a reason why Zecora doesn't have many appearances in the show...
Whether it may or may not be related to the difficulty of writing rhymes, I don't really know.
EDIT: I swear that was unintentional.
4420154 I miss read that and thought it said, "Guess this is one of those times she gets hit in the face with a sack of squid." I was very confused.
Wooh! Zecora rocks, as always.
I especially like the way you wrote her story
uh, armory...? 
Something, something-
Hm, wait. Is this fic set before or after 'Somepony to watch over me'? Because AJ's overprotective behavior there reminded me of this 'AJ = AB's mom' concept.
So Zecora's mother chose her daughters life over that of the entire village?
4420824
It's Pinkie, that could also be relevant.
4420865
This was actually written well before Somepony to watch over me. I was pretty much convinced that episode would force this story into Alt Universe, but was surprised when it didn't. There were a few points in there where my wife, my editor and myself cracked up laughing, because with the added context of this fic, watching that episode took on a whole different meaning. I think we all nearly wet ourselves when Applejack called AB her 'little flower', given the title of this fic, Floret, means little flower.
4420275
Yeah, one of my pre-readers basically mentioned that the meter on some of my rhymes is quite off, but given that the writers of the show do it, they could forgive me for it.
Which is a shame, because I love Zecora as a character. I am hoping Friends Forever issue #5 will give us a little more insight into her character.
4421661
That was the gist of it.
Zecora is obviously psychic, knowing that Apple Bloom was having that issue with Applejack.
4422645
Or perhaps she mentioned it to her off-screen in the month or so between the first arc (Prologue to Chapter 3) and Chapter 5 where she appears.
Or perhaps, as was established in the previous scene, right before that one, everypony seems to know.
Gah!! Another cliffhanger NOOOO!!
Great read. Keep it up
4424020
Cliff hanger? Lol. I thought it was just a chapter end.
This chapter seems to be best, cannot wait to read the rest.
I approve the Zecora head cannon so much
Those Zecora feels bro :(
I really liked what Zecora had to say about parent trying their best. Good scene. I like the back story you came up with as well.
Also, good job with the rhyming!
I just about bust a nut on that line!
a slice of mudcake
I wonder if that's anything like dirt cake. Mmm, dirt cake.
"Weighs. Good job, though!"
"
“I’m not complaining…” Scootaloo grinned at her friends, ignoring their glares. “What? Mom and Dad only give me a really small allowance.”
The fillies made their way back over to the table, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo still arguing while Sweetie Belle hummed a tune.
“Hmm-hmmm all that I can give…” "
Sweetie Belle is a Backstreet Boys fan?^_^
“Hmm-hmmm all that I can give…”
That's in one of their songs y'know.