Pure Imagination

by SYNTH4

Happily Ever After

CHAPTER 18: Happily Ever After

A clock slowly ticked away on the classroom wall, though hard to see thanks to the sunlight. Students sat at their desk, trying to keep their attention on the lesson. Some kept their heads up with their hooves, while others were already face down.

Miss Cheriliee was too focused on writing on the chalkboard to notice. But even if she did, she would have been happy to know that one foal was paying attention.

Apple Bloom sat straight at her desk, paying attention to everything that Cheriliee said. Her hooves worked to write everything that would be needed for a possible test. But even as she did, she would make quick glances at the clock. As it got closer to 3PM, the bigger her smile got.

“Four...Three...Two...One,” whispered Apple Bloom.

The bell next to the clock rang. Student’s heads quickly shot off their desk. They blinked their eyes as they tried to become more awake. Miss Cheriliee looked at the clock, placing the chalk down on the black board.

“Okay everypony, that’s it for today. Be sure to review your notes, they’ll be a quiz on Monday”.

Most of the students groaned, while those that hadn’t taken notes were close to tears. Cheriliee sat down at her desk while the students started packing up.

Apple Bloom had already started packing her bag. Once everything was loaded, she left her desk and headed for the door. Cheriliee spoted the young filly rushing past the desk.

“No running in the halls Apple Bloom,” she called out.

“Will do Miss Cheriliee. See you next week,” replied Apple Bloom as she ran out the door.

Miss Cheriliee smiled. “I don’t know why, but Apple Bloom’s been a lot more energetic since she went to Pinkie’s factory”.

***

Apple Bloom rushed out the front door of the school. The Sun shined down on the town, slowly melting the fallen snow. Ponies continued to walk along the sidwalk and street, going about their lives. The filly ran down the stairs before rushing down the sidewalk.

“Can’t be late, can’t be late,” thought Apple Bloom.

As she weived her way past other ponies, Apple Bloom thought back to everything that had happened in the last week.

After dropping her and Granny off at home, Pinkie had left to take care of some other business. And once she did, Applejack and Big Mac were instantly asking questions about what had happened. So her and Granny spent a good two hours talking about everything that had happened. To say the two were confused and shocked was an understatement. She could still see Applejack’s face as she rambled on about all the dangers the two had been in.

“What if you had fallen in the river? Were you even thinking when you went into that Rock Candy room? If I’d been there, you wouldn’t have been allowed past the first room!”

Eventually the lecture stopped and Apple Bloom was able to head to her room. It was here that she had spent at least a few hours thinking about what had happened to her. How she’d gone from a simple far pony to the heir to the greatest chocolate company in the world. Not to mention that this was all happening when she was still a foal in school!

But the next day, Pinkie returned to the farm. Along with a group of Oompa Loompas dressed in construction outfits. And within an hour, the damage done by the Glass Elevator had been fixed.

While the Oompa Loompas worked, Pinkie talked with Apple Bloom. She basically told Apple Bloom that, for now, she would slowly teach her about the art of candy making. Of course Applejack asked that she be taught on weekends so that she could still focus on school. Beacause of this, Pinkie agreeded to keep Apple Bloom’s new position as heir a secret until she graduated.

Since that day, Apple Bloom has been counting the days until her first lesson with Pinkie. And now the weekend had arrived, and she was heading to the place Pinkie had told her to go: Sweetart Lane.

Apple Bloom ran past the many shops the lined the street, eventually sliding to a stop in front of Sugarcube Corner. Sweet scents of candy and pastries drifted in the air, but only Apple Bloom was around to sniff them. She could hear voices inside the store, but there was nopony outside.

“I wonder when Miss Pinkie will get here,” said Apple Bloom. “That is if she hasn’t fogotten about the lesson”.

“Trust me, Pinkie never forgets”.

Apple Bloom instantly recognized that voice. She turned around fast, coming face to face with a grey earth pony hidden underneath a dark winter coat.

“It’s you,” said Apple Bloom, “the pony that gave me the bit to buy a Pinkie Bar”.

The mare smiled. “Good to see you haven’t fogotten me”.

“Of course I’d never forget you,” said Apple Bloom. “It was thanks to you that I found the last ticket. There’s no way I can make it up to you”.

“Oh but you can,” said the mare with a smile. “Just be a good heir for Pinkie”.

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “Wait, how are earth do you know about that”?

The mare pulled her hood back, revealing her face. Apple Bloom gasped.

“MAUD”!

“That’s right,” she replied. “I figured you’d recognize me in the factory. But I guess that hood really makes me unrecognizable”.

“But….but….how….why….” said Apple Bloom, trying to find her words.

“You’re wondering why I was outside the factory that day, and why I gave you money to buy a bar”?

“Well, yeah,” said Apple Bloom. “Wait….did you somehow know what was going to happen”?

Maud chuckled. “No, I’m not in tune with the future like my sister. However, I did have a feeling that there was something special about you. And….well….I knew that the other winners wouldn’t match up to Pinkie’s standards”.

“But there was no guarantee that I would buy the bar with the ticket in it,” said Apple Bloom. “What if I had purchased by bar somewhere else, or what if Mrs. Cake had picked out a different one”?

“Then that would have been it,” replied Maud. “It was really a gamble. But hey, sometimes luck hits you and the jackpot’s yours. Looks like you were the jackpot”.

Apple Bloom was having a hard time seeing the logic in what Maud was saying. But even then, she really didn’t mind. Because Maud was right; she did end up winning. So why bother focusing on what could have happened. The imporant thing was focusing on the now.

It was the kind of thing that Twilight would probably had said to her.

Apple Bloom didn’t have a chance to think anymore as the door to Sugarcube Corner burst open. The two mares turned towards the shop just as a mare in a hooded cloak stepped out.

She turned her head around and shouted “great seeing you both again! I’ll come around again soon!”

Apple Bloom smirked: that voice could only be one mare.

Giving the door a swift closing kick, Pinkie bounced down the stairway. She stopped before the two mares.

“Good to see you again Apple Bloom,” she said to the filly.

“Same her,” she replied.

Pinkie turned towards Maud. “Hey sis, heading home early today”?

“Yeah,” replied Maud. “I have to get the place in shape before Limestone and Marble get here. You know what happened last time they visited”.

Pinkie shivered. “Ugh, don’t remind me”.

Maud turned away from the two, giving her sister a slight smile. “I know it’s her first lesson, but try and be as fast as possible. I want both of us at the station when they arrive”.

Pinkie waved a hoof. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there”.

Nodding, Maud headed towards home. Pinkie watched her leave, then turned her attention to Apple Bloom.

“So Apple Bloom, ready for your first lesson”?

“Are you kidding? I was ready the moment you said I won the factory”!

“Well then, lets get going,” said Pinkie. She bounced towards the street corner. “Thankfully, we have the most effective mode of….”

SMACK!

Pinkie suddenly stopped bouncing, and was now stationary in the air. Her face was scrunched up; she looked to be in a fair amount of pain. Slowly, she slid back towards the ground, lying there for a few seconds.

Apple Bloom looked closer and saw that Pinkie had smacked right into the Great Glass Elevator. It was almost invisible in the daylight and snow, only being recognizable by it’s jets.

Pinkie slowly rose back onto her hooves. She gave hear head a good shake.

“Always forget where I park this thing,” she said grumpily.

She pressed a button and stepped into the elevator. Apple Bloom followed her lead. Once she was on, Pinkie pressed another button. The elevator’s jets sprang to life and lifted the elevator up towards the clouds.

“To The Factory,” said Pinkie in a dramatic voice.

***

“Five tablespoons of sugar added to six pounds of coco-beans….”

Apple Bloom racked her mind as she tried to remember the rest of the recepie. She’d read the paper over and over again to cram it into her brain. But the more she crammed, the more seemed to be lost.

“And let simmer for one hour,” finished Pinkie.

“Agh, I knew that! Why is it so hard to remember”!

“Don’t worry, it’ll get better with time”.

Apple Bloom sighed. “I hope so”.

The two mares were once again flying in the Great Glass Elevator. The sun was now setting over the horizon, casting a warm glow over the town. The clouds, with the sun’s help, created shapes and images across the sky.

“You shouldn’t beat yourself up about it Apple Bloom,” said Pinkie. “You did really well for your first lesson”.

“Thanks,” said Apple Bloom.

Pinkie looked out at the town below them, still filled with ponies finishing their daily activities. Then she looked up at the sunset, and the many shapes the clouds made with it. She smiled.

“You know, ponies like us were never meant to see sights like this. We don’t have wings like Pegasus’, or floating magic like Unicorns”.

Apple Bloom looked at the view before her. It had been breathtaking the first time, but now it was completely different. The colors all had a warm glow to them, like being in a giant oven. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before.

“It’s almost like something out of your imagination,” she said happily.

Pinkie smiled. “Yeah….it is”.

The two stood in silence for a moment. But slowly, Pinkie began humming to herself. Soon, that humming became something more.

Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination

(Pinkie presses a button. The elevator begins to swirl, showing off the entire town.)

We'll begin
With a spin
Traveling in
The world of my creation
What we'll see
Will defy
Explanation

(Pinkie waves her hoof before the town.)

If you want to view Paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world
There’s nothing to it

(Pinkie smiles at Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom smiles back. Nodding, she takes over.)

If you want to see magic lands
Close your eyes and you will see one
Want to be a dreamer, be one
Anytime you please and please save me one

(Apple Bloom scoots closer to Pinkie.)

Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination

(The sunset glows brighter. Pinkie smiles at Apple Bloom. She joins back in.)

There is no
Place to go
To compare with your imagination
So go there
To be free
If you truly wish to be

Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be

Apple Bloom saw that they were approaching the Apple Farm. She didn’t want to see it, she didn’t want to leave. Everything else was so ordinary….but it was still her home. And she still had another family to visit from time to time.

So for now, she enjoyed the moment.

A perfect, perfect moment.

***

THE END

Author's Note:

5 Years.

After five long years, I've finally finished this story. It's brings me both joy and sadness. Yes, I've finally finished a story. But at the same time, I finished a story. That's it, boom, no more writing about Chocolate Factories and Golden Tickets. It's been part of my life for so long....I wonder what it'll be like without it.

Still, I'm so glad this story became a success. When I started writing the first chapter, I was doing it for fun. I didn't think people would actually LIKE this story, let along ask when the next chapter was coming out. But hey, it's a surprise I greatly welcome.

To everyone who stuck by this story all these years, I want to thank you. This would never have happened without your support. Your feedback and suggestions really helped to make this story what it was. If I could put all your names on the "Author" bar, I would.

Now, I must move onto my next indevor. Maybe I'll finally finish "A Robot's Lament"....that is if people actually want more chapters.

And hey, maybe I'll do another MLP themed story in the future. If I did, which of the following would you like to see:

STAR WARS -> Equestria Wars
Marvel Cinematic Universe -. Power Pony Cinematic Universe
Back to the Future -> ZAP BACK!

Until next time.

SYNTH4

Comments

[Jade Dawn]

Aw, man. I can't favorite this story twice.

Seriously, great job!

[Alondro]

9592994 Read the original book and watch the Gene Wilder film version. Willy Wonka never had any such problems with family. That was all Tim Burton's insertion.

[diablo4000]

Ummm you left out what happen to the other characters. they supposed to seen them leaving the factory.

[Valuable Ashes]

Alright then, who disliked this beautiful creation of a story?

[SYNTH4]

9701990
Who's to say that they survived?

[diablo4000]

9702005
I don't know maybe the BOOK!

[Phantom Night]

9702036
This is not the book so who knows, maybe there is some rainbow factory stuff happening in the background

[Wildcard25]

This was a good read

[Jade Dawn]

9592994
I agree. That was an awesome way to take that part of the 2005 film, and turn it into the equivalent of the Slugworth test. I really loved how it was handled here.

[Booster Spice]

I wonder how many readers can sing along to the words that ended the story.

In a way its somewhat sad, as we will never see the CMC verses the Vermicious Knids, amongst others.

But, the story, as is, is over.

Thank you.

[LilGuppy]

An awesome story! Congrats on finishing after so long! Good luck on your other works!

[WhateverTheHeck]

Definitely ZAP BACK. Back to the Future is fantastic.

[Lucasnike123]

"In the end, Applebloom won a chocolate factory... But Pinkie Pie won so much more... A family" said an Oompa-Loompa with a narrator's voice "And one thing was totally clear... Life had never been so sweet"