Pure Imagination

by SYNTH4

Ticket #5

Chapter 8: Ticket #5

The days passed by without any word of the last ticket. Bars were being bought up in larger amounts as ponies tried desperately to find the last ticket. Shops sold out in record time, with a few even choosing to remain closed until the contest was over.

Apple Bloom tried to keep positive through the whole thing, but the sight of so many bars being opened sometimes really got to her. Even with the knowledge that the last ticket was up for grabs, she knew that her family just couldn’t afford to buy any more bars.

She didn’t think the sadness could get any worse….until it did.

***

The school bell had just rung and all the foals were eagerly running to their lockers so they could head home. Apple Bloom moved a little slower, deciding that it was better to take her time than to rush anything.

She went to her locker and gathered up all she’d need for the weekend before heading towards the front door. But before she could make it, she heard shouting behind her.

“APPLE BLOOM, WAIT UP!”

Apple Bloom turned around and saw Twist running up to her. She had a newspaper clutched in her mouth, and she looked as excited as a foal would be on their birthday.

“Woah Twist, where’s the fire,” she asked as the curly haired mare stop right in front of her. She didn’t even look exhausted.

She spat the paper onto the floor. “Did you hear about this? I got the paper from Cheerilee. Read the front headline,” she said eagerly.

Curious as to why her friend was so excited about this, Apple Bloom looked down at the paper. The front was filled by the image of a small Griffin who had a piece of reflective paper clutched in his talons. Apple Bloom looked at the headline, which read “LAST GOLDEN TICKET FOUND IN GRIFFINSTONE!”

“They found the last Golden Ticket this morning. Isn’t that awesome?” asked Twist happily.

Apple Bloom felt as if a dead weight had dropped into her stomach. Just reading the headline made her head buzz, and the deep sense of sorrow only grew as she read it again. “It’s over,” she thought to herself “there’s no more Golden Tickets.”

Twist looked at her friend questionably. “Uh, are you feeling alright Apple Bloom?”

Apple Bloom gave her head a shake, trying to get rid of the feels that were causing her so much pain. “Uh yeah….I’m fine. But I, uh, have to head home. Lot of chores to do,” she said before turning towards the door.

“Okay then, see you Monday” Twist called after her.

Apple Bloom didn’t reply as she headed out the door.

***

Apple Bloom stared silently up at the tall chimneys that rose above Pinkie’s Chocolate Factory. The sweet smell of chocolate drifted through the air, and she inhaled every bit of it she could. It was so potent that you could practically taste it.

“It’s over. No more tickets, no more Chocolate crazes, no more anything,” she said to herself. The image of the newspaper still stuck in her head, reminding her more and more of the thing she most wanted, but never had the chance of getting.

She was so deep in thought, she didn’t notice when a pony covered in a winter cloak step next to her until she spoke. “Smells good, doesn’t it?”

Apple Bloom jumped at the sound and looked over at the cloaked pony. Her hooves and muzzle were the only parts of her that could be seen. They were a deep grey color, and her voice sounded as unenthusiastic as possible.

The mare spoke again. “You’re upset aren’t you?”

Apple Bloom looked back up at the factory, thinking. She didn’t know if she should be talking to a strange pony….but anyone to take to right now would be great.

“Yes.”

“Why,” asked the mare.

“Because,” said Apple Bloom “all the Golden Tickets have been found. I really wanted to find one so I could go and see Pinkie’s factory. Now I won’t be able to….ever.”

The mare remained quiet for a moment, thinking or just staring at her she couldn’t tell. But then she reached into her cloak and pulled out a shiny bit, which he presented to Apple Bloom.

“Here,” she said.

Apple Bloom looked at the bit questionably. “What are you giving me this for?”

Apple Bloom couldn’t tell, but she had the strangest feeling the mare was smiling. “Given the fact that you wanted to go inside the factory, it most likely means you love Pinkie’s chocolate. So why don’t you buy a Pinkie Bar to cheer you up?”

The mare dumped the bit into Apple Bloom’s hooves, and she looked it over carefully. “Oh, well thanks mam. But, I really couldn’t….”

Apple Bloom turned to give the bit back, but was surprised to find the cloaked mare nowhere in sight. She had just up and vanished! “Where in Equestria did she go?”

Not seeing the mare anywhere, Apple Bloom looked down at the bit again. “Well I guess, if I can’t give it back, I’d might as well use it.”

So Apple Bloom tucked the bit into her saddle bag and headed off down the street.

***

Sweetart lane was so named because of the countless sweet shops the lined either side. There were shops that sold marshmallows, candy sticks, caramel drops, and many more. Each one was liked and enjoyed by all of Ponyville.

But for Apple Bloom, there was one shop that stood above the others.

At the corner of one of the many intersections stood a rather large shop. It had the appearance of the Gingerbread House, with candy supports and frosted windows, and a large cupcake with three candles on the top. A sign stood above the door that read the name of the shop: Sugarcube Corner.

Apple Bloom walked up the steps and pushed the door open, bringing with it a small ring of a bell. The inside was filled with tables and chairs, and the walls were lined with pictures and displays of numerous sweets. A few ponies were mingling around a table in the far corner, which meant they pretty much wanted privacy.

Apple Bloom walked towards the large counter that sat on the opposite side of the stoor. An older mare with a light blue pelt, a pink frosting colored mane, and three cupcakes as her cutie mark sat behind it. She was putting a cake into the display area when she saw Apple Bloom through the glass. She raised her head above the counter and smiled at the filly.

“Why hello there Apple Bloom. I haven’t seen you since we got our last shipment of apples,” she said happily. “And if I may add, they were as good as you promised.”

Apple Bloom smiled. “Thanks Mrs. Cake; it’s always good to know that somepony is enjoying our apples. Especially if you make them into Candy Apples.”

“So, what can I do for you today?” asked Mrs. Cake.

Apple Bloom took out the bit from her saddle bag and flung it onto the counter. “Could I have one Pinkie Bar please?”

“Why of course you can. The only reason you couldn’t is if we were sold out, and we’re never sold out of Pinkie Bars,” said Mrs. Cake as she turned to the shelf behind her to grab a bar.

Apple Bloom looked up at her questionably. “How is it that you never run out? Surely that happened during the contest right?”

Mrs. Cake took a Pinkie Bar from the shelf and then handed it down to Apple Bloom. “You’d think so, but us Cakes have a strong connection to Pinkie. When she first arrived in Ponyville all those years ago, she rented the room right above our shop. And she even worked in the kitchens to help bake the treats.”

“Wow,” said Apple Bloom; amazed by the information.

“We never did have a stronger sales record. And she was always so cheery and willing to make anypony feel good. We were really sad to see her leave to open her own shop. She’d really become like family to us,” said Mrs. Cake sadly as she looked up at the ceiling; up towards the now empty room above the shop.

But she shook her head slightly and looked happily back down at Apple Bloom. “But enough with my rambling. You go ahead and enjoy your chocolate.”

Apple Bloom smiled at the older mare. “Okay Mrs. Cake,” she said before heading to a nearby table and plopping down on a chair. She was about to open her bar when the front door opened and Mr. Cake walked in.

Mr. Cake had an yellow pelt, and orange mane, wore a bowtie, and had three slices of carrot cake as his cutie mark. He wasn’t looking too happy, and had a newspaper clutched in his mouth. “Maybe he found out about the last ticket,” thought Apple Bloom. She decided to instead focus on her chocolate, so she grabbed the end and tore off the wrapper across the top.

Mr. Cake spat the newspaper on the counter and looked over at his wife. “The nerve of those Griffins. Thinking they can do something like that and get away with it.”

“What do you mean dearie,” asked Mrs. Cake questionably.

“Look at the front headlines,” said Mr. Cake, pointing a hoof at the paper.

Mrs. Cake looked over the story. The picture on the front was of a torn up Golden Ticket, and the headline read “GRIFFIN TICKET A FAKE!”

Mrs. Cake huffed at the sight of the text. “I can’t believe they’d think of doing something like that. Making a mockery of Pinkie’s contest!”

Mr. Cake snorted. “I know. Forging a ticket? How can anypony be so….”

But the conversation was being tuned out by Apple Bloom. All her senses had gone to her eyes, which were growing bigger and bigger to see the sight in front of her. Because sitting beneath the wrapper, at the very top of the bar, was a glimmer of gold.

With the greatest care anyone had ever seen, Apple Bloom peeled the wrapper farther down until it reached the bottom. She grabbed the end of the object and pulled it out of the bar, holding it gently in her hooves. It was rectangular piece of golden paper, and the inscription on the front read GOLDEN TICKET.

Mrs. Cake, who had been talking with Mr. Cake for the last few minutes, took a quick look at Apple Bloom. She raised an eyebrow at the frozen state the filly looked like she was in. So the older mare began walking over to her.

“Apple Bloom, are you alright? You look as frozen as a….” Mrs. Cake stopped mid sentence when she beheld the ticket lying in Apple Bloom’s hooves. Her mouth dropped down, and her eyes grew as big as dinner plates.

Mr. Cake walked over to the two mares, looking very confused. “What’s gotten into you two? You look like you’ve seen….seen….seen….” But the stallion, like the other two, stopped dead when he caught sight of the Golden Ticket.

The three ponies simply sat frozen for a few seconds, just looking at and admiring the sight in the fillies’ hooves. But soon, Mr. Cake broke the silence. “....It’s a Golden Ticket,” he said.

The ponies on the other side of the room heard the comment, and soon all were looking over at the three ponies.

Mrs. Cake, getting out of her shock, smiled her biggest smile and looked at Apple Bloom. “You’ve Found Pinkie’s Last Golden Ticket!”

But then, her and Mr. Cake gasped. They turned to each other, grabbed their hooves, and began hopping in place. “IN OUR SHOP TOO!” they screamed.

Apple Bloom was still having a hard time processing what was happening. Just an hour ago she’d learned that the last ticket had been found. But now, she was holding the last ticket in her hooves! And it was hers!

But then, Apple Bloom felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked to her left and saw a pony from the table smiling sweetly at her. “Hey there Apple Bloom. I’ve just been thinking; why don’t I take that stupid ticket off your hooves for you. In exchange for…. oh I don’t know….100 bits?”

Before Apple Bloom could even think of a response, another hoof grabbed her other shoulder. “Are you crazy? I’d give her 500 bits for that ticket. That sounds like a better deal doesn’t it hon?”

Soon the whole table was surrounded by ponies. Each was shouting offers of bits for her ticket. She suddenly felt like she was trapped in a large, pony like trap. Sweat started to pour down her forehead, and it became harder to breath.

But then, somepony grabbed onto her and pulled her away from the swarm of ponies.

She landed on the ground with Mrs. Cake’s hooves wrapped protectively around her and Mr. Cake standing in front of them. Both were giving the ponies a snarling glare.

“That’s enough; you leave that filly alone,” said Mr. Cake sternly.

The group looked a little concerned by the stallion, which was probably a good idea. Mr. Cake looked like he was ready to break some noses, and maybe a few bones, to keep these ponies at bay.

Mrs. Cake smiled sweetly down at Apple Bloom. “Now you listen to me Apple Bloom. You found that ticket, which means it’s yours! Don’t let anypony have it; take it straight home and don’t stop until you get there!”

Apple Bloom looked down at her ticket, then at the group, before looking at the cakes. “They’re right,” she thought “this is MY ticket. And nopony is going to take it away from me!”

“Thank You,” said Apple Bloom.

She clamped her teeth down on the ticket, and with wonderbolt like speed, ran around the group of ponies, out the door, and down the sidewalk.

***

Apple Bloom bared down the path to the farm as fast as her legs could take her. She barely felt the pounding in her heart or the aching in her legs. All she cared about was getting her ticket back home.

As she approached the farm, she saw Big Mac outside the barn. He was carrying a load of tools and was heading back towards the door.

“BIG MAC!” screamed Apple Bloom.

The stallion looked over towards the voice, and was surprised to see Apple Bloom running towards him with tremendous speed. “Woah, where’s the fire sis?” he asked.

“I FOUND IT!” screamed Apple Bloom as she ran past Big Mac and through the open door of the house. She barreled through the kitchen and into the living room. Granny and Applejack were sitting by the fire talking, but both looked over at the filly as she screeched to a stop in front of them.

“Woah there dearie, what’s the rush?” asked Granny.

“THE LAST GOLDEN TICKET, IT’S MINE!” she yelled, holding up the ticket just as Big Mac came rushing in.

Applejack and Granny looked closely at the ticket, but soon their eyes grew bigger when they saw what it was. “Sweet Celestia….it’s a Golden Ticket!” said Applejack.

“How on earth did you find that?” asked Granny, who was still staring at the ticket.

“Some mare gave me a bit to buy a Pinkie Bar. So I went to Sugarcube Corner and bought a bar. And when I opened it, I found this inside of it.”

The three Apples looked just as shocked at the story as Apple Bloom felt telling it.

“May I,” asked Applejack, holding out a hoof. Apple Bloom placed the ticket down gently, and the mare began to look over the ticket. But when she turned it over, she looked fairly surprised. “Hey, there’s some writing on the back of here.”

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow questionably. “Really? What does it say?”

Applejack looked over the message before reading it out.

Greetings to you, the lucky finder of this Golden Ticket from Pinkie Pie. I shake you warmly by the hoof but for now I do invite you to come to my factory and be my guest for one whole day. I, Pinkie Pie, will conduct you around the factory myself; showing you everything there is to see. And afterwards, when it is time to leave, you will be escorted home by a procession of large wagons. Each one will be filled with all the chocolate you could ever eat. And remember, one of you lucky five foals will receive an extra prize beyond your wildest imaginations. Now, here are your instructions; on the first day of the second month of the year you must come to the factory gates at 10 AM sharp. You’re allowed to bring one member of your family to look after you. Until then;

PINKIE PIE

The four Apples were silent for a few moments, thinking about what the message had told them. But soon enough, Applejack looked up at the family.

“The first day of the second month of the year….that’s tomorrow!” she said.

Apple Bloom jumped off the floor in surprise. “TOMORROW!? oh no,” she said, pacing back and forth “how should I do my hair? Should I use a new bow? How clean are my teeth!”

Granny walked over to Apple Bloom and laid a hoof on her head. “Calm down there dearie. You look absolutely fine, and we have more important things to figure out right now.”

“She’s right,” said Applejack “the first thing we have to decide is this; who’s going with Apple Bloom to the factory?”

The four of them all looked at each other, each with a confused look. Applejack cleared her throat. “Well, as a responsible and close big sister, I’d be okay with going to the factory with her.”

But then Big Mac stepped closer, looking cross. “That’s a big factory with a lot of machinery. It could be pretty dangerous in there; she’ll need her strong and protective older brother to be with her.”

The two soon began to argue, each saying that they were better suited to take Apple Bloom to the factory. But as the filly listened and watched their arguing, she began to think. While those two had been somewhat comforting during this whole contest, it had been Granny who’d been supportive.

Every time a ticket had been found, Granny had told Apple Bloom that things would only get better. She had comforted her the most every time the winners were announced. And, she was so confident in Apple Bloom that she’d given her a bit to try and find the last ticket.

And now Applejack and Big Mac were arguing about taking her to the factory, without even asking for her opinion.

So, the filly put on her angry face and shouted “ENOUGH!”

The two ponies stopped arguing and looked over at Apple Bloom. “I found the ticket, so I’ll be deciding who goes with me to the factory.”

Applejack and Big Mac smiled at the filly, thinking she would end the argument. “Alright then sis, who do you want to go with you?”

Apple Bloom smiled, before turning to look at the old mare next to her. “Granny, I want you to take me to the factory.”

Applejack and Big Mac looked shocked at the filly’s answer, almost as much as Granny did. But soon the older mare smiled sweetly. “Why I’d be honored to take you dearie.”

“But Apple Bloom, don’t you think Granny’s a little too….old….to take you,” asked Applejack.

Granny glared at her granddaughter, who looked down at the ground sadly. “I may be old, but I still got a spring in my hips. I can take care of Apple Bloom just as well as you two could.”

The two ponies looked at each other questionably. “What do you think Big Mac?”

Big Mac looked over Granny carefully before looking back at his sister. “I say if Granny thinks she can take care of Apple Bloom, then we should let her.”

Apple Bloom and Granny’s faces lit up with joy. “Well it looks live we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow dearie,” said Granny.

Apple Bloom looked up at her, still not believe the thought she was thinking.

“Tomorrow, I’m going to go inside Pinkie Pie’s Chocolate Factory!”

Author's Note:

Finally got all the tickets handed out. Which means the next chapter will bring in the mare herself!

Comments

[LilGuppy]

Yay, go Applebloom!

So, this is AU, right? I think I get it. In this world, the Mane 6 never met, neither did the CMC. Applebloom is still friends with Twist, and none of the Mane Six or CMC besides Applejack and Applebloom have been mentioned besides Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, who live up in Cloudsdale.

And when the radio mentions the winners, Applebloom shows no signs of knowing Scootaloo or Diamond Tiara, the same thing with Applejack and Rainbow Dash. One more thing, Applebloom learns that Pinkie Pie used to live in Sugarcube Corner, meaning that the two never had their famous cupcake-making scene together.

I think I have enough to conclude I'm right. So... am I right?

[SYNTH4]

6912598 You got it completely right.

[LilGuppy]

6913487 Yaaaay! ^^ *sets off party cannon*

[Ytak]

Yay! I'm glad it was a fake. And I bet that the location of the last golden ticket was not due to chance.