Friendship is Shining: Discord Days

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Apple Trap

Apple Bloom stood at the gates to Sweet Apple Acres, staring at the place with her eyes wide and jaw hanging open. It was all so weird. After seeing all the strangeness around Ponyville, she had thought that she would be ready for whatever was happening when she got home.

Turns out she was wrong. Seeing the farm -- her own home -- in such a state was shocking to the young filly.

Several pigs flew by, with wings flapping and mud dripping. What looked like a trapeze had somehow been set up near one of the barns, and Granny Smith was performing above the net. Big Macintosh was running across the yard, tongue hanging out and occasionally barking. Winona had climbed up a tree and was now standing on one of the branches.

Speaking of, the trees had become quite strange as well. The one Winona was sitting in was growing watermelons. Another had pumpkins and a third cucumbers. One of them even had broccoli growing on it. Broccoli. Apple Bloom had no idea how broccoli actually grew, but she was pretty sure it was not on trees. There was even one that had peanut butter. Not peanuts. Full glass jars filled with peanut butter.

Walking through the farm, Apple Bloom looked around, trying to come to terms with everything she saw while searching for Applejack. At one point, she stopped in front of the trapeze to watch Granny do a triple spin in mid-air before grabbing the handle of a swing. Moving further along, she was stopped when her brother brought a ball for her to throw so he could chase after it. Once again she found a strange tree. This one had some sort of white fluffy looking things, the shapes of which reminded Apple Bloom of Sweetie Belle's sister Rarity.

Behind the barn was Applejack. She sat on one of the bales of hay, watching as the cows played some sort of strange game with mallets, balls, and bits of wire and sticks stuck in the ground. The mare's normally orange coat and blond mane both looked more to be gray in color. Even her hat looked gray. How was that even possible? Although most -- if not all -- of what was happening was weird and should not have been possible to begin with.

"Applejack," Apple Bloom called up, walking up to her sister. "There you are. I've been looking for you."

"I'm really busy at the moment," Applejack said, still watching the cows.

It made Apple Bloom stare at her older sister. She had been warned that Applejack had been lying, but actually hearing it was a shock. Still, that was the reason she was here. To try and get her sister to be back to her honest self.

She just had to hope that it would work.

"You know all that weird stuff that Discord's been doing around town?" Apple Bloom asked.

Applejack's gaze glanced to Apple Bloom, then flicked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Orange Blossom," Applejack stated. "I've been working here all day. Haven't been to town."

"But you know who Discord is," Apple Bloom stated.

"Nope," Applejack answered with a shake of her head. "Never heard of her in my life. Doubt she's anything to worry about though."

"So you're not worried about Discord or what he's doing?"

"That's right."

Apple Bloom licked her lips and took a deep breath. She had known her sister her entire life. She had been thinking about what to do the entire time she was walking home. She knew it was not the best plan, but it seemed like it was pretty solid. She just hoped it would work. Otherwise she would have to come up with something else.

"Good," Apple Bloom stated. "Glad to hear it. Because I'm going to help stop him."

Applejack's eyes went wide at the claim. She turned to face her little sister, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.

"Are you now?"

"Yep," Apple Bloom answered with a grin. "Shining Armor came up with this plan to stop him, and he's given me and the rest of the crusaders really important jobs to do." She turned around, facing away from her sister. "If everything goes right, Ponyville will be back to normal in no time." She started to walk toward the corner of the barn. "Wish me luck."

"Wait!" Applejack called out after her sister, getting her to stop and look back. The older pony's color looked brighter. Not quite back to her full orange, but not as deeply gray either.

"You can't go," Applejack said.

"Why not?"

At Apple Bloom's question, Applejack paused. Shifting to adjust her sitting, she looked away. She chewed on her lips as she thought, one of her ears giving a gentle flick.

"Well..." Applejack started, "... it's just that there is so much work to do, I don't think we can afford to have you wasting your time."

There was a slight surge of hope in Apple Bloom. Her sister was far from her normal self, but it looked like the plan might just work. Even being in a weird lying state, her sister was still trying to protect her and keep her safe. Now Apple Bloom just had to be sure not to get stuck.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure once Discord's taken care of, our friends will help us. We'll get everything done in no time." She took a step forward.

"Now hold on," Applejack called out. "Uhm... wouldn't it be better if you let somepony that was more experience deal with the problem?"

"But Applejack," Bloom cried out, "didn't you just say that Discord wasn't a threat?"

Applejack shifted, looking away from Apple Bloom and toward the cows

"I don't recall saying that," she claimed.

"So you're saying that he is a threat?" Apple Bloom asked, now raising an eyebrow of her own.

"I'm not saying that either." Applejack shifted, rubbing one of her hooves against the bale of hay. Small beads of sweat began to form on her forehead as she looked back and forth between her sister and the cows.

This might just be it. Apple Bloom saw what may very well be the opportunity to get Applejack back. Either Applejack would lie and have a harder time keeping Bloom out of danger, or tell the truth and keep her safe.

"So, which is it?" Apple Bloom asked. "Is he dangerous or not?"

Applejack's jaw clenched as she squirmed on her seat. Larger drops of sweat formed on her brow. Her gaze shifted back and forth, looking between her sister and the cows, but never really resting on one of them or the other. It looked like the color of her coat was shifting, becoming slightly grayer one moment, and more orange the next.

"Uhm... well... uh... I... that is..."

There was a moment of disappointment. Apple Bloom had really expected that her sister would automatically answer honestly to keep her safe. The fact that Applejack seemed to be stuck was not what she had planned. Maybe if Bloom pushed just a little more, Applejack would be back.

"Well while you think about that," Apple Bloom said firmly, "I'm going to Sugarcube Corner to meet up with the others." Giving a toss of her head, she started to walk off once again.

"Like hay you are!" Applejack shouted, making Apple Bloom jump. Getting up, she walked to stand in front of her sister. "There is no way I am letting you go anywhere near that no good, lying, cheating, deceptive, trouble maker."

Apple Bloom had to bite back the urge to grin. As near as she could tell, her sister was back to her normal, orange self. Still, it would be better to make sure.

"But Applejack," she whined out. Or tried to. Admittedly, Apple Bloom was not much of an actress.

"No buts," Applejack snapped. "I am your sister, and I am not going to let you get hurt. Even if it means I have to tie your tail to a tree."

"But somepony has to do something."

"I will." Reaching out, Applejack placed a hoof on Apple Bloom's back. "I'm glad you want to help and protect others, but this is dangerous. I'm sure that whatever Shining Armor has planned, I can do your part."

Apple Bloom looked up at her sister and grinned.

"Sorry Applejack, but you'd be wrong about that."

The look on her sister's face was surprising to Applejack. The look that Apple Bloom was giving her was not her defeated pout. It was the look of a pony who somehow had gotten her way.

"And why is that?" Applejack asked.

"Because," answered Apple Bloom with a widening grin, "my part was to try and get you back to being yourself."

The claim sent a shock through the older sister. She was not entirely sure how to deal with that statement. Her sister had basically tricked her into being honest to keep her safe. She did not know whether she should be proud, or annoyed.

Her eyes narrowed and ears pulled back.

"Why you sneaky little so and so." Reaching out, she grabbed Apple Bloom and pulled her into a hug. "You must think you're pretty clever getting one over on me like that."

"Yep," Apple Bloom said with a grin. "So now you meet the others and go stop Discord, right?"

Applejack paused, and took a deep breath.

"I hope so."

"Well, you're going to need this." Apple Bloom pulled out Applejack's element and held it up to her.

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Very sneaky Apple Bloom, very sneaky.

[Captain-Brony]

ah reverse psychology...

[Firemind]

Nice! Smooth work there, Applebloom. Time for Discord to go sleep with the pigeons.

[SageBrony07]

Go applebloom. That was awesome. So everyone's back. Lets see in the next chapter how the reunion turns out.

[Ether Space]

Sneaky little so and so? Really??
...I'm giggling despite its perceived level of unoriginality.

[TheVirginianist]

Nice little liar! *Thumps Up* Way to go, A.B.!

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

There was a slight surge of hope in Apple Bloom. Her sister was far from her normal self, but it looked like the plan might just work. Even being .....in....a weird lying state, her sister was still trying to protect her and keep her safe. Now Apple Bloom just had to be sure not to get stuck.