• Published 28th Apr 2015
  • 1,051 Views, 11 Comments

Full Bloom - DouglasTrotter



Apple Bloom discovers a secret about her family and herself.

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Sprout

Soft hooves echoed down the hallway of the farmhouse. Stars twinkled in the sky above Sweet Apple Acres as Apple Bloom pushed the door open to her room with a gentle hoof.

"What your doing isn't right to Zecora. Ya have to help her out, sugar cube. A promise is a promise." Applejack said at the dinner table before Apple Bloom left for her room.

Those words echoed inside Apple Bloom's mind. She leapt onto her bed, kicked her back hooves up, and flopped onto the blanket. Her back hooves drooped off the bed's side. An audible sigh came and went. After sitting up, she reached underneath the bed. Pencil firm in hoof, another slash was made on the calendar.

"Fifteen Days..." Apple Bloom said, soon placing the calendar back into its place. Her hooves rose up and down on the side of the bed while she sat up. She removed the pink ribbon from her mane, and then placed it on the nightstand. "I don't care what Applejack says," Apple Bloom shivered when she looked out of her window toward the Ever Free Forest, "somethin' ain't right. Still, she is right. Ah need to be a big pony and stop messin' around. It ain't fair to keep bailin' on Zecora cause of some 'funny' feelin'."

Apple Bloom slid underneath the covers. After a yawn, her heavy eyes closed. Crickets' played their melodic symphony outside the farmhouse. Serenity graced Sweet Apple Acres, however, the filly's eyes thrust opened.

Rainbow Dash clutched onto Scootaloo in the far left distance, both turned to wooden statues. Rarity and Sweetie Belle clung to each other with a tear crawling down Rarity's cheek. Fluttershy remained motionless to the right with Applejack turned to wood on the left. Pinkie Pie cried as she stood near Twilight, bellowing to the cavernous room for things to be over. The party pony's body turned brown, and then solidified with disconcerted expression frozen in place.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna hung from the limbs of the tree in the back of the room. The two fell to the ground. Thick vines burst through the sturdy rock and entombed them.

"..." Apple Bloom's mouth agape, she struggled to formulate her thoughts. She backed away and stopped. Shining Armor curled around Princess Cadence behind her, the two incapacitated. A powerful glow emanated from Apple Bloom's body, her mane and tail flowing in ethereal light. With her surroundings illuminated, she looked towards the back of the cave to see a large black crystal tree. "What have I done?!"

The last bits of light faded from the Tree of Harmony. Apple Bloom screamed at the top of her lungs. Strong hooves pounded against the floor. Chunks of rock fell. In moments, the once beautiful room lay in ruins with the area caved in.

"Apple Bloom!" A voice said.

"Princess Luna. Stop this, please." Apple Bloom said.

Princess Luna materialized, illuminated her horn, and blew away the nightmare. Applejack entered the dream and hugged her sister.

"From the bottom of my heart, I apologize for that nightmare. If I had known this would have caused you so much distress, I would have added additional safeguards to your mind and dreams." Princess Luna said. Her hoof rose into the air. A dark blue mark appeared on Apple Bloom's chest, and then disappeared. Sweet Apple Acres came into view. Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Princess Luna sat inside the farmhouse's family room. "In all my years of watching over dreams -- that was one of the most powerful I have seen. It almost borders on precognition."

"Please don't let it be real. Ah don't want to hurt mah family, mah friends, mah home...." Apple Bloom said, going quiet while she shivered in place. She looked up to see Applejack's hat on top of her, soon receiving a kind soft smile from her big sister.

Princess Luna remained quiet while she frowned, hanging her head. The air remained still. A melancholic expression was given to Applejack and Apple Bloom when she faced them. In a voice to match her expression she said, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't help my sister. These nightmare have got to stop, now. This was the worst one ever. Big Mac and Granny Smith have had to take turns watching over her." Applejack said.

Princess Luna and Applejack leered at each other. The ethereal air remained tense.

"This mystery goes deeper than I thought possible." Princess Luna said. Her incensed expression relented as she materialized a book in front of her. Pages flipped by before a gentle hoof stopped them. "Now isn't the time for quarrels. Once again, I do apologize for that nightmare, Apple Bloom. Just as I told you in our dream meeting, we must tread on cautious hooves. There are two theories that exist right now, and I have grave concerns about the latter."

"These pages are blank," Apple Bloom said.

"Yes. That is why I find myself concerned. The first idea was your grandmother playing a cruel practical joke, however, I don't believe that to be the case." Princess Luna said. She pointed at the cover of the book, "What you see before you is the master tome, a compendium of historical events within Equestria. This book is the one from which all other historical books are made from. Shining Armor himself once guarded it from an attack."

"Couldn't ponies have forgotten to take down those accounts? Maybe Princess Celestia didn't write em down?" Applejack said. She shied away as Apple Bloom and Princess Luna stared at her with emotionless eyes. "I guess it would just be a nice thought."

"Remember what I told you about my spell, Apple Bloom?" Princess Luna said.

"You're not sayin' Princess Celestia -- she can't." Apple Bloom said.

"Indeed. Unless I can prove otherwise, there is a chance, a grim chance my sister has committed the heinous act of using a memory alteration spell." Princess Luna said. Another book materialized and glided toward Apple Bloom and Applejack. "Applejack, you spoke about your ancestor to me a few days ago in our dream. What I managed to find were genealogical records for Appleseed. He existed six hundred fifty years after my banishment but three hundred years before my return. This fits almost exactly with the blank pages."

Apple Bloom stood up and pointed a swift hoof at her sister. She stated Applejack had broken her Pinkie Pie promise. After a "not now" from Princess Luna and Applejack, the filly sat back down.

"Isn't there somethin we can do? Is Apple Bloom going to be alright?" Applejack said. Her mouth dropped. "You have no idea?!"

"I am truly sorry, Applejack. Since I was banished from Equestria for a thousand years, my sister's actions are unbeknownst to me." Princess Luna said. She stood up. The books vanished. "Dawn is fast approaching. We will speak later tonight. Again, we must be wary. I fear my sister's suspicions are already aroused by my actions."

Applejack retrieved her Stetson and placed it on her head. She patted her little sister on the back.

"There may be another you can speak with who has knowledge on the subject." Princess Luna said.

"The Ever Free Forest doesn't feel right." Apple Bloom said.

"I have a feeling I know where she'll be tomorrow. I'll go and talk to her. I promise to not speak about ya directly, Bloom. We don't need Pinkie Pie hounding us cause I broke one of her promises." Applejack said.

Princess Luna's hoof neared Apple Bloom. A rooster crowed in the distance. Apple Bloom's eyes opened. She sat up, threw off the covers, and bolted toward her sister's room.

Applejack clutched her covers in a firm grasp. She shook her head in a slow motion at Apple Bloom's question. The filly sat on the floorboards and rubbed a nervous right front hoof against her left one. Apple Bloom's mane shielded her eyes.

"Don't worry sugar cube, it'll be alright. " Applejack said. She got out of bed and combed her sister's mane and tail before helping her put a fresh ribbon on it. The cowgirl mare winked at her sister. "Now you skedaddle back to your room and get ready for school. No matter what, you're getting an education."

"Pinkie Pie is gonna get ya for talkin' to Princess Luna." Apple Bloom said, getting a pillow tossed at her. "Hey."

"Dontcha hey me," Applejack said, snickering at her sister after she stuck her tongue out. She stood up, tidied herself up, and placed her hat on. "Besides, the promise was that I wouldn't talk about 'you' in particular to another pony. I didn't promise anything in regards to talkin' about Appleseed."

*** *** ***

Ponyville bustled with activity. A pegasus mail mare flew overhead while two stallions walked along Mane Drive nearing Stirrup Street. In the market district, Applejack trotted along the dirt pathway. She looked at several figures near the stalls. Her eyes focused then relented several times before she grinned.

"Zecora," Applejack said. She waved her hoof towards an equine, near the back of the district at a small flower cart, that dropped several bits onto the counter before walking away. "Glad I found ya."

Zecora placed her newly purchased flowers into the satchel underneath her hooded cloak. Applejack motioned a hoof towards her. The zebra raised an eyebrow. With her hood back on, Zecora followed Applejack into an alleyway.

"Please Zecora, I need your help." Applejack said, watching her friend back away. "Thanks."

The two proceeded down into the cellar. Applejack glanced around then closed the doors, sliding the latch closed.

"What is wrong, Applejack? I must know the problem, so I know how to act." Zecora said. She looked at her surroundings then faced her friend. "What is that unusual smell. I can't seem to place it too well."

"You'll have to keep this secret from Rainbow. This here is my family's private stash. After a certain little incident, we learned to keep an extra supply." Applejack said. She rubbed a nervous hoof against her neck. The air remained heavy in the underground cellar. Sounds from the ponies outside echoed off the underground storage area's rock walls. Applejack surveyed the area, checking behind several kegs and barrels. "Sorry, I gotta be sure."

"Made a promise with the pink one? This should be rather fun." Zecora said.

"Sorry Zecora, but this ain't no joking matter. What do ya know about dryads." Applejack said.

"..." Zecora remained silent while her eyes closed. The dust near her hooves swirled about, floated upward and formed into the shape of a leaf. She opened her eyes before the dust shaped leave disappeared. "I know about them, indeed. Dryads are an unusual breed. Rumors are few and far between, and there are little tales to be heard and far fewer sights to be seen. Of one account I can speak, Dryads are beautiful and unique. But all isn't well from the other story I can tell."

"Please --" Applejack moved toward the cellar door and pressed her ear against it before facing Zecora once more, " -- I have to know."

"Come by my hut and I will lend you a book. It will give you some insight into the knowledge you've sought. Beware of prying eyes though, as they will know where to look." Zecora said.

Applejack nodded to Zecora before opening the cellar door. She closed it behind her and her friend. The cowgirl mare surveyed the area before wiping away the sweat from underneath her hat.

"Before I leave, if I might ask. How is Apple Bloom? She hasn't returned from her task." Zecora said.

"She's fine. Bloom is just a little out of it for right now." Applejack said. She backed away, soon relieved to see Zecora leave.

"Applejack!" Pinkie Pie said with a shout, watching her friend come from out of the alleyway.

"Pinkie! Don't do that to a gal. Your gonna give me a heart attack." Applejack said. She raised an eyebrow as Pinkie Pie circled her.

"Ya didn't break a Pinkie Promise, did you? Huh? Huh? Huh?" Pinkie Pie eyed her friend.

"Pink, I ain't got time for these shenanigans. Besides, I don't break mah promises." Applejack said.

"okie, dokie..." Pinkie Pie said, slinking down the alleyway.

Applejack took several deep breaths before she trotted down Stirrup Street.

"That girl is a few screws short of a full box." Applejack said.

"I heard that!" Pinkie Pie said, causing Applejack to run. "The nerve. Talking about my boxes of screws, hmph."

*** *** ***

"Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle said.

"Are you sure about this?" Scootaloo said.

Hisses, howls, and growls permeated the Ever Free Forest. A loud shriek caused the fillies' hooves to quiver. The two Cutie Mark Crusaders stood behind their friend.

"Rarity is going to kill me for skipping class." Sweetie Belle said.

"Rainbow Dash will ground me from flight lessons." Scootaloo said.

"Ah asked ya'll to come. Ah didn't force ya." Apple Bloom said.

"You still have that picture of when me and Scootaloo fell asleep next to each other. That's the pure definition of blackmail." Sweetie Belle said.

"Ok, 'Dictionary,' what's the best way to do this?" Apple Bloom said.

"We should let Applejack deal with it and get back to class." Sweetie Belle said while she backed away.

Apple Bloom shook her head before facing the forest. Wind brushed against the tree tops. Several leaves landed on the ground in front of Apple Bloom. She moved forward, and then stopped. Heavy, guttural-esk sounds came from all sides before the three could take another step toward the darkness.

Steady, semi-nervous hooves guided the trio into the forest along the softly treaded pathway. Apple Bloom remained in front. She breathed a sigh of short lived relief as two lights came into view. The lights multiplied; two became four with four growing into twelve.
The group backed up. Viscous liquid dropped onto Sweetie Belle. She screamed. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo turned.

"Timber Wolves!" Apple Bloom shouted.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders bolted into the woods. Their hooves pounded against the ground. Scootaloo sunk into the mud, soon pulled free by her friends. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle rocketed towards a clearing.

Knocked toward the side, Apple Bloom watched the wolves chase her friends. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle screamed, cornered near a small cliff.

"Stop it!" Apple Bloom shouted. Her hooves sunk into the mud. The ground rumbled. Thick vines jutted forth from beneath the Timber Wolves and strangled them. In a squeamish, soft voice, Apple Bloom said, "No. This can't be happening."

The six wolves turned to kindling under the tendrils' vice-like pressure. An aura enveloped the vines; it traveled into the ground before it surrounded Apple Bloom. The vines rescinded as Apple Bloom pulled her hooves out of the ground and covered her eyes. She curled up into a ball, shivering in place. The Timber Wolves' remains motionless on the muddy area beneath the cliff top.

"That was amazing," Scootaloo said.

Sweetie Belle pulled Apple Bloom's hooves away from her face and brushed a piece of bark away. "How did you do that? Hey, my sis said Timber Wolves regenerate. How come they aren't regenerating?"

Apple Bloom bolted for a nearby, clear pool of water. She eyed herself several times.

"Apple Bloom? Did you do that?" A voice said. Twilight emerged from the forest, Applejack and Zecora behind her. "How?"

"Bloom, I told ya I would deal with this." Applejack said before her ears lowered. She turned away from her sister, "I'm sorry. Twilight ran off, swearin' she heard you and the others screaming before I could stop her. Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle. You best get back to class. Tell Cheerilee to talk to me if she asks where ya'll have been."

Apple Bloom collapsed. Her eyes closed. The sounds around her faded.

*** *** ***

Apple Bloom clutched onto her stomach, a blanket over her back.

"What is this about?" Twilight said. She picked up Apple Bloom's hoof, opened her mouth, and gazed at her eyes. She scratched her head. "What she did was extraordinary. I need to start studying under Apple Bloom if that was one of her potions."

"This should subdue your aches dear Apple Bloom, allowing us to freely talk about this tome. Please, don't be nervous. I can assure you there is safety in my home. " Zecora said. She smiled while the filly sipped on the small elixir.

"Twi," Applejack said.

"What is going on, Applejack?" Twilight said.

"Ya gotta promise me to keep things a secret. I mean really promise me." Applejack said. She remained tightlipped. "Bloom?"

Zecora held her hoof out. She moved her bed then pulled on a gold ring. Creaky hinges for the door groaned. The group walked down a small set of stairs. An underground area came into view with luminescent plants and fungi in small growing beds. Apple Bloom, on Applejack's back, plugged her nose.

"Please forgive the smell. I know it is awful, as you can already tell." Zecora said. With the tome on a pedestal, several pages flipped by before Zecora pointed to one section. "Apple Bloom, please tell us what you know. This will allow our knowledge to grow."

Apple Bloom nodded to Applejack, and then relieved her of the Pinkie Pie promise.

Unbound from her contract, Applejack glared at Twilight. She moved towards her friend. The cowgirl mare adjusted her Stetson. "Twilight, I need ya to place a barrier over us. I need to be absolutely sure nothin' can be heard outside of this room."

"What's going on? Why are you so distrustful of me?" Twilight said.

"Will ya do it or not?" Applejack said. A magical sphere of light surrounded the group while Twilight rolled her eyes. "Sorry Twi, but I need to go one step further. Pinkie Pie promise you won't talk about Bloom except with us here. Don't tell Rainbow Dash or that gossip friend of ours, Rarity. This goes double for Princess Celestia."

"Ok, ok. I 'Pinkie Pie' promise not to tell any pony else about Apple Bloom that isn't here." Twilight said. She leered at Applejack, "Now, will you 'please' tell me what in Equestria is going on?!"

Applejack took her Stetson off. She sat beside Apple Bloom. After checking on her sister, Applejack stood up and faced Twilight.

"We've got a serious problem. I'm worried somethin' fierce for Apple Bloom's sake. She's a dryad pony, a dryad, or whatever ya call em." Applejack said.

"A who what now? Why not tell Princess Celestia?" Twilight said.

"Cause Granny Smith says she hates em." Apple Bloom said. She laid on top of a box, eyeing Twilight. "Please don't tell her. Ah don't want Princess Celestia to send me away from mah family and friends. Ah don't want to be banished to Tartarus."

Twilight shook her head. Before she could speak, Zecora held out her hoof. She listened near the cellar's hatch before coming back to the group.

"Princess Luna is helpin' us with the details, but we're worried something happened a long time ago that gave Princess Celestia reason to hate em. With that little display out there from Apple Bloom, I'm worried things might become worse. Her dreams haven't helped either." Applejack said.

"Nightmares are just manifestations of troubling events into dream form. I was worried my brother hated me when I botched up a surprise present for Cadence." Twilight said.

"Twi, this ain't some botched up present!" Applejack snarled before relaxing, "Sorry Twi, that was outta line. Look, even Princess Luna said Bloom's last dreamed bordered on 'precognition' or however ya say it." Applejack said.

Twilight extended a foreleg out, "Ok, ok, calm down. Help me understand what's going on."

Applejack exhaled a deep breath. Untold minutes passed while the cowgirl mare went over the story in fine detail. She recounted the story to Twilight and Zecora, what Granny Smith had told her and Apple Bloom, and the dreams the two of them encountered. Twilight froze when she heard about her assaulting Sweet Apple Acres with an army of ponies to capture Apple Bloom, and Apple Bloom's own story of Princess Celestia attacking her in a dream.

"Wait, what book did Princess Luna show you?" Twilight said. She watched an infinity symbol being drawn into the dirt. "..."

"Twi?" Apple Bloom said.

"The Equestrian History Compendium..." Twilight said before she gritted her teeth. She reinforced the shield around the group. "There are several blank pages that no pony has yet to understand. It's unthinkable for Princess Celestia to use dark magic to wipe the minds of ponies."

"Well, didn't Spike find that book in the old castle? That book full of dark magic that let Rarity start changing things?" Applejack said.

"... yea," Twilight said after a long silent pause. She erased the mark in the dirt. "I refuse to believe Princess Celestia would use dark magic on her own subjects. Still I don't -- there has got to be another explanation."

"Please hurry, we must finish this story." Zecora said.

Twilight looked at herself. She extended a wing, looking at them then her friends.

"I believe you Applejack. Before I came to Ponyville, I was granted full access to the Canterlot library's contents. That book you described, I've seen it before. When I tried to ask Princess Celestia about it, she evaded my questions." Twilight said.

"She bribed ya with cookies." Apple Bloom snickered.

"They were good cookies." Twilight said.

"I meant it as a joke, Twilight." Apple Bloom said.

Twilight smirked then went back to her previous melancholic expression. Her eyes focused on Apple Bloom. "I 'Super Pinkie Pie Promise' that I will never take you away from Applejack. Zecora, the book doesn't mention much about dryads."

"The same goes for you that I told Applejack. I need to know more, so I know how to act." Zecora said.

"Yea, yea... we're fresh out of ideas. Zecora said there are rumors, but they are few and far between." Applejack said.

Zecora raised her hoof. Twilight ceased her spell. The zebra looked around before exiting the cellar with the group behind her. Zecora's front door opened.

"There you are, Zecora." A pony said. She smiled, "Remember me, Blue Rose? I need a potion for my floral arrangement."

"That's not all ya need." Apple Bloom said, waving her hoof in front of her.

"Bloom! Be nice. It ain't proper or nice to insult a mare's choice in perfume." Applejack said.

Twilight caught a glimpse of the mare from the corner of her eye before leaving the hut.

"Twi?" Applejack said. She followed her friend outside, and then nodded to her. A magical pair of glasses floated in front of her.

"Let me see," Apple Bloom said before silencing herself.

The trio made it out of the forest. Twilight faced Apple Bloom and Applejack, "Why didn't you trust me. Aren't we friends?"

"Listen, sugar cube. I trust ya with my life, the same as you trusted me in that there forest when we first met. This, this is a delicate family matter, and I didn't know how to go about dealin' with it." Applejack said.

A tear crawled down Twilight's cheek. She looked down to see Apple Bloom near her hooves. "Don't you trust me."

"Ah asked Applejack to not tell ya. You're like family, but ah know Princess Celestia is like family to you since she's your teacher and all. Ah'm just... ah'm scared." Apple Bloom said.

Twilight's ears lowered. She smiled at Apple Bloom, receiving a smile in return.

"Ok Bloom, what are we doin?" Applejack said.

"Twilight, do you have any books to look through?" Apple Bloom said.

"I'll do some research. I lost a good amount of my books with Tirek 'destroying' my home, but I have some new ones that might help out." Twilight said. After a nod, her horn illuminated, she vanished in a flash of purple light.

Applejack eyed Apple Bloom, placing the filly on her back. "By-the-by, you're grounded for skippin' school. As for Ms. Cheerilee, we'll tell her that we were getting some information from Zecora about a relative, and it'll be left at that."