A Broken Bond

by Rated Ponystar

Chapter 4

A Broken Bond
Chapter 4

An MLP:FiM Fanfic by Rated PonyStar
Edited by Midnight Shadow and Kits

Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding FIM. That's Hub and Hasbro's thing.

***

“So I was thinkin’.”Apple Bloom said as she looked at both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, “Now that were friends. Ah mean, we are friends right?”

Scootaloo smiled at her as she shouted, “How could we not be? We’re totally alike. We don’t have cutie marks, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon drive us crazy…”

The three of them looked at the two fillies were glaring at them before they looked away, still annoyed that their party was upstaged by the ‘blank flank’.

“Totally crazy!” Sweetie Belle shouted which made all three of them laugh.

“Well now that were friends, what if the three of us work together and try to find out who we are and what were supposed to be?” Apple Bloom suggested.

The two of them looked hyped at the idea.

“We could form our own secret society!” Sweetie Belle suggested.

“I’m liking this idea.” Scootaloo agreed.

“Ah secret society, yeah. We need a name for it though…” Apple Bloom thought.

“The Cutie Mark Three?”

“The Cutietasticly Fantastics?”

“How about the Cutie Mark Crusaders!?”

The three of them looked at each other in agreement.

And thus their friendship was born.
***

“Apple Bloom!”

The sudden shout woke Apple Bloom from her day dream as she shot her head up. However, she went a little too fast and found her seat losing its stability before she ended up on the floor with the class laughing at her. Cheerliee walked up to her and asked if she was alright.

“Ah’m fine... ” Apple Bloom replied as she got up, feeling the bump on her head.

“This is the third day this week I’ve seen you fall asleep in class, Apple Bloom. Is everything alright?” Cheerliee asked with concern, but Apple Bloom told her not to worry despite yawning a second later.

“Listen, I think you should get some sleep tonight. It sounds like you’re not getting enough.”

“Ah know... Ah’m just busy.” Apple Bloom replied, her voice drowsy.

“Do I need to talk to your sister to see if she can lighten the work you do on the farm?” Cheerliee asked, but Apple Bloom quickly shook her head.

“No, ma’am! Ah, can tell her myself.”

Cheerilee looked a bit skeptical at first, but before she could say anything the bell rang and it was time for school to end. Apple Bloom took this opportunity to quickly leave with the other children before her teacher could call her out. By the time she made it to her locker she stopped and sighed in relief.

The truth was she hadn’t been getting enough sleep for the last four days. Ever since she started doing those jobs on the board she had been just as busy as if it was applebucking season. She took many different jobs such as cleaning Twilight’s library, wrapping candy for Bon-Bon, getting groceries for various restaurants and stores, delivering the Equestria Daily newspaper when a worker was sick, and many more. Not only did it help her get bits, but nopony even bothered to ask why she was doing them. Most just assumed she wanted to make some spending money or was looking to find her special talent.

Yet, despite all the good it came with, all of the hard work came at a price. Between the jobs, her school work, and her extra chores on the farm Apple Bloom was both sore and tired from all the hard work she had been doing. There were times when she would fall asleep in the middle of doing something, or feel a burning pain in her muscles that made it feel as if she was on fire. Most of the time, she only earned five to seven bits while occasionally getting more like ten for her hard work. She also couldn’t do jobs all day thanks to school and chores on the farm. But despite all the hardships; she was finally earning a good amount of money.

In less than four days, she managed to save over eighty bits and with the thirty she had saved in her bank, before the scooter incident, she had a total of a hundred and ten bits. She was halfway there to getting the money needed to fix not just the scooter, but also the friendship she had with Scootaloo.

Speaking of which, Scootaloo had been acting even stranger since she started doing her extra jobs. She had stopped giving Apple Bloom angry glares and instead just ignored everypony. Granted, she was doing that before, but when she did it before she’d looked angry. Now she looked like she was lost.

It was as if she was lost in the clouds and was numb to everything around her. Apple Bloom didn’t know what to make of it, but only assumed that Scootaloo was still upset. Needless to say, to Apple Bloom, it didn’t make a difference if Scootaloo was angry or depressed. The only thing that mattered was getting her friend to smile once more. Just as she was about to get her saddlebags and head out, Sweetie Belle walked over to her with a worried expression on her face.

“Apple Bloom. Are you doing okay?” she asked, her voice filled with worry.

“Oh yeah... just busy workin’ on the farm. Ya know how it is.” Apple Bloom lied with a fake chuckle.

It didn’t work on Sweetie Belle, who gave a glare that made Apple Bloom sweat, “Really? Then why is it that your no longer speak to me?”

“Ummmm... ”

“Or keep falling asleep in class?”

“Ah... ah... ..ah... ”

“Or the fact that I keep seeing you all over Ponyville doing things I've never seen you do. Like helping Fluttershy bring birds to the park, or help carry crates to different houses, or delivering sacks of hay to Ed’Donalds for their hay fries!”

Apple Bloom gulped as Sweetie Belle stomped her hoof on the ground and said, “And don’t tell me it’s nothing! You’re looking more tired and stressed out then my big sister did when she was making those dresses for the Gala awhile back. Tell me the truth!”

“Okay! Okay!” Apple Bloom shouted, giving in.

Sweetie Belle started to calm down and said, “I’m just worried, Apple Bloom. Scootaloo doesn’t talk to us anymore and now you’re starting to fade away from me... I’m just scared.”

Guilt started to eat Apple Bloom away as she mentally kicked herself for forgetting her other best friend, “Ah’m sorry, Sweetie Belle. Ah’ll tell ya the truth... ”

After explaining what she had been doing, Sweetie Belle just stared at her with both astonishment and concern.

“You’ve done nothing, but work for the past four days? Have you been eating? Or getting any sleep?” she asked, fearfully.

“Well, ah don’t get much sleep and ah do eat... sometimes... ” Apple Bloom shamefully admitted. Sometimes she had to skip breakfast and dinner in secret so she could do some extra work.

“Apple Bloom! You can’t keep doing this! I know you want to make up to Scootaloo and fix her scooter, but you can’t kill yourself in the process!” Sweetie Belle.

“But Ah’m so close!” Apple Bloom argued, “Ah have to do this Sweetie Belle! Ya said it yourself! Scootaloo doesn’t talk to us anymore and it’s all mah fault! Ah’m the one that ruined everythin’ and I have to fix it! Ah have to for the sake of all of us!”

Closing her locker, she turned away and said, “Ah’ve got to go. Please, don’t tell anypony about this Sweetie Belle! Please!”

Before she could protest she watched as Apple Bloom galloped away, leaving her alone in the hall.

***

Ever since her last conversation with Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo had never felt more conflicted in her life. The words of what Sweetie Belle said had started to make her wonder. Was she taking her anger on Apple Bloom too far?

On one hoof, Apple Bloom had destroyed her scooter and took it without permission. The scooter was the last present her father had given her and it was more valuable than anything she had. When she lost him, a hole entered her heart that reminded her every day of what she had lost. The scooter was the only thing that kept her somewhat happy and she had a good reason to hate Apple Bloom for destroying it.

Yet, was that reason enough to end their friendship?

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were her not only her best friends, they were the only friends she ever had. The three of them had a lot in common and they all wanted to find their special talent. That's why they became the Cutie Mark Crusaders. All of their adventures and attempts to find their cutie marks were the best times she ever had in her life. Most importantly, they made her happy. Something she didn’t feel much after her dad died.

They were more than just best friends. They were sisters. They did everything together, they shared everything together, and they told everything to each other. So why hadn’t Scootaloo told them about her scooter? Why didn’t she tell them about her dad? If she had told them the truth, would all of this been avoided? Did she decide not to tell them because she was afraid? Was it because she didn’t want to feel pitied? Was it because she didn't want to remember that day?

It was too late to change anything and what was done was done. Her scooter was gone and now the friendship she had with two ponies who gave her the best times of her life might be gone too. As she wandered around Ponyville, trying to reconcile her thoughts, Scootaloo wondered what she was should do. Should she forgive Apple Bloom? Both her mother and Sweetie Belle made it clear that Apple Bloom was sorry. A part of her wanted to believe this... but was it already too late?

For the last four days, Apple Bloom had done nothing, but ignored everypony, including her. She never said anything in class or even looked into the face of anypony. A few times they had crossed paths, both at school and in town, but Apple Bloom just walked by without even looking at her. It was like she didn’t even know she existed anymore.

Did Apple Bloom just give up on trying to be friends again, or was she angry at Scootaloo? Maybe she was angry that Scootaloo wasn’t trying to be the better pony and fix their problems? Or maybe she was angry that Scootaloo didn’t tell her the truth about the scooter and felt that there was no trust between them? It was a mess to think about and Scootaloo couldn’t help but be plagued by it.

Her thoughts were so preoccupied that the moment she turned around the corner of the street, she didn’t notice somepony walking the opposite direction. She managed to stop herself from colliding with them only to feel her body freeze upon seeing who she had almost hit into.

It was Apple Bloom, carrying saddlebags of streamers, who also looked surprised by their unexpected meeting. The two of them just stared into each other for a while, neither saying anything before they finally turned away.

“Hey.” Scootaloo said first.

“Hey.”

Scootaloo shifted some dirt around with her front left hoof before speaking again, “Umm, what are the streamers for?”

“Pinkie Pie asked me to pick some up for her. Some kind of party.” Apple Bloom replied.

“Well, duh. What else would Pinkie Pie need streamers for?” Scootaloo asked, rolling her eyes.

“Ah was just sayin’!” Apple Bloom cried out defensively.

“Whatever... just... watch where you're going next time.” Scootaloo said before walking past Apple Bloom who just looked away before setting off for Sugercube Corner. When she felt that Apple Bloom was no longer nearby, Scootaloo released a melancholy sigh and wondered why she spoke so cold to her when just seconds ago she was thinking of forgiving her?

“Maybe I just need to head home. Get some rest.”

***

“Here are the streamers, Pinkie Pie.” Apple Bloom said with a small smile as Pinkie took the streamers and smiled.

“Thanks a whole lot! I was hoping to get these streamers today, but then Mrs. Cake told me she needed me for the late afternoon shift! I wanted to get those streamers badly, like really badly! So badly I kept seeing streamers everywhere! It was like I was in a streamy streamed world of streamminess! But then I heard you were helping ponies with problems for some cash! So I quickly called for you, told you what to do, and here you come with them with seconds to lose! Or no seconds really since you weren’t being timed to begin with.” Pinkie Pie said in her usual cheerful tone.

“Uh, yeah so which party are these streamers for again?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Oh, there for all kinds! There’s Ziggy’s birthday party! Ditzy’s “Congratulations for not flying into a tree for three weeks” party! Lyra and Bon-Bon’s anniversary! And so much more and you’re welcome to come of course because I always invite everypony to all the parties I help make!” Pinkie said, bouncing around as she went over to a shelf. When she opened it, a large barrage of fireworks went off and shot everywhere around the kitchen.

Apple Bloom quickly ducked for cover underneath a chair as the fireworks went off showering the room with a huge display of colorful explosions. One firework managed to explode in a bowl of cookie dough and caused an enormous mess. After the last firework went off, Pinkie licked off all the cookie dough on her face and giggled, “My oopsy! I forgot that’s where I put the fireworks for the fourth!”

Getting out of her hiding spot, Apple Bloom quickly said, “Well, ah’m just glad ah can help. If ya don’t mind ah kinda like to get mah pay and get goin’.”

Pinkie nodded and took a few bits she had on the table, as well as a chocolate cupcake, and handed both to Apple Bloom who quickly took off for the job board, eating her cupcake along the way

A few minutes later, she soon arrived back at the job board in town and started looking for another job. She only had enough time to get one more job done before she had to go home for her chores on the farm.

“Babysitting...barrel... back up dancer for eleven bits...lost pet, please help find for...” Apple Bloom’s eyes widen, “Holy... applesause...”

One hundred bits.

Finding a lost pet for one hundred bits.

Apple Bloom mind went blank before she quickly tore off the paper and looked at it:

HELP! LOST KITTY!
Please help find our lost kitty Mimi!

She’s a grey cat with blue eyes and a very fluffy tail!

Last seen near the west edge of the Everfree Forest!

Will pay 100 bits if returned safely!

Apple Bloom felt excitement run through her. If she could find the lost pet and get those one hundred bits, she would have more than enough bits to pay Mr. Fix-it to fix the scooter!

However, something made her pause and that was the fact that she would be near the Everfree Forest. She felt a shiver in her spine upon thinking about that place. The only safe road she ever took in the Everfree Forest was when she went to see Zecora. Other than that, her previous experiences with it hadn’t been pretty. She would have to search near the west edge, the opposite side where Zecora lived. Was it honestly worth it?

Yes it was. To fix her mistake anything was worth it, even going near the Everfree Forest.

Taking the paper with her, Apple Bloom darted in the direction of the Everfree forest as fast as she could.

How hard could it be to find one cat anyway?

***

Apparently it was exceptionally hard.

She had spent over two hours already and not one sign of the stupid cat. Apple Bloom was getting worried. The sun was going to set soon and she was supposed to be home by now. Every bush, tree, and grove she looked in had no sign of the cat.

“That cat has to be here somewhere... it’s just gotta!” Apple Bloom looked between some bushes before sighing in disappointment. She’d looked everywhere around the area, twice, and still no sign of the cat! The only place to look was...

Apple Bloom gulped as she looked behind her where the Everfree Forest stood only a few feet away. It was possible that the cat could have entered the forest, but should she enter it? All she had to do was just look a bit for the cat and come back with it or without it... but what if she got lost? It was a vast forest and it was so confusing you might as well have been in a maze. Not to mention how full it was of terrible creatures such as manticores, cockatrices, dragons and more.

Was it really worth it the risk to find this cat and get the one hundred bits that would help her fix her mistake? Was it actually worth her life to try and make Scootaloo smile once more? Apple Bloom closed her eyes and thought long and hard about what she should do.

Finally, she opened them, and with a look of fierce determination she strolled forward into the forest.

Comments

[Comma-Kazie]

"Lost Cat Near the Everfree Forest"...ooooooh dear.

[turtlegirl98]

[ShipIsLove ShipIsLife]

Its... Its twelve o clock.... just one more.... chapter...

[Misty Horse]

No ApplebloomTotally worth it, but no! She'd better be coming out just fine or somebody's gonna get it!

[Fluttershyisacutegal]

oh no no no, don’t get lost applebloom