• Published 29th May 2018
  • 2,870 Views, 95 Comments

My Little White Lie - ForestTrails482



A wise mare once said, "Treat others as you would like to be treated." But what if that pony (or in Applejack and Apple Bloom's case, changeling) tried to do you harm?

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Chapter 3: What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her

“Are ya sure we shouldn’t tell Granny about the changeling?” Apple Bloom asked Big Mac.

“Eeyup.”

Big Mac and Applejack thought it was best to keep the changeling a secret from Granny Smith. She hated snakes, so seeing a changeling would have probably given her a heart attack. Currently she was sleeping in her chair out back, where she had been enjoying some sun and fresh air.

Big Mac and Apple Bloom were waiting for Applejack, who went to the library to see what Twilight would want to do with their captive. She had been gone for almost two hours now.

What’s taking you so long Sis? Did ya go all the way to Canterlot to bring back the royal guard or something?

Finally the front door opened.

“I’m back!”

“Finally! We’ve been waiting forever.”

“Sorry ‘bout that. Something came up.”

It must have been something big for her to have taken that long.

“What does Twilight want to do with 4-8-2?”

Both Applejack and Big Mac looked at Apple Bloom in confusion.

“What?”

“You know; the changeling.”

Applejack’s eyes shot wide open.

“Oh, pony feathers! I forgot to tell her.”

“What?! How could you forget? That was the whole reason why ya went to the library.”

“That’s cuz I never made it to the library.”

“What?”


Applejack had just finished telling her siblings the story of how the element bearers and she were summoned to Canterlot. They were currently on a mission to save the Crystal Empire from dark forces. The only reason she was here was so she could get some supplies and to let them know that she’d be gone for a little bit.

“How long are ya gonna be gone?” Big Mac asked.

“I don’t know. Two, maybe three days. Until then, can I count on ya to keep the changeling secured?”

Before he could answer, Apple Boom said:

“Know worries Applejack! Big Mac and I will take good care of 4-8-2 while you’re gone!”

“4-8-2?”

“4-8-2; that’s the changeling’s name.”

Applejack gave Apple Bloom a stern look.

“And how do ya know the changeling’s name?”

Apple Bloom giggled nervously.

“Well… I may have gone inside the barn to visit with him while you were gone. But… great news! I’ve discovered that changelings can feed off of our apples!”

This didn’t change her sister’s mood.

“And what if that thing fed off you instead?! Did ya stop to think about that?!”

“But Appleja-”

“That changeling is dangerous! Those monsters would have wiped out all of Equestria had Shining Armor and Princess Cadance not stopped them!”

“It’s not like I was in any danger! He’s tied up. He couldn’t do anything to me even if he wanted to.”

Applejack slapped herself in the face and sighed angrily.

“Look, I’ve got to go and get ready to leave. Big Mac will take care of the changeling until I get back. I don’t want you anywhere near that thing from here on out.”

"What?”

“And as for what you did, you’re grounded for the rest of the night.

“What?! But that's not fair! Nothing bad happened!”

“Apple Bloom! Go to your room! NOW!!!”

Giving an angry whinny, Apple Bloom stomped to her room.

I’m not a baby, Applejack. I can take care of myself.

Applejack didn’t like the idea of leaving after a fight with her sister, but she needed to go. She decided that she would make up for it when she got back.

“Big Mac, can I trust ya to keep a sharp eye on that changeling?”

“Eeyup.”

Beads of sweat started to fall down his face when he noticed that Applejack was giving him the angry-eyes.

“And I’d better not come back and find that ya let another pony near that changeling. Got it?

Big Mac gave a quick gulp.

“Eeyup.”


The next day in the CMC Clubhouse, Apple Bloom sat quietly with her friends as they tried to come up with ideas on how to earn their cutie marks.

“Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! I’ve got an idea!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“What is it?” Scootaloo asked in a deadpan tone.

She was getting tired of all these dead-end-ideas. And she didn’t think Sweetie Belle’s fifth idea was going to be any better than the last four.

“We could become: Cutie Mark Crusader Doctors!!!

“That’s a great idea!”

“Really?”

“Just one problem.”

“What?”

“If we weren’t good at fixing a broken table, what makes you think we’d be better at fixing sick ponies?” Scootaloo said with an annoyed expression.

Oh come on! At least I’m trying to come up with ideas! Where are your great ideas?”

“They’ll come when I think of good ones. I don’t just shout out every idea that pops into my head.”

“Hey!”

“What about you Apple Bloom? Any bright ideas?”

Apple Bloom didn’t hear her friend's question. She was too busy thinking about how upset she was with Applejack.

What’s next Applejack? Are ya gonna ground me after riding a unicycle just because I could have crashed? Scuba-diving was more dangerous than feeding a tied up changeling and ya didn’t ground me for that.

“Apple Bloom!”

“Huh, what?!”

“I said do you have any bright ideas? What’s up with you?”

“It’s nothing girls.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo knew that was a lie. Something was bothering her, and addressing that was more important than coming up with ideas to earn their cutie marks.

“It’s something alright, and it’s going to bug me all day unless you tell us.”

Apple Bloom remained silent. But two minutes of them staring at her, waiting for her to tell them what was going on, finally got to her.

“Fine! I’m mad because Applejack grounded me yesterday for something I did that wasn’t even that dangerous!”

“What did you do?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Well I… I… "

Apple Bloom nearly forgot that she wasn’t supposed to tell anypony about the changeling.

“Come on Apple Bloom. You did what?” Scootaloo asked impatiently.

I guess it won’t hurt nopony. They can keep a secret.

“I fed a changeling without asking Applejack for permission.”

“WHAT?!” shrieked her two friends, staring at her as if she had lobsters crawling out of her ears.

“Let me explain...”


“That’s AWESOME!” said Scootaloo.

“So yeah, we’ve got a changeling locked up in our barn, and Applejack grounded me yesterday because she says I could have gotten myself hurt.

“That does stink. Hmm... but this might make ya feel better. I’ve got an idea.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gave Scootaloo their full attention.

“We could become: Cutie Mark Crusader Zoologists!!!

“Ya lost me. What?”

“Think about it. Nopony knows a lot about changelings, other than they can change shape to look like other ponies and that they feed off of love. We could be the first ponies to learn everything there is to know about changelings. Imagine it, history books teaching future fillies that it was the Cutie Mark Crusaders that discovered the secrets of the changelings!”

“Just one problem, Scoots. Applejack told me that I can’t go anywhere near that changeling.”

“We could do it in secret, she’d never know.”

“But Big Mac has the barn doors locked up. He only unlocks it when he goes in to feed 4-8-2.”

“Don’t worry about a thing. I happen to have lock picking skills.”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stared at Scootaloo with raised eyebrows.

“What? I tried to get a locksmith cutie mark before I met you guys. And to think I thought it was a waste of time.”

“This is a bad idea Scootaloo” said Sweetie Belle.

“What’s the matter? Too chicken to see a changeling up close?” Scootaloo teased.

“No!”

“You totally are!”

“AM NOT!!!”

Scootaloo than started to cluck while doing the chicken dance in front of Sweetie Belle, mockingly.

“Ok, I will!”

Oh mane. Rarity’s gonna kill me if she finds out. Darn you Scootaloo!

“So what do you say, Apple Bloom?” Scootaloo said, giving her a reassuring smile.

Apple Bloom knew that she shouldn’t, but she wanted to get back at Applejack for treating her like a foal. And once she was famous for discovering the secrets of the changelings, she could rub it in her sister’s face.

“Meet me outside the barn at two. Big Mac will be in town selling apples, so that will give us a couple hours before he returns.”