• Published 26th Oct 2019
  • 1,168 Views, 9 Comments

Imagine Wonders of Dawn - Tangerine Blast



Mini sequal to Spark Visions of Twilight. A in the Nightmare Moon timeline from season 5

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Cutie Mark {Error}

Apple Bloom was glad the sun was back.

This wasn’t a very interesting or unique point of view. She was pretty sure every sane creature in the world was glad about that and probably most of the insane ones too. It was hard not to miss the warm beams, like a cozy blanket, on your fur. Or the undisturbed hours of steady light that seemed to banish shadows both literal and figurative.

She felt so much safer recently. Though that had more to do with Nightmare Moon leaving than the sun returning. She didn’t have to fear one of the Queen’s goons attacking her if she did something wrong or potentially killing her family if they discovered the resistance.

The resistance was technically disbanded, anyway. There was no need for one when the ponies that had formed it now practically controlled the government.

They had won. And Apple Bloom couldn’t be happier.

But there was something the little pony was missing.

Sitting on a bench in the Everfree Castle, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but glance at her blank yellow flank.

The universe had shifted, she could feel that. There had been a general sense of unease for years that had finally settled. It was like a puzzle piece had clicked into place after being skewed and lost.

She could see the difference in her sister the most. As soon as Applejack had gone with her friends to bring the sun back she had been more… complete than she had in years. Happier, brighter, and more confident in herself. It was like she had finally found her destiny.

But, even with the return of the sun, Apple Bloom hadn’t found hers.

She was much too old to be a blank flank. She didn't know of a single other pony her age that still didn't have their cutie mark. All of her classmates and relatives had long since found their destinies. This fact hadn’t bothered her until now. No one gave her grief about something so inconsequential--not with the task of just staying alive taking everyone’s attention--and she didn't have much free time of her own to worry about such things.

But she still felt incomplete. It was like her destiny was at the edge of her vision and if she could just turn her head she’d be able to find it and become complete.

The only problem was she had no idea how to do that.

The door to her right opened and her sister walked into the hallway. She looked... perturbed, but it was a much lighter perturbed than Eternal-Night-Applejack would have been. Rainbow Dash and Rarity also followed her out but simply said a quick goodbye before heading off in the other direction.

Apple Bloom hopped off the bench as her sister approached and gazed up at her expectantly. “How’d it go?”

Applejack’s face flipped to a fond smile as she ruffled Apple Bloom’s mane. “Fine, things are goin’ well. They’re just… frustrating.” The two sisters set off down the hall as Applejack talked and Apple Bloom listened. “It’d be a lot easier ta settle this leadership issue if Cadence would just come down and take the throne. But she’s convinced Nightmare Moon’s just bidin’ her time ‘till she comes out of hidin’ to destroy us all.”

“What do you think?” Apple Bloom asked, letting her shoulder brush against Applejack’s in an attempt to comfort.

Applejack grumbled and subconsciously adjusted her hat. “Ah think Luna got pulled inta somethin’ bigger than she could handle and deeply regrets the consequences of her actions. Don’t mean ah have ta like her but ah ain’t afraid of her.”

“You and your friends can just hit her with those elements if she does go bad again, right?”

Applejack glanced down at the jewel necklace nestled against her chest. She didn’t wear it all the time, of course, but people seemed to feel better seeing her and her friends with the tools that had stopped Nightmare Moon and freed Celestia. She chuckled and shook her head. “Yeah, ah suppose we could. See? Nothin’ ta worry about.”

The conversation faded shortly afterward. But, though Apple Bloom would have been just fine walking in silence, her sister seemed uncomfortable with it.

Applejack cleared her throat. “Ah’m sorry ya had ta wait for me again, AB. It probably ain’t much fun wonderin’ around an old castle when ya could be with your friends in Ponyville.”

Apple Bloom shrugged. “I don’t mind. I like supportin’ ya. Plus, I think I need ta be here.”

Applejack pulled her into a sudden hug that Apple Bloom wasn’t entirely sure was warranted. “Ah, sis, always lookin’ out for ya big sister. Yer right, ah suppose, ah do need someone in ma corner here.”

That wasn’t what Apple Bloom meant at all. “What about all yer new friends?”

Applejack hesitated and disengaged the hug. “...they’re alright. Ah do like ‘em enough and all but we don’t know each other too well yet. Seems every time we meet is ta talk about politics.” She sighed and bowed her head. “Feels like we’re more coworkers than friend ta be honest.”

“You should spend more time with them, then,” Apple Bloom suggested, pointing to the Element around her sister’s neck. “Don’t those things only work with friendship?”

“Truth be told ah don’t really know what they work with…” Applejack admitted, fiddling with the necklace, “but ah suppose yer point still stands. Ah should reach out ta them more.” She shook her head and snorted. “Ah hate ta admit it, but Harmony knows ah need more friends.”

“It’s the right time for it,” Apple Bloom supplied.

Applejack smiled again. “When did ya get so smart, little sis?” She glanced over her shoulder and chewed on her lip in thought. “Hey, if ah went off ta find them would you be alright on yer own? Ah know you’ve been waiting so long already…”

Apple Bloom shook her head and patted her sister’s leg reassuringly. “I’ll be fine Applejack. I wanted to explore a bit by myself anyway.” Applejack hesitated for a moment but Apple Bloom directed her gaze slightly higher than was necessary and moved her bottom lip out just a tad.

“...well, alright,” Her sister relented to her incredible puppy-dog eyes, “but don’t go anywhere that it seems like ya shouldn’t and if ya get into any trouble come find me or Big Mac right away, ya hear?”

“Alright,” Apple Bloom agreed, though she doubted she would need the assistance. The two sisters embraced again and then, with one last look over her shoulder, Applejack turned around and headed back the way they had come.

Apple Bloom watched her go until Applejack rounded a corner and turned out of sight. With her sister gone, Apple Bloom turned back and headed down the hallway in the other direction.

She didn’t actually know where she was going. Not that she was lost in the winding hallways--she had been there long enough by this point to have a vague idea of how to get around. If she wanted to go find her brother, or get something to eat, she knew exactly which turns to take to do so.

No, she knew where she was, she just didn’t have any particular destination in mind. She had found that simply going with the flow of life was the best way to end up where you were supposed to be.

She didn’t know how long she wandered the twisting halls. Ponies passed her on occasion but none took more notice than to say a quick hello or be dismissed when asked if she was lost.

Eventually, her meandering was interrupted by a very peculiar noise just at the edge of her hearing.

She glanced around and realized she had stumbled into some back area, where only those with business to attend would transverse. There was no one there now, but she could distinctly hear a rustling sound coming from one of the opened doors.

Cautiously, she nudged the door open a crack wider and peered in. It was a storage room in the back of the dining area that Apple Bloom knew Pinkie Pie liked to work in. Dry food lined the walls in bulk and sacks of grain piled in the corners. In the middle of the room, a small orange Pegasus was rifling through some of the lower placed bags. She was eagerly shoving bread and cookies into the pockets of a faux-leather jacket she wore.

“What’re ya doin’?”

The Pegasus filly jumped at the unexpected question and whirled around, dropping into a defensive stance. Her eyes, wide and panicked, locked onto Apple Bloom’s and in that moment the farm filly knew. Knew, without a shadow of doubt that this scruffy, orange and purple filly was a part of her destiny.

The purple eyes quickly narrowed as they took Apple Bloom in. While the fear was still there it was obviously depleted from encountering another foal. Still, she was eyeing the door as if the only reason she hadn’t bolted was for the fact Apple Bloom was blocking the exit.

“Who are you?” The Pegasus snapped, suspicion radiating off her in waves.

“I’m Apple Bloom,” Apple Bloom answered plainly, moving further into the room and closing the door behind her. “Who are you?”

The filly raised her snout in defiance but didn’t take her eyes off the farm filly. “None of your business. What are you doing back here? Spying?”

Apple Bloom shrugged. “Just wanderin’.” She cocked her head to the side and eyed the Pegasus up and down. “What about you?”

“Uh, I’m…” The Pegasus stuttered, clearly caught off guard. She glanced around--as if the storage room full of food would give her an excuse to why she was discreetly shoving apples into her pockets.

“You know you don’t need ta steal,” Apple Bloom continued, growing tired of the other filly’s floundering. They both knew what was happening anyway, might as well just say it. “The food’s available to everyone who works in the castle.”

The Pegasus snorted. “Well, guess what, genius. I don’t work anywhere.”

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “I’m sure Pinkie won’t check yer ID if you asked her for a snack.”

The filly’s frown deepened into a scowl. “Yeah, like I’m going to trust an adult. They’ll just rat me out to whoever the next Nightmare Moon is the second they see me.”

Now Apple Bloom was curious. Where had this pony, that was obviously so intertwined with her destiny, been all these years? “You were also stealing from Nightmare Moon?”

Pride was not the reaction she had expected from that question. “Yep! Only got caught a few times, too. But they could never keep me away from long.” A devilish grin spread across her face. “That overgrown Unicorn thinks she can control the world. But she can’t control Scootaloo!”

“It’s nice ta meet ya, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom greeted politely now that the other filly had finally given her name.

Scootaloo smacked her forehead as she realized her blunder. “Uhg, why are you in this castle anyway? I didn’t think kids were even allowed here.”

“I’m one of them ‘Element Bearers’ little sister,” Apple Bloom answered, testing the title the newspapers had given her sister and her friends. She couldn’t decide if it was too pretentious sounding or not enough.

Scootaloo scratched idly at her ear, raising a brow at Apple Bloom. “Who?”

“The group of mares that took down Nightmare Moon.” Apple Bloom cocked her head again. “I thought everpony had heard about them by now?”

“Eh,” Scootaloo shrugged, “I don’t really pay attention to politics. As far as I’m concerned the grown-ups can do whatever they want. Long as they don’t bother me.”

Apple Bloom cocked her head to the other side. She tried to fathom how the sun being gone or not wasn’t a bother to the other filly. “You’re weird,” she eventually concluded.

“Thanks,” Scootaloo snarked, turning back to the shelves of food, “now if you’re not going to tattle on me than I’m going to get back to my day.”

Then the Pegasus seemed content to ignore Apple Bloom as the Earth Pony watched her hunt for food.

Scootaloo continued raiding the lower shelves before an unopened bag of marshmallows a few feet up caught her eye.

Apple Bloom watched curiously as Scootaloo reared up onto her hind legs and stretched for all her worth, her front hooves pawing feebly towards the just-out-of-reach bag. Scootaloo’s wings buzzed in desperation as she strained for the gooey treat.

“Can ya not fly?”

“Gah!” Scootaloo yelped, jumping in surprise and knocking her head on the shelf above her. She fell onto her backside as foodstuff rained down on her, including the marshmallows. The fluffy goodness bounced off her messy purple mane and landed right in Apple Bloom’s hooves. Scootaloo rubbed her head and glared daggers at the other filly. “Why don’t you mind your own business, huh?”

“Sorry.” Apple Bloom offered the marshmallows out for Scootaloo to take. “Sensitive subject?”

Scootaloo snatched the treats from Apple Bloom’s hoof and shoved them into her pockets. Then, without saying a word, she brushed herself off and stomped out of the storage closet.

Apple Bloom momentarily glanced back at the mess they had made before following the other filly out the door.

They walked down the empty hallway in silence for a few moments before Scootaloo glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes with her tagalong. “Uhg, why are you following me? What do you want?”

“Do you want to be friends?” Apple Bloom asked, keeping a respectful distance away.

Scootaloo stopped and Apple Bloom did as well. The two children stared at each other, both expressions relatively blank.

Finally, Scootaloo turned back around and resumed walking away. “No.”

Apple Bloom actually frowned at that. “No?” She trotted a little faster so she was walking only a step behind Scootaloo. “What do ya mean, no?”

“Exactly what I said.” Scootaloo didn’t even glance over at Apple Bloom. “I don’t have any friends and I don’t want them. I don’t need anyone but myself.”

Apple Bloom tilted her head. “But why? Having friends and family ta support ya and look after ya is how ya live.”

Scootaloo snorted. “I find I survive much easier by myself.”

“Ah said live,” Apple Bloom pointed out, “not survive.”

Scootaloo stopped and looked at her oddly for a few long moments, as if taking her in for the first time. Then she shook her head and continued on her way. “You’re weird. And delusional. This was an experience but, no offense, I hope we never meet again.”

“Wait,” Apple Bloom called, but didn’t further pursue, “can’t ya feel that we’re meant to be friends?”

“Nope,” Scootaloo called over her shoulder.

Apple Bloom stared after her, a small frown on her face. “I’ll see ya again tomorrow.”

“No you won’t.” And that was the last thing said before the Pegasus filly disappeared around the corner.

Apple Bloom stood in the hallway for a few moments longer. Watching where her destiny had disappeared.

Author's Note:

Next Chapter Release Date: Dec. 9th