Apple Moon

by JPHyperX

2. Chapter: A Shelter in the Past

Chapter Theme

Like every afternoon Apple Bloom wandered through the trees. The golden apples on the branches shone like festive decorations. Her mother accompanied her and always gave a joyful smile. Happy and carefree she forgot the time.

They sat down by a tree. Apple Bloom consumed another golden moon apple while Pear Butter played her something on the guitar. The sun shone through the silver leaves and painted shady spots on the grey earth.

The little foal tried to remember the last time she had seen her mother. It had been a very long time. One day, both parents were suddenly gone, and everyone else was deeply sad.

She was about to bite into another apple. Then suddenly she saw a white figure scurrying through the trees. “Mom, did you see that?”

Pear Butter stopped playing. "What, my dear?"

“There!” She pointed between the tree trunks as she saw it again. She jumped up to chase it.

“Be careful,” Her mother shouted after her.

Apple Bloom ran far ahead to a glade where the figure stopped. It was a night-blue pony with a shiny mane and blue streaks. It turned around startled when she noticed the foal. She was about her age and an alicorn.

Apple Bloom gasped in wonderment, “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

The foal tilted her head as if she had asked a trick question. But then she smiled. “My name is Selene! What's yours?”

“I'm Apple Bloom, the farmer here,” she replied and walked towards the new pony to inspect it. “Are you a princess?”

The young alicorn suddenly looked at her brightly and shouted, “Wanna play?”

“I’d love to,” Apple Bloom replied, looking around. “I have to tell my mother that I'm here.”

Selene looked surprised. But then Pear Butter appeared behind the bushes. Apple Bloom turned around. “Mom, look, I found a playmate!”

Pear Butter beamed, “That's lovely!”

“Her name is Selene! Can we play?”

“Of course, my dear! But please come back in time for supper!” she called and walked back to the farm.

“I will!” she squealed in delight and turned back to Selene. But she was gone. Apple Bloom looked around in wonder, tilting her head back and forth.

She was about to call for her when the alicorn jumped up behind a bush and poked her on the nose. “Gotcha!”

Apple Bloom laughed and ran after her. The foals dashed through the plantation like lightning. They romped and jumped around under the branches. Apple Bloom had never felt so happy.

At some point they found the border of the plantation. Outside they found the wide emptiness and Apple Bloom suddenly remembered where she actually was. With a heavy heart she sat down and breathed deeply. The lunar landscape was without colors. The light was blindingly bright, but on the horizon she saw a dark stripe that seemed to spread out slowly. “What am I doing here?” Apple Bloom asked aloud.

Selene sat down next to her and asked, “Everything okay? You look a little pale.”

“I was banished here... without purpose,” Apple Bloom sadly explained.

“Oooh,” Selene gasped when she realized. “That's sad.”

“Have you been banished here too?” she asked Selene.

The alicorn curled her lips thoughtfully and replied finally muffled, "I have been here since I can think, searching for a meaning behind it all. What is my purpose?"

Apple Bloom looked at her flank and noticed that Selene didn't have a cutie mark yet. “Oh, I can help you with that!” she said enthusiastically.

Selene looked at her with both surprise and curiosity. “Really? How?”

Apple Bloom smiled proudly. "I can show you. What do you like to do most, which you're good at?"

“I love to play! Especially hide-and-seek!”

Apple Bloom giggled, which also made Selene smile. "Well, I don't know if playing is a special talent, but we can try it."

They walked back through the plantation, laughed and played a little more. Then she heard her mother calling. “Apple Bloom, time for dinner!”

The foal accelerated the steps. Eager to see, what might be there for dinner. Selene followed her a little hesitantly.

Pear Butter was standing next to the white barn waiting for them. At her side stood a big yellow stallion, which resembled Apple Bloom's coat and mane colour. Apple Bloom leapt overjoyed and cheered, “Daddy!”

Bright Mac welcomed his youngest daughter and lifted her onto her back. “Well, my little girl? How was your trip?” He put his hat on her head, which was a little too big for her.

Selene went to her parents. She wanted to say something, but closed her mouth right away. Apple Bloom jumped from Bright Mac and offered her hoof to the alicorn. “We would love it if you would join us for dinner tonight!”

Selene smiled tiredly and accepted the offer with thanks. They entered the barn together. Everything here was carved from smooth stone. Finely carved tables and benches stood at the corner. The table was set. A gilded candlestick stood in the middle, surrounded by biscuits made of moon apples. Moon apple pies, moon apple strudels and candied moon apples. Apple Bloom was already very hungry and sat down and offered her friend a seat. “Come sit with me. So we can eat together.”

Selene stepped forward to the foal insecure. She looked at the food on the table questioningly; then her gaze wandered back to Apple Bloom. “Uh, can I be honest with you?”

“Is something wrong?” asked Apple Bloom, and gradually Selene’s gaze made her nervous.

“The food is not real!” said the alicorn muffled.

Apple Bloom must have misheard it. “What are you talking about?” asked the filly and took a serving in her hoof. She bit it with relish, and it tasted wonderful.

“Look! Taffts wondpferfoll!” she smacked. But Selene already looked disgusted when she saw Apple Bloom eating.

“No, stop!” she gasped.

Apple Bloom wiped her mouth and looked at her anxiously one more time. Selene stared at her with big eyes, as if she had foreseen a great misfortune.

“Ask my parents, maybe they can offer you something else tasty!”

"NO!" yelled Selene. A shock wave burst out from her horn, hurling the food off the table. Moon apples fell to the ground and shattered. Apple Bloom squealed and held her hooves up to her face. The eyes of the little Alicorn foal glowed briefly.

Apple Bloom looked stunned at the mess, “Look what you did! What if my mother sees this?”

At that moment Pear Butter also came by and looked at the dining room in wonder. “What happened here?”

“Stop it!” Selene growled. Apple Bloom turned to her again and bowed her head. “None of this is real! You're just playing, but this game isn't funny anymore! This is just broken!”

“Mom! I'm sorry, I don't know what's got into her!” cried Apple Bloom to Pear Butter.

Selene looked up angrily. “Your parents aren’t real either! You’re here alone! You've always been alone! You're just imagining it!”

A short flash of lightning flared up and showed for a short time how everything really was. They stood in a rough, hollow cube. The moon apples flashed as gray balls. Apple Bloom squeezed their eyes together and everything returned to normal.

“No! That's not true! How can you say such a thing?” Apple Bloom huffed and jumped to her. “Take that back!”

Selene flared up in insult. “Why should I when I speak the truth?”

Small drops formed under Apple Bloom's eyes. “Then... Then you're just mean,” she sobbed. She ran out of the barn crying.

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

[PonyDragon]

“Is something wrong?” asked Apple Bloom, and gradually Selene’s gaze made her nervous.
“The food is not real!” said the alicorn muffled.

Things are about to break apart...