Thanks to the suggestion from Nevitt, Blossom was released from the hospital the following morning. She was picked up by Apple Bloom and Applejack and the three of them silently walked back to the farm. When they walked inside the house, Blossom silently walked past Apple Seed and Big Mac and trotted up the stairs to her room. She closed and locked the door behind her and plopped onto her bed. "I am not gonna have any nightmares tonight, okay? If you wanna talk to me, aunt Rarity, you can do that but we are not going to go down into your basement, do you hear me?"
Blossom pulled the covers over her and was out like a light the second she hit the pillow.
* * * *
When she woke up she felt refreshed like she hadn't been in weeks. She tried to recall what she had dreamed about, and all she could remember was that a giant room where the floor was littered with gigantic fluffy pillows and blankets and the walls were made up of massive bookshelves. The fourth wall was a gigantic movie screen, playing a popular film that Blossom had seen last month. It was an undeniably finer way to dream than what she had experienced the past two or so weeks. She woke up and went downstairs with a smile on her lips and a spring in her step.
She walked into the kitchen and saw the four Apples eating at the table. "Hello, family!" she chirped.
The four ponies all turned to her and smiled when they saw how chipper she appeared. "Well look who's finally awake," Apple Seed teased. "One woulda thought that ya hadn't ever slept before!"
Blossom chuckled and sat down next to her sister. She levitated a plate next to her and scooped apple cobbler onto it. "So how long have I been out?"
"Pretty much since ya came home yesterday mornin'," Applejack replied. "It's lunchtime Saturday now."
Blossom let out an impressed whistle. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised given how many restless nights I've had since... that, but I don't feel too worried about any of that anymore!"
"Why is that, Apple Blossom?" asked Apple Seed.
Blossom gave a wide smile that almost threatened to split her face in two. "Because when I was at the hospital again, a new psychologist came to talk to me and she told the princesses that the best thing for me is for them to just leave me the heck alone. So, they're not gonna be around anymore and neither is Dr. Mind. From now on if I need help I'm going to go to my family instead of some Celestia-appointed shrink."
The four Apples voiced their approval and Apple Seed clapped Blossom on the back. "They shoulda just let ya do that in the first place!"
Blossom vigorously nodded. "Definitely." She leaned back in her chair. "I think things are going to get much better from now on."
* * * *
The next morning saw Blossom packing her saddlebag for Baltimare. She had a large grin on her face as she had been looking forward to spending some quality time with her father and sister and to her surprise she was even warming up slightly to her step-mother and she hoped that it was mutual.
As she closed her saddlebag, she heard the door open behind her. "Apple Blossom?"
Blossom turned around and saw Apple Seed standing in the doorway. Blossom smiled at her and beckoned her into the room. "What's up?"
Apple Seed trotted over to Blossom and nuzzled her on the shoulder. "Ah just wanted to talk to you is all," she said quietly.
Blossom frowned. She had rarely seen the youngest Apple so subdued and downtrodden. "Is something wrong?" she asked, directing her sister to the bed. "You seem down."
Apple Seed sighed and leaned her head in on Blossom's shoulder. "Ah'm just..." She sighed. "Ah'm just worried 'bout you is all, with you goin' to see yer pa and everythin'." Apple Seed's ears flattened and she turned her gaze to the floor. "Ah know Ah'm foolish to worry, but Ah'm just worried that y'all are gonna jest forget 'bout us, now that ya know who yer real pa is."
Blossom chuckled and wrapped her forelegs around Apple Seed's shoulders. "I would never," she reassured her. "I would never in all of my days forget about you. You and Aunt Applejack and Aunt Apple Bloom and Uncle Mac are my family and don't think I'll just forget that because I know who my dad is."
Apple Seed managed a small smile. "Ah'm really happy fer you 'bout that. Ah don't know if Ah ever told ya that Ah felt that way. You know mah pa died not long after Ah was born so ta see you have a pa that loves you..." Apple Seed's smile widened. "Ah don't know anypony else who deserves one more than you do."
Blossom nuzzled the top of Apple Seed's head. "Thanks, Apple Seed. But just remember that even though I have a dad and another sister, you were my sister before she was. I could never replace you with her. Aunt Applejack always used to say that I have a big heart. Well that just means there's room for all of you in there." Blossom smirked. "As sappy as that sounds."
"Ah know Ah'm bein' silly, worryin' that you won't come 'round no more because you got yer own family in Baltimare," Apple Seed mumbled, "but ya haven't been back from the hospital more than a day and already yer headin' off again."
"Apple Seed, I'm heading out because my dad and I planned a father-daughters outing together. I'm just going to be gone for three weeks and then it's back to Ponyville. My house is here, you know."
"Ah know that Ah'm bein' silly, Apple Blossom, but with everythin' that's been happenin' with Diamond Tiara and all that, Ah'm scared of losin' you."
Blossom tightened her hug and leaned her head on top of Apple Seed's. "I'm not going anywhere, Apple Seed."
Oh god. Why?!
I'm glad that Blossom had this nice moment of grace. She deserves it.
Well, this was an... interesting chapter: short, but sweet. Though I can't honestly help feeling this is the calm before ANOTHER storm to come. When I read the chapter title or what have you, thought it was summary about the chapter content, even if been waiting days for this and hoped we would get a little more than THIS, mind ya. //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/sillyfilly_Sweetie_Belle.png
Anyway, not sure why all of a sudden, Blossom had NICE dreams, though hafta assume like she said at some point that Nevitt/someone told her why she was being released all of a sudden, since doubt she would've listened to the Princesses' (or Working Mind's) words after they've complicated things too much already. And seemingly implied fourth wall ref (that was later disproven) was weird, seemed a bit out of place, as did Apple Seed's actions, even if she was more or less like that before Blossom went to search for her dad. I thought at first, she was someone like one of the others in disguise (like Blossom with her spell, but with the actual disguise removal of wings/horn), but I suppose until further notice will assume I am wrong about it.
tl;dr: I liked it I guess, but honestly, it seemed out of place and dissatisfying, not really reassuring with leaving a lot of questions unanswered even if it was intended to, I imagine; if it's still a ways away from being complete (the story/series). As to how Blossom could suddenly put her past behind her that quickly, even if it CAN happen for the person/pony themselves with a bad rep, but not by others who distrust them still. The only true thing it answered was about Apple Seed's dad with wondering if AB didn't get knocked up out of wedlock like SB did (with the Apple family's values being mentioned in previous story to that subect), even if that was minor, really (not to mention being the bare minimum in length roughly). Anyway, still have faith in you and looking forward to next chapter with length even if still a bit cautious as know with the problems and history, likely not just gonna go to happy ending from here.
2414706 Fourth wall ref?
Apple Seed is worried, and even she knows it's a little foolish, because last time Blossom went out to see her dad she almost didn't come back.
I know it was a short chapter and I'm sorry for that, but the next one is going to cover quite a bit and really shape what the end of the series is going to look like.
2414717
Well, here it seems kind of like a reference to fourth wall where reality is broken, like many people (I suppose myself included to an extent, even if read things differently on MLP FIM wiki site about the show) believe Pinkie Pie can do. Even if dreams don't have to make sense (mine in particular have been all kinds of weird over the years, dunno why, even when I was younger), but still, at least to me it seemed like at first was kind of a fourth wall reference... even if I later saw that it wasn't as much, so maybe I should edit it out. My apologies, kinda.
And yes, I probably know about Apple Seed's worry, even if it was Blossom's (or the writer who made her act that way ) decision to go back to Ponyville in hasty decision to get away from hurtful Lilly (instead of finding another place in Baltimare) and inside Carousel Boutique in first place. //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Soarin_dayum.png
And oh, cool! Well, now to see how things transpire, even if trust ya and such still, but this chapter didn't really sit well with me and made me wonder/worry once more.
2414751 Yeah I'm talking about the literal fourth wall in the room, not the one that Pinkie sees.
I wonder what's about to go wrong next?
More, more, more!!!
2414639
I feel like that line's been used way too much in this story. Every time they think things are gonna be ok, something even worse than the thing they jut recovered from happens.
That aside, I feel the need to say this to the author:
Bravo good sir on an excellent story series. I've been reading these for only a couple of weeks and it's officially taken my fave story slot. Keep up the excellent work.
2414639
Yeah, this phrase screams "TRAGEDY". It's one of the oldest rules in the book: "Say something, get opposite". It's alongside the also well-known "everything's fine", "nothing can go wrong", "i am invincible" and some other phrases that spells doom upon the one who says them or think them.
So, we will se how the ending will look like in the next chapter? That's cool, and i am as eager to scared to know it.
And everything is perfectly fine. . .
Can't wait for the next chapter to see what happens. I'm guessing it involves lots and lots of murder.
And that dream sounds courtesy of Luna. I was hoping she'd get another one of those fun moments with Aunt Rarity. I'm waiting for the moment that she finds herself on the table in the dream, or Sweetie, or Apple Seed. Just something real disturbing so that Blossom stabs Aunt Rarity. Then Rarity is like "My work here is complete, you monster!"
"You seem down."
And, "Ah'm just worried that y'all are gonna jest forget 'bout us"
Short chapter, this makes me sad. But next chapter will be about 5K+ words? I am happy again!
Blossom, I have a really, really bad feeling about this. Just like the Titanic, "Not even God could sink this ship"
> Ship sinks
Just be careful xP
WHY WOULD YOU TEMPT FATE LIKE THAT BLOSSOM?!
Just a minute, I'll find an appropriate response picture...
i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh235/Valikdu/happy2png.jpg:original
There.
241471 Waitaminute... This next chapter will shape what the end of the series will be like? Does that imply a fourth installment? Perhaps?
So...Therapists are useless?
......yay happy times :D!!!! IS IT GONNA GET WORSE?!?????!???
"And it's where things get really, really, really interesting."
Translation; things will go very very wrong for Blossom, and at least one pony will end up dead
Well, interesting is one way to put it. I do hope its 'curious' interesting instead of 'sh*t hit the fan' interesting...
Well, this could out to be really good; or horrifically bad.
2416500 I agree lets just pray for good.
And it's where things get really, really, really interesting?
Not sure wether to be happy or worried.
Well........I can tell that the shit's about to hit the windmill.
I was rather disappointed in the wait for this chapter, and I thought I'd be let down more by how short it was, but with your promises, I'll keep patient for now.
At the end of every chapter I'm just thinking to myself "This is a good way to end...please, oh please don't let anything bad happen to Blossom!"
...This is my way of knowing if a work is really good or not - if I can actually feel for the characters on a very emotional level. I'm taking the journey right there with them - the way they feel is the same way I feel. You probably get this a lot, but you do a really good job of this. And I appreciate that. Small problems/details aside, the overall emotional roller-coaster is refreshing and enlightening. Can't wait for the next chapters!
Finally Blossom gets to feel happy, for however long it lasts. Can't wait to see what happens next though. With this fic, it could be anything!
>"really, really, really interesting"
>nightmares about a murderer
>Elm street
images.wikia.com/walkingdead/images/4/42/I-See-What-You-Did-There..png
I think I already know next chapter's name
Four ways this could end.
Blossom cracks and gets found out, then executed
Blossom cracks but doesn't get caught, at least long enough to have a filly of her own.
Blossom doesn't crack but someone kills her.
Somepony else commits murder, then frames Blossom.
2421109
You have a very limited imagination, my friend
2421123I didn't say that they were the only ways I think it could end. I simply think that these are the easiest to write in a single sentence.
2421109 You missed a few:
Blossom becomes Rarity
Rarity is revived by a cult and kills the princesses
EVERYPONY DIES
Everypony lives happily ever after
Blossom is actually dreaming this whole story
Blossom is a man
Celestia framed Rarity and Blossom and she wrote this story to throw us off
Luna is mind controlling Blossom
Nopony actually died, they were all acting for a group surprise party for Sweetie Belle that was adjusted for Blossom after her birth
And many MANY MANY more possibilities
2421123 Is my imagination less limited?
2417296 Too good for hitting the fan?
I loved this chapter so many feels but most were happy feels
*blinks*
I think I just read this chapter in less than a minute.
2633737*blinks*
I blinked after reading this comment
Look out Lilly...
2633737 *blinks* me too....wow
Fooorshaaaadooowing.....
just like this entire story is a foreshadowing of how life is tragic and you shouldn't expect much other than everybody and their mother wanting to murder you
Yes, finally info about the status of Appleseed's father!
4543359 it's what I've been saying. The little bombs are beginning to drop.
I know this is out of the blue but why doesn't somepony fill in 'the killing basement' with dirt or something similar and then replace the door to said basement with concrete? With no basement it would be much harder to conveniently murder ponies. Or is my suggestion to simple?
Tht can never happen when there are 9 chapters left
2414639 GODAMNIT!!! Seriously? You'd think that at least one character would know not to tempt fate by now. But NOOOOO, this happened. Yep. No more commenting. This story is going to shit, so I may as well just sit back and enjoy the ride.
2415087 Just like FlashLight!
>princesses decide hands off approach
>Blossom goes home from hospital "Finally I can kick it and heal with my family!"
>Leaves in less than a day for a three week trip with her less significant family including the mare who is always about to die in her dreams
Now this is a good idea.
Random and relevant thought: The Apple's believe that, on some moral level, it's wrong to have sex or a foal out of wedlock. So why have we never once seen even the briefest mention of Apple Blooms husband? She has a daughter, so it seems very brushed over to not include a mate. At the very least, you coulda killed him off screen, so to speak, and that would have been far better than this, which seems like you either forgot it entirely, and just made it up on the fly to add in additional drama to Sweetie Belle's pregnancy, or you were simply hoping no one noticed.
This is still one of my favorite stories regardless, but that point is a bit of a let down
9894056
Erm... It is brought up in a later chapter.