> The Green Apple > by EncoreTheBatpony > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > A curious voice > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was mid-afternoon in sweet apple acres. The groves of apples trees gently moved in the breeze and the various types of apples shined brightly in the sun. It was a beautiful day, Applejack had gone off to town to return some farm books to Twilight, Big Mac was feeding the pigs, and ol granny smith was asleep in her rocker. In fact the only member of the family that was out in the fields was the youngest of the clan, Applebloom herself. "Alright ya can do this." The little fill told herself "You've seen Mac and Applejack do this a hundred million times afore." Today was the day, she told herself. This was the day she was finally going to get a cutie-mark on her flank. And she was going to make sure that it was an apple themed one just like the rest of her family. She intended to get it in...apple bucking. Heck, if the rest of the family could knock an entire tree empty in one kick then genetically speaking she should be able to do the same. "Alright, time to get this ere thang done." She said with confidence. Applebloom positioned herself in front of the tree, gazing up at it with admiration and determination. Smiling proudly at the idea of knocking down all of those pretty green apples and her cutie mark appearing filled her with all kinds of giddieness. Then then turned around, planted her front hooves firmly on the ground then gritting her teeth and gathering all the strength she could in her back legs she gave the most powerful kick she could and shouted "YEE-HAAA" as she stuck the tree. Not a single apple feel from the ground, barely a leaf quivered. "AHHH COME ON!" She cried as she tried again and again but nothing happened. And with each failure her confidence dwindled more and more As this was happening, a small object rested against a tree nearby. This object was a small wood pony faced shaped mask. She gave one last pitiful try and once again it was met with no success and her hooves were starting to hurt. She finally stopped and her ears lowered as did her head as she collapsed onto the ground with a loud huff followed by a sigh. "Aww who am I foolin? I'm no apple bucker. The mask watched as this was happening and felt pitty for the yellow filly. It decided to talk to her. "Um...excuse me?" She lifts up her head slowly? "Huh?" Looks around, wondering if that had been Big Mac or maybe Applejack coming back from town. When she did not see anypony she just rested her head back down on the ground, thinking it had been her imagination. "Pardon me, but I'm over here little filly" This time Apple Bloom does get up and starts walking over, “Sweetie-Belle? Scootaloo? Is that you?” "No I'm..." Gets inturrped by a bell off in the distance and Big Mac yells out "Applebloom supper time!" "Coming" She shouted back, giving one last look in the direction the voice had been coming from and then heads off back to the house for dinner, though in her mind she was wondering who had been talking to her. Sighs as it watches her trot away back to the farm house and Celestia's sun begins to set. Dinner had been uneventful, Applebloom had simply picked at her food with a few bites every now and again. Her elder sister had notied this and asked if everything was okay? Rather then tell her of yet another failed attempted to get a cutie-mark she had simply said that it was a stomachache and excused herself from the table for bed. She trotted up the stairs and went to her room and laid down on her bed staring at the rising moon and thought solemnly 'just give me on chance...give me a chance to get ma cutie-mark please.'. She then drifted off into a quiet sleep having almost forgotten about the voice in the groves. It did not come back to her until the very edge of the sun had begun to creep back into the morn. The moon still hung proudly in the sky when Applebloom had sat up in her bed and yawned, initially she had trotted out of her room to go get a drink of water when suddenly the memory of the voice returned to her mind. Curiosity got the better of her and she silently crept down the stairs which occasionally creaked at which point she glanced up at her families rooms to make sure they did not hear her. Once she had gotten outside she silently went back through the groves to the the spot she had been in yesterday. The mask was asleep in the spot it was in early, not noticing the young filly coming its way Applebloom looked around, squinting her eyes in the twilight of the dawn. "Hello? Anyone here." She called Hear the voice and mummers in sleep "Huh..?" "Is someone out here?" She asked, she then heard some howling in the distant and eeped at the thought of tymber wolves. Is woken up by the filly's squeal. "Huh? Who is there?" She is now looking around intently, "Alright now, who is out here?" She called, trying to sound tough. "Ma sister has a big ol dog. If yer out here trying to snatch our apples he's gonna take a big ol bite out of ya." It sees that is the young filly. "Oh I'm not here for apples, young one" Continue to look around and walk towards the sound of the voice "Then what in tarnation at you here fer? And where in Celestia are ya?" "I'm right over here." It said trying to direct her toward it Is getting slightly frustrated by this? “Where is here?” She is betting that is some kind of joke that Pinkie Pie or maybe Rainbow dash had planned for her big sister. She continues to walk towards the direction of the mask but cannot even notice it. “APPLEBLOOM!!!!!" Yelled a worried Applejack galloping through the orchard looking for her younger sibling Once again eeps at the sound Applejacks's voice and looks in the direction from which it is coming. "I'm over here" She yelled back. The mare sees her sister and runs to her with worry and anger in her eyes. "Where in tarnation were ya missy?" The little filly's eyes darted back and forth as she tried to come up with a excuse for what she was doing out here. "I was...looking fer ma saddlebag." She said sheepishly. "I accidentally left it out here last night when I came in for dinner and I came out to look for it." Applejack stared into her sisters eyes and she could tell she was lying, after all she is the element of honesty. She decided to let her off the hook this one time. "Alright, y'all can fetch your bags in the mornin, but your punishment fer leavin the house is to clean the pig stales, y'all hear?" Appleblooms nods her head. "Yes sis." Cleaning the pig stye was the worst possible job on the farm...not to mention the smelliest job. Applebloom followed Applejack back to the house but once again looked over her shoulder back towards the tree where she was sure the voice had been coming from. The mask sighed as it watch the poines disappear into the night "Maybe tomorrow..." It said before it embraced sleep again > A Chance Encounter > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was well into the morning and Applebloom was still not done cleaning out the pig stalls. Her body was covered in mud and her hair was covered in bits of of hay as she let out a long sigh and wiped sweat from her forehead. "Phewww now I know that my cutie-mark sure aint in cleaning up stalls." She said...with some relief. Two fillies were riding along too Sweet Apple Acres to crusading with Applebloom. Scootaloo was propelling her scooter with her tiny wings, with Sweetie Belle in the back in a wagon zooming toward the barn Everything seemed to be going great until….’WHOOSHHHH’ Scootaloo hit a giant bump in the road and both ponies, scooter, and wagon went zooming through the air in a fashion that would have made a perfect daredevil like stunt for the orange filly. There was a loud crash as they landed on the ground and skidded around in the dirt. Sweetie-belle stood up and wobbled a bit as she tried to get her balance back. “ughhh nice landing Scootaloo.” She said sarcastically as she shook the dirt from her body. “Pfff that is how you land in style.” Scootaloo said with a trademark Rainbow Dash smile. Sweetie-belle simply rolled her eyes and helped her friend out of the ground and trotted over to the barn to look for Applebloom. Applebloom just finished clean the stalls and was just about to rinse off with the hose when she noticed two shapes coming toward the barn. "Sweetie-Belle! Scootaloo!" She said happily as she raced over to her friends The three fillies almost went into a group hug, but Applebloom's dirty coat stop that. "OH my Applebloom, were you playing with the pigs again?" said Sweetie Bell "Why didn't you tell me soon!? I wanted to try for pig wrestlin cutie mark" Scootaloo complained, thinking she missed out on a awesome fun time. "No I had to clean the pig stalls cause I was out in the orchard when it was still dark this morning." Applebloom said. "Why were out so late?" asked Sweetie Belle Applebloom looked back over her shoulder to make sure her older sister was not listening. "Alright, what I am about to tell y'all is super secret. No telling anyone." She took another look around and then whispered "I heard a voice coming from a tree" Sweetie and Scootaloo looked at each other and then burst out laughing and rolling on the ground The filly glared at her friends. "It taint funny. I am being serious. There was a voice coming from a tree in that there orchard." Points out to the orchard with her hoof. "Yeah, a ' talking tree' " Scootaloo said then went back to laughing and holding her gut beginning to hurt with each laugh. "Applebloom" Sweetie Belle said putting a hoof on her shoulder. "That only happens in old ponytales." Scootaloo stopped her laughing and got up off the ground "Yeah, but enough about talking trees, lets get you washed up and get crusading!" But..but..but..." Applebloom sighed, realizing that there was no way that her friends would actually believe her about this, so she simply nodded her head and smiled "Alright give me one quick sec would ya." She then went over to the hose behind the barn and gave herself a good wash with the cold water to get all the muck and mud off of her. After that was done she shook herself dry, after fixing her bow she walked back over to her friends and smiled. "Alright Crusaders. Let's go get our cutie marks." The three fillies then went off to their clubhouse to plan the day ahead Applebloom looked at her two friends and paced back and forth, "Alright today is the day we get out cutie-marks I can feel it. The question is....what have we not tried yet?" Scootaloo raised a hoof "Oh we could try dare devils in stunts?" "No we should try singing. " Sweetie Belle said "No no...we should try singing while doing dare devil stunts. It doubles the chances of both sides." “Good point AB” Scoots said Applebloom smiled "Thank you" The three of them rushed off to attempt this feat. 10 minutes later they were sitting back in the tree house putting bandaids on each other and ice packs on their sore heads, their flanks still blank and empty. "Okay....I now open the floor to new suggestions and ideas" "Is there getting most injuries cutie mark?" asked a bandaid covered Sweetie Belle "No but I think, we could try getting out cutie-marks in doctoring" Scoots said as she pulled out a saw and stethoscope and approached Sweetie-belle "SCOOTALOO!!!" She yells as she rans away from the saw. Scootaloo dropped to the floor and started to laugh. "Hey we could try and get our cutie-marks in being comedians." She said brightly. "Thats a good idea." said Applebloom. Scootaloo smiled "Of course it is. I thought of it." The three of them then ran out of the tree house. One hour later they came back with frowns on their faces and their bodies covered tomatos. First they wanted to test their comedic powers on something simple. They ran over to Fluttershy's house and did a a quick sketch to the animals. When they had finished they waited for a response and they got in the form of red fruits being thrown at them, with the bunny angle leading the attack. "This stinks..." complained Sweetie Belle as she brushed a tomato out of her now less poofy mane. "I know...who would have thought that animals would have such easy access to rotting fruits and actually had the strength to throw them." Apple Bloom stated The fillies just lay in their clubhouse till the sun begins to set. "I got to go girls. See you tomorrow in school?" said Applebloom as she walked to the door. Both fillies waved goodbye to their friend and then scootaloo grinned at Sweetie-Belle. “Come on I will give you a ride back.” She said as she started up her wings. The white unicorn felt her stomach cramp at the thought. “Oh Celestia.” Applebloom walked back to her house through the apple orchard with a sigh. “Another day and still no cutie mark.” She said sadly. "Hi there" said the mask as Applebloom walked past it. She immediately paused and looked around. "Alright who is there? Stop messing around with me. Come on out right now." She said as she stamped her hoof into the ground. "I'm right behind you." She quickly turns around but when she sees now one there she just frowns and looks up in the sky. "Rainbow dash is that you?" She called. “No, down here” The voice said She looked down and for the first time notices the pony face shaped mask just lying on the ground against the tree. “Hi there” The mask said “EEEEEEEEE” Applebloom cried > A New Friend > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The sight of a mask that was capable of talking immediately filled Applebloom with terror. At first sht thought that this was some kind of cursed magical object, that just happened to be in her families orchard. Next she thought it was some kind of changeling that had taken this form for....some bizarre reason that was beyond her little filly mind. But, whatever the reason, she let out a long and loud eep of fear and jumped a good couple feet in the air. "Oh I'm sorry young one." “What what are you? I’m gonna tell ma sister.” "NO WAIT! I'm just a little mask" "How do I know you are not some kind of monster or cursed black magic thang?" "If I wanted to harm you or your family, I would've already done so, but I'm not." The mask said. "I just want to talk to you." Applebloom did not like that comment about hurting her family, that made her frown "You tried anything to hurt ma family my big sis will buck you into next season." She said, trying to sound brave. The mask chuckles at her attempt to be brave. "I love how you care so much for your family, young filly.You have amazing family, unlike me." Finally curiosity overcame her fear and she made a very slow movement towards the mask, "What are ya'll doing here anyway?" "I'm just..here. I was left here." The mask said with a bit of sorrow in its voice. “Oh I get it…this is some kind of joke aint it? Your some kind of ol crazy contraption built by pinkie pie to mess with my sis.” "Pinkie Pie? Who is that?" "Then rainbow-dash?" "No. I was left here somepony, months ago." It said to the confused filly. “What!?” Applebloom said in shock “Some pony just came out and left y’all here months ago?” This surprised her greatly “Well how come ya never said nuthin?” "Well, when I see you ponies out here, I get scared, but when I saw you trying to buck that tree, I felt bad for you and wanted to talk to you." “Oh…you saw that?” Applebloom immediately felt ashamed and embarrassed "Yes I did. I think you should try to aimed a bit high." The mask suggested. "The way I've seen your family so it., they hit the tree in the center of it. You were a bit off. No offense." The little filly just sighed and sat down. “I should not have even tried. I knew I was nowhere near as strong as my brother or sis, heck even ol granny smith could have bucked better then me.” "I think you should try again, just don't lose faith in yourself. There is always hope." The mask said trying to help cheer up the little filly. Applebloom smiled a bit, enjoying the kind words. “Thanks…so what is yer name?” She asked The mask then sighed with sorrow in its voice. "I uh..don't have a name." That resulted in a confused look to appear on her face. “What do you mean you don’t have a name? Everybody has got a name.” "I do not have one.." "Well...then let's give ya a name then." "Really?" It said with surprise. "You really give me a name?" "Well duh." Applebloom said "It would be pretty odd if I just called you 'talking mask thang' now wouldn't it?" Laughs at the joke "Yeah I guess it would." Applebloom looked at the mask "Hmmm now....what do we call you?" "Hmmm it should be something that fits me." The little filly pressed her hoof under her chin as she contemplated in deep thought. She looked up at the apple tree which just happened to have a selection of green apples in it and an idea popped into her head “I’VE GOT IT…Verde.” "Verde? what does it mean?" She grinned happily "Miss Cheerilee says that it means Green in another language. And you are as green as them there apples" Points to the apples above the mask. "I LOVE IT! Thank you so much uh...whats your name again?" The mask now named Verde asked. Applebloom grinned “My name is applebloom.” "A pleasure Miss Applebloom" The little filly grinned. "Likewise." She said happily "Miss Applebloom?" "Yes, Verde?" "Shouldn't you be home at this time?" "Oh no you are right...Applejack is gonna kill me" She was about to run off but she can to an immediate halt. "But what about you?" "Don't worry about me. You head home. " He is sad that she has to go. "But I cannot just leave you out here. Especially if you have just been sitting out here for all these months. That aint fair to you." "But I don't want to get you in trouble. Please go, I'll be here tomorrow." But the little filly did not like that idea one bit. She sat there for a long moment trying to come up with an idea when suddenly it hit her. "I'll just hide you in my here saddle bag." She said as she set it on the ground and opened it up. "You sure? But what if you get caught with me? I don't want you to get in trouble again because of me." Verde tried to reason with her. "So long as you don't say nuthing, I think we should be fine." After thinking it over, he agrees to the idea. Besides he would love the company. "Ok Miss Applebloom, you can take me with you." Applebloom smiled and picked up Verde between her teeth, though she grimaced at the horrible taste and plopped him into her saddle bag, making sure to try and hide him beneath some stuff. After closing the bag and putting it back on she quickly bolted back to the house before she got in trouble. > Chatting with Verde > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applebloom slowly crept in through the front door and gently closed it behind her. Ever so carefully she started to tip-hoof towards the stairs "Where were you young filly?" asked a very angry Applejack, standing with Big Mac. Applebloom felt her ears droop as she turned around to face her elder siblings. "I'm sorry...I know it is late. Me, Sweetie-belle, and Scootaloo had been out crusading all day and we lost track of time" It was not really a lie, just not the entire truth. Applejack sighs and rubs her temple with her hoof "Alright just do not let it happen again y'all here?" Applebloom nodded her little head and ran over and hugged her big sisters hoof. "Well at least I know I ain't getting my cutiemark in timekeeping now." She said with a girl. Big Mac chuckled at that "Eeyup" "Get ready fer supper, we're havin Granny's apple pie." Applejack said hugging her sister back. “Yay” Applebloom said as she rushed up the stairs and put her saddlebag gently on her bed. “I will be right back.” She whispered. Dinner was very good that evening. Applebloom told her family all about her and her friends crusade that day and the disaster that came with it. "Sorry to hear that sugarcube." Applejack said while patting her sister on her back. "Y'all get it soon enough." "But soon taint soon enough" "You never know, maybe y'all get it before the week is out" Applejack tried to cheer her up, then went back to her meal. Appleblooom sighed and continued to eat her meal though she could not help but gaze at her sister's cutiemark in envy and longing. While The Apple Family ate, little Verde layed in AB's saddlebags waiting for her to come and talk. He thought of how he could help her earn her mark, but it may require for him to use his magic abilities. After dinner, Applebloom decided to take a bath to get the remains of the tomatoes off of her body. Though when no one was looking she grabbed her saddle bag and took it with her into the bathroom, and as soon as the bathtub was filled with hot water she took Verde out of the bag. "You alright?" Verde breathes in the fresh air and sighs with relief. "Yeah, much better." Sees the bath water and gets curious. "You taking a bath?" "Of course silly. I am also going to give you a bath." Tries to brush some of the gross moss and dirt off of Verde's wood. "You are even grosser then me after a full own pig washing" His green wood face gives a light green on his cheek as a type of blush. "Heh..Happens when you spend your time outside during winter and spring." "Well you are about to be as clean as Granny smith's teeth." She said jumped into the tub with Verde in her hoof. Together they made a small splash in the water and then she emerged from under the bubbles and watched as Verde floated on the surface. He sighs with pleasure of the water running through him "This has to be the best I've felt in ages. Thank you Miss Applebloom" The filly giggled. "Just Applebloom, no miss." She then picked up a loofa and put some soap on it, she then started to give Verde a nice scrub Verde begins to enjoy the filly scrubbing his filth away. "I can not thank you enough Applebloom. You are the first pony to ever show me kindness. Thank you." He said as Applebloom got the last bit of dirt of of him. "My pleasure Verde." Pauses for a moment "Wait, the first to ever show you kindness? He sighs as he knew that she may ask that. "Yes. The first on. " A Knock on the door intruppted him. "Sugarcube, you alright in there? Ah thought ah heard voices in there." "Yea Applejack I was just...practicing ventriloquism. Me and the others are hoping to get our cutiemarks in that tomorrow." Applejack laughs on the other side of the door. "Alright then." The sound of hoof steps fade from the bathroom. Applebloom let out a sigh of relief. "That was close" She whispered "Yes that was close." “So…what were you say?” She asked as she started to scrub her own fur. "I was saying that you are the first pony to show me any kindness before" Verde said with a sorrowful voice. "How can that be?" "Nopony ever liked me for my look and what I can do..." "Well I think you look just dandy. Especially now that you are clean and shiny." He blushes green again. "Thanks to you Applebloom." "Aww shucks...was nothing. Just being a nice filly. Just like mah big sister, she is the element of honesty." “What is that?” "Oh it is some sort of big ol thing. She and five other ponies represent the elements of harmony which is like this powerful magic stuff that defeated mean ol nightmare moon and turned her back into Princess Luna. And also defeated this evil dragonesque named Discord." "Wow sounds like she's had some fun adventures. What kind of adventures have you had?" Verde asked with curiousity. Applebloom sunk a little bit below the water. "Compared to my sister and her friends....nothing." "Aww I'm sure you have done something, I don't expect you to have defeat a big evil villain." "Well me and mah friends have done 101 things trying to earn our cutiemarks." "That sounds like fun. Though I will never get to do anything like that..." Verde says with displeasure. Applebloom frowned, not liking to see Verde unhappy she reached over and patted his cheek. "Don't be sad." "It's ok. I'll be fine. So are you done washing? I'm started to sink a bit with all this water." Verde said feeling the water sink into his wooden-skin. "Oh right" Applebloom said as she got out of the tub and shook herself dry first before toweling off. then she pulled out Verde and dried him off very well with a fluffy blue towel. This is a soft towel." "Thank you, granny smith knitted it herself." After we get dried off, he let out a big yawn "Well, I speak through the mind basically, and I can do other stuff too." "That is so cool." Opening the door, she quickly looked around and then bolted to her bedroom and closed the door softly. "What else can you do?" "Well I can only use my magic at night, but when I am put on, I give my wearer magic powers beyond anything anyone could dream of" "Magic powers! Really?" "Yes, anything" Verde said with pride. “Wow, that is amazing” "Yes, but.." “But what?” Verde sighs with displeasure in his voice. "Putting me on, you go through a transformation. The first time is painful." "Ouch...well let's just forget about that for now." She said. "Alright, where would you like to be?" She asked as she showed him around her room. Suddenly though, the door opened and in walked Applejack, who had come to wish her little sister goodnight. "What in tarnation is that?" She says pointing at Verde. "It's a mask" Applebloom said with a little bit of worry in her voice. "What are you doing with this ugly thing? " She says walking up to her and grabs Verde and looks at him with disgust. "It's err for a plan me and the others are doing. We are hoping to earn our cutiemarks in thespianism so we are planning on putting on a performance of the Phantom Pony of the Opera." "Well y'all need to go to bed, y'all have school tomorrow. Goodnight sis." Applejack said as she walked out the room with Verde still in her hoof, and shuts the door. Applebloom just stood there with an extremely worried look on her face. "uh oh." > Reuniting > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack walks down the hall to her room carrying Verde in her mouth. In her mind she was wondering what pony had made such a gross mask. 'I'm in trouble.' Verde thought to himself as he was being carried. walks into her room and closes the door. She then Tosses her head back and by her own sheer awesomness it lands on her hat rack. SHe then trots over to her bed and sets Verde down and looks at him. "Land sakes, a thang like you would just freak Rarity out.” laughs a bit at the thought Verde was scared now, he was hoping that she wouldn't turn him around because she would see a green glow from his inside. She picks Verde up between her hooves and looks at him "Yeesh, she could have just gone to Pinkie-Pie if she wanted a mask for her play thing with her friends. I don't know why she picked this thing" Applejack said aloud as she flipped Verde around and looked at the back "Nothing here to even hold it to the face" Verde's backside then emits a green glow from one end to the other. 'Oh no...' Verde thought. Applejack's eyes suddenly widened and her mind started to get kind of fuzzy. She then absently started to lift Verde towards her face. 'NO NO NO! PLEASE NO!!!' Verde screamed mentally as he got closer to her. Though Applejack continued to bring the mask closer to her face. It was then though that there was a loud knock on her door and Applejack snapped out of the trance. "Huh? Wha?" "Sis y'all ok in there? It got quiet in there." Big Mac asked through the door "Oh yea, I am just fine." puts the mask aside and shakes her head. "Just a little tired I guess" 'Oh thank Celestia' Verde though as he got set down. “Alright then. Goodnight sis” Big Mac said as he trotted off to his own room. Applejack gave one last suspicious look to the mask and then she laid down on her bed and turned off the light. Within a few minutes she was snoring. Meanwhile with Applebloom... The little filly is pacing back and forth, wondering what she should do. She had to get Verde back from her big sister without her noticing. "I know I should wait till she is asleep and sneak in there and grab him" She thought aloud. Applebloom waited a few hours until it was really late and the house had gone silent. She then slowly opened her door, dressed in a black outfit that she had from when she and the others had tried to get their cutiemarks in being ninjas....it had not gone well. She then slowly started to creep towards her sister's room. She went prone and scooted closer to a table in the hall for cover. ‘This would be so much cooler if there was background music’ she thought as she continued to creep, using the shadows to hide in. She finally reached her sisters door. Loud snores could be heard through the door. Slowly, ever so slowly she pushes open the door and sneaks in a quiet as a mouse. making sure to keep to the wall and remain hidden Verde is laying on the floor next to the bed silently snoring. Applebloom sees Verde lying on the floor. She then takes a very deep breath and crawls over on her belly, inching closer and closer. Applejack then mumbles in her sleep and turns over, then goes back to snoring. Keeps inching forward, trying to be as silent as possible. Finally reaches Verde, she gently grabs the tip of him with her teeth and then slowly starts to scoot back into the shadows Verde then slowly wakes up and sees Applebloom trying to get him out, and he stays silent. Crawls back into the shadows and smiles with triumph as she makes her way back to the door without making a sound She makes it out of the room and quickly but silently, goes to her room. Quickly closes the door and lets out a huge sigh and holds Verde in her hooves* “Are you alright?” He lets out an equally huge sigh. "Yes, she saw my green glow and almost put me on." “Green glow? What is that?” "If you turn me around and look at my inside, you see a green glow which puts you in a trance to put me on." "Wow. Then I better make sure I do not do that." "Yet, if you ever want to put me on sometime." Verde says, then lets out a big yawn. "I still tired and don't you have school?" Realizes, "Right, I do" Looks at the clock, "And it is already super late." Trots over to her bed and sets Verde on one side of the bed against the pillow and then gets on the other side. "You alright being on the bed?" "Yes, its so soft thank you so much Applebloom. Good night." She smiles at him “Goodnight Verde” She then turns off the light and goes to sleep. They both then fall asleep with Luna's moon high in the night sky. > The Encounter > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Celestia's Sun rose up high in the sky the next morning. Verde and Applebloom were still fast asleep. Verde was turned over face down, same thing with Applebloom. Suddenly there was a loud knock at her door. “Applebloom, time to get up sugarcube.” Applebloom’s voice said through the knocks. Applebloom just groaned and rolled over onto her back, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes letting out a big yawn. "I hate mondays." she complained She quickly got out of bed and walked in front of the mirror where she stuck her tongue out at her herself and then she tied her bow up behind her head and gave herself a few taps on the face. “Alright, you are ready to face the day.” There was a yawn behind her, she turned around to look at Verde who was now waking up. She trots over to him and taps his wooden face with her hoof. "Good morning Verde" Ehh. Stop with the tapping its to early..." he complained "If I got ta get up early, so do you." She said with a laugh. He lets out a groan. "I'm gonna have to get use to this a lot aren't I?" "That is what happens when you live on a farm." "I guess so. " Applebloom then picks him up in her teeth and carries him to her dresser with her mirror and sets him against it. “Alright, I have go to school today.” She told him “Are you going to be okay here alone? I mean will it be safe?” "I'm actually scared to be here alone now. With your sister and all." But I cant take you in mah bag...someone could find you in it." "I don't know. I only feel safe around you." The scared little said. Applebloom, not liking to hear the fear in her friends voice, reached up and gently stroked Verde's wooden cheek. "There there, it's alright." Verde enjoys the gentle strokes on his cheek, it made him blush green. "So what should we do?" "Please take me with you. I don't like being alone..." Applebloom thought about it for a moment and then nodded "alright then." She quickly got her saddle bag and then grabbed Verde, she quickly set him face down on the ground while she opened her bag, she then turned her head back to pick him up. Verde then takes a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I'm ready Applebloom." She picks him up and puts him gently in her bag, positioning him so he is both comfortable and hidden. She then puts on her bags and walks out her room shutting it behind her, then heading downstairs for some breakfast. After a quick breakfast, she said goodbye to her family and then galloped off to school "Hey Applebloom." Verde asked from the bag. "Yeah?" She asked "What's school like?'' "It is super fun and awesome. Miss Cheerilee is the best teacher ever. Everyone is super nice...except for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon" "Who are they?" “The biggest meanest bullies in the school. They think they are better then everyone else.” “Why” “"Cause they have their cutiemarks." "Ok I don't like them already." “I just wish I could show them that they are not so great.” Verde then thinks to himself. "Hmmm maybe you can..." She then continues to trot off to the school. "Hey Blankflank!" Yelled a little snooty filly with a tiara on her head. Applebloom sighed and turned to face the pink filly "Aint it a little early in the morning fer this?" "What's the matter blank flank? Can't take a few morning insults?" “No, I just don’t want yer big ol mouth to get too tired before class. Then again maybe we could do with some peace and quiet for once.” Applebloom countered. The pink filly gasped "HOW DARE YOU!?" She then shoves Applebloom to the ground, knocking her bags off and opened, spilling it contents. Including Verde. Applebloom Lays on the ground, "Owww" "Why do you have that hidious thing? " Diamond said with disgust "I was gonna give it to you...give you a better face" "How dare you insult me you useless blank flank. It's bad enough I have to see your blank flank, then you bring this ?" She sneered, picking up Verde. Applebloom stood up from the ground. Diamond then looks at Verde then being to laugh. She then starts to clean up her stuff back in her saddle bag. "What is so funny now?" "Oh I was thinking how good this would look on a donkey's butt. No offense. " She said to the donkey passing by them. "None taken." he replied and moved along Diamond then pushed Applebloom off her, making her lose her grip on him. Sending him rolling on to the ground. 'OWOWOWOW' he thought as he rolled. Verde then stopped rolling and landed face down in the grass. 'Mares.' he thought bitterly. Diamond huffed and sneered at Applebloom and then she turned around and kicked some dirt at her before trotting off. As diamond trotted off she thought to herself. 'Why does she like that mask? I still can't believed I touched it, but I feel something when I held it. I want it. ' She then thought of a plan to steal Verde from little Applebloom. Applebloom finally got up off the ground and wiped the dust from her. She then walked over to pick up Verde from the ground "Are you okay?" She asked, and he could not help but notice the tears in her eyes. "I'm a bit banged up but I'll live, but whats wrong Applebloom?" he asked with worry in his voice. Applebloom quickly wiped her eyes, "yea, yea I am fine." "No your not, please talk to me." She sighed "I just get so tired of her being mean to everyone...especially those who are...blank flanks" He thought about it for a minute, then spoke up. "I have a idea." "What?" "Let's see how she likes being a blank flank again, but in order to do that you need to wear me tonight.” “Wear you?” Yeah, I can give you power to help you get revenge." Applebloom thought about it for a long moment and then nodded "Alright." "Perfect, but remember the first transformation is painful and I can only work when its night." “How come you only work at night?” "It's just how I work. I never know, it's just the way I was made." "So if I put you on now, you won't do anything?" "Well, I would only stick to your face thats all." "Oh really?" She quickly looks around and then gently presses Verde on her face. He quickly sticks to her face and begins to shrink down fit her face so it look like he was made for her. She then starts to shake her head from side to side and is amazed when she finds that Verde does not come off. "Wow you really do stick" "Told you so." She then reached up "So...I just tug and pull you off?" “Eeyup” It took a few quick tugs until Verde popped right off of Applebloom's face. "Awww." Verde said as he came off, he enjoys being attached to someone. Applebloom giggled “Don’t worry, I will put you on after school” She quickly put Verde back in her bag and ran all the way to school. She galloped till the school came in view and then the bell rang. > The Prank > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The bell started to ring but thankfully Applebloom was in here seat before the last ring. Both Sweetie-belle and Scootaloo asked her what took her so long and she simply told them that she had slept in late. "Alright class today we are going to talk about Cutie Marks." The teacher Miss Cheerilie said to her class The half of the class with their cutiemarks grinned but the half that lacked a mark upon their flank frowned. "As we all know cutie marks appear when..." The teacher began to speak, but Applebloom didn't want to hear it, and she just looked in her bags to see a bit of Verde. She kept thinking about what Verde said. About putting him on tonight and finally getting back at Diamond Tiara. She could also not stop thinking about the pleasant tingle she had got from putting Verde Sweetie Belle saw the look on her face and poked her and whispers "Hey whats up?" To which Applebloom whsipered back "I got in a fight with Diamond Tiara" "WHAT!?" She shouts in whisper form. "I ran into her on the way to school. She was being mean and pushed me so I pushed her." "Then what?" "She pushed me back down, made fun of me and walked away." "Somepony needs to do something about her" 'Oh don't worry somepony is.' Applebloom thought After a few hours, the luch bell rang... The three cursaders were sitting at their normal table outside enjoying their various lunches together. "So what's on the list for cutie marks today?" asked Scootaloo "Have we tried juggling while riding a unicycle?" Sweetie-belle offered "Or Thespianism?" Applebloom is just silently eating her apple fritter, thinking about tonight. She could not help but continue to look at her bag, thinking about Verde inside and longing to wear him again. "APPLEBLOOM!!!" shouted the orange filly, She quickly snapped out of it "Huh yea what?" "You zoned out, what are you thinking about" Scootaloo asked with curiousity. "oh uhh nothing important. Just thinking about what we should do today for our crusades." "oh uhhh" She could not really think of anything at the moment so just blurted out "Masks" "Masks? How could we get a cutie mark in masks?" "Umm uhh disguises, acting, spying, art" "Hmmmm..LETS DO IT!!!" Shouted the little unicorn. "I could make a perfect replica of Rainbow Dash's face" Scootaloo said with a hint of hero worship. Verde in the bags was hearing this, he was thinking of how silly Applebloom's friends are. A few hours later after school, the crusaders met up in their tree house to discuss plans. “Alright, so what is on the list today?” Sweetie-belle asked "Umm..first on the list is...babysitting." Applebloom said looking at the list. “I think we are too young for that” "Ok...next is masks...." Applebloom said with a bit of worry in her voice, eyeing her bags. "I do not think I have ever seen someone ever get a mask cutie-mark before." Scoootaloo said as she continued to think this subject over. "Me either. " Said Sweetie-belle Applebloom started to sweat a little bit, thinking her friends may find Verde. Her fear was realized when suddenly Scootaloo asked "Hey Applebloom can I see your homework real quickly. I want to make sure I got question 3 right" "What? Oh sure." She walks over and grabs her homework out of her bags. But it was then that sweetie-belle, who was sitting next to Applebloom noticed something. "hey wait!" Points into Applebloom's bag, "What is that?" "Nothin!" She began to panic. "Nu uh that was something." Sweetie-belle said as she looked in the bag and pulled out....an extra box of apple-fritters. Applebloom then sighs with relief. "Alright ya caught me." The friends quickly shared in the fritters and then they started to discuss possible ideas to work with for this...mask cutie-mark project. "So how should we do this?" asked Scootaloo. We should make masks of other ponies and act like them" Sweetie-Belle offered. "That way we are really working on two cutie-marks. Art and acting" "I can make one of Rainbow Dash" Scootaloo said with a fangirl in her voice. "I could make one of Discord and be all 'chaos' and stuff" Apple bloom laughs "OOO or Rarity!" Sweetie Belle suggested. The three fillies laughed at these ideas "Yeah this should be fun." said Applebloom. Then she added "I think Zacora knows a lot about making masks and stuff" "Yeah she does have all those funny lookin ones from her home." said Sweetie Belle “We should totally ask her how to make them.” Scootaloo said and then added with a laugh “Maybe she has a spell to bring them to life” Applebloom almost choked on her fritter. "What do you mean 'to life' !?!" Scootaloo “It was a joke Applebloom.” "Hehe yeah a joke..." She replied nervously. "Are you alright Applebloom? You have been acting strange all day." "I'm fine." Both of her friends stared at her intently and then said together "Are you sure?" She nods, but once her friends look away, she looks at her bag. Inside the bag, Verde wonders if everything is going okay. Applebloom then blurts out. "OH I just remembered." Both fillies looked at her "What?" "I uh, got to head home, and help Applejack buck apples." She lied. Both Sweetie-Belle and Scootaloo were sad to see their friend go, but they knew that the Apple Family had to do a lot of work in order to keep their farm up and running so they nodded and said they would see her again tomorrow. Applebloom waved goodbye to her friends, grabbed her bag and then quickly ran off "Why did you lie to them AB?" "I...just don't want to tell them about you. Sweetie-Belle could tell Rarity and Scootaloo would tell Rainbow Dash and then they might tell my sister who might take you away from me." "Applebloom, take my out of the bag and look at me." She opens up her bag and carefully pulls Verde out. "Applebloom, I'm not gonna leave you. You are the first pony to ever show me kindness and love. I can't thank you enough. I would never leave. " Verde said trying to make the filly less sad. Appleblooom smiled happily and hugged Verde tightly against her chest. Verde blushes deeply, as he received the hug and sighs with pleasure. It was then that Applebloom brought Verde up and gave him a quick kiss on his wooden cheek. "And I promise that I will always keep you safe." Verde then blushes green very deeply. "Thank you Applebloom, and I will never leave you." She smiles at the mask and then flips him around and stares the back. "It's your choice, but remember once night hits, the transformation will be painful." The mask warned. "How painful?" "Quiet painful." She shudders. "Oh my" "I know, I'm sorry, but it only happens the first time." She took a deep breath "For you I am willing to accept it." "Really? You do that for me...?" Verde was so touched by this, he cry tears of joy, if he could. "Of course I would. We are friends." "No Applebloom, i dare say it, your my bestest friend ever." She smiles happily at the comment. "Tell you what. How about for now I just wear you until we get near Sweet-Apple Acres. You said you liked being worn right?" "I do." She then brings Verde up and presses the mask against her face. He quickly tightens on to her little face, matching with her features. “Hmm you feel kind of different then from before.” "Well since it's close to night, I get more powerful." "Cool" She then starts to trot back to her house. Verde snuggles up on her face. Applebloom giggles, "That tickles. So how tight can you get?" "You'll find out." "oooo the suspense." She said with a laugh "So where did you from? Originally?" “Actually I came from a tree." “Do tell” "Well, it's kinda fuzzy, I remember being a tree, then being cut down. The cutter was a old unicorn, he made me and gave me this power, but I got to much for him. He left me to rot, but I was found, throw away. The cycle repeats." The mask said “That is terrible. You so fun and nice. Why would anyone throw you away?” "Because of what I can do..." “Sticking to ponies faces?” "No what happens at night...you'll see it soon." "Well whatever happens...just know you are still my friend." She said as she continued to walk down the path to her home. "Thank you Applebloom" “You are welcome” The moon is almost upon them. She arrives at the gates of Sweet apple acres, where after a few moments of pulling she frees Verde from her face, puts him back in her bag and then trots up to her sister who is working. "Hey Applejack" "Howdy sugarcube, how was school?" “Oh it was great. Thanks for the fritters for lunch” "Your welcome" The orange mare then hugged her sister. Applebloom hugged her sister back and then trotted back inside and up to her room. The sun was now setting over the tree line. Applebloom sits at her window and looks at the setting sun. Verde was sitting in the bag thinking to himself. 'I hope she won't hate me after tonight. I should tell her that her personally will change when she wears me...: When the sun finally set, Applebloom reached down and pulled Verde out of the bag. "The sun is down." "Applebloom...I need to tell you something." She then looked at Verde with a face showing nothing but trust and confidence. "Tell me what?" He lets out a huge sigh." I should have told you this before...when you put me on...you kinda change while wearing me..." “Change? Change how?” "When I am worn, the wearer's deepest desires come out. So say this, someone who is a nerd and is shunned a lot, he wears me, his deepest desires come out and he would become a good looking guy who is perfect. "So...it turns people into the opposite of what they are?" "Something like that. Let's just say I give them what they always want...but it effects ones around them...that why I was throw away so much...I ruined others lives..." Verde confesses, and is on the verge of crying... Applebloom hugged Verde tightly against her chest. "Now stop all that there nonsense. What did I tell you earlier?" She asked "You'll be my friend no matter what." "And I meant that. No matter what happens. Even if I put this mask on and turn into some kind of weirdo crazy pony I will still be your friend." "Alright Applebloom, are you ready for this? Remember it's gonna be very painful." Applebloom took a very deep breath and nodded "Alright I am ready for this." "Alright. You'll be in control of everything." She nodded once again and then slowly she flipped Verde around and gazed at the shimmer on the back, her eyes grew wide and suddenly she entered the trance like state. 'I hope she'll be ok.' Verde thought as she slowly started to bring him to her face. She gazed deeply into the mask as it drifted closer and closer to her face until finally the green wood pressed against her skin. Then the transformation began. Verde then began to move all over her face, and slowly began to expand all over her head. At that moment, when Verde started to squeeze and compress against her face, applebloom let out a loud moan of pain and dropped the floor..."ahhhh it hurts" Tears started to stream down her face. Verde kept stretching over her head, covering it even her bow. He continued to encase the filly's head. The pain was so bad, she actually reached up and tried to find a place she could plant her hooves to pull Verde from her face. Verde didn't like seeing Applebloom like this but this had to be done. He closed at the back of her head, covering all of her head, mane, and bow. He tightened more on her head, and her whole head began to pulled and pushed trying to fit on her head, forming to it. The noise of the mask was like a balloon being stretched. Verde tighten one last time, while connecting to her eyes and mouth. Then the two began to spin, in a twister of yellow and green, spinning all over the room. Trashing everything. When it all ended the twister vanish and standing there was a masked AppleBloom. She looked almost the same except that her face was now completely green and her red bow and mane were was now a darker shade of green. "Well this feels nice. I can finally do anything!" The masked filly giggled to herself, her voice filled with confidence. 'Applebloom it's me.' Verde said to her through her mind. “Verde…I feel amazing. So full of energy and-“ She saw her face in the mirror and grin formed on her face “And really good.” 'Yeah, so you ready to hear the plan?' "You bet I am." Applebloom said with a fiendish grin They then discuss the plan then sneak out toward Diamond Tiara's Mansion. The little pink filly was fast asleep in giant plush bed, with her Tiara set aside on the night stand. Applebloom thought about this deeply for a moment. She then closed her eyes and concentrated. She focused on being in Diamond's room and suddenly she was surrounded by green energy for a moment there was a quick flash and the next thing she knew she was in her adversary’s room. ‘great job’ Verde told her "Thanks she whispered" Then she slowly started to approach Diamond's bed. The pink filly turned a little in her sleep and then suddenly she started to suck on her hoof like a baby. "Oooo I got to use this" She said as she pulled out a camera and took a picture. The photo slid out and soon showed, the filly sucking on her hoof. After putting the camera and the photo away Applebloom smirked down at the pony who had always bullied her and her friends, all because she thought she was so much better just because she had a cutie-mark. “Well Diamond, prepare to see how the other half lives” She whispers. 'Alright Applebloom, do it.' Applebloom once against concentrated all of the energy of her new magic this time directing it on Diamond. She thought about all the times she had been mean and nasty to all the ponies, how she had flaunted her cutie-mark around the others who lacked them. And how...how she had secretly envied her because of that cutie-mark...well no more. There was another quick flash of light and suddenly, underneath the covers...Diamond Tiara's cutie mark faded away slowly until it just completely vanished leaving her flank blank. 'Now she will know how it feels.' Verde thought to himself. Applebloom could not help but grin with satisfaction. “What?” 'Lets go now, and lets published that photo. It's part of the plan remember? We make her cutie mark vanish and we get a photo of her.' “Oh right. Let’s do it” Applebloom then used the power of the mask to teleport herself out of Diamond Tiara’s room. However, what neither of them knew was there was when Applebloom had thought about how she envied Diamond tiara for a moment when using her new power…something strange would come of it.