Chapter 1
Where glue comes from
It was during arts and crafts in Cheerilee's class, that Apple Bloom saw her friends Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo making macaroni art when Apple Bloom had a rather startling realization. Apple Bloom had absolutely no idea where glue came from, or who made it.
"Hey, Sweetie Bell, Scoots, do either of ya know where glue comes from?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Not really." Scootaloo replied in disinterest.
"Guess I never really thought about it before." said Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom shrugged and went to ask Cheerilee, "Hey, Miss Cheerilee, Where does glue come from?" asked Apple Bloom. Cheerilee scratched the back of her head with a hoof absent mindedly,
"Well, Apple Bloom, there are some things that I'm really not supposed to teach you kids. If you want to know about something like that then I would suggest you asked Applejack, or Big Mac. Apple Bloom decided to keep the question in the back of her mind for after class.
Apple Bloom trotted out of the school house, deep in thought. Apple Bloom knew where lots of things came from, and how tons of different everyday goods were made, but she still didn't have the foggiest idea about glue.
"Maybe I should ask Applejack where glue comes from." Apple Bloom wondered aloud. Once at sweet apple acres, Apple Bloom made a bee-line for the farmhouse to inquire about glue.
"Applejack, Applejack!" Apple Bloom squealed, "I need to ask you a question!" Applejack turned around smiling,
"Sure thing, what ya need sugarcube?"
"I realized today, that I don't know anything about where glue comes from. Do you know sis?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Glue, huh?" Applejack paused to put a hoof to her chin and think, "I don't rightly know where that stuff comes from, Apple Bloom. In fact, I don't even think that Granny Smith would know the answer to that one" Applejack confessed. At that news Apple Bloom hung her head and sighed, "Well okay, thanks anyway..." Apple Bloom turned and walked out of the barn, wondering just who she was going to ask now. "Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo didn't know, Cheerilee didn't know, and now even Applejack and Granny Smith don't know." Apple Bloom groaned to signal her displeasure, but then got a wonderful idea.
"I bet that Pinkie Pie would know the answer!" Apple Bloom cheered. "Pinkie Pie knows all kinds of really weird stuff!" With that, Apple Bloom dashed off to Sugarcube corner.
Once Apple Bloom reached Sugarcube corner, she instantly found Pinkie Pie standing behind the counter.
"Hiya, Apple Bloom," Pinkie waved, "Trying to get a cutie mark in confectionery sampling?" Pinkie asked.
"Actually no, I'm here to ask you an important question." Apple Bloom answered.
"Oh boy! I love guessing games!" Pinkie chortled.
"Well, it's not really a game. I just wanted to know where glue comes from." Apple Bloom admitted.
"Oh, that's easy!" Pinkie Pie waved her hoof dismissively. Apple Bloom's eyes widened in anticipation, here it was, the answer to the question that had been plaguing her practically all day now.
"It comes from right under the counter, in case of a glue emergency." Pinkie Pie explained. Apple Bloom's heart sank into her stomach.
"but how is it made?!" Apple Bloom whined. Pinkie stopped to think,
"You know, I'm not exactly sure, I only knew where I got it from, and even I didn't ever think about how it was actually made." Pinkie said.
Apple Bloom just sighed and left, after bidding farewell to Pinkie Pie.
"I've never seen Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash use it, but I know Rarity has some." Apple Bloom mused aloud, "Maybe I should ask her about this." Having decided the next step on her agenda, Apple Bloom cantered over to Carousel boutique.
Without bothering to knock, Apple Bloom barged in to Rarity's home and place of business.
"Rarity, I need to ask you something important." Apple Bloom yelled. Rarity trotted out from her sewing room,
"Yes, darling, what is it that you need?" Rarity asked the yellow filly.
"I really want to know how glue is made, but nopony that I've asked so far can give me a good answer." Apple Bloom complained. "Do you know?" Apple Bloom asked, looking hopefully up at Sweetie Belle's big sister.
"I'm sorry, Apple Bloom," Rarity said sticking her nose up in the air, "But I just cannot tell you about that. It's simply to uncouth to discuss in polite company." Apple Bloom groaned, "Fine then, I'll guess I'll just have to go ask elsewhere!" Apple Bloom replied in a frustrated tone, as Rarity headed back to her sewing room.
"I guess I just have to ask Twilight then." Apple Bloom huffed. "I bet she'll tell me what I want to know!" If there was one thing Twilight loved doing, it was sharing knowledge.
"Oh yes," Apple Bloom cackled, "Twilight will tell me everything!" With the next, and hopefully last stop on her list in mind, Apple Bloom galloped full speed towards the Ponyville library, if the library and its owner didn't have information on the glue making process then nobody would!
Apple Bloom charged head-long into the library, shouting a battle cry, she would not be stopped! Not now! Twilight, noticing all the commotion downstairs, decided it wise to check on the situation.
"Hello, Apple Bloom," Twilight Sparkle said as she descended the stairs, "What's all the commotion about?"
"Hi, Twilight," Apple Bloom said, slightly out of breath, "I have a question that I really want answered, but everypony that I've asked so far either doesn't know, or they refuse to say anything on the subject, and I really just want a proper answer!" Apple Bloom said, all in one deep breath. Twilight processed this information.
"Okay, so what's this important question that's been bothering you?" Twilight asked.
"I really want to know where glue comes from, and how it's made!" Apple Bloom said. Twilight blinked a couple times, trying to process what it was she just heard. With a sigh Twilight Sparkle began the explanation,
"It comes from equines." Twilight said uncomfortably, Apple Bloom gasped.
"You mean they get it from ponies?! Apple Bloom was disgusted. "Like from their bodies or something?! Is that what happens to those hospital patients that die?!" Apple Bloom was horrified by this prospect. Twilight just shook her head, telling Apple Bloom that this was not the case.
"No, nothing horrible at all like that!" Twilight Sparkle said, "That's what happens to your hoofnail clippings when you have to cut them."
"Huh?" said Apple Bloom, "What do you mean?"
"I mean that everypony's hoofnail clippings get liquefied through a boiling process, then used as the main ingredient in things like glue, and certain types of gelatin." Twilight said matter-of-factly. Apple Bloom blinked a couple of times, letting the information settle in.
"Huh, well that certainly makes sense now." AppleBloom said.
"What does?" asked Twilight.
"The fact that my Uncle Applecore likes to keep all of his hoofnail trimmings in a jar in his room. I always just thought he was weird for keeping those things." Apple Bloom said.