> Apples Don't Fall Far from the Tree
>  by BronyDad
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Hang Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1

Hang Time
                                            
The insects buzzed and the birds sang all across Sweet Apple Acres as a young filly pranced happily among the apple trees.  With the large pink bow that she wore in her mane flapping in the wind, she carefully carried a large platter upon which sat three bowls of Granny Smith's delicious spinach and cabbage soup.

Apple Bloom smiled as she came to a large orchard that was completely leafless.  In just four more days, the zap apples would appear and be ready for harvesting.  As she gazed at the bare branches, she recalled the joy of picking the magical fruit with her family, and the amazing taste of Granny Smith's zap apple jam.  

Suddenly, Apple Bloom remembered that she was in a hurry, and quickened her pace.  Ponyville was scheduled for a storm later this afternoon and she wanted to arrive at the tree house with enough time for her friends to eat before they had to leave.  

Nearing the northern edge of the farm's property, Apple Bloom felt a surge of pride as the clubhouse swiftly came into view.  The tree house had been falling apart when she had inherited it from her older sister, and she had had to fix it up all on her own.  It had taken a lot of hard work, but she still remembered how satisfied she had felt when Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had expressed their delight with the outcome. 	

As she arrived at the clubhouse, Apple Bloom cast a worried glance up at the sky, and sighed with relief upon finding it cloudless.  They still had plenty of time to eat and maybe even discuss what they would try next to earn their cutie marks.  Pleased with the knowledge that her friends wouldn't need to rush home after all, she trotted up the ramp and entered the clubhouse.  	

Inside, she found Sweetie Belle lying on the floor, her purple and light pink striped tail swishing in the air as she read the most recent copy of their school's newspaper.  In the far corner sat Scootaloo, her face a mask of misery as she hugged a balloon animal with a rainbow mane and stared gloomily at a framed picture of a beaming Rainbow Dash.	

Apple Bloom gently placed the platter on the table before turning to Sweetie Belle.  "She still upset?"

"Uh huh," Sweetie Belle replied as she set the paper aside and made her way to the table.     

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom called as she slowly lifted a bowl.  "Granny Smith made this soup especially for us and I know you're gonna love it.  So come on over here and eat up."

"All right."  Scootaloo sighed as she set the balloon animal and the picture on a nearby crate.

Watching their friend as she dragged herself across the clubhouse, flopped down on her rump, and pulled a bowl in front of her, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle struggled to think of something they could say to cheer her up.

Earlier, after Miss Cheerilee had dismissed the class, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had cornered the three of them in the schoolyard and had made fun of Scootaloo's inability to fly.  Laughing, they told her that she was the only Pegasus in Ponyville that was grounded and that she was too much of an embarrassment for Cloudsdale to ever want her.

"That's not true!" Apple Bloom quickly retorted in Scootaloo's defense.  "She doesn't attend school in Cloudsdale because her parents are Earth ponies and she doesn't want to leave her family, and you know it!"

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle chimed in, "and her flying sessions are coming along very nicely."

"And she's not the only one," Apple Bloom pointed out.  "Featherweight can't fly neither."

Diamond Tiara snorted.  "Yeah, but he has a cutie mark."

"Just you wait!" Scootaloo snapped.  "I'm getting flying lessons from the most awesome Pegasus to ever come out of Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash!"

Silver Spoon rolled her eyes.  "My mother says Rainbow Dash is lazy."

Infuriated, Scootaloo had lunged at the two bullies, but Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had quickly restrained their hot headed friend.  As the three of them struggled, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had laughed and pranced away.

Now, as Scootaloo ate the soup half-heartedly, Sweetie Belle suddenly spoke up.  "You know, I'm a Unicorn and I can't use my magic.  So we're kinda in the same boat."

"Not really," Scootaloo disagreed as she took another sip.  "You keep getting little spurts of power every now and then from your horn, so you know its developing.  These dumb old wings aren't working any better than they were before I started hanging out with Rainbow Dash."

"They work great on your scooter though," Apple Bloom stated.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle agreed.  "Why would you even need to fly when you can move that fast on the ground?"

With a smirk, Scootaloo mumbled, "I guess so..."

"And besides," Apple Bloom assured her, "Rainbow Dash will have you flying in no time."

Scootaloo suddenly perked up.  "Of course she will!  She is totally awesome at everything she does, even teaching!"  With a wicked smile, she added, "And then I'll be able to make it rain on Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara whenever I want!"

The three fillies erupted with laughter, and then eagerly turned their attention to their soup.

Finished, Apple Bloom was pushing her bowl aside when she belched unexpectedly.  "Pardon," she said with a sheepish grin.

"That was nothing," Scootaloo replied.  "Watch this!"  

As Scootaloo belched loudly, Apple Bloom giggled.  "Nice one!"

Without warning, Sweetie Belle let loose a long belch that blew Scootaloo's mane away from her face, then smiled victoriously as the other two stared, mouths hung open in shock.

"Wow..." was all Apple Bloom could think to say.  Sometimes it was really difficult to believe that Sweetie Belle could be the sister of Ponyville's most sophisticated pony.  With the exception of her gleaming white coat, the young Unicorn had absolutely nothing in common with Rarity.

Abruptly, Apple Bloom remembered the approaching storm.  "Any ideas on how we can get our cutie marks?  If we're gonna try today we need to get going.  My sis says there's a storm scheduled later this afternoon."

Immediately, Scootaloo jumped into the air and hovered in place for a moment.  "I know!" she cried excitably.  "We could be Cutie Mark Crusader Crime Stoppers!  We can make our own costumes and patrol the town at night from the rooftops!  Then, when we locate evil-doers, we can leap on them from above and foil their evil plots!"

Sweetie Belle blinked.  "I don't think there are any evil-doers in Ponyville."

As Scootaloo landed, Apple Bloom said, "I couldn't be out that late.  Applejack would kick my tail if I snuck out after dark."

Sweetie Belle nodded her agreement.  "And I'm pretty sure I'm on my third strike on taking supplies from Rarity's shop.  So we wouldn't be able to make the costumes."

"Ah, horse apples!" Scootaloo huffed.

After a moment of silence, Apple Bloom suggested, "What about Cutie Mark Crusader Physicians?"

"Physician?  You mean like a doctor?" Sweetie Belle inquired.  

"Yep," Apple Bloom confirmed.

"But we're just fillies," Scootaloo argued.  "How could we learn to be doctors?"

"That's just it!" Apple Bloom explained enthusiastically.  "The three of us could study each other as we grow up, and by the time we're adults, we'll know everything there is to know about being physicians!"

Sweetie Belle cocked an eyebrow and tapped her chin with a hoof.  "Wait, wouldn't that mean that we wouldn't get our cutie marks until after we grow up?"

Scootaloo made a sour face.  "Worst. Idea. Ever."

Disappointed, Apple Bloom muttered, "Oh...I didn't even think about that..." 

While Apple Bloom pondered their next move, Sweetie Belle wandered over to the window.  Frustrated with her lack of ideas, Apple Bloom joined her friend as she pulled the curtain back and together the two of them peered out at the trees beyond.  

"I guess we won't get to try anything before the storm gets here, after all," Apple Bloom mumbled.  Her gaze rising to the sky, she watched as a small group of Pegasi, led by Rainbow Dash, pushed a large cluster of clouds as a team.  "I reckon the storm will be here in about an hour or so."

"The storm..." Sweetie Belle repeated thoughtfully.  Without warning, she rounded on her friends.  "I know what we can do!  And now is the perfect time to do it!"

Startled, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo asked together, "What?"

"We can be Cutie Mark Crusader Meteorologists!"  Sweetie Belle cried.

"Mateo...meta...meter..."  Scootaloo scratched her head.  "Huh?"

"Meteorologists," Sweetie Belle repeated.  "They are the ponies that study and predict the weather."

"Oh, right," Scootaloo said, then blinked.  "But why does anypony need to predict the weather when the Pegasi control it?"

Apple Bloom shrugged.  "Who knows.  But I think it's a great idea!"

"Me too!" agreed Scootaloo excitably.

Together, the three fillies shouted, "Cutie Mark Crusader Meteorologists are go!" and then raced out of the clubhouse.

Weaving through apple trees, pushing a path through corn stalks, and skirting around a cabbage patch, the three friends rushed across the farm.  As they reached the Apple family's farm house, they galloped around the corner and along a white fence toward the stables.  Finally, they sprinted across the large, open field to the dirt road that passed beneath the arch that was decorated in leaves and red tin apples.  Hanging from the arch was a wooden sign with a large apple carved into the center of it that marked the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres. 

The Cutie Mark Crusaders slowed to a halt as they reached the well that was located beside the dirt road, and flopped onto the ground, panting heavily.

"Why...is your farm...so...big..." Scootaloo asked between huge gasps of air.

Apple Bloom approached the well and raised the bucket from its depths.  Drinking deeply from the cool refreshing water, she then passed it off to the other two and turned to face her house.

She wondered if Granny Smith would worry about her if the storm moved in and she wasn't home.  For a moment, she thought about cancelling her plans with her friends, but then remembered that both Applejack and Big McIntosh were at the marketplace trying to sell the last of their apples before the storm arrived.  Right now, Granny Smith thought she and her friends were in the clubhouse, and would send Applejack to fetch her when she got back.  So, Apple Bloom mused, as long as she returned before it was discovered that she wasn't in the clubhouse, she shouldn't cause her grandmother any worry.

After drinking the last of the water in the bucket, Sweetie Belle sat it beside the well.  "We ready?  Follow me!"

Following Sweetie Belle as she began trotting down the dirt road, Apple Bloom asked, "Where are we going anyway?"

"You'll see!" Sweetie Belle called over her shoulder.

Due to the approaching storm, there was nopony in sight as the three fillies reached Ponyville and made their way toward the Town Square.  Only when they arrived at the marketplace did they find some of the townsfolk hurriedly finishing their errands.  

Warily watching the Apple family's apple cart, Apple Bloom cautiously led them across the marketplace, using several stalls that had already been cleared out as cover.  Suddenly, with a gasp, she leaped forward and quickly pulled her two friends to the ground.   

"Hey, what gives?" Scootaloo asked in surprise.

Peeking around the corner of the stall as Applejack sold an entire sack full of apples to Lucky Clover, Apple Bloom answered, "My sister was just looking this way.  I thought for sure she saw us, but I guess she didn't."

Beside her sister, Apple Bloom spotted Big McIntosh listening to Miss Cheerilee talk with a silly grin on his face.  As Applejack finished with Lucky Clover, she turned and watched her older brother with an amused expression.

Keeping low to the ground, the Cutie Mark Crusaders crossed the bridge that led to Rarity's shop, the Carousel Boutique, and passed over a second bridge to the park.

They hurriedly trotted across the deserted park and came to a halt at the gazebo. 

"There it is!" Sweetie Belle announced excitedly.

Apple Bloom looked around.  "There what is?"

"The balloon," Sweetie Belle replied, indicating a large purple hot air balloon that was securely tied down beside the gazebo.  "We can use it to study the weather."

Scootaloo scratched her head.  "We can?  How?"

"It will take us into the sky, silly," Sweetie Belle explained.

"Sweet!" exclaimed Scootaloo.

As they drew near the large balloon, Apple Bloom asked, "Shouldn't we ask permission before we take it?"

Scootaloo shrugged.  "We could, but...who does it even belong to?"

"I don't know," admitted Apple Bloom.  "I thought it was Twilight's at first."

"Yeah, she did use it a lot when she first came to town," Sweetie Belle added.

"But then I started seeing Cherry Berry riding in it," said Apple Bloom.

"And she got pretty mad at Spike when he accidently rode it into the Everfree Forest that one time," Sweetie Belle pointed out.

Scootaloo scratched her head.  "Didn't this thing get destroyed like three times?"

"Twice actually," corrected Apple Bloom.  "And it wasn't really destroyed, just ripped and deflated."

"It must be expensive to keep having to repair it," mused Sweetie Belle. 

Apple Bloom hesitated as she watched the other two eagerly climb into the basket.  She didn't like taking the balloon without permission, but knew that, if they were going to try to get cutie marks for meteorology, they had to act now.

"What's up?" Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom made her decision.  "Nothing," she answered as she climbed into the basket with her two friends. 

"Cutie marks, here we come!" Sweetie Belle cried, and then the Cutie Mark Crusaders stared up into the sky expectantly.

After a moment, the three fillies blinked and looked at each other in puzzlement.

"Why isn't it moving?" Scootaloo inquired.

Her eyes scanning the area around the balloon, Apple Bloom observed, "It's still tied down."

Sweetie Belle slapped herself in the head.  "Oh yeah, I forgot about the ropes."

While Scootaloo sighed loudly, Apple Bloom hopped out of the basket and began untying the ropes.  Just as she finished with the first rope, she suddenly cocked an eyebrow.  "Wait, why are we going up into the sky anyway?"

Looking stumped, Scootaloo added, "Yeah, why?"

"Because that's where the weather is," Sweetie Belle answered knowingly.

Pondering Sweetie Belle's answer for a moment, Scootaloo grinned.  "That totally makes sense."

Satisfied with the answer as well, Apple Bloom quickly untied the remaining ropes, then hastily gripped the side of the basket as it began to drift away.  With the help of her two friends, she pulled herself over the edge and fell uncomfortably onto a coiled rope laying on the bottom.

Untangling herself from the rope, she heard Sweetie Belle once again yell.  "Cutie marks, here we come!"  

Watching the ground as it drew further away, Scootaloo worriedly asked, "Uh, do any of you know how to land this thing?"

"No," Sweetie Belle admitted.  "In fact, now that I think of it, I don't know how to steer it either."

Apple Bloom gulped.  "I don't think this was such a good idea after all." 

As if on cue, a sudden strong gust of wind rocked the basket violently, and with cries of fright, the three fillies fell into a tangled heap as the balloon was blown back west over the Town Square.

Below, as she and Big McIntosh were throwing tarps over the barrels of apples they had been unable to sale, Applejack heard the shouts, and glancing up, gasped as she saw the balloon floating above.  

Without hesitation, Applejack sprinted toward several wooden crates that were stacked beside the Neigh Jewelers, and hastily climbing to the top, made a huge leap onto the jewelry shop's roof.  Galloping at full speed, she made her way from rooftop to rooftop as she closed in on the swaying basket.

Watching the balloon slowly raise above the roof ahead of her, Applejack, with a last burst of speed, hurdled over a weather vane and latched onto the side of the basket with both front hooves and her teeth.

Clutching the basket tightly and attempting to gain leverage with her hind legs, Applejack glanced up in time to see Apple Bloom and her two best friends reaching for her.

So shocked was Applejack at finding her sister that she almost let go of the basket.  "Apple Bloom! What in-"

"Hurry, Applejack, climb up," Apple Bloom interrupted, and with the help of her friends, she pulled her big sister into the basket.	  

Glaring angrily at Apple Bloom, Applejack was about to scold her when another gust of wind rocked the basket, causing her to stumble and the three foals to fall.  Recognizing that this was not the time for reprimanding her younger sister, she instead focused on finding a way to get the fillies down safely.

Applejack knew that the balloon would be impossible to steer in this weather, but looking down, she saw that they were heading straight for the lake outside of town.  

Quickly forming a plan, Applejack said, "Girls, get ready to jump when I say."

"What?!" the three of them gasped together.

"Ya'll gotta trust me," Applejack told them.  "Jump when I tells ya, and you'll be safe."

Although she was terrified, Apple Bloom trusted her sister completely.  "All right," she agreed, and then she reared up on her hind leg and held her forelegs out to her friends.  "You ready, girls?"

Looking as frightened as she felt, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both grasped her hooves.  Together, the three of them stood, drawing courage from one another.

"Go now, jump!" Applejack hastily yelled.

Her eyes squeezed shut, Apple Bloom heaved herself over the edge of the basket, and felt the other two do the same.  As the wind whipped through her mane, Apple Bloom screamed in fright along with her friends, and then she crashed into the surface of the lake, the impact driving the breath from her lungs as she plunged into its depths.

Dazed by the fall and the sudden shock of the cold water, Apple Bloom frantically tried to swim to the surface, but found that she could no longer hold her breath.  Fighting back panic, she kicked with all her might as her lungs screamed for oxygen.

I'm going to make it! Apple Bloom told herself determinedly.  For Applejack, Big McIntosh, and Granny Smith, I'm going to make it! 

Suddenly, a large shadow fell over her, and she was roughly pulled up into the fresh air.  Gasping with relief, she clung to Big McIntosh's neck as her eyes landed on Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, both riding her older brother's back and breathing as hard as she was.

Realizing that Applejack wasn't in the lake with them, Apple Bloom looked up and froze with horror.  High above, hanging from a rope that was caught around her hind leg, dangled her big sister.  

It only took Apple Bloom a moment to understand what had happened.  	

Applejack had been so worried about getting them out of the basket safely that she hadn't been paying any attention to herself, and so she hadn't noticed that her hoof had gotten tangled in the rope.  The same rope that Apple Bloom herself had gotten tangled up in.  

As they watched, Applejack struggled to free her hind leg, but the wind had gained strength with the approaching storm and she was swaying too much to get a grip on the rope.  Within seconds, the balloon was no longer over the lake and was drifting higher into the sky, and heading straight for the Everfree Forest.  

"No, Applejack!  Applejack!" Apple Bloom cried in dismay as her beloved sister was carried out of sight.

> A New Divide
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 2


A New Divide


Clinging to Big McIntosh's neck as he swam to shore, Apple Bloom's eyes landed on something in the water.  With a sense of desperation, she released her big brother and paddled as fast as she could toward it.

Surprised, Big McIntosh raised a hoof to stop her but upon seeing the nearby object, let her go.  Floating in the middle of the lake with two young foals panting on his back, the large, muscular stallion could do nothing more than watch with a deep sadness as his younger sister clutched Applejack's hat tightly to her chest. 

Apple Bloom returned to her older brother and allowed him to carry her the rest of the way.  She quickly climbed out of the water and turned her gaze toward the distant tree line where she had last glimpsed Applejack.  "We've got to go after her!" she cried, and then started off toward the Everfree Forest. 

"Nope," Big McIntosh said in his deep, southern drawl as he quickly stepped on Apple Bloom's tail to prevent her from running off.  "We need to get you girls somewhere safe, and then gather the Pegasi to form search parties."

"But all the Pegasi are busy with this storm," Scootaloo said.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle added, "and they don't know that anything's wrong.  How are we going to get their attention before it's too late?"

"Twilight!" Apple Bloom suddenly shouted.  "She'll be able to help us!"

"Then, let's go."  Big McIntosh started off toward town.  "Quickly now."

Fighting back tears, Apple Bloom followed behind the others as they galloped into town and made their way to the Golden Oak Library.  

This is all my fault, she thought to herself remorsefully.  I should never have gotten into that balloon.  Now, Applejack's in serious trouble, all because I put my cutie mark ahead of my family.

When they arrived at the library, Big McIntosh crashed through the front door without hesitation.  "Twilight!" he bellowed.  "Are you home?!  Twilight?!"

"Big McIntosh?" Twilight said in surprise as she descended the stairs.  "What are you doing here?  Shouldn't you be..." she trailed off as she caught sight of their faces.  Her eyes lowered to the hat that Apple Bloom was clutching tightly to her chest as tears ran freely down her face.  "Oh no, what happened?  Is it Applejack?"

Sweetie Belle stepped forward.  "We were in Cherry Berry's balloon and we got swept away by the storm and Applejack saved us, but she got caught in some rope and was carried off toward the Everfree forest," she said all in one breath.

Twilight turned pale.  "We've got to round up the Pegasi.  They can form a search party, but we've got to hurry."

Big McIntosh nodded his agreement.  "But they're busy with the weather.  I was hoping you could help get their attention."

"Of course," Twilight replied hurriedly as she started for the door.

Big McIntosh lifted a hoof and shook his head before pointing at the three fillies beside him.

"Oh, right."  Twilight turned toward the stairs.  "Spike, I got a job for you!"

Spike immediately came bounding down the stairs and came to a skidding halt before them.  "What's up, Twilight?" 

Twilight indicated the three fillies.  "I need you to watch over the girls while Big Mac and I go get the Pegasi."

With his back straight, head held high, and his little clawed hands balled into fists, Spike nodded determinedly.  "Right, I won't let them out of my sight.  You can count on me."

Without another word, Twilight and Big McIntosh hurried out of the library.  Following them to the door, Apple Bloom saw the Unicorn's horn begin to glow with a magenta light, and then it fired a beam high into the sky, bright enough to light up the entire street.  Even after Spike had shut the door, the light could still be seen through the windows for several minutes longer.      	   

"The storm will be here any minute," Spike said once the light had faded away.  "But you'll be safe here, we have a magical lightning rod that protects us."  He pointed to a door that Apple Bloom knew led to the basement.  "Would you girls like something to eat?  We don't have much, since, you know, this is a library and all, but I'm sure I could find something."

The three fillies shook their heads gloomily as they stared at the floor, each absorbed in their own miserable thoughts.

"Are you sure?" Spike pushed.  "Not even a grass and daffodil smoothie?"  When he got no response, he tried a new tactic.  "It'll be okay, the Pegasi will find her.  You'll see."

"But what if they don't?" Apple Bloom suddenly blurted out.  "What if she gets hurt, or...or worse?"

"That won't happen," Spike reassured her.

"How do you know?" Apple Bloom demanded, hugging her sister's hat fiercely.  "How could you possibly know what will happen?"        

"All right," Spike replied gently.  "Why don't you girls come upstairs and lie down. Try to relax.  I'm sure that Twilight won't mind if you use her bed, and if any of you change your mind about food, you can let me know."

Slowly nodding their heads, the three friends followed Spike up the stairs, across Twilight's study, and up a second spiral staircase to the third floor.

As they approached the bed, Apple Bloom discreetly nudged Scootaloo and gave her a meaningful look.  "Actually, Spike, I am kinda hungry after all."

"No problem," Spike replied with a smile.  "What would you like?"

"Well..." Apple Bloom answered slowly.  "That grass and daffodil smoothie you mentioned did sound good."

"You got it!" Spike said enthusiastically, happy to help the young filly any way he could.        	

Quickly catching on to Apple Bloom's plan, Scootaloo agreed, "Yeah, it does sound good, I'll take one too."

Uncertain what the other two were up to, Sweetie Belle hesitated, but noticing their expectant gazes, added, "Me too...if you don't mind."

"Of course not," Spike assured her, waving a clawed hand dismissively.  "They'll be ready in a few minutes."  

Apple Bloom remained still as Spike descended the stairs, and once she could no longer hear his footsteps, she began pulling the sheets off of the bed.  "C'mon girls, you heard Spike.  We only have a couple minutes."

"What are we doing?" Sweetie Belle asked in confusion as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo started to twist the blankets together.

"We're gonna make a rope out of the bed sheets," Scootaloo explained.  "Grab Spike's blankets, we'll need them too."

"But, why?" Sweetie Belle inquired, snatching up the blankets from the wicker basket and giving them to Scootaloo.  "Where are we going?"

"To the Everfree Forest," Apple Bloom answered as she twisted the sheets together until they were one long rope of cloth.  "We're going to rescue my sister."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Sweetie Belle stated worriedly, but the other two ignored her as they tied the sheets securely to the bedpost.

Opening the window, Scootaloo gazed outside.  "It's already raining.  We need to hurry."

"Then, let's go," Apple Bloom said as she placed her sister's hat on her head.

Apple Bloom braced the hat with a hoof and followed Scootaloo out of the window.  Behind her, Sweetie Belle was saying something, but she was unable to hear her over the pouring rain.  She gripped the cloth tightly with her hooves and teeth and slowly made her way down the makeshift rope before dropping the last several feet and landing softly on a large bush.   	  

They waited for Sweetie Belle to safely reach the ground, and then Apple Bloom and Scootaloo started galloping down the road, but came to a skidding halt when their friend yelled for them to stop.

Apple Bloom glanced back and found Sweetie Belle still standing beside the bush.  "What's wrong, are you hurt?" she asked as they returned to her side.

"The Everfree Forest is huge, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle said anxiously, "and we have no idea how far in your sister could have gone."  

"It doesn't matter," Apple Bloom stated determinedly.  "We'll just keep going until we find her."

"But we could get lost," Sweetie Belle pointed out, "and then Big Mac and the Pegasi will quit searching for Applejack and look for us instead."

Without warning, tears began to run down Apple Bloom's face.  "This is all my fault.  Applejack would be at the farm by now if it weren't for me.  I have to help her!"	

"But it'll be dark soon," Sweetie Belle argued, "and the storm is almost here.  It's for the best that we do as Big Mac and Twilight said and stay somewhere safe."

Apple Bloom stomped her hoof.  "I'm going after my sister, and nopony is going to stop me, not even you."  She turned her back on her friend.  "If you're so worried about staying safe, then you can just go on back inside, but Scootaloo and I are going."

As Scootaloo nodded her agreement, Sweetie Belle cried desperately, "Apple Bloom, just stop for a minute and think.  Is this what your sister would want you to do?"

"I am thinking," Apple Bloom snapped.  "I'm thinking of my sister all alone in the Everfree Forest, maybe even hurt, and I can't stand it."  She glared at Sweetie Belle over her shoulder.  "Maybe you'd understand if your sister was half the pony Applejack was."

"Well...well, FINE!" Sweetie Belle shrieked with a high pitched squeak.  "Go and get yourselves lost in the forest!  But don't come crying to me if you get gobbled up by a manticore!"  Weeping bitterly, the young Unicorn raced around the side of the tree and disappeared back inside the library.    

"Come on, Scootaloo, we've wasted enough time," Apple Bloom said as she galloped down the road.  

Scootaloo stared at the library for a moment, then turned away and quickly caught up with her friend.  "Sweetie Belle was right about not knowing how deep in the forest your sister is, you know," she said as she matched Apple Bloom's pace. 

"What are you saying?" Apple Bloom demanded.  "You wanna back out too?!"

"No," Scootaloo answered.  "But I think we might need some supplies.  Let's stop by my place and I'll grab some things."

"That's a good idea, Scootaloo," Apple Bloom complimented.  Feeling remorseful, she added, "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"No worries, we're cool," Scootaloo replied with a grin as she veered around a corner and led the way to her house.   

The rain intensified as the two fillies neared Scootaloo's home, causing them to squint as they rushed through the curtains of water.  Bracing her sister's hat against a particularly strong gust of wind, Apple Bloom began to wonder if Sweetie Belle may have been right after all, but then pushed aside her doubts resolutely.  Her sister needed her, and she would do whatever it took to save her.

As they came to a halt at her front door, Scootaloo said, "Wait here, I'll be back in a sec."

Alone in the driving rain and consumed by guilt, Apple Bloom trotted back and forth anxiously.  Waiting outside Scootaloo's house was the last place she wanted to be.  Somewhere out there, deep within the dark and scary Everfree Forest her sister was lost and all alone, and here she was just standing around while her friend gathered up supplies.

How could I have let this happen?  Why was I so careless?  

She couldn't stop imagining her sister huddled in shadows, wet and miserable as she trembled from the cold and fear.  It took all of her willpower to wait for Scootaloo and not race off on her own.

Finally, a window on the second floor opened just as the first crash of thunder rolled over the town, and Scootaloo poked her head out.  "Here, catch."

Apple Bloom reared up on her hind legs and caught the light blue saddlebag.  She then quickly stepped back as Scootaloo leaped from the window, and flapping her wings furiously, landed somewhat awkwardly on her hooves.     	  

"I told my parents I was tired and going to bed early, so we won't have to worry about them til the morning," Scootaloo explained.  "In case you were wondering why I left through the window."  

Apple Bloom nodded.  "We all set now?"

"Yup," Scootaloo confirmed.  "I got us plenty of oats, blankets, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.  We'll be good for the next few days, easy."

Apple Bloom was about to ask who's toothbrush she was going to be using, but decided it wasn't important.  "Let's go."

The storm's strength had grown tremendously by the time the two fillies neared the Everfree Forest.  As they crossed the open fields, lightning split the sky and they could feel the deep rumbling of thunder under their hooves.  

With her head held low against the wind and rain, and her mane and tail flapping wildly, Scootaloo yelled, "I think Sweetie Belle might have been right, after all!"

"Just keep going!" Apple Bloom pressed.  "The wind and rain won't be as bad in the forest.  The trees will block most of it."

"Yeah," Scootaloo grumbled.  "As long as they don't fall on us."

Straining to see through the falling sheets of rain, Apple Bloom glimpsed the dark trees looming ahead.  "We're almost there!"

"APPLE BLOOM!" boomed a deep voice from behind them.  

Startled, the two spun around to find Big McIntosh rushing toward them, and several yards behind him, barely visible through the rain and fading light, was Sweetie Belle.

"What in the hay do you two think you're doin'?!" Big McIntosh demanded sternly as he reached them.

Dismayed to have been caught in the act by her big brother, Apple Bloom stammered, "W-well, uh, w-we were..."  She trailed off when she met his eyes and swiftly turned her gaze to her hooves.  

"Do ya really think that this is what your sister would want?" Big McIntosh reprimanded.  "For you to just run straight into the forest after her and put yourselves in danger?"

"No," Apple Bloom answered meekly, her eyes filling with tears.

"What do you think would happen if she made it back here tomorrow," Big McIntosh continued.  "All worn out, maybe even hurt, and found out that you had gone into the forest lookin' for her?  She would turn tail and head straight back into the forest.  Is that what you want?"

Apple Bloom sniffled.  "No."

"So," Big McIntosh concluded.  "If ya wouldn't want your sister to go into the forest lookin' for you, then why are you about to go in lookin' for her?"

Too upset to speak, Apple Bloom just shook her head as the tears began pouring down her face.  

Big McIntosh pulled her close and enveloped her in a hug.  "I know it hurts, Apple Bloom," he spoke coaxingly, "but Applejack would want you to stay safe.  That way she could focus on herself without worrying about you."    

After a moment, he released her and stood up as another crash of thunder rocked the field.  "C'mon, let's get the three of you inside where it's safe."  

As Big McIntosh turned away, Sweetie Belle hesitantly approached her friend. "Apple Bloom," she began gently, but quickly shied away from the scathing look Apple Bloom unexpectedly threw her way.

Silently following Big McIntosh as he led them back to Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom fumed over what Sweetie Belle had done.  

Sweetie Belle had known that she felt guilty about Applejack, and that she needed to be the one to rescue her.  How could she go tell Big McIntosh on her?  Sweetie Belle had betrayed her, right at the moment when she had needed her friends the most, and she knew that she would never be able to forgive her.

With these dark thoughts swirling inside her head, Apple Bloom marched across the field toward the farm house, and standing back to allow Big McIntosh to open the front door, entered without even sparing a single glance at the other two.    

Upon hearing them in the living room, Granny Smith slowly emerged from the dining room and made her way toward them in an unsteady gait.  "I sure am happy y'all are back, what with this storm clamorin' louder than a hootenanny."  After a moment, the elderly Earth pony frowned.  "Where's Applejack?"

Big McIntosh turned to them.  "You girls get on upstairs and ready for bed, I need to talk to Granny for a bit."  As he led Granny Smith back toward the dining room, he called over his shoulder, "I'll be up bright 'n' early to take you two home."  	  

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo watched Apple Bloom ascend the stairs, her ears drooping and her head hanging gloomily.  Neither knowing what to say to their downhearted friend, the two of them quietly climbed the stairs and followed her to her bedroom. 

Apple Bloom paid the two of them no heed as she crawled into her four posted bed, and placing her sister's hat on the nightstand, buried her head under the pillow.	

Hesitantly, Sweetie Belle approached the bed.  "Apple Bloom...I'm sorry that I went and got Big Mac, but I didn't know what else to do."  She waited for her friend to respond, but after a few moments of silence, she turned to Scootaloo for help.

"Apple Bloom," Scootaloo began.  "I'm sorry that-"

"Scoot?" Apple Bloom suddenly called from beneath the pillow.

"Uh, yeah?" Scootaloo replied, surprised that she had been addressed so abruptly.

In a muffled voice, Apple Bloom said, "Would you kindly tell Sweetie Belle that she has completely betrayed my trust, and that I refuse to speak another word to her ever again."

Scootaloo grimaced at Apple Bloom's words, and spared an uneasy glance at Sweetie Belle as her face fell and her ears drooped.

"Look, I get why you're mad, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle stated, "but you have to understand, I did what I did because we're friends.  Because I care about you."

When her friend failed to answer, Sweetie Belle sighed loudly and rolled her eyes before nudging Scootaloo.  "Oh, right...uh, Sweetie Belle says she did it cause she cares about your safety," Scootaloo repeated awkwardly.

Apple Bloom rolled onto her back and stared at the canopy above.  "Well, you can just tell her that I knew exactly what I was doing, and that I could have handled the Everfree Forest just fine."

As Scootaloo opened her mouth to speak, Sweetie Belle covered it with a hoof.  "Maybe so, but you were so worried about your sister that you were prepared to run straight into danger without even thinking about it.  Somepony had to stop you before you got hurt."

Scootaloo stood for a moment and watched Apple Bloom angrily cross her forelegs in front of her chest but saying nothing.  Finally, Scootaloo mumbled, "What am I, two cans and a string?"  

Once Scootaloo had echoed Sweetie Belle's words, Apple Bloom retorted, "I could've saved Applejack, I know it.  But now I've missed my chance.  All because of you."

"That's your guilt talking," Sweetie Belle argued.  "Just listen to yourself.  You're not even making sense!"

Before Scootaloo could respond, Apple Bloom shot back, "What doesn't make sense is you telling Big McIntosh on me!  You turned on me, right at the moment when I needed my friends the most!"

"I did not!  I was trying to help!" Sweetie Belle shouted, hoof stomping in frustration.

"Well, take your help somewhere else, cause I don't want it," Apple Bloom snapped, rolling onto her side to face the window.  "Not now, not ever."

Sweetie Belle suddenly burst into tears and ran out of the room, leaving a miserable Scootaloo to stare at the spot she had been standing seconds before.  

Scootaloo swallowed hard.  "Apple Bloom, she was just-"

"I really want to be alone now," Apple Bloom interrupted, her voice shaking with emotion as she reached for her sister's hat and hugged it tightly.

"Okay," Scootaloo replied quietly, then slowly backed out of the room.  For a moment, she stood in the doorway, feeling like there was something she should say, something she needed to say, but unable to find the words, the young Pegasus simply left.

As soon as her friends were gone, Apple Bloom started to sob uncontrollably.  "I'm so sorry," she spoke to the hat.  "I'd give anything to start today over again."

Without warning, something jumped onto the bed and began whining.  Apple Bloom rolled over to find Winona studying her with obvious concern.

"Hey there, girl," Apple Bloom said in a trembling voice as the Border Collie snuggled against her and nuzzled her face affectionately.  "I'm so sorry, Winona, but Applejack won't be coming back tonight, maybe not for a long time, and it's all because of me."  Staring into Winona's large, brown eyes, Apple Bloom could see a deep sadness within them, and knew that, somehow, the Border Collie understood what had happened.  

Apple Bloom buried her face in her companion's warm, soft fur, and drifted into a restless sleep from which she awoke several times, but every time, Winona was there for her.  Together, the two spent the night comforting each other while outside the storm raged on.   	

> The Missing Piece
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 3


The Missing Piece
                                                

As Applejack regained consciousness and slowly opened her eyes, she was immediately blinded by the sun glaring in her face.  Squinting against the harsh light, she let out a startled cry as she caught sight of the ground far below, and with a frantic kick of her hooves, she tumbled off of the thick branch that she had been lying on.  She only fell a couple of feet, however, before coming to a sudden halt, swinging from the rope that was still wrapped around her left hind leg.

Applejack closed her eyes and got her breathing under control, and then glanced up at the deflated balloon above.  It was snagged on the highest branches of the tree, and below it was the basket hanging awkwardly on its side.  Directly beneath her was another thick branch, but she would have to untie her leg to reach it.		   

With a loud grunt, Applejack bent forward and gripped the rope tightly with her forelegs.  As she loosened the loop around her hind leg with her teeth, the last few moments of the previous night replayed in her mind.

I can't believe I was that careless.  Sure, I was more worried about getting Apple Bloom and her friends down safely than I was for myself, but I was just plain negligent.  Foiled by a rope!  Me, of all ponies!

Applejack gave the rope a final hard yank, then fell the short distance to the branch below and  grabbed it with her forelegs.  Dangling high above the ground, she brought up a back leg and straddled it as she searched for another branch within easy reach.

She quickly spotted another thick branch and carefully lowered herself onto it, but it unexpectedly snapped under her weight.  With a shout, she fell several feet before landing on another branch much further down.  Unfortunately, she barely had time to sigh with relief before it too dropped out from beneath her with a loud crack, and she plummeted to the ground.	    

Applejack crashed into the dense foliage with enough force to drive the air from her lungs.  With a groan, she rolled onto her stomach and took several moments to catch her breath before crawling out of the undergrowth.  

"Thank Celestia I wasn't hurt comin' down," Applejack said aloud, gazing up at the balloon.  She studied the large tear in its side that had snagged several branches, and as her eyes lowered to the toppled basket, it occurred to her that it was nothing short of miraculous that she had landed safely in the tree.  "Oh my," Applejack said, sitting down as she realized just how lucky she had been.  "If those branches hadn't caught the balloon, or if that rope hadn't been as secured to the basket, I would've been done for."

Suddenly Applejack became aware that she wasn't wearing her hat.  With a start, she  jumped up and turned in a small circle.  "Where is it?"  Her eyes scanned the many branches of the tree anxiously, but found no trace of it.  Applejack struggled to remember when she had last had it.  She knew that she had had it when the girls had jumped into the lake, but she had no idea when she had lost it.        

A deep regret pierced her heart as she realized that her hat was gone for good.  Her Granny Smith had given her that hat the same day that she had gotten her cutie mark, and it had become a part of who she was.  Now that she had lost it, it felt as if a vital piece of her was missing.

For a moment, she allowed her sorrow to surface as she said a silent goodbye, but then she shoved her emotions aside.  There was nothing that she could do for her hat, and it wouldn't do her any good to cry over it.  She needed to get home to her family.

"Oh, that Apple Bloom," Applejack grumbled.  "When I get back, I'm gonna kick her tail."  

As soon as the words left her mouth, Applejack knew that they were untrue.  She didn't blame the little filly.  She hadn't meant for any of this to happen.  She knew that Apple Bloom would be torn up with guilt over the accident, and would remain so until Applejack arrived safely back home.  All she really cared about was getting back home as quickly as possible so her little sister wouldn't suffer for long.

"All right, then," Applejack said as she looked around.  "Which way do I go?"

Through the thick canopy far above, Applejack could only see splotches of sky.  She knew that she needed to head east, but if she couldn't see the sun, how would she know which way to go?

She recalled that when she had first awoken in the tree, the sun had been in her eyes.  Her eyes squinted in concentration,  Applejack reached up to fidget with her missing hat as she tried to judge which branch she had been on and what direction she'd been facing.  It was difficult since she had fallen before she had realized where she was, but after several minutes, she was pretty sure she knew which branch she had been on.  

Confident that she knew which direction to head, Applejack started off at a canter, wanting to get back home before it got too late.  As she traveled among the large twisted trees and through the dense brush, Applejack's mind turned back to Apple Bloom. 

Her friends had told her countless times in the past that she worried too much over her little sister, but she just couldn't help it.  Applejack had practically raised Apple Bloom singlehoofedly from an infant while Big McIntosh and Granny Smith had done most of the work around the farm.  Having been even younger than Apple Bloom was now, Applejack had strove to meet her baby sister's every need, often spending sleepless nights sitting next to the crib.

As the years passed, and Granny Smith began to have trouble keeping up with the chores, Applejack had eventually switched jobs with the elderly pony.  Still, she had fretted over Apple Bloom constantly, and to this day, she felt responsible for her safety.

Applejack still remembered taking Apple Bloom to school for the first time and meeting with Cheerilee.  Her little sister had been so excited that she hadn't been able to sit still and as Applejack watched, she had pranced straight over to another young filly named Twist and they instantly became friends.  Full of pride, Applejack had said goodbye to Cheerilee and walked back to the farm.  Halfway home, her eyes had unexpectedly welled up with tears of joy mixed with sadness as she suddenly realized that the little filly had grown up. 

With these happy memories circling in her mind, Applejack moved at a moderate pace through the forest.  After a few short hours, however, she skidded to a halt as dread knotted in her stomach.

Although the canopy was no more dense than it had been earlier, the forest was growing noticeably darker.  That could only mean one thing.  It was evening.

When she had estimated where the sun had been, she had assumed that it had been sometime in the morning, but now, she understood that it had been afternoon. 

"Celestia's mane!" Applejack exclaimed in dismay.  "I've been goin' the wrong direction!  I'm deeper in the forest now than when I started!"

Frightened by both the prospect of being in the Everfree Forest after dark and the knowledge that she didn't have the faintest idea which way to go, Applejack felt her panic rise up and threaten to take control.		 

As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, Applejack reached up to once again fidget with her hat.  

"Consarn it!"  She stomped her hoof in frustration as her hoof found only her mane.

"Okay, okay, calm down," she whispered to herself after another deep breath.  "Are ya a country girl, or ain't ya?  This isn't exactly the first time you've been in the Everfree Forest.  Nothin' is gonna happen."

Beginning to feel better, Applejack took a moment to take in her surroundings.  

She'd entered the Everfree Forest numerous times, and just a couple of months ago, she had even spent the night in the forest, during which she had stayed awake nearly the entire time so that her friends and Zecora could get plenty of rest.  Although she had had a few close calls, that had never stopped her from re-entering the Everfree Forest when she needed to.  

I'm going to be fine, she told herself resolutely.  There ain't a forest in Equestria that I can't handle on my own.

Determined to make up for lost time, Applejack started back the way she had come, but only an hour later, a near perfect darkness had fallen over the forest.  

Unable to see more than a single step ahead of her, she slowed her pace to a crawl.  Despite the fact that she kept stumbling over vegetation and bumping into trees, Applejack moved stubbornly forward.

All around her were numerous strange calls and the rustling of nearby brush as the nocturnal creatures emerged from their dens to hunt.  Swallowing hard, she wondered if the Timberwolves or the manticore  were nocturnal, and she began imagining herself walking blindly into an awaiting maw full of razor sharp teeth.  

After what felt like an eternity, she began to notice that the forest was glowing with a soft light.  She glanced up to find that the canopy had thinned out and she could glimpse the full moon overhead.  	

Thankful for the light, Applejack quickened her pace, keeping her eyes to the ground to prevent any further tripping.  As the breeze swayed the branches above, the dark splotches of shadows surrounding her began to dance as if they were infected with a festive life of their own.    

Uneasily, Applejack pushed forward, and soon found herself in a wide open field.

"Oh, thank Celestia," Applejack muttered, relieved to be free of the oppressing trees.  She flopped down on her rump and tried to get her nerves under control as she gazed at the cloudless night sky.  	

As she studied the constellations above, Applejack smiled.  Now she could find her way home, everything she needed was in the sky.

At least once a year, Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity managed to clear their busy schedules and make time for a slumber party.  The party was a private celebration between the three of them honoring the night that Applejack and Rarity had become friends.  

During these slumber parties, they often commemorated their differences by engaging in activates based on one of the three's hobbies.  These were the only times that anypony alive on Equestria would ever see Applejack willingly dress herself in a sickeningly girly gown, or Rarity covered in apple juice making fritters.  It was also the only time that either Rarity or Applejack would sit and listen to Twilight ramble on about the stars.

Although Applejack had found Twilight's lectures on constellations more boring than one of Granny Smith's Ponyville Committee meetings, there had been one thing that had caught her interest.  

She had been fascinated by the North Star.  How could one star stay put while all the rest were forced to revolve around it?  Twilight had been delighted by her interest and had told her everything there was to know about it, and had even taken her to the balcony on top of the library to allow her to view it through the telescope.  She had also taught her how to locate it in the night sky.

In a matter of seconds, Applejack located the North Star, and headed off to the east.

When lost in the wilderness it was very easy to end up traveling in circles, but Applejack knew a trick to prevent this.  Scanning the area ahead of her, she locked her eyes onto a moss covered log and trotted straight toward it.  Upon reaching it, she searched for another landmark that was in a straight line from the log and spotted a tree stump.  By doing this, she ensured that she was always walking in a straight line and always heading east.

As she made her way to the next landmark, she heard the loud crack of a snapping twig to her immediate left.  Startled, she whipped around to study the dense brush just as a loud screech emitted from behind her.  Frightened, Applejack turned her gaze back to her landmark and did her best to ignore the unnerving sounds that surrounded her.

Easy girl.  She reassured herself.  It's just them night time critters scampering about.  It ain't no different than any other forest you've been in.  Except this one is a mite creepier.

Despite her efforts to calm herself, her mind returned to images of sharp teeth, and she began to see shapes in the shadows around her.

Determined to keep her imagination from pushing her into a full-blown panic, Applejack turned her thoughts to the pony that she had been thinking of just a little while ago.  Remembering the day that she had first met Twilight, a smile instantly appeared on her face.

Twilight had arrived at the farm during the Apple Family Reunion to check on the food preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration.  Applejack had been in high spirits and had enthusiastically welcomed her and introduced her to the entire family, effectively overwhelming the poor Unicorn.  

Although Twilight had only half-heartedly eaten everything offered to her and had hightailed it off the farm at the first chance she got, Applejack had liked her immediately.  There had just been something about the Unicorn, something that had drawn Applejack to her.  So, when she had learned of Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony, and realized that Twilight would need her help, Applejack had volunteered without hesitation.  

To this day, it amazed her to think of how Twilight had united them.  Before Twilight, Applejack had focused all of her time and energy on the farm and keeping her family organized.  Once Twilight had arrived, however, everything had changed.

Having harnessed the powers of the Elements of Harmony with the others, Applejack soon found that she had grown especially fond of them.  Rarity would unexpectedly enter her mind when a week ago she wouldn't have given two hoots and a holler about what the fussy Unicorn was doing, and she and Rainbow Dash started to get together as companions instead of competitors.  

Applejack knew that it had been Twilight's love for them that had inspired them to put aside their differences and become friends.  She understood this, and would love Twilight forever for it.

A steady rain began to fall as the sun slowly began to break through the forest's gloom.  

Grateful for the sun's return, but irritated by the rain, Applejack grumbled, "Of course.  Just as soon as one thing gets better, somethin' else has gotta get worse."

As the hours dragged on the rain only intensified, and although Applejack kept a close eye out for any shelter that she may use, nothing presented itself.

Miserable and thoroughly drenched, Applejack muttered, "I think I'm beginnin' to see why Rarity hates the rain so much."

Despite the unpleasant circumstances, her mind drifted to the prissy Unicorn.

Of the six of them, only Applejack and Rarity had been born in Ponyville, but being so different, the two of them hadn't really spoken except for the rare occasion when Rarity came to the marketplace to buy apples.  

Then, about two month after Twilight's arrival in town, Applejack had been tasked with leading a group of volunteers to remove weak branches from the trees around Ponyville before the scheduled storm moved in.  

Applejack had been shocked to her core when she had discovered that Rarity had volunteered for the job.  When she had located and asked the Unicorn why she wanted to help so badly, Rarity had smiled and told her that, since they were both friends with Twilight, she had simply wanted to get to know Applejack better.

Touched, Applejack had offered to work beside her, and the two of them started working on the trees in the park.  It wasn't long, however, before Applejack discovered just how annoying the fussy Unicorn could be.  She proved to be more worried about repairing and beautifying the damaged limbs than pulling them down, and a frustrated Applejack ended up doing most of the work.  Because of this, they had fallen behind and got caught in the storm.  With no other option, they had been forced to seek shelter with Twilight for the night. 

This of course had led to the worst slumber party in the history of Equestria, but it had also led to the two of them becoming the best of friends.    

Wondering what Twilight and Rarity were doing right now, Applejack suddenly felt a powerful surge of hatred for the two.  The feeling was so strong it was staggering, but then, as quickly as it came, it was gone.  

Applejack slowed to a halt in the pouring rain, blinked, and shook her head.  What had just happened?  She had never felt a hatred like that before, not for anypony.  Where had it come from?  And why had it been directed at two of her best friends?        

Confused, Applejack glanced to her right and discovered a rock outcropping in the distance.  Galloping through the sheets of rain, Applejack quickly located a gap in the rocks that she could squeeze into.  Although it was muddy inside, it was relatively dry.  

Cold, wet, and depressed, Applejack curled into a tight ball on the ground as her thoughts strayed to her hat.  Wishing that she had it with her now, she felt a sharp pang of remorse as she listened to the falling rain.  Applejack closed her eyes as her mind traveled back to a memory that she had not visited for many years.

"What happened, Applejack?  We had plans for today, why are you so late?"

Applejack turned her gaze to the ground and rubbed her foreleg with a hoof.  "I'm sorry, Pa, but I promised Caramel that I'd help him with his essay after class, but it took longer than I thought."

Applejack's father gave her a stern look from beneath his light brown western hat.  "It's good that you kept your word and helped your friend, but ya shouldn't have made that promise.  You'd already made plans to help me build your tree house today." 

"I know, Pa," Applejack said unhappily, rolling a small rock under her hoof.  "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry," he replied, favoring her with a warm smile.  "But ya do need to understand how important it is to be dependable.  It will make you a well liked and respectable pony one day.  Everypony likes a dependable pony."  He playfully ruffled her mane.  "And most importantly, bein' dependable is just simply the right thing to do."

Applejack grinned.  "All right.  I'll try real hard from now on and be as dependable a pony as you are, Pa."

"Glad to hear it."  He chuckled.  "Now, how's about we get started on this here tree house of yours?"

With a gasp, Applejack exclaimed, "Ya still wanna do it?!"

"Well, we ain't finishin' today, that's for sure," her father answered.  "But I reckon we can get a few good hours work in before your Ma comes along and drags us off to supper."

Once Applejack enthusiastically agreed, her father began to measure the wood, saw it to the appropriate length, and nail it together.  While he worked, he allowed her to help him with little things like having her read off the measurements, or asking her to hold the nail in place as he hammered it.  As she watched him work, Applejack was filled with wonder at how he seemed to be good at everything.

After a while of observing him construct her tree house, Applejack hesitantly asked, "Pa...why are you a farmer?"

"Hmm?"  He blinked at her question.  "Well, my daddy was a farmer, and my granddaddy was a farmer, and so was his daddy."	

"But, why?" Applejack persisted.  "Why didn't ya become a...uh, what's them ponies called that build houses and stuff?"

"Are you askin' why I didn't become a carpenter?" he inquired.  When she nodded, he took a moment to think before responding.  "That's a tough one.  I really like to build things, and I would have been a great carpenter.  I could have traveled all around Equestria, building houses and whatnot."  Then he gave her a wide smile and a wink.  "But I guess that, in the end, Apples don't fall far from the tree."     

Applejack giggled at his answer for a moment, then turned serious.  "So, am I gonna be a farmer when I grow up?"

"I don't know."  He shrugged.  "That's gonna be up to you, honey."

Beaming brightly, Applejack loudly announced, "In that case, I'm gonna be a farmer just like you, Pa!  I'm gonna grow up big and strong like you, and have a farmin' cutie mark like you, and I'll buck all the apples in the orchard all by myself!"

Laughing, her father adjusted his hat.  "The whole orchard?!  All by yourself!  Now that would be amazin'!"

"You bet it will!" Applejack assured him.  She eyed his hat with interest.  "I'll even wear a hat, just like that one."

With a pleasant smile, he said, "You like my hat, huh?  Well, your granddaddy gave it to me when I was just a little bit older than you are right now."  Lifting his hat, he placed it on Applejack's head and watched with amusement as it slid down to cover her eyes.  "Since you seem so keen on bein' a farmer yourself, maybe I'll let ya have it once it fits ya proper like."

Applejack lifted the brim of the hat and stared at her father in astonishment.  "You'd give me your hat?!"

He nodded.  "If you're gonna follow in the hoofsteps of the Apples, then it seems fittin' that I give it to ya."

Standing tall with her head held high and her chest thrust out, Applejack radiated with pride.  "I'll take real good care of it, and it will go everywhere I go."

As thunder rolled over the Everfree Forest, Applejack shivered in the cold, muddy space beneath the rocks as she unconsciously raised a hoof up to her head.  Upon finding nothing more than her mane, she began to weep bitterly as she slowly drifted off into an uneasy sleep.   

> An Unexpected Inspiration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 4


An Unexpected Inspiration


As the rooster began to crow, Apple Bloom was already lying on her back and staring up at the canopy of her bed.  With a miserable moan, she pulled the pillow over her head, as if simply blocking out the light would somehow prevent the start of the new day.

She had spent the entire previous day in bed, crying and refusing to respond to either Big McIntosh or Granny Smith when they checked on her.  She only got up a couple times to use the bathroom.  And one other time.

Around midday, Apple Bloom had noticed a flashing light outside, and knowing that it was time for the second sign of the arriving zap apples, she had gone over to the window to watch.  

Outside, dark clouds had suddenly formed over the orchard, and Apple Bloom had stared in awe as the trees began to spark with energy.  With several bright flashes, the trees abruptly sprouted hundreds of leaves, and moments later, the clouds dissipated as quickly as they had appeared.   

Although the spectacle had been impressive, Apple Bloom had felt nothing inside.  Even something as magical as this annual event was meaningless without her big sister by her side.

Slowly climbing out of bed, Apple Bloom walked to the window and watched as the sun slowly drove the shadows from the farm.  As her eyes landed on the distant orchard, she felt another sharp stab of sorrow.

The zap apple harvest was the largest source of profit for Sweet Apple Acres, closely followed by cider season.  The Apple family needed every bit they earned from making zap apple jam to pay for repairs and ready the farm for the winter.  But now, thanks to her, Applejack wasn't here for the zap apple harvest.  Apple Bloom knew that even if Big McIntosh worked harder than he ever had in all his life, they would still only harvest half of the zap apples that they usually did.

Half a harvest meant half the profit, and Apple Bloom didn't need to do the math to know that it wouldn't be enough to see the farm through the winter.  Not even if they had an exceptionally profitable cider season.

And it was all her fault.

Without warning, something streaked past her window so fast that all she could make out was a colorful blur.  Surprised, Apple Bloom stumbled back, then looked down to find Rainbow Dash standing by the front door.  

"Rainbow Dash!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, suddenly feeling excited.  "If she's here, then she has some news!  Maybe they found Applejack!"  

Shaking with anticipation, Apple Bloom raced out of her room and down the stairs.  At the front door, she found Big McIntosh and Granny Smith standing outside with Rainbow Dash.  

"Oh, thank Celestia."  She heard Granny Smith sigh with relief as she joined them.

Upon hearing Granny Smith's reaction to the news, Apple Bloom felt a thrill of joy.  "Did you find her?!" she asked eagerly.

As soon as she asked the question, the smile on Rainbow Dash's face faltered as her ears drooped and she lowered her gaze to the ground.  

As Big McIntosh turned to her and sadly shook his head, Apple Bloom asked in confusion, "Then...what was Granny Smith so thankful about?"

"Well..." Rainbow Dash began.  "Thunderlane found the balloon stuck in a tree, and the rope that had caught Applejack's leg looked like it had been chewed through.  He also found some broken branches and the bushes under the tree had been flattened."  Rainbow Dash stepped forward and placed a hoof on Apple Bloom's shoulder.  "So we know that she got out of the tree and she's okay.  Now, we're going to search the forest from there to here in grids.  It's a lot of ground to cover, she's pretty deep in the Everfree, but I got Twilight to help organize everything, so you know we're gonna be thorough." 

"How deep is she?" Big McIntosh asked, reaching out and pulling Apple Bloom close.

Rainbow Dash hesitated for a moment.  "I've actually never even heard of anypony going this deep into the Everfree.  Not even Zecora has gone that far in."

As Big McIntosh and Apple Bloom shared frightened looks, Granny Smith hugged the Pegasus.  "Thank you kindly, Rainbow Dash, for everythin' that you're doin'."

Smiling at the Apples sadly, Rainbow Dash leaped into the sky.  "I'll let you know the instant we find her!" she called down as she rocketed away.

Apple Bloom was filled with mixed emotions as she watched Rainbow Dash fade from view.  She was glad to know that Applejack was okay, but she was still out there somewhere.  She knew that the Everfree Forest was a dangerous place where anything could happen, and nothing would make Apple Bloom feel better until her sister was home.   

"Glad to see you're up outta bed," Granny Smith commented, interrupting her thoughts.  "You want some breakfast?" 

"I don't know," Apple Bloom replied.  In truth, she didn't have much of an appetite, despite the fact that she hadn't touched any of the food Granny Smith had brought to her room the previous day.

"I understand how ya feel, pickle pear," Granny Smith told her, "but you've gotta eat somethin'.  How's about a bit of oats?"

Apple Bloom shrugged and followed her grandmother back inside the house and into the kitchen.  While Granny Smith was getting her oats ready, Apple Bloom's eyes strayed to the glass jars that were set out on the counter; fully inspected and awaiting the zap apple jam.  She could also smell the honey that was in a large bucket off in the far corner beside the counter.  

"Here ya go, half-pint," Granny Smith said as she gave Apple Bloom the bowl.  "Now eat up."

Despondently, Apple Bloom carried the bowl to the table in the dining room and began eating.  Even though she didn't even remotely enjoy the food, putting something into her stomach made her feel better.  

Finished, she pushed the bowl away and announced, "I'm going outside for a bit!"

"Alrighty then," Granny Smith replied, sticking her head into the room.  "That fresh air will do you good."

Apple Bloom stepped outside and breathed deeply.  The air was crisp and filled with the sweet scent of apples.  The early morning sun spread warmth throughout her body while the singing birds filled her with peace.  Closing her eyes, she could almost forget her pain and lose herself in this pleasant day.  Almost.

As she opened her eyes, Apple Bloom caught sight of Cheerilee and Big McIntosh talking beneath the arch that marked the entrance to the farm.  Cheerilee smiled sweetly and waved before trotting over to her.

"Good morning, Apple Bloom," she said brightly as she approached, carrying a small stack of papers.  "We were just talking about you."

Apple Bloom forced a smile.  "Good morning, Miss Cheerilee."

"I know that you probably won't be attending school for the next few days," Cheerilee explained.  "So I wanted to stop by and bring you this week's homework assignments.  I understand how upset you must be, but you shouldn't let your education suffer.  I know that your sister would agree.  Besides," Cheerilee added with a wink, "losing yourself in your schoolwork just may help you forget your worries for a while."    

Unsure what to say, Apple Bloom accepted the papers.  "Thanks..."

Cheerilee lifted a hoof and stroked Apple Bloom's mane.  "Don't worry about when they're due.  Just work on them when you feel like it and turn them in when they're done."  Slowly backing away, she gave her a small smile and Apple Bloom could clearly see the sorrow in her eyes.  "You try to have a pleasant day now."

She turned to Big McIntosh and gazed at him for a moment. Suddenly, she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the muzzle.  "Stay strong," she spoke softly, and then trotted back down the road. 

As Cheerilee walked away, Apple Bloom looked down at the small stack of papers that she was holding, and then studied the quiet orchard around her.  After only a moment's hesitation, Apple Bloom made her decision.

"Wait, Miss Cheerilee!" she called, and rushing into the house, quickly tossed the stack of papers onto the couch and hurried back outside.

"I'm coming with you," Apple Bloom explained as she approached the awaiting teacher.  "I wanna go to school."

"You sure?" Big McIntosh asked, sounding worried.

Apple Bloom nodded.  "Yeah, I'm sure."

With a grin, Big McIntosh ruffled her mane.  "Behave."

Apple Bloom reared up and hugged her older brother fiercely, then followed Cheerilee off of the farm.  

Cheerilee studied her intently as the two of them walked down the dirt road.   "I'm happy that you're coming to class today, but are you sure you're ready?"	

"I think so," Apple Bloom replied.  "I just wanted to get away from the farm for awhile.  Now that Applejack is missing, it feels so...empty."

Cheerilee mused over her words.  Finally, she said, "Apple Bloom, I want you to know that you're welcome to visit me at home if you ever need to talk.  Anything at all you need to get off your chest, I'm more than happy to listen."

This time Apple Bloom's smile was genuine.  "Thanks, Miss Cheerilee.  You're the best."

As they continued toward the school in silence, Apple Bloom noticed that everypony they passed on the streets reacted to seeing her.  Some gave her sad smiles, some turned their gazes to the ground, and Filthy Rich patted her shoulder sympathetically as she walked by.  

All the townsfolk felt sorry for her, and she couldn't stand it.  

She didn't want their pity, she didn't deserve it.  She wanted somepony to yell at her for taking the balloon, she wanted somepony to tell her that this was all her fault.  How could nopony say it?  It had to be what was on all of their minds.

Just then, Apple Bloom spotted Cherry Berry on the other side of the street and dashed over to her.  "I'm sorry about your balloon, Cherry Berry."

"Oh, uh..."  Cherry Berry glanced around nervously.  "That's okay, Apple Bloom.  It was just a balloon."

Surprised by her indifference, Apple Bloom stammered, "B-but, you put so much money into it...how can you say it's okay?"

Cherry Berry shuffled her hooves.  "Well...I'm just not worried about it."

Apple Bloom's anger began to rise.  "You were angry with Spike when he rode it into the Everfree Forest that one time, and that was an accident.  I took it on purpose, why aren't you mad at me?"

"I...um...err..."

Suddenly furious, Apple Bloom demanded, "Why do you feel sorry for me?!  Why won't you yell at me for stealing your balloon?!  You know this is my fault, why won't you just say it?!"

"That's enough, Apple Bloom," Cheerilee said sternly as Cherry Berry began to cower before the infuriated foal.

Without warning, Apple Bloom burst into tears and galloped away.  Turning down the first alley that she came across, she dropped to the ground and covered her face with her hooves.

A short moment later, Cheerilee was beside her.  Wordlessly, she scooped the little filly up off the ground and held her tightly.  

Apple Bloom squeezed her back as she let out a shaky breath.  "Why isn't anypony mad at me?  Why won't they blame me?"

"Maybe because they feel you've suffered enough," Cheerilee said gently.  "Or maybe because they don't blame you."

Perplexed, Apple Bloom drew away from her teacher.  "What do you mean?  This was all my fault.  They have to realize that."

Cheerilee look her straight in the eyes.  "You made some bad decisions, that much is true.  But sometimes, bad things just happen, and it isn't necessarily anypony's fault."  She stroked Apple Bloom's cheek tenderly.  "Applejack is always looking out for others, and she made a choice to act.  It isn't your fault, or her fault, or anypony's fault.  You can't blame yourself, you know Applejack wouldn't want you to."

"Yeah, I guess so."  Apple Bloom sighed.

"Now, come along," Cheerilee said.  "We need to get to class.  Mingling with the other foals will make you feel better." 

Following Cheerilee toward the schoolhouse, Apple Bloom thought about what her teacher had just said.  Was it possible that Cheerilee didn't blame her for what happened?  And if so, then the other townsfolk didn't either.  Apple Bloom wasn't sure how to feel about that.  It didn't seem possible.

Before she could dwell on it for too long, however, they arrived at the school.

As she entered, her classmates grew silent and watched her solemnly as she crossed the room and took her seat between Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. 

Purposefully ignoring Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom said, "Hi, Scootaloo."  She saw Sweetie Belle's face fall as she drooped in her seat miserably, but pretended not to notice.

While Cheerilee was preparing to start class, Scootaloo leaned closer.  "You heard the news, right?  They know your sister landed in a tree and got down safely."  When Apple Bloom nodded, she continued, "Yeah, Rainbow Dash told me.  She's been searching for Applejack constantly.  Rarity says that she gets up at the crack of dawn, gets all of her weather jobs done in record speed, and then searches the Everfree all day and most of the night.  She's only sleeping like two or three hours a night and hardly eats."

"Wow...really?" Apple Bloom asked, deeply touched that the Pegasus was putting such tremendous effort into finding her sister.

"Yeah," Scootaloo confirmed.  "Her friends are getting worried about her, but I know that she can totally handle it.  She's always pushing herself to her limits, that's why she's so awesome."

"All right, class," Cheerilee interrupted them.  "We're getting a late start, so I want to skip over yesterday's homework assignment and get straight to today's lecture."

As Cheerilee lectured on, Apple Bloom soon realized that she was beginning to feel better.  By returning to school, it felt as though she had returned to the normal routine of her life, and she was able to take comfort in the familiar.  

Before she knew it, she was as enthralled by Cheerilee's engaging antics as she always was, and was soon participating in the class.  She raised a hoof to answer questions, volunteered to solve a problem on the chalkboard, and even laughed when Cheerilee cracked one of her silly jokes.  Without even noticing, Apple Bloom was temporarily distracted from her sorrow and guilt.                 

At lunch time, Apple Bloom went off on her own and sat on a swing while the other foals went to the picnic tables to eat.  Having decided at the last moment to attend school, she hadn't had a chance to grab anything for lunch.  

It wasn't long before Scootaloo trotted up to her and presented a paper bag.  "Here, Apple Bloom, I saw you didn't have anything and I want you to have my sandwich."

Moved by the generous offering, Apple Bloom reached for the bag but then hesitated.  "Wait, what's that on your mouth?" she asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Um, nothing," Scootaloo answered, quickly wiping the petal off her face.  "It's just, uh..."

"It looks like you already ate your sandwich," Apple Bloom observed.  Reaching into the bag, she pulled out a small piece of parsley.  "This is the garnish that Rarity always puts in Sweetie Belle's lunch when she's staying with her."

"Okay, okay," Scootaloo spoke quietly, nervously glancing at Sweetie Belle still sitting back at the table.  "I ate mine before I noticed that you didn't have anything, but Sweetie Belle saw and didn't eat hers.  She knew you wouldn't take it from her so she asked me to pretend that it was mine."

"Well, I don't want it," Apple Bloom said stubbornly and let the bag drop to the ground.

"Oh, come on," Scootaloo replied heatedly.  "She cares about you and she's worried."

"She doesn't care about me," Apple Bloom retorted.

"Yeah, she does.  Look."  Scootaloo pointed at the bag on the ground.  "She was willing to give up her lunch for you, and let me take the credit.  She didn't care that you wouldn't know it was from her, she only cared that you had something to eat."  Stomping a hoof, she demanded, "What more does she have to do to show that she cares?"

"How about not going to my big brother when I do something she doesn't agree with," Apple Bloom shot back nastily.

"Fine," Scootaloo said angrily.  "I'll tell her you don't want it."  She scooped up the bag and glared at her.  "But think about this.  Maybe she isn't the one betraying her friend.  Maybe it's you."

Shocked and hurt by her friend's words, Apple Bloom kicked a rock and fumed as it bounced across the playground.  

I haven't betrayed anypony, Apple Bloom thought to herself irritably.  Sweetie Belle is the one who betrayed MY trust.  I have every right to be mad at her.  So, why is Scootaloo taking HER side?

"Um...Apple Bloom?"  A hesitant voice spoke up, interrupting her musings.

Startled, Apple Bloom turned to find Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon standing before her.  She made a face and crossed her hooves over her chest.  "I'm in no mood to deal with you two.  So, whatever you have to say, I don't wanna hear it.  Go away."

As the two flinched at her anger, Silver Spoon whispered, "See, I told you."

Diamond Tiara threw Silver Spoon a dirty look, and then turned her attention back to Apple Bloom.  "We just wanted to say that we're sorry about your sister."

Apple Bloom blinked.  "Really?"

"Mm-hmm."  Diamond Tiara nodded.  "I can't even imagine what it would be like if something like this happened to my mom or dad."

"Yeah, it would be awful," Silver Spoon agreed.  

"We want you to know that...well..." Diamond Tiara hesitated for a moment.  "We hope for the best for your family."

Speechless, Apple Bloom could only stare at the two fillies.

"My father says the Apples are as tough as nails," Diamond Tiara told her.  "He says your family will pull through just fine, and that Applejack will be home before we know it." 

Silver Spoon nodded.  "Yeah, your sister is pretty cool.  I still remember how she kept those stampeding cows away from town."

Unsure what to say, Apple Bloom struggled to find the right words as Cheerilee stuck her head out and called them back inside.

"Thanks, you two," Apple Bloom quickly said as they began to turn away.  "What you said...it really means a lot to me."

Wordlessly, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon smiled at her, then headed back inside.

Hopping off of the swing, Apple Bloom looked up to see Scootaloo glance at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, then look at her with a quizzical expression.  She simply shrugged at the confused Pegasus before trotting back inside and returning to her seat.

Apple Bloom determinedly studied the chalkboard as the other two sat down.  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Scootaloo seemed to want to say something, but seeing that she was being ignored, she leaned back in her seat instead.

As Cheerilee resumed her lecture, Apple Bloom's thoughts drifted off to the unexpected conversation she had had with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.  She had always understood that they were more than just bullies, that they were young fillies just like her, but this had taken her completely by surprised.  It had also made her feel a lot better about everything.

Everypony in town respected and believed in her family.  It had always been that way.  She just hadn't been aware of it until now.  Understanding this, she was suddenly filled with pride, a pride that she had heard Applejack describe several times but had never actually felt herself.  

She had made some bad choices, and the consequences had been terrible, but she was an Apple.  Apples always admitted to their mistakes and learned from them.  Apples didn't mope about; they were strong, and they stood together against everything that life threw at them.  She knew now that she needed to stop feeling sorry for herself and start being an Apple.  Her family needed her, and she was ready to stand with them.

When Cheerilee dismissed class, Apple Bloom was the first out of the door.  Eager to return home and help Big McIntosh with some of the chores, she galloped toward the street, but came to a halt as she heard somepony call her name.

"I'm sorry about what I said at lunch," Scootaloo apologized as she caught up with her friend.  "I was just frustrated."

"It's okay," Apple Bloom replied quickly, not wanting to get sidetracked by a long conversation.

"Great," Scootaloo said, obviously relieved.  "So...where are you headed in such a hurry?"

"Well, Big Mac has been doing all the chores for the last two days, so I really wanted to get back and help him."

"Oh...you want some help?" Scootaloo offered.

Surprised, Apple Bloom asked, "You wanna help with my chores?"

"Yeah, sure, it'll give us time to talk about...stuff."

Although Apple Bloom felt pretty confident that "stuff" meant Sweetie Belle, she agreed.  "That's fine, but there's a lot of work to do."

"No problem," Scootaloo said.  Then, after a brief hesitation, she asked, "Can Sweetie Belle come too?"

"No," Apple Bloom immediately answered.

Her ears drooping sadly, Scootaloo sighed.  "All right.  Can you give me a minute so I can tell her I'm going with you?"

When Apple Bloom nodded, Scootaloo made her way back to Sweetie Belle, who was watching them from the picnic tables.  

They talked for several moments, then Sweetie Belle shook her head and gestured for Scootaloo to leave.  As Sweetie Belle turned away, Scootaloo quickly stepped forward and hugged her before trotting back to Apple Bloom.

Without a word, Apple Bloom began to lead the way to the farm.  Earlier, seeing Scootaloo hugging Sweetie Belle would have made her angry, but now, it didn't affect her at all.  She understood that Scootaloo was trying to be friends to both of them, and she could find no reason to fault her.       

As they left Ponyville and started up the dirt road that led to Sweet Apple Acres, Scootaloo suddenly said, "I hate this."

Apple Bloom came to a halt and cocked her head.  "Hate what?"

"That we're not all friends," Scootaloo told her.  "We were best friends, something like this shouldn't have ruined that so easily.  It's just...not right."

Apple Bloom studied her friend, then looked back toward Ponyville.  After a moment, she said, "Look, I get that you want me and Sweetie Belle to be friends again.  And maybe we will, but right now, I've got a lot to worry about."

"I know," Scootaloo muttered unhappily.

"I just need some time to think about it," Apple Bloom continued.  "About how I feel.  I understand why she did what she did, but...I'm just so mad at her."

Watching her friend as she sighed and poked at the ground with a hoof, Apple Bloom was about to say something more when her thoughts were interrupted by the loud caw of a crow.

She turned her gaze to the sky in time to see hundreds of crows emerge from the forest around them as dark clouds suddenly gathered over the farm.

"Scoot, it's the third sign of the zap apples!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.  "Hurry!"

The two fillies galloped at feel speed and arrived at the orchard just as the wind grew in strength.  Their manes and tails flapping about violently, they stared up at the sky in awe as the crows began to fly circles over the trees in perfect formation. 

Without warning, lightning began arcing from the clouds and among the trees as glowing blue balls of energy started to sprout all over the branches.  After several moments of this, the balls of energy abruptly burst into blue star-shaped flowers.  Then, as suddenly as they appeared, both the crows and the clouds dissipated.  

"Just two more days," Scootaloo mumbled.

Yeah, two more days, Apple Bloom thought to herself, and then our chances for making it through the winter will be blown.  

Closing her eyes, a single thought resonated in her head.

Applejack, where are you?

> The Hunted
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 5

The Hunted
                                                    

Applejack snapped awake with a cry and knocked her head on the rocks above.  With a shout of pain, she rose into a crouch and frantically searched the dimly lit space as the nightmare rapidly faded from her memory.  Finally realizing where she was, she closed her eyes and sighed with relief as her racing heart began to slow.

With a wide yawn, Applejack crawled out from under the rocks.  She inhaled the fresh air deeply as she turned her gaze up at the sunlight filtering through the canopy, and with a start, realized that it was morning.  

"Land sakes!" Applejack exclaimed.  "I've been asleep since midday yesterday!  I guess I must have really needed the rest."

Feeling refreshed, invigorated, and very thirsty, Applejack trotted over to a nearby tree that had curved leaves and sipped the water out of them.  The cool water felt wonderful as it passed her dried lips and down her parched throat.

With her thirst quenched, but her stomach growling, Applejack made her way toward her last landmark and continued her trek through the Everfree Forest.  

About an hour later, Applejack's gaze landed on a bush full of red berries.  Grateful for the food, she rushed forward and pausing just long enough to ensure that they were not poisonous, greedily consuming every last one.   

As she was finishing, she felt a sudden chill and the fur on her neck stood on end.  Applejack glanced at the surrounding forest warily, unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched.  Her ears up and alert, she strained to hear anything that would alert her of immediate danger, but heard nothing more than the buzzing insects.  

"Who's there?" she called.  "I know you're out there.  Show yourself!"

Without warning, the feeling abruptly left her.  Breathing heavily, Applejack continued to watch her surroundings but after several long moments, she realized that she was alone once again.

"What in the hay was that?" Applejack wondered fearfully.

The whole experience had left her deeply shaken.  It had felt as if another presence had tried to envelop her, and then fled when she had called it out.  But what in Equestria could it have been?

Everypony in Ponyville knew the stories of the Everfree Forest.  How the seasons changed without the help of the Pegasi, how plants grew on their own, and how the animals looked after themselves.  It was a mysterious place that didn't follow the same rules as the rest of Equestria, and most ponies simply avoided it.  

Still, Applejack had never heard any stories that resembled what she had just experienced.  Not even Granny Smith, who had spent her entire life living closer to the forest than anypony else, had ever mentioned anything even remotely like this.  

With no idea of what it could have been, or where it was lurking now, Applejack could do nothing more but continue east and hope that it would lose interest in her.

She turned her gaze upward once more; she had much more pressing things to worry about as well.  Before long, it would be noon, and she knew that this was the day of the fourth sign of the zap apples.  When she had freed herself from the balloon and escaped the tree, she had been certain that she would be home in time for the zap apple harvest, but now she wasn't so sure.  

"If I'm not back by sundown tomorrow," Applejack fretted out loud, "then I won't be able to help Big Mac harvest the zap apples.  That's gonna spell big trouble for the farm."

Anxious to get back home before it was too late, Applejack picked up her pace, but came to a skidding halt after emerging from the thick brush to find an unexpectedly steep incline directly ahead.   

As she slid over the edge, she quickly caught an overhanging branch in her mouth and hung on until her hooves gained solid purchase.  Carefully backing away, she glanced down to see a harrowing slope littered with large rocks and numerous bushes.

"Well...doggone," Applejack mumbled, then immediately began to chuckle.

A couple of months ago, Applejack and her friends had been following Zecora through the Everfree Forest to find the Sun Glow flower, and cure the hypnosis that the Sleeping Weeping Willow's eyes had inflected upon the others.  During this adventure, Pinkie Pie, whom at the time had Fluttershy's personality, had become so upset with Applejack's foul mood that her true self had surfaced long enough to tell a joke.	

The joke's punch line had been "doggone," and although it hadn't been one of Pinkie Pie's best, it had made Applejack chuckle.  That chuckle had been just enough for Pinkie Pie's true self to overpower the hypnosis, and moments later, she was herself again.

Since that moment, anytime that Applejack uttered the word "doggone," which she did quite frequently, it always made her chuckle and brought the silly Earth pony to mind.       

Still grinning, Applejack began to slowly work her way down the treacherous slope.  She tested each step before placing her full weight, knowing that once she started sliding there would be no stopping, and that it would end with a world of hurt for her.  

She lost track of time as she cautiously descended, her mind concentrating solely on her hooves and where she placed them.  Twice, the dirt shifted beneath her, and she was forced to fall back onto her rump while quickly finding purchase with her forelegs.  Finally, as she was nearing the bottom, she saw a clear path down, and allowing herself to enter a controlled slide, she landed expertly on leveled ground.

Thankful to have put that experience behind her, Applejack did her best to pick another landmark and started toward it.  She knew that she was no longer heading perfectly east, but she believed that she was close enough.

The memory of Pinkie Pie's joke worked its way back into her thoughts as she trotted on.   With another small chuckle, she recalled the first time that she had spoken to the Earth pony.

She had been running the Apple family's apple cart in the marketplace when she noticed that there seemed to be an awful lot of laughter.  Bemused, Applejack had tried to locate its source, but it seemed to be erupting sporadically around her without any particular pattern.

Suddenly a pink mare with a very poofy mane and tail came hopping into view and headed straight for a little filly standing with her mother only two stalls away.  Unable to help herself, Applejack began to laugh as she caught sight of the ridiculous pair of glasses the pony was wearing.

The mare came to a halt in front of the filly, and honked the red nose that protruded from the end of her glasses, which actually made a honking sound, before proceeding to juggle three cupcakes while performing a completely absurd dance.  As she finished her dance, she tossed the first cupcake into the filly's mouth, then the second into the mother's, and finally, she threw the third high into the air and caught it in her own mouth.  

As the mare turned toward her, Applejack waved for her to come over.  With a bright smile, she obliged.  

"That was some mighty fine hoofwork just then," Applejack commented as she approached.

"Thanks," she replied happily as she raised the glasses onto her head and eyed the cart's apples.  "These look delicious."

"Delicious?" Applejack repeated.  "You can bet your poofy lil' head that these apples will be the sweetest, juiciest, most crisp apples you've ever tasted."

"You're on!" she announced, then grabbed up two apples, and tossing them into the air, chomped them both in two giant bites.

"And how did ya like them apples?" Applejack asked once the mare had finished chewing.

"They really are the sweetest, juiciest, crispiest, most wonderfuliest apples I've ever tasted!" she exclaimed.  "I'm super glad too, cause I would have hated to lose that bet and have to give up my poofy little head.  I'm kinda...attached to it!"  She giggled and snorted at her own joke, causing Applejack to chuckle as well.

"The name's Applejack, newcomer," Applejack greeted her, holding out a hoof.  "It's nice to have a pony with such a colorful personality round here.  You plannin' on stayin' long?"

"I'm Pinkie Pie," she replied, shaking Applejack's outstretched hoof enthusiastically.  "And yes, I'm hoping to live here permanently.  I think I found a job at the Sugarcube Corner.  The Cakes are seriously considering hiring me, and they even have an extra room on the second floor they're willing to rent to me!"  Hopping up and down, her mane bouncing wildly, she cried, "I'm so excited!"

"Pinkie Pie..."  Applejack thought for a moment.  "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I don't know, maybe."  Pinkie Pie shrugged.  "I get around."          

Applejack studied her intently for a moment.  "Let me see your cutie mark."

As Pinkie Pie turned to allow her to examine her cutie mark, Applejack stated, "I remember you now.  You threw a party here in Ponyville when we were all just filllies."   

"Yup!" Pinkie Pie responded, thoroughly pleased that she had been remembered so well.  "That was one of the first parties I ever threw!  It took me forever to convince my parents to let me come here to plan it!"

"I know what ya mean!"  Applejack laughed.  "I had to beg my Pa all week before he would let me come to it!"   

Pinkie Pie beamed brightly.  "I'm glad you enjoyed it."  She glanced at the apples.  "What do I owe you for those two apples?"

"They're on the house," Applejack told her, "and you can take a few more, if ya please.  Just remember to come on down to Sweet Apple Acres if ya get a hankerin' for more."

"Sweet Apple Acres!" Pinkie Pie repeated, her sky blue eyes sparkling with excitement.  "Are you an Apple?!"

"I sure am," Applejack confirmed, swelling with pride.  "I reckon you've heard of us?"

"My mom used to travel here every year to buy your apple cider," Pinkie Pie said cheerfully.  "I love love love your cider!"

Delighted, Applejack offered, "You should come on up to the farm sometime and meet the rest of the family.  I know they'll like ya as much as I do."

"Really?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, thrilled.  "I would totally love to see the famous Sweet Apple Acres and meet the Apple family!"  Suddenly rearing up and leaning over the cart, she enveloped Applejack in a huge hug that lifted her off the ground.  "We're gonna be the bestest of friends!"   

Smiling at the memory, Applejack stated, "We didn't even know the half of it, Pinkie." 	

With these happy memories circling in her head and uplifting her spirits, Applejack was able to keep her worries at bay as she continued her trek through the Everfree Forest.

Although that strange presence had been frightening, it had been gone for at least an hour or two, and she couldn't imagine any creature keeping an interest in her for that long.  Whatever it had been, she was sure that it was far away, probably stalking some other poor creature.  And as for the zap apples, Applejack now felt more certain than ever that she would return home in time to help with the harvest.  

Like her parents, Applejack believed that as long as you never gave up and always put forth your best effort, things always worked out in the end.  And that was exactly what she planned on doing, she was going to keep pressing on and refuse to let her fears stop her from getting home.

Applejack came to a halt as her ears perked up.  Listening closely, she thought that she could just make out the distant roar of a waterfall.  Looking forward to being able to drink her fill of water, Applejack turned away from her current landmark and headed toward the sound.

Without warning, an unexpected chill cloaked her entire body.  Shivering uncontrollably, she noticed that she could see her breath pluming out in front of her before it vanished in the warm air.  

Her features twisting into a mask of rage, Applejack viciously kicked a tree hard enough to knock its leaves loose.  "Pinkie Pie, that filthy, despicable swine!  If she were any sort of friend, she'd have her useless rump in this here forest searchin' for me!  I'll bet she's too busy partyin' to even worry bout me!"

Suddenly, she realized that the unknown presence had returned, more intensely than it had before, and it felt as though it were probing at her mind.  

She quickly spun around and shouted, "Get outta here, ya varmint!  Leave me be!"

As if startled, the presence hastily retreated, and the chill fled with it.  Panting as though she had just physically exerted herself, she remained perfectly still for several long moments, determined to catch a glimpse of the creature, or at least hear it make a sound. 

Finally, Applejack began to slowly walk backward, her eyes carefully scanning the trees for even the slightest movement.  

What is that thing?  Whatever it is, it ain't natural.  I know for sure that there ain't anything like it anywhere else in Equestria.

Applejack hesitantly turned away and started off at a canter, fighting her desire to break out into a full gallop.  She knew that running through this forest in a blind panic would be a very bad idea, and yet it took all of her willpower to prevent it.  

Endless questions circled in her head as she hurried along.  Had the thing really been trying to invade her mind?  Had it been the source of that strange chill?  And why had she said such horrible things about Pinkie Pie?

Remembering the words she had spoken of one of her closest friends, Applejack suddenly felt ashamed of herself.  How could she have said something like that?  Even if there hadn't been anypony around to hear the words, it was inexcusable that she had spoken them.  

Did she really have those despicable thoughts in her head?  Was there really that much resentment in her heart?  If so, then she couldn't imagine how she could have ever considered herself a true friend to that lovable Earth pony.

First, she had felt hatred toward Twilight and Rarity, and now, she had turned that hate on Pinkie Pie.  That hatred flew into the face of everything that she believed about herself.  Was it possible that she wasn't the pony that she had always prided herself on being?  Could it be that she wasn't the likable, dependable pony she had always thought she was?

Trembling, Applejack shoved all these doubts from her mind.  Her friends loved her for who she was, of this she was certain.  If it turned out that she wasn't the pony she thought she was, it wouldn't matter, they would still care about her.

As she concentrated on the love that she knew her friends held for her, Applejack felt the last of her panic slip away, and she started to breathe easier.  She wondered if, by letting her fear get the best of her, she was giving her pursuer more power over her than it should have.  After pondering this for a while, she decided that it wouldn't do her any good to dwell on this in her current situation, and instead focused on finding her way to the waterfall.    	

About a half hour later, she abruptly stumbled upon the edge of a wide river.  Eagerly plunging her face into the cool water, she drank her fill, relishing the refreshing taste.  

Once she had finished drinking, she stepped into the river and began to scrub the mud away from her underside.  Although she was nowhere near as prissy as Rarity, she still didn't enjoy the feeling of dried mud caked on her coat.  

"Thank Celestia I found this river," Applejack said appreciatively as she climbed out of the water.  "That was just what I needed."

Turning her gaze further up the river, Applejack's breath caught in her throat.  It looked to her as though the river was running east, straight back home.      

Immediately, her mind went to the river in front of Fluttershy's cottage.  It ran all the way through town and off to the east, but if you followed it west, it led straight into the Everfree Forest.  Could this be that river?

Her heart racing with excitement, Applejack hurried along the river's edge, believing with all her heart that she would soon emerge from the forest and see Fluttershy's cottage in the distance.  

Inevitably, her mind drifted off to memories of her shy friend.

She had been told by several of the townsfolk while selling apples at the marketplace that there was a cottage being built on the outskirts of town.  The rumor was that somepony's parents had paid a small crew to build it, but nopony understood why the pony hadn't simply moved into town.  

Curious herself, Applejack had paid the cottage a visit once the building crew had left, and had found a Pegasus with a grayish gold coat pulling a cart full of furniture up to the front door.

"Howdy!" Applejack greeted her enthusiastically, setting the large sack of apples she had brought with her on the ground.  "Are ya one of the movers helping the owner?"

"Oh, no," the Pegasus answered softly, quickly lowering her gaze to the ground.  "I'm the owner."

"Ya don't say," Applejack replied, surprised.  "It seems like a mighty...um...earthly place for a Pegasus."

"Well..."  Her eyes flicked up to meet hers, then swiftly returned to the ground as she rubbed her foreleg with a hoof.  "I'm not really much of a flier."

Applejack suddenly realized that she may be getting too close to a touchy subject, and hastily changed the topic.  "Anyhow, it's nice to meet ya!"  She held out her hoof.  "The name's Applejack, I work the farm just a half mile up the road from here."

The Pegasus gently took Applejack's hoof and gave it a tiny shake.  "I'm Fluttershy," she said in a voice that was barely audible. 

"What was that?" Applejack asked as she leaned in closer.  "Flutterby?"  The Pegasus shook her head and repeated herself in an even quieter voice.  "Flutterguy?  Wait, that don't make a lick of sense...did you say Flutter...shy?"  As the Pegasus nodded and smiled shyly while her mane fell over part of her face, Applejack commented, "Yeah, that is definitely a fittin' name."

Fluttershy turned her gaze back to the ground and started nervously poking at the dirt, obviously at a loss of what to say next. 

"Well, howdy Fluttershy," Applejack began again.  "The Apple family would like to welcome you to Ponyville, and I brought with me a complimentary sack of apples.  Guaranteed to be the best you've ever eaten."

At the mention of the apples, Fluttershy perked up and grinned her pleasure.  "Oh, thank you, Applejack."  Opening the sack, she laid a single apple on the ground and called, "Angel Bunny, come get your dinner!"

A small white, fluffy bunny hopped out of the back of the cart and scampered over to the apple.  Angel sniffed the fruit for a moment, then suddenly took an enormous bite that caused apple fragments to splatter everywhere as the juices ran down his face.

"Now, Angel," Fluttershy lectured sternly as she lowered her head to the rabbit's eye level.  "What have I told you about manners when we have company?"

Angel made a face and stuck his tongue out, but took a much smaller bite and chewed appropriately.

"Oh my!" Applejack exclaimed.  "That was amazin'!  It's like he understood what you were sayin'!"

"He can," Fluttershy told her.  "I have the ability to understand animals, and talk to them as well."  She smiled sweetly as she stroked Angel's head.  "But Angel and I have a special connection.  He is the first animal friend I ever made, and we've been inseparable ever since."

"Wow," Applejack remarked.  "That sounds like a mighty useful ability."

Fluttershy eyed her cart.  "I don't mean to be rude, but it's getting late and I really should get to unpacking."   	 

"Would ya like some help?" Applejack offered.

Fluttershy blinked.  "You want to help?"  When Applejack confirmed, she stated, "That would be wonderful.  I don't know very many ponies that would be willing to help me."

"Ain't that a shame."  Applejack shook her head.  "Well, round here, you can always count on me."  Walking around to the back of the cart, she started lifting a small crate, but stopped as soon as she realized that something was inside.  "What's in here?"

"Oh, be careful with that!" Fluttershy warned her.  "That's a newborn puppy in there.  She's only one week old."

Applejack gazed inside and saw a tiny brown and white puppy slumbering peacefully.  "She's adorable."

"Yes," Fluttershy agreed as she gently took the crate from Applejack.  "She was the runt of the litter, and the owners were afraid that she wasn't going to make it, so they gave her to me."

Although Applejack never really had much interest in animals, as she gazed at the little sleeping puppy, she felt something stir deep inside.  "What's her name?"

"I haven't decided yet," Fluttershy answered.  "It's just so difficult to name them.  It's such an important choice..."

"Can I give it a go?"

Fluttershy blinked, then smiled brilliantly, "Sure, go right ahead."

Applejack peered into the crate for only a short moment, then declared, "I think ya look like a Winona."

"Winona."  Fluttershy giggled.  "That's a cute name.  I like it."

"That settles it then," Applejack announced with a grin.  "Winona, I just know that the two of us are gonna get along just fine."  

Smiling pleasantly, Applejack's thoughts returned to the present as the roar of the waterfall became deafening, and rounding a bend, she found it.  

As she stepped up to the edge of the cliff and gazed out at the land that spanned before her, Applejack felt her heart sink.  

There was nothing but forest for as far as the eye could see.  Nowhere was there even the slightest sign of Ponyville, or anything else for that matter.  Nothing, but the Everfree Forest rolling on and on without end.

Stunned, Applejack flopped down on her rump and stared out over the forest in disbelief.  She knew that the winds had been strong the night of the accident, but she had never in her wildest dreams believed that she had been blown this deep into the Everfree Forest.  For the first time, Applejack realized that it was entirely possible that she wasn't going to make it home.

With frightening force, a seething hatred for her friends filled her as a frigid chill ran through her body.  

"Why ain't they lookin' for me?!" she screamed at the spanning forest before her. "They're probably all just sittin' around, the lousy, stinkin'..."

She trailed off as an overbearing presence pressed forcefully against her mind.  Terrified, she cowered from the malicious evil intensity that seemed to envelop her.      

Suddenly, Applejack knew without a doubt that the creature was finished toying with her.  It was coming in for the kill.

Her heart racing and her body trembling from both the cold and fear, Applejack desperately searched for a means of escape, but knew that there was nowhere to go.  It was too close, it would catch her in a matter of seconds if she tried to run.

Behind her, the water cascaded off the cliff and down to a large lake below.  It was her only escape.  

Although she had no idea if she would survive the fall, she knew perfectly well what would happen if the beast caught her, and made her decision.

Applejack

She heard a voice whisper her name from directly behind as she leaped off the cliff.  As she plummeted over the edge, she was sure that she felt something graze her tail, as if it had only just missed her.      

Tumbling through the air, Applejack cried out in terror as the lake raced forward to meet her.  She crashed into its surface with terrifying force, and was engulfed by the churning depths as darkness embraced her.  

> From Shame to Glory
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 6


From Shame to Glory
                                                     

Apple Bloom slowly made her way to the picnic table as the other foals prepared for their lunch.  As she drew near, her eyes landed on the empty space on the bench beside Sweetie Belle.  She took a deep breath and silently recited her apology.  	

The decision to make up with Sweetie Belle had been a long time coming, and had dominated the first half of Apple Bloom's day.  	

Apple Bloom had awoken with a sense of purpose, and had risen and began her chores before the rooster had crowed.  While she poured the seeds for the chickens and filled the trough for the pigs, Apple Bloom's mind had continuously returned to Sweetie Belle, despite her best efforts to prevent it.  Soon, she was finding it more and more difficult to find reasons to stay mad at the young Unicorn.       

About a half hour after Apple Bloom had started her chores, Big McIntosh had come out and distracted her from her thoughts.  It wasn't long before the two of them were in a heated argument.  

Apple Bloom wanted to do all her chores, as well as take on all of Applejack's, but Big McIntosh wouldn't let her.  She then pointed out that he was working too hard, and that she deserved more responsibility, but he disagreed.  After several minutes of this, Big McIntosh had lost his temper and begun to yell, and that's when Apple Bloom had leaped forward and embraced him.

Stunned, Big McIntosh had trailed off in mid-sentence as Apple Bloom told him that she was worried about him.  She said that it was time for her to step up and be an Apple, that she needed to take Applejack's place and help keep the farm running.  She told him that he couldn't do it all on his own, and that she would always be there to share the burden.

When she had released him, she had been surprised to see her older brother's eyes brimming with tears.  

Blinking them away, Big McIntosh had smiled and ruffled her mane.  "It's just like Pa always used to say.  'Apples don't fall far from the tree,' and I reckon he was right."

Apple Bloom had felt a surge of pride as she watched her brother head back inside, understanding that she had just gotten what she had wanted.  

She had swiftly returned to her chores, more determined than ever to do her part on the farm, but thoughts of Sweetie Belle kept invading.  They had done so many crazy things together, and had shared so many fun memories.  Could their friendship really be over?  Before she knew it, it was time for school, and Apple Bloom had headed for class full of doubt. 

The first thing she had noticed upon entering the schoolhouse was that Sweetie Belle lowered her head to the desk and stared at the floor.  She swallowed hard, and then returned Scootaloo's enthusiastic wave before making her way to her desk.  As she crossed the room, Silver Spoon had caught her eye and gave her a small wave as well before returning to her conversation with Diamond Tiara.  

Just as she had the day before, Apple Bloom completely ignored Sweetie Belle as she sat down, but this time, she had felt a stab of remorse as she watched her friend's sad features out of the corner of her eye.

Why was she still mad at Sweetie Belle anyway?  Was what she did really that terrible?

Apple Bloom had spent Cheerilee's entire lecture thinking back to the night of the accident.  It had been dark and the rain had been falling in sheets, and Apple Bloom realized now that they would have definitely gotten lost within the forest.  She knew that Sweetie Belle had saved them from making a huge mistake, and that she really had done it because they were friends.

So why couldn't she tell Sweetie Belle that she was sorry?

Apple Bloom slowly came to realize that there wasn't any reason, and that the only thing holding her back was herself.  

Now, she shot Scootaloo a small smile as she approached the picnic table and took a seat right next to a surprised Sweetie Belle.  As she watched her friend remove the bow from her paper bag and eat the small piece of parsley that Rarity always placed inside, Apple Bloom suddenly realized that the apology that she had prepared was insufficient.  

Silently opening her own lunch as Scootaloo gazed at her expectantly, Apple Bloom desperately tried to think of something, anything, that she could say.

Without warning, Sweetie Belle quietly said, "I've missed you."

At that very moment, Apple Bloom felt like the most despicable pony in Equestria.  "I know."

Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom hopefully.  "Can...we be friends again?"

Upon hearing the plea in Sweetie Belle's voice, Apple Bloom found that she couldn't speak.  Instead, her mind went back to the talk she'd had with Scootaloo the previous afternoon.  

Scootaloo had made the comment that they had been best friends, and something like this shouldn't have ruined that.  Apple Bloom then thought back to Scootaloo accusing her of betraying Sweetie Belle, and realized that she was right.       

Filled with guilt, Apple Bloom had turned on Sweetie Belle, and as a result, she had hurt her friend considerably.  Worse, she had then treated her with disrespect and loathing, and had even refused the lunch she had offered as if it had meant nothing.

Suddenly, Apple Bloom knew that she couldn't make up with Sweetie Belle, not because she was still angry, but because she now understood that she had never deserved to have such a special friend.

Overwhelmed with regret and grief, Apple Bloom stammered, "I-I..."  Without warning, she burst into tears, fled the table, and ran back toward the schoolhouse.

As she barged into the classroom, a startled Cheerilee set her lunch aside and approached her.  "Apple Bloom, what's wrong?"

Sobbing, Apple Bloom just shook her head.

"Is it about Sweetie Belle?" Cheerilee inquired.  After Apple Bloom nodded, she added, "You know, I had a long talk with her yesterday after school."  She gathered several tissues from her desk and offered them to her.  "I really think you two need to sit down and talk."	

"I...I can't," Apple Bloom gasped as she accepted the tissues.

Cheerilee rubbed the young filly's back reassuringly.  "I know that it's hard to deal with these conflicting emotions, but sometimes you have to.  The longer you wait, the worse it will get.  It's best to get it over with as quickly as possible."

Waiting for Apple Bloom to get herself under control and seated, Cheerilee called the rest of the foals inside to resume class.  When Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle entered, she saw their confused expressions, but refused to meet their gazes.

For the rest of Cheerilee's lecture, Apple Bloom dwelled on the newfound knowledge that she was a horrible friend.  Sweetie Belle deserved much better than she, she deserved somepony who wouldn't turn on her the instant that something went wrong.

Once class had ended, Apple Bloom left the schoolhouse without a single word and trotted off toward home.  

Suddenly, Scootaloo bolted out in front of her and asked, "Apple Bloom, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied gloomily as she began walking once more.

Walking backward, Scootaloo glanced around Apple Bloom.  "Well, would you mind if Sweetie Belle and I came up to the farm with you?"

Apple Bloom shook her head.  "I want you to stay with her, Scoot.  You're the kind of friend she deserves, a real friend.  I don't deserve either of you."

"Apple Bloom..."  Scootaloo trailed off as her friend trotted away, leaving her to exchange worried looks with Sweetie Belle.

As soon as Apple Bloom arrived on the farm, she immediately went to work on her chores.  For the next several hours, she focused solely on her work, losing herself in the mundane tasks.  

Finishing in the stables, Apple Bloom was stepping outside when she caught sight of Rarity.  Wondering what she was doing on the farm, Apple Bloom hid behind a tree as the Unicorn approached Big McIntosh.  

"Hello, Big McIntosh," Rarity greeted pleasantly.  "I was hoping to have a word with you." 

Carefully placing several barrels around one of the zap apple trees, Big McIntosh stated, "I'm a mite busy preparing for the zap apples."  He turned to her and wiped the sweat from his brow.  "But I can spare a minute."

Rarity smiled her thanks.  "I wanted to speak to you about Apple Bloom."

"What about her," Big McIntosh asked, suddenly sounding defensive.

"Well...I'm sure you're aware of her fight with Sweetie Belle," Rarity replied.  "And I'm positive that you agree that she made the right decision by telling you of Apple Bloom's intentions."  

"Eeyup," Big McIntosh agreed.

Suddenly looking less sure of herself, Rarity continued.  "Sweetie Belle has been an absolute wreck since that dreadful accident, and I was hoping that you could get Apple Bloom to visit my shop and talk to her."

"And how exactly am I suppose to do that?" Big McIntosh inquired, beginning to grow annoyed.

"I don't know, you're her big brother," Rarity answered.  "Talk some sense into her.  She'll listen to you."

"Ya know," Big McIntosh retorted angrily.  "I don't really appreciate you comin' up here and tryin' to tell me how to run the family.  Why don't you just mind your own business."

Seemingly hurt by his words, Rarity slowly retreated.  "Of course."  She turned away and glanced over her shoulder at him.  "I can't even imagine what it must be like for your family right now.  I just thought that it would be best for Apple Bloom if she had all of her friends to comfort her."

As she began to walk away, Big McIntosh relented.  "You're right, Rarity.  I'm sorry I snapped at you."	

Rarity flipped her mane and favored him with a beautiful smile.  "Oh, there's no need to apologize.  I understand that you've been under a lot of stress."  

"I'll have a talk with her and see if I can't get her to stop by your place this evening," Big McIntosh promised.

"Thank you ever so much, darling," Rarity replied.  As she started back the way she had come, she added, "Please give my best regards to Granny Smith."  

As Big McIntosh turned back to his work, Apple Bloom stepped out from behind the tree.  "Apple Bloom," he said sternly, "were you eavesdropping?"

"Sort of...yeah," Apple Bloom replied, lowering her gaze to the ground.  She knew that Big McIntosh felt that it was dishonest to listen in on other pony's conversations, and it was a surefire way to anger him.

Instead of reprimanding her, however, he stated, "Then you know why you need to go to Rarity's place."

"Yeah..." Apple Bloom said gloomily, "but I really don't want to."

"Well, you need to," Big McIntosh told her.  "It's the right thing to do.  Sweetie Belle has always been a good friend to you.  You owe it to her."

Apple Bloom poked at the dirt with her hoof.  "I know..."

"Go on inside and eat your supper," Big McIntosh commanded, "and you can head on over there when you're done."	

Downhearted, Apple Bloom returned to the farmhouse and entered the kitchen.  With a small smile, she accepted her food from Granny Smith, then left her to her work and slowly ate her meal.  

Finished, she reluctantly left the farm and made her way to the Carousel Boutique. 

She really wasn't looking forward to this.  How was she supposed to face Sweetie Belle after everything that she had done?  More than anything, she wished that she could run away and hide, but knew that this had to be done.

Coming to a halt on the bridge, Apple Bloom looked over its edge at her reflection below.  

What happened to me, Apple Bloom wondered as she studied her features mirrored on the water's surface.  When did I become so horrible?

With a loud sigh, Apple Bloom continued toward the shop.  For several minutes, she stood and simply stared at the door, dreading what awaited her inside.  Finally, taking a deep, shaky breath, she pushed it open and entered.

Inside, she found Rarity and Fluttershy with their backs to the door, talking quietly.

Approaching the two of them, she heard Rarity say, "I do hope she will listen to you.  She hasn't listened to anypony else."

"Don't worry, she will," Fluttershy assured her.

"Um, hello," Apple Bloom hesitantly said.

With a start, the two ponies whipped around and seemed relieved to see it was her.  "Oh, Apple Bloom!" Rarity exclaimed.  "You frightened us!  I didn't expect you until later."

"Sorry."  Apple Bloom grinned sheepishly.

"Don't be, darling."  Rarity smiled as she pointed a hoof toward the kitchen.  "Sweetie Belle isn't here just yet.  Why don't we get you something to drink while we wait?"

With a shrug, Apple Bloom followed Rarity into the kitchen, but was startled when somepony suddenly said, "Hey, Rare, Twilight said you had something you wanted to talk to me about."

Surprised, the two of them turned to find Rainbow Dash hovering outside of Rarity's window.  "Uh...w...why yes," Rarity stammered.  "Won't you come inside?"

"Just make it quick," Rainbow Dash replied, climbing in through the window.  "I just finished a quick meal and I wanna get back out over the Everfree."

As she emerged from the window, Rainbow Dash stepped lightly on the table, and knocked over a vase of flowers before dropping to the floor.

Rarity rolled her eyes.  "Heaven forbid you use the front door like any other pony."	

"What's up?" Rainbow Dash inquired.

"I'm just worried about something," Rarity said with an uneasy smile.  "Would you mind stepping out here with me?"

Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow.  "Sure..."

Having no idea what was going on, Apple Bloom followed the two mares back out into the shop.  

"Fluttershy?"  Rainbow Dash paused in confusion.  "What are you doing here?" 

"I'm here to talk to you," Fluttershy answered softly.

Clearly annoyed, Rainbow Dash threw Rarity a dirty look.  

Rarity flipped her mane indignantly.  "We're worried for you and you won't listen to us.  What were we supposed to do?"

"You need to rest, Rainbow," Fluttershy stated.  "You've barely slept in the last three nights.  It's not healthy."

"There's no time, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash argued.  "Applejack needs my help.  I can't just leave her out there."

Fluttershy straightened her back and raised her head slightly.  "You're not abandoning Applejack by taking a few hours rest."  Meeting her friend's gaze, she added, "And you know Applejack would never want you to search until you dropped from exhaustion."

With a snort of irritation, Rainbow Dash leaned forward.  "I get that you're all worried about me, and I appreciate it, but I need to get back out there."  She gently pushed Fluttershy out of her way.  "Now."

Rainbow Dash started forward, but came to a hesitant halt as Fluttershy sidestepped to block her path.

Studying the shy Pegasus's stance and the gleam in her eye, Apple Bloom recognized the stern pony that she and her friends had learned to obey.

Fluttershy stomped a hoof on the floor and glared at her friend.  "Now you listen here, Rainbow Dash.  I've had enough of this foolishness.  You are going to listen to what I have to say."  With a commanding tone, she concluded, "So sit down!"

Blinking, Rainbow Dash sat down obediently.

"You have to rest, Rainbow.  You won't do anypony any good if you get hurt or make yourself sick," Fluttershy said firmly.  "Your friends only want what's best for you, so I suggest that you listen to them."

"But-" Rainbow Dash began.

"No buts," Fluttershy quickly countered.  "Now, Rarity has prepared the bed in her inspiration room for you, and you are going to march right on in there and get some sleep."

"There's too much on my mind, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash contested.  "I can't just go to sleep."

"We've got that covered," Fluttershy said with a sly smile.  Holding out her hoof, she accepted a book that Rarity had pulled out of a nearby drawer.  "This is the Daring Do book Twilight said you're currently reading.  You are going to lie down, and I'm going to read to you."

"Seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked, sounding embarrassed.

"Seriously," Fluttershy confirmed sternly.  Waving her toward the inspiration room, she ordered, "Get in bed."

Still looking shocked, Rainbow Dash stood up and disappeared through the doorway.  Fluttershy turned to Rarity and smiled triumphantly.  "I told you she'd listen to me," she said before shutting the door behind her.

"Oh, thank goodness," Rarity commented.  "I feel so much better knowing that Rainbow is getting some rest."  She gave Apple Bloom a small smile.  "I'm sorry, Apple Bloom.  I meant to spare you that confrontation, but that lout Rainbow Dash just had to come in through the window."

Staring at the closed door, Apple Bloom said quietly, "She's trying so hard..."

Rarity tenderly stroked Apple Bloom' mane.  "She knows that Applejack would do the same for her.  We all do."  She gazed out the window toward the distant trees.  "I'd be out there searching as well, if I didn't think that I would get hopelessly lost.  Then what would Sweetie Belle do?"

Apple Bloom's ears drooped at Rarity's words.  She could see how worried Rarity was for her sister, and it made her feel awful.  Suddenly, she had a crazy urge to just run, to gallop out of the store, straight back to the farm and never show her face in town again.

Without warning, the shop door opened and she heard Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo say together, "Apple Bloom?"

Swallowing hard, Apple Bloom turned to face her friends.

Just then, the door to the inspiration room swung open and Fluttershy stepped out.  "She's already asleep," she announced with a smile.  As she closed the door, Apple Bloom heard Rainbow Dash's loud snoring emit from the room.

"Fluttershy, why don't you and I take a little walk outside?" Rarity suggested as she hastily led her friend toward the door.   

Watching Sweetie Belle approach, Apple Bloom's heart began to race and she felt as though she couldn't breathe.  What was she going to say?

"What are you doing here?" Sweetie Belle asked, her head cocked to one side.

"Your sister convinced me into coming here...to talk to you," Apple Bloom told her.

Suddenly, as if a dam had broken, all of Sweetie Belle's thoughts and emotions came pouring out.  "Apple Bloom, I'm so sorry that I upset you.  I was only trying to protect you from yourself.  I know that you feel betrayed because I went and got Big Mac, and maybe you should, but I love you.  You're my best friend.  How could I live with myself if I had let you go into the Everfree Forest and get lost, or hurt, or worse?  And now I'm worried about you.  Your sister is gone, and I know that you blame yourself, but I can't help because you keep pushing me away.  But...but you need me, Apple Bloom."

Apple Bloom felt as though somepony had just ripped her heart out of her chest, threw it on the ground, and was in the process of stomping on it.  The pain inside was so unbearable, her chest felt so constricted, that she feared she would stop breathing.

"You're right, Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom replied after a long moment.  "I do need you...but I don't deserve you."

Sweetie Belle shared a look with Scootaloo.  "Huh?"

"Scootaloo was right.  You haven't betrayed me.  I've betrayed you."

"What? No!" Scootaloo exclaimed, dismayed.  "I didn't mean that...I was just upset."

Apple Bloom shook her head.  "It doesn't matter, it's the truth.  I've been treating you terribly, Sweetie Belle.  All you've done was show me love and support, and I hated you for it."

"It's all right, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle assured her hurriedly.  "You have a lot going on.  What you did is totally understandable."

"No, it's not," Apple Bloom retorted, closing her eyes and fighting back the tears.  How could she make them understand?  They were better off without her.  

"Apple Bloom..." Scootaloo began.

"I have to go," Apple Bloom blurted out abruptly.  "Just...just stay away from me.  It's for the best, for both of you."  Seeing that her former friends were about to speak, she quickly cut them off.  "Don't come up to the farm anymore, you're not welcome there.  Neither of you."

Before they could utter another word, Apple Bloom pushed past them and bolted out of the shop.  As soon as she was outside, her emotions overwhelmed her and she started to sob.  

"Oh my.."  Rarity sighed.  "That didn't go well at all."  She paused long enough to give Apple Bloom a quick hug, and then hurried into her shop, calling for Sweetie Belle. 	

Fluttershy knelt down in front of her.  "Would you like to talk about it?"  When Apple Bloom simply shook her head, Fluttershy said, "Well, I'm on my way home too.  So I'll walk with you that far.

Wordlessly, Apple Bloom trotted side by side with Fluttershy, but after a moment, she mumbled, "I'm nothing but a phony pony."

"What?"  Fluttershy gasped.  "Why would you say that?"

Even though she had thought that she didn't want to talk about her feelings, as she looked up at Fluttershy's kind expression, she suddenly realized that she needed to let them out.

"I always counted Sweetie Belle as one of my best friends," Apple Bloom explained.  "But as soon as something bad happened, I turned on her.  I wasn't the friend that I thought I was.  She deserves a better friend than me."

Fluttershy smiled sweetly at her.  "You know, when I was in Summer Flight Camp, I never understood why Rainbow Dash stood up for me.  I couldn't figure out what I had done to deserve such a friend.  And when I first moved to Ponyville, I found the town and all it's ponyfolk very intimidating, but Rarity took a liking to me for some reason and let me help her with her work.  That always helped me relax.  I never actually did anything to deserve either of them, but they both came to me when I needed them, and offered me friendship.    

"And that's what makes friendship so wonderful.  It's not about what you deserve, it's about what others are willing to give.  It doesn't matter if you think that you're a 'phony pony,' if your friends believe in you and love you, how bad can you be?  Rarity and Rainbow both could have chosen to make friends with somepony that wasn't afraid of her own shadow.  Somepony much less difficult to deal with, but they chose me.  And because of that, I love them fiercely and would do anything for them." 

Apple Bloom found that she couldn't speak around the lump in her throat.  Was Fluttershy right?  Was that really how friendship worked?  Had she been wrong all along?

"Sweetie Belle loves you, as much as I love my friends," Fluttershy concluded.  "And that love isn't going to just go away because you think you don't deserve it."

Unsure what to think, Apple Bloom said, "But Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo will be better off without me.  All I've done over the last three days was hurt them."

"I know that feeling."  Fluttershy nodded.  "When we had to climb that mountain in order to wake up that sleeping dragon, I was nothing but a liability.  All I did was frustrate my friends and slow them down, and I believed that they would be better off without me.  But I stuck with them, against my better judgment, and in the end, I proved to myself that I was wrong."  Winking at Apple Bloom, she added, "And if you stick with your friends, I just know that you'll prove yourself wrong as well."

"You really think so?" Apple Bloom asked softly.

"I do," Fluttershy confirmed with a bright smile.

"Wow."  Apple Bloom shook her head.  "I've really been stupid lately."

"Not stupid," Fluttershy said with a small chuckle.  "Let's just say silly."  Coming to a halt, she nuzzled Apple Bloom's cheek.  "And anyway, you were hurting.  We ponies tend to do some pretty silly things when we hurt."

Deeply touched by Fluttershy's words, Apple Bloom embraced the Pegasus as her eyes welled up with tears.  "Thank you, Fluttershy.  I can see now just how wrong I was.  From now on, I'm going to try to be as good of a friend as you are."

Fluttershy's face slowly turned red.  "I'm glad I could help."

When they arrived at Fluttershy's cottage, Apple Bloom gave her another hug.   With a smile and a wave, she continued on to Sweet Apple Acres alone.

As she trotted along, she thought about what she would say to her friends.  

She couldn't wait to apologize to them so things could go back to the way they were before the accident, but unfortunately, it had to wait.  There was just too much that they needed to do to prepare for the arrival of the zap apples, especially now that Applejack wasn't with them.  She simply couldn't spare the time to talk to her friends.

I'll go talk to them tomorrow.  As soon as the zap apples disappear.

By the time she had reached the farm, the sun was descending behind the distant trees, and looking around, she spotted Big McIntosh and Granny Smith both standing near the zap apple trees.

Big McIntosh waved her over.  "It's time for the fourth sign!" he hollered.

As if on cue, a large meteor shower abruptly appeared directly overhead.  

Watching as hundreds of shooting stars streaked by, Apple Bloom couldn't help but smile.  Feeling as though her spirits were up there soaring with the stars, she suddenly felt certain that, somehow, everything was going to work out.     	    

Without warning, the blue, star-shaped flowers began to pulse with energy.  Stepping back as small arcs of lightning began sparking from the flowers, Apple Bloom gazed on in awe as they all simultaneously imploded, and left large, gray squarish apples in their wake.

After the meteor shower had faded from view, Big McIntosh turned to her.  "Do you need to talk to Granny Smith or me about anything?"

"Nope," Apple Bloom answered with a wide grin, feeling better than she had all week.

Big McIntosh ruffled her mane.  "That's great, now get on inside and get ready for bed.  We've got  a busy day tomorrow, so you're gonna need your rest."

As she headed up to the farmhouse, Apple Bloom's thoughts strayed to her sister, and she hoped with all her might that she was doing all right without them.


> The Running Mare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 7


The Running Mare


The first thing that she became aware of was the cold, second was the water soaking her coat, and then came the pain.  	

With a long moan, Applejack slowly opened her eyes and found herself lying on a steep bank with only her head and forelegs above the water.  She spat out a small mouthful of mud before dragging herself out of the water and slumping back to the ground.  	

She felt as if she had just been hit by a runaway carriage.  Her entire body ached, all of her joints were sore, and to top it all off, she also had a splitting headache.  

Gritting her teeth, Applejack tenderly climbed to her hooves, and with a shudder, recalled her brutal impact with the lake.

She had hit the water with a bone-jarring force that she had felt even in the roots of her teeth.  As the swirling depths seemed to swallow her, and her lungs screamed for air, all she could think of was how much her family needed her.  With a renewed ferocity, she had determinedly fought her way to the surface, and had somehow managed to reach the steep bank before passing out.

Applejack grimaced as she began to stretch in an attempt to work out some of the stiffness.  After a moment, she turned her gaze up to the waterfall and reflected on how lucky she had been.

That thing had nearly caught her, and she knew that she had only escaped because she had jumped off the waterfall.  If it had come for her in the middle of the forest, she wouldn't have had anywhere to go.  It would have had her.

Her ears up and alert as she gazed about her surroundings in the faint evening light, Applejack finally sighed with relief.

She felt pretty certain that she had lost her stalker.  Unless it could fly, it had a long descent ahead of it, and Applejack meant to be far away from the lake by the time it arrived.	

Unsure which way to go, Applejack recalled that the river had been running east.  With no other option, she decided to head the same direction that the waterfall was facing.  

As she gingerly started off in what she hoped was the right direction, Applejack once again wondered what her pursuer could possibly be.

Whatever it is, it ain't anything from this world, Applejack mused.  How in the hay did it know my name?  And why do I always get so cold whenever it comes near?

But there was an even bigger question floating around in her mind.  A question that overshadowed all the others.  A question that Applejack was trying not to dwell on.

Why was it trying to turn her against her friends?

Now, she understood that the hatred she had been feeling was caused by her stalker.  Somehow, it knew when she was thinking of her friends, and filled her mind with hate.  Then, while she was preoccupied with the hate, it stealthily began to probe at her mind.  

The realization that it was attacking her mind instead of her body did nothing to absolve her fear of the loathsome creature.  Although her head was throbbing and her body was exhausted, she pushed herself to move faster, eager to put as much distance between herself and her pursuer as possible.

It wasn't long, however, before she noticed that the light was beginning to fade.  Knowing that she had less than half an hour before it would be completely dark, Applejack began to closely survey her surroundings.

Fortunately, her eyes landed on a large thicket, and lying flat on her stomach, she wiggled beneath the bushes.  Curling into a tight ball, Applejack felt certain that she was well hidden and could rest safely.  

She brushed her mane out of her face, then scowled as she realized that she had lost her hair tie in the lake.    

Applejack couldn't stand the feel of her mane on the back of her neck, so she always kept it tied back.  She also didn't like her tail hanging loose.  She just felt more secure when it was tied back.  It was just a silly quirk of hers; one that Rainbow Dash often teased her about.            

"Go swallow your bit, Dash," Applejack grumbled as she imagined the Pegasus's reaction to her losing her tie.

Closing her eyes and rubbing her temples, Applejack wondered what Rainbow Dash was doing right at that moment.

"No doubt she's flyin' all round the forest all frantic like searchin' for me," she stated out loud.

She harbored no doubt that this was true.  The two of them had instantly taking a liking to one another from the moment they had first met.  She supposed that the mutual attraction stemmed from the fact that they both fancied themselves athletes, and that they both loved to compete.      

Grateful to have something to take her mind off of her throbbing head, Applejack allowed her mind to drift back to their first encounter.

It had been right smack in the middle of Applebuck Season, and Applejack had been alone working the eastern orchard.  

After delivering a solid kick to a tall, thick apple tree, a voice suddenly exclaimed, "Woah, that was awesome!"  Startled, Applejack whipped around, but found the orchard around her deserted.  As she scratched her head with confusion, she heard the voice again.  "You totally knocked every single apple loose with just one kick!"

She glanced up to find a sky blue Pegasus hovering directly above her.  "Do it again," the Pegasus said with anticipation.

Slightly amused, Applejack made her way to the next tree, and with a tremendous blow, knocked every last apple into the barrels below.

"That's amazing!" the Pegasus declared as she landed lightly on the ground.  Taking a moment to size her up, she stated, "With legs that powerful, I'd bet you're one heck of a runner."

"You'd better believe it," Applejack said, still unsure what to make of this sudden visitor.

Offering her a friendly grin, the Pegasus stepped forward and held out a hoof.  "The name's Rainbow Dash.  I'm the new weather pony assigned to Ponyville."

Applejack accepted Rainbow Dash's hoof with a smile of her own.  "Nice to meet ya, Rainbow Dash.  I'm Applejack."

"This is a nice place you got here," Rainbow Dash complimented as she glanced around her.  "I just arrived today and my weather duties start tomorrow.  I figured I should stop by here and introduce myself, since, you know, we'll be working so closely together to care for your crops."

"Well, that was mighty thoughtful of ya," Applejack commented, genuinely pleased.  "We had all sorts of trouble with that last weather pony."

"Yeah, I've heard," Rainbow Dash told her.  "But you've got nothing to worry about with me on the job.  I'd never leave anypony hanging.  If you're scheduled rain, you're gonna get rain."

"That's great to hear," Applejack said.  Then she turned and pointed toward the distant tree line.  "Have ya been properly warned bout the Everfree Forest?"

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof dismissively.  "Yeah, but is it really that much to worry about?"

"It is for us out here on the farm," Applejack warned.  "The Everfree ain't like other forests.  It sends clouds over the farm on a daily basis, and some of them are full of rain.  If ya ain't careful, we could get too much water down here, and that could ruin an entire harvest."

Rainbow Dash frowned.  "Hmm, that must be what they were talking about when they told me that this was a difficult job."  After a moment, she shrugged.  "All right, so some stray clouds and irregular air currents, huh?  It's cool.  I can totally handle them in my sleep."

Applejack grinned as she listened to the cocky Pegasus.  This was a pony with no hidden agendas, she knew.  This pony was always going to tell it to you straight, and she was good for her word.

Rainbow Dash turned her attention to a nearby tree.  After taking a moment to prod it with a hoof, she cocked an eyebrow.  "You mind if I give this a go?"

Applejack chuckled.  "Knock yourself out."

She studied the tree for another moment, then carefully positioned herself, and lifting both hind legs into the air, kicked the tree as hard as she could.

Gazing up at the apples still hanging from the tree, Rainbow Dash shook her head.  "Not a single one..."  She turned back to Applejack.  "It's not as easy as you make it look.  I'm impressed." 

Just then, an apple fell from the tree and bonked Rainbow Dash on the head.  

Unable to help herself, Applejack began to laugh at the startled expression on the Pegasus's face.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up now, you country bumpkin," Rainbow Dash teased.  "I'd still kick your tail in a race any day of the week."

"I hope ya mean to kick it harder than ya kicked that there tree," Applejack retorted.

Rainbow Dash laughed and smacked her hard on the shoulder.  "I like you, A.J., I can't wait to hook up with you and see what you're made of."  Leaping back into the air, she inquired, "Is there anything else you can think of that I need to know?"

Applejack began to shake her head, but then paused.  "Actually, there is another pony, lives bout a half mile north of here in a small cottage.  She has a bit of a garden goin' there, and lots of critters rely on her.  You may want to introduce yourself to her as well."

"Right."  Rainbow Dash nodded.  "I'll head over there now.  What's her name?"

"Fluttershy," Applejack began, "but you'll want to..."

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.  "No way!  Fluttershy lives here?!"

Startled by Rainbow Dash's reaction, Applejack hesitantly confirmed, "Uh...yeah."

"I haven't seen her since Summer Flight Camp!" Rainbow Dash said with a small, excited backward flip in the air.  "We were great friends when we were younger.  I can't wait to visit her!  Won't she be surprised to see me?!"

Smiling at Rainbow Dash's excitement, Applejack stated, "That's great to hear.  Fluttershy don't have too many friends, I'm glad somepony that knows her is here now."

Rainbow Dash waved as she flew higher into the sky.  "I'll catch ya tomorrow," she called down, "and we'll discuss your rain schedule."

Concealed in the thicket, Applejack smiled despite her pain and drifted off to sleep.

For several hours she slept peacefully, but then she suddenly began to thrash about.  Soon, she was shivering uncontrollably, her breath pluming as it escaped her in quick gasps while she mumbled fearfully in her sleep.

Without warning, she bolted upright shouting, "They're my friends!"

Crying out in alarm, she fought against the groping claws of her assailant until she fell backward and realized that she had been struggling with a bush.

Breathing heavily, Applejack surveyed her surroundings to ensure that she was alone as the nightmare once again quickly faded from memory.  The forest around her was still cloaked in shadows, but glancing up at the sky, she saw that it was beginning to glow with the early rays of morning light.  

For the next half hour, Applejack paced in a small circle around the thicket in order to work out the stiffness in her joints.  She also stooped down to munch on the occasional flower from time to time in an attempt to appease her raging appetite.  

Once it was light enough to see, Applejack formed a ring of rocks on the ground, then began to collect whatever wood she could find.  She knew that the Pegasi would be searching for her, and if she could get a good fire started, the smoke would lead them straight to her.  

After gathering a nice pile of wood, as well as some small twigs and leaves for kindling, Applejack set to work and had a fire started within a minute.  Quickly adding wood, she soon had a considerable sized blaze, and with a triumphant smile, turned her head skyward to watch the smoke rise over the canopy.

Abruptly, the fire extinguished.  Surprised, Applejack stared at the remains for several long moments.  It looked as though the fire had gone out days before, there weren't even any glowing embers.

Warily, Applejack reached out and placed a hoof on the blackened wood, and found it cold to the touch.  

Applejack blinked.  "That's...not possible..."

She tried again, and again, but every time the flame would suddenly snuff out.  

It didn't make any sense.  How could a fire go out so quickly, and leave the wood so cold?  What was going on in this forest?

Finally, she gave up on the fire and continued her trek east.

As she walked, her joints slowly worked the soreness out, and once she had found a large cluster of the tall, bright yellow Goldenrod flower and eaten her fill, her headache lessened considerably.    

Soon, Applejack noticed that the ground was sloping downward slightly and was gradually growing softer while the trees grew shorter and more sparse.  Not long after, her hooves sank into muck with every step as she was forced to periodically duck beneath low hanging branches and vines.     

Swatting at a thick cloud of gnats and slipping in a small pool of murky water, Applejack muttered, "I hate swamps."

Unexpectedly, a low growl emitted from behind a dense wall of brush.  Her heart leaping into her throat, Applejack whirled around in time to see a massive manticore emerge.  

Easily twice her height, with four huge paws each nearly the size of her body, the manticore gazed hungrily down at her.  Peeling back its lips to reveal long, curved fangs, the beast lifted its large scorpion tail over its head threateningly.  

"Oh my," Applejack gasped as she slowly backed away from the terrifying creature.  "Where's Fluttershy when I need her?"

The manticore growled menacingly as it crouched low to the ground.  

"Uh..." Applejack said fearfully.  "I don't suppose ya got a thorn stuck in your paw, do ya?"

Snarling savagely, the huge beast lunged forward, swiping a massive paw at the startled pony.  Quickly leaping to the side, Applejack stared in horrid fascination as its claws rent a three inch deep gash into the trunk of a nearby tree.

Blinded by panic, Applejack turned and galloped as fast as she could, and heard the manticore immediately give pursuit.  Glancing behind her, she saw it unfurl its bat-like wings and launch into the air.  

Looking ahead, she found a thick log that was propped up on a small pile of rocks directly in front of her.  Aided by the wet ground, Applejack expertly slid underneath the obstacle.

As she passed beneath, the manticore's tail punctured the log, the tip of the stinger missing Applejack's face by mere inches.  Then the entire log was lifted high into the air.

With a tremendous roar, the beast arched its tail back and catapulted the log straight toward her.  

"No, no, no, no, no," Applejack cried as she forced herself to run faster.  Hearing the log hit behind her and bounce, she quickly dove to the ground.  It soared over her head and crashed into a small group of trees in a deafening explosion of splintering wood.

Scrambling to find solid purchase on the slippery grass, Applejack leaped forward just as the manticore landed where she had been lying seconds before.  Seeing the tail descending upon her, she rolled to the side as the stinger sank into the ground right next to her.

Applejack frantically propelled herself backward across the soggy ground with her hind legs as the stinger continuously plunged downward, until it became stuck in the soft earth.

While the manticore struggled to free itself, Applejack climbed to her hooves and sprinted away.  Her desperate gaze found a small rock formation several yards away and she turned toward it, hoping she could reach it in time.              

Yanking its tail free and sending chucks of earth soaring through the air, the manticore bounded after her.  Its larger steps allowing it to quickly gain on its fleeing prey, the massive beast bellowed in rage as it closed in for the kill.

Just then, Applejack entered a shallow pool of water, and her hooves suddenly shot out from beneath her.  With a cry, she crashed down hard on her side and slid several feet.

Behind her, the manticore slipped as well, and tumbled past her.  As she galloped around it, the beast tried to lunge for her, but slipped again.

As she reached the rock formation, Applejack hurriedly stood on her hind legs and squeezed into a gap between the rocks.  Seconds later, the manticore was there, furiously clawing at the rocks.  With an angry roar, the beast circled the rock formation, pounding it with its massive paws. 

Watching as several rocks above her were dislodged and fell to the ground, Applejack quickly formed a plan.     

She waited for the manticore to go to the far side, and once it started clawing at the rocks, she quickly exited the gap.  Standing on her forelegs, she coiled both hind legs tightly against her body, and then, with all of her might, she kicked the rock wall.

The solid blow she dealt combined with the manticore's strength proved too much for the formation.  Hastily backpedaling to avoid the falling rocks, Applejack watched as it toppled over onto the manticore.  	  

Once all the dust and debris settled, Applejack discovered the manticore lying on the ground, its back half pinned down by the rubble.  As she watched, the huge beast tried to drag itself out, but was unable to move.

"Heavens to Betsy, that was close!"  Applejack sighed with relief as she flopped over onto her side to catch her breath.  She lay there and listened to the manticore grunting and snarling as it tried to break free for several moments before hollering, "Oh, be quiet!  Ya brought this on yourself."

Applejack looked around and realized that she had no idea which way to go.  Casting her gaze above, she found that she had an unobstructed view of the sky, and did her best to determine east by the position of the sun.

As she started off, the manticore bellowed at her.  It was much lower than the others, and it sounded so pitiful that Applejack came to a hesitant halt.

Studying the massive beast, she realized that it would never be able to free itself.  

Oh well, it made its own bed.  Now its gotta sleep in it.

She turned away, and took three steps before coming to a halt once more.

It was just an animal, no different than the ones that Fluttershy took care of.  Sure, it had attacked her, but wasn't it just looking for food like every other critter around?  Did it really deserve to lie there, trapped beneath the rocks until it starved?

Understanding the high risk involved, and knowing that she could very well regret what she was about to do, Applejack made her decision.

Applejack trotted around to the creature's hindquarters, giving its head a wide berth, and began removing the rocks.

"Ya know, my Pa taught me a lot of things," Applejack told it as she struggled to shove a considerable sized rock off one of its back paws.  "Like how important it is to be dependable, and the value of hard work.  But it was my Ma that shaped me into the pony I am today.  

"She showed me the importance of honesty and integrity.  Of always doin' what's right, and lookin' out for others.  Every choice I ever made in this life has been heavily influenced by her."

She paused to look the trapped creature straight in the eyes.  "She also taught me to always forgive others, and to never hold a grudge.  She always said that I should try to see things from the other's point of view."         

Stepping back, she watched the manticore free itself and climb to its feet.  Although she was very frightened, Applejack held her ground as she concluded.  "It's because of her and her beliefs that I helped ya.  I sure hope you're grateful."

For a long moment, the manticore and the pony stood there motionless, staring at one another.  Both held the other's gaze evenly, and neither showed any signs of submission.  

Her muscles tense and ready to react at a second's notice, Applejack watched the unreadable features of the manticore's face as she wondered what it would do next.   

Suddenly, the manticore extended its wings and launched itself into the air.  Circling overhead for a moment, during which it peered down at her for a final time, it swooped around and flew out of sight.

"Well, I'll be a suck egg mule," Applejack muttered in disbelief.  "I reckon that manticore understood me.  Or at least understood what I did for it."

Still gazing at the spot she had last seen the creature, Applejack shook her head in wonder, then turned away and headed east once more.

Applejack couldn't help but feel proud of what she had done.  She knew helping the manticore had been the right thing to do.  Thinking of her mother, she knew that she would have been proud as well.

As if she had opened a door that had remained shut for years, memories of her mother began to swirl through her head.  While the memories were painful and she generally tried to avoid them, this time she embraced them and allowed her mind to follow them into her past.

"Applejack, what happened to my lamp?"

"Uh..."  Applejack's eyes darted everywhere around the room except for her mother's face as she answered, "Nothin'."

Her mother cocked an eyebrow.  "If nothing happened to my lamp, then why is it broken?"

Squirming beneath her mother's stern gaze, she exclaimed, "It was Big Mac!  I-I saw him do it!"

"Applejack," her mother said warningly.  "What have I told you about lying?"

Applejack lowered her eyes and poked at the floorboards with a hoof.  "I was playin' with my ball, and it bounced too high and knocked it over."

With a frown, her mother shook her head.  "How many times do I have to tell you not to play with that ball inside the house?"

"I'm sorry, Ma," Applejack sniffed.  "Are ya mad at me?"

She favored the little filly with a smile.  "No, my sweet little apple, I'm not mad.  I just wish you would learn to be more honest."

"But your lamp is busted," Applejack pointed out uncertainly.

"Oh, I never liked this thing," she admitted.  "My mother bought us this lamp, and she has horrible taste in home decor."

Unable to help herself, Applejack giggled at her mother's words, but then turned serious.  "Ma, why don't you like your mommy?"

"Oh, uh..."  Her mother hesitated, obviously surprised by the question.  "I like her just fine, sweetie.  We just don't get along very well these days."

"Why?"

"Well, to start, she isn't very happy that I became a farmer's wife," her mother explained.  "She wanted me to stay in the city."

"And she don't like Pa...does she?" Applejack pressed.

"No, I'm afraid not," she confirmed.

"Why?"

Her mother paused for a moment before answering.  "As you know, I was a schoolteacher in Manehattan, and there was this stallion that had been courting me for several months named Moneypenny.  He was very rich.  He owned several banks in the city, and my mother wanted me to marry him."

"But you didn't like him," Applejack observed.  "Did ya, Ma?"

"No."  She smiled.  "I didn't.  He was so dishonest.  He would say anything to earn a new client, and he cheated several ponies out of their money.  I simply wasn't interested in spending the rest of my life with somepony like that."

"And that's when you met Pa, right?" Applejack said expectantly.

"That's right."  Her mother nodded as she turned and gazed lovingly at their wedding picture hanging on the nearby wall.  "Your father came out of nowhere, and he was just so handsome and charming.  But most importantly, he was honest.  While he was staying in Manehattan, I went everywhere he went, and watched how he dealt with his customers.  Unlike Moneypenny, who always became fake around his clients, your father was always himself.  He treated his customers the way he treated everypony else, and he was good for his word."

"So..." Applejack concluded.  "You chose him instead of Moneypenny, and that's why your mommy don't like daddy?"

"Yes," she answered.  "As far as my mother is concerned, your Pa stole me away and ruined my life.  She'll never understand that I'm happier than I could ever be with that dreadful Moneypenny."

"And you got us now!" Applejack exclaimed with a bright grin.

Her mother laughed.  "That's right!"

Staring at the picture on the wall, Applejack suddenly asked, "How did ya first meet Pa?"

"Oh, it was an unexpected accident.  And it was love at first sight, just like in your storybooks that we read together."  Her beautiful green eyes shining brightly, she continued, "I was walking down the street, looking over a particularly long essay one of my students had written, and wasn't watching where I was going.  Your father didn't see me until the last second, and tipped his entire apple cart to avoid hitting me.      

"Even though his cart was damaged and his apples were spilled all over the street, he was more worried about me.  I felt so terrible.  But when I apologized, he just gave me that big handsome smile of his, and I was swooned."

Just then, her father stepped into the room.  "Hey honey, I'm gonna run into town for a little bit.  Filthy Rich wants me to do some repairs on his back porch.  It shouldn't take me too long."

Crossing the room, her mother said softly, "I hope not," then kissed him deeply. 

His eyes grew wide as his hat slipped off his head.  "W-what was that for?" he stammered breathlessly once she released him.

She smiled sweetly.  "For being the perfect husband."  Turning to Applejack, she said, "Now run along, my sweet little apple, and finish your chores.  Lunch will be ready soon."

Prancing out of the room, Applejack stopped in the doorway and called, "I love ya Ma, I love ya Pa!"

"Love you too!" her parents echoed together.         

Tears running freely down her face, Applejack turned her gaze toward the sky as she continued her trek through the swamp.  Without warning, something passed by overhead.  Blinking, it took her a moment to realize that it was a Pegasus.  

Her heart pounding with excitement, she galloped after the pony, yelling as loud as she could.  "Help!  Down here, I'm down here!  Hel-"

Running at full speed and looking up at the sky, Applejack failed to see the steep incline and tumbled over the edge.

Applejack closed her eyes and did her best to protect her head as she bounced and rolled down the rough terrain.  Powerless to stop her brutal descent, she cried out in pain as she violently crashed through a thick bush, its branches scratching her forelegs and face painfully, her shoulder collided savagely with a large rock, and her back leg banged against the trunk of a tree. 

And then it happened.

As she lifted her forelegs to try to stop her descent, her right leg got caught under an exposed root.  Abruptly, she came to a halt as she both heard and felt the snap in her leg.  

She screamed as white hot spikes shot up to her shoulder and down to her hoof.  Gasping, she yanked her leg loose and rolled to the bottom.

Slowly raising herself up with just her left leg, she gingerly raised her right leg and applied pressure.  Immediately, the horrible stabbing pain returned, and with another scream, she collapsed.  Sobbing in agony, she cradled her injured leg close to her body. 

It was all over now.  Nopony was going to find her down here, and she was never going to be able to climb back up.  She knew that she was going to lie in this very spot until she starved to death, was discovered by a predator, or worst of all, she was found by whatever had been stalking her.

"Apple Bloom...I'm so sorry," Applejack whispered as she lay her head down in defeat.

> The Zap Apple Harvest
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 8


The Zap Apple Harvest


Apple Bloom stood at the edge of the zap apple orchard alongside Big McIntosh and Granny Smith, and fidgeted anxiously as she waited for the fifth and final sign that signified that the zap apples were ready to be harvested.  

In order to help her family prepare for the arrival of the zap apples, Apple Bloom had skipped school.  She had instead spent the first half of the day helping Big McIntosh get all the chores done early, and then assisting Granny Smith paint the pink polka dots all over the kitchen wall.  

But no matter how busy she was, Apple Bloom hadn't been able to stop thinking of her two best friends.  

She wondered what they thought about her not being at school, and hoped that they weren't too upset.  She couldn't wait to go to them and tell them she was sorry, but right now, harvesting the zap apples and earning enough money to make it through the winter was more important.

Just as the sun reached its highest peak in the sky, several dark clouds suddenly appeared over the zap apple orchard.  Standing where they were on the edge of the orchard, they remained dry while mere feet away a monsoon of rain poured down.  She braced herself against the strong winds as she watched the lightning arch throughout the orchard. 

Despite the excitement of the arrival of the zap apples, Apple Bloom could only frown as her thoughts shifted to Applejack.  She wished with all her heart and soul that her big sister could be standing right next to her now.

Without warning, the black clouds abruptly dissipated, leaving behind a large rainbow that stretched the entire length of the orchard.  

As they all gazed at the rainbow in awe, the zap apple trees began to burst with electrical energy as several of the squarish fruit glowed with a rainbow aura.  With a blinding flash, the colored fruits fired beams of rainbow light toward the uncolored apples.  For several moments, the light beams shot wildly about the entire orchard, then faded away, leaving the zap apples striped with the colors of the rainbow and a more rounded shape.

"Finally, they're ready for pickin'," Granny Smith stated, noticeably less excited than she usually was this time of year.           

Feeling awful for putting her family in this predicament, Apple Bloom hung her head.  "I'm sorry that Applejack isn't here to help."

The other two were silent for several long moments.  Finally, Big McIntosh gently stroked her mane.  "It's okay, Apple Bloom.  Applejack will be back soon, and as for us...we'll get along just fine."

"But...we can't harvest nearly enough zap apples without her."

Big McIntosh suddenly looked very weary.  "Ma always used to say that as long as you don't give up, and you keep trying your hardest, things will always work out in the end.  That's what we've got to do now...it's all we can do."

"All right."  Apple Bloom sighed, and then the three of them started the harvest.  

Big McIntosh kicked the first tree with all his might, and moved on to the next as the zap apples began falling into the barrels.  Following in his wake, Granny Smith picked up the fruits that had missed and fallen to the ground.  

Meanwhile, Apple Bloom started to buck the tree closest to her.  Nowhere near as strong as her older brother, she had to kick the tree several times just to get the first few zap apples to fall. 

After a half hour, she still hadn't cleared the first tree, and looking up at the other two, saw that they were also making slow progress.

Realizing that they weren't even going to be able to clear half of the trees before the fruits disappeared, Apple Bloom sat heavily on the ground as despair overwhelmed her.

What are we going to do?  How are we ever going to make it through the winter?

She had never felt so useless in her entire life.  More than anything, she wanted to help her family.  She wanted to make a difference and contribute to the harvest, but she simply couldn't.  She was just too little, and she understood that she could never fully replace Applejack. 

Staring at the ground and fighting back tears, Apple Bloom caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye.  With a start, she turned and gasped at what she found.

Walking across the field straight toward them was Mayor Mare, followed closely by Twilight, with Spike smiling and waving enthusiastically from her back, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy, and behind them was Cheerilee and all of the foals from her class.  

"What in tarnation..." Big McIntosh began, but trailed off as a group of Pegasi flew into view.

As the three befuddled Apples watched, more and more ponies continued to arrive on the farm.  Apple Bloom caught sight of Mr. Greenhooves hauling his wagon that was stacked full of ladders, Lyra and Sweetie Drops, both grinning brightly and waving at them, and Filthy Rich, followed closely by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. 

It soon became apparent that everypony living in Ponyville was present.   

With her mouth hanging open in disbelief, Apple Bloom slowly climbed to her hooves.  "What's going on?" she asked to nopony in particular.  "Why is everypony here?" 

Neither Big McIntosh nor Granny Smith answered her as they watched Twilight and her friends slow to a halt in front of them. 

After a moment, Fluttershy stooped down and hugged Apple Bloom, while Pinkie Pie embraced Big McIntosh, and Rarity nuzzled Granny Smith.  

Teary eyed, Twilight said, "We just want you to know that we're always here for you."      

Mayor Mare turned around, and raising a bullhorn, addressed everypony that was now amassed in front of the Apple family's house.  

"Thank you, everypony, for being here today.  As you all know, the Apple family have been coping with the terrible accident that has taken Applejack from us.  As you also know, the zap apples have just arrived and will be gone by sundown, so we must work quickly to ensure that the Apple family harvests all the zap apples that they will need.  

"Applejack has always been a valuable resident of Ponyville.  At one point or another, she has helped every single one of you in some way, and has gone out of her way on several occasions to help our town.  Now that she is gone, it is only right that the town of Ponyville do the same for her family."

As the crowd cheered their agreement, she continued.  "Just like our winter wrap-ups, you have each been assigned to a team.  Now, everypony group with your team leaders and let's make sure that this is the best zap apple harvest the Apples have ever had!"

With a flurry of activity, the ponies began to organize themselves.  

Apple Bloom couldn't believe it.  The entire town had shown up, just to help them.  She couldn't wrap her head around what she was seeing.  She knew that everypony respected the Apple family, but this was too much.  

Being the first Apple to recover, Big McIntosh turned his gaze to Twilight.  "Thank you, Twilight," he said with a voice brimming with emotion.	

"Oh, this wasn't me," Twilight replied, smiling sheepishly.  "I organized everything, but it was Rarity that came to me with the idea."

Surprised, Apple Bloom turned her gaze to Rarity.  "Really?  This was your idea?"

"Well, yes," Rarity answered hesitantly.  "At least in part.  Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo knew that this harvest was one of the most important of the entire year.  They also knew what position your family was in and they were worried that you wouldn't be able to collect enough zap apples.  So, together, we constructed this idea, and I went to Twilight with it.  After that, it spread like wildfire through the town, and everypony was eager to pitch in."

Apple Bloom hugged her fiercely.  "Thank you, Rarity!  Thank you so much!"

"But of course, darling," Rarity responded with a sweet smile.

Apple Bloom stepped back.  "Do you know where Sweetie Belle is?"

Silently, Rarity pointed to a nearby tree.  Turning, Apple Bloom saw Cherry Berry and Shoeshine alternately kicking a tree while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, each with a bucket on their backs, caught the zap apples as they fell.

Her heart pounding wildly in her chest, Apple Bloom rushed over to her two friends.  

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchanged worried glances as she approached, and removing the buckets from their backs, they stepped away from the tree.	

The three of them stood silently for a long moment as they studied one another uncertainly.

What can I possibly say to them, Apple Bloom wondered to herself.  What could possibly make them forgive me?   

Before she could fret over what to say for too long, Sweetie Belle broke the silence.  "I know you said we weren't welcome on the farm anymore," she stated, shuffling her hooves uncomfortably, "but we thought th-"

Without warning, Apple Bloom lunged forward and embraced her friend as she began to cry.  "I'm so sorry, Sweetie Belle, I've been so stupid.  I love you, and I want to be friends again, more than anything.  I should never have pushed you away, I understand that now."

"I don't care about that," Sweetie Belle replied as tears began running down her face.  "All I care about is you.  I'm so happy we're friends again."

Watching her two best friends hugging each other and crying, Scootaloo sat down and sobbed.  "Oh, you guys!"

Wordlessly, the two of them reached out and pulled Scootaloo into the hug, and together, the three young fillies shed tears of relief as their bonds grew ever tighter.           

Finally releasing one another and wiping their eyes, the three began looking around them.

"So...what can we do to help?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Her eyes scanning the area, Apple Bloom noticed an unused ladder lying on its side.  Galloping over to it, she picked it up and grinned at the other two.  "I don't know about you, but I'm gonna get my cutie mark for picking zap apples!"

"Not if I get mine first!" Scootaloo challenged as she chased after her friend.

Standing alone for a moment, Sweetie Belle laughed as she watched her two best friends race toward the nearest zap apple tree, and then hurried to join them. 

As the hours passed swiftly by, the zap apple orchard was steadily picked clean of all its fruit.  It was the best zap apple harvest the Apple family had ever known.  For the first time since a young Granny Smith had brought home the seeds from the Everfree Forest, every last zap apple was picked.

Staring in awe as the last of the barrels of fruit were carted over to her a full three hours before they would have vanished, Granny Smith couldn't suppress her smile.  Standing beside her grandmother, Apple Bloom felt an elation of her own.  

This was going to be the most profitable year the Apple family had ever known, and it was all thanks to the wonderful town of Ponyville.

Apple Bloom couldn't stop grinning as she watched the mass of ponies converging in front of her house, smiling and laughing with one another.  She glanced over at Granny Smith and Big McIntosh, and upon seeing their glowing faces, she was suddenly overcome with joy and gratitude.

With a sense of purpose, she trotted over to the mayor and asked, "Can I say something?"

Mayor Mare beamed.  "Of course!"  She turned to the ponies mingling on the large field, and raised her bullhorn.  "May I have your attention please!  Somepony would like to say something to all of you."

As the crowd quieted down, Apple Bloom flipped a wooden pail over and stood on it.  Swelling with pride, she looked at the ponies standing before her and began.

"Thank you, everypony, for what you've done today.  It means so much to my family, and to me, that you came in our hour of need.  It also taught me a valuable lesson that I'll never forget."  Looking directly at Sweetie Belle, she continued, "I learned that I'm never alone.  No matter how bad things may get, or how hurt or upset I may be, there are always ponies out there that are willing to help."  She wiped a tear from her eye.  "I have never been more proud than I am right now to be a part of Ponyville."

Finished, Apple Bloom hopped down from the pail, then turned at the sound of numerous hooves stomping the ground in applause.  Humbled, Apple Bloom grinned self-consciously as she backed away and was suddenly engulfed in a huge hug as both Big McIntosh and Granny Smith embraced her lovingly.

"Hey everypony!" a voice echoed unexpectedly.  Looking around, Apple Bloom spotted Pinkie Pie poking out from around the back of the house.  "Come back here, I've got something I wanna show you!"

Confused, the crowd slowly milled around the side of the house, and found Pinkie Pie standing with one of the largest smiles they had ever seen on her face.  On either side of her were two huge speakers, a turntable behind which stood a grinning Vinyl, and several tables covered with various foods and drinks.

"Pinkie Pie?!" Twilight exclaimed in shock.  "When did you find the time to set this up?!"

Pinkie Pie waved a hoof dismissively.  "I always make time for parties!"  Addressing the crowd, she cried, "Welcome, everypony, to my We Love Applejack And Hope She Comes Home Soon Party!"

Spinning dramatically, she pointed a hoof at Vinyl.  "Hit it!"

Once the loud music started, and everypony began dancing, Pinkie Pie hopped over to the three fillies and asked expectantly, "Are you all friends again?"       

Sweetie Belle nodded her head excitedly.  "Yeah!  We all made up!"

Suddenly scooping the three of them in a huge hug, Pinkie Pie reared up on her hind legs and lifted them off the ground.  "Yay for friends!" she cried as she squeezed them so tight that they had to struggle to breathe.

Without warning, Pinkie Pie abruptly dropped them and smiling happily, skipped off toward the beverage table.  Lying awkwardly on the ground and gasping for air, the three shared a look among themselves, then began to laugh merrily.       	

As the first song ended, Apple Bloom followed her friends to the turntable.  

"This music is awesome!" Scootaloo declared as they drew to a halt beside the D.J. 

Vinyl smiled as she removed her headphones and reached for the next record.

"You don't live anywhere around here, do you?" Sweetie Belle observed.

The D.J. shook her head as she placed the record on the player and replaced her headphones.

"So..."  Apple Bloom cocked an eyebrow.  "How did you get here and get this all set up on such short notice?"

Vinyl lifted up her glasses and gazed at the three young fillies for a moment, then simply stated, "It's what I do."  Then she lowered her glasses back over her eyes, and started the next song, bobbing her head with the beat.

The party lasted well into the night, and was the most fun Apple Bloom had had in months.  Dancing with her friends, sharing cake with Sweetie Belle, and getting into a food fight with Scootaloo, Apple Bloom forgot all about her sorrow and worries for Applejack.  

But as the party began dying down and the ponies began their trek back to town, her older sister swiftly returned to mind.  

Without a word, Apple Bloom made her way across Sweet Apple Acres, accompanied by her two silent friends.  Reaching the far edge of the farm, Apple Bloom sat down and gazed at the Everfree Forest. 

Scootaloo sat down beside her and placed a hoof on her shoulder.  "Rainbow Dash, Thunderlane, and a couple other Pegasi are still out there searching for her."

"What do you think she's doing right now?" Sweetie Belle asked as she stared out at the distant trees.

Apple Bloom suddenly smiled at her two worried friends.  "I know exactly what she's doing."  Standing up, she faced them and exclaimed with certainty, "She's coming home!  And there's nothing in that forest that's gonna stop her!"  

> Old Scars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 9


Old Scars


Applejack cried out in agony as white hot fire shot through her leg, then collapsed and slid back down to the bottom of the incline.  

She just couldn't do it.  She had tried four times during the last couple of hours, but the excruciating pain in her leg always overwhelmed her.  So far, she hadn't even made it a quarter of the way back up.

Never in all of her life had she felt as helpless as she did now, panting in the mud and counting the seconds until the pain lessened.  Despairingly, Applejack's mind strayed to the family she would never see again.   The family that she had failed. 

They've already suffered so much from losing Ma and Pa.  And now, they've lost me too. 

She closed her eyes against the pain and misery, and did her best to fight back the tears.  As she felt the last of her hope fade away, Applejack was unable to prevent her mind from uncovering a memory that she had long ago buried deep within herself.  

The memory of the day that they had received the worst news of their lives.

Her parents had left for Manehattan to deliver an extremely large order of apple pies, leaving Applejack, Big McIntosh, and the infant Apple Bloom under Granny Smith's care.  They had been in the dining room sharing supper when they heard an unexpected knock at the front door.

"I'll get it!" Applejack cried as she leaped off her chair and cantered to the door.  

A large stallion wearing a blue uniform and hat with a golden badge displayed on his chest awaited outside.  Upon seeing the little filly answering the door, his disciplined manner seemed to crumple.  

"Hello, sweetie," he said as he uneasily glanced into the house.  "Is there an adult present?"

"Uh-huh."  Applejack nodded with a wide grin.  "My granny is right inside."

She stepped aside and watched the stallion swallow hard before making his way into the dining room.  

"Well, howdy-doo there, officer," Granny Smith greeted warmly as he entered the room.  "What can we do you for?"

The stallion remained silent as his eyes continuously moved between the foals and Granny Smith.  

Suddenly looking scared, Granny Smith stood.  "What's happened?"

"There's been an accident," the stallion spoke softly.

Confused, Applejack watched as Granny Smith slumped back into her chair and covered her face with her hooves.  Turning to the stallion, she asked, "Accident?  Was it Ma and Pa?  Are they okay?"

Unable to find his voice, the stallion slowly shook his head.

"H-how..." Granny Smith stammered.

The stallion took a deep breath.  "They were descending a steep hill, and it appears that one of the wheels broke.  The wagon flipped...and..." he trailed off.

"No," Applejack stated, suddenly sure that the stallion was wrong.  "No, Ma and Pa are fine."  When the stallion did nothing more than simply watch her sadly, she continued, "They'll be back before I know it, that's what Pa promised.  Pa always keeps his promises."  Big McIntosh rose from his chair and approached her, but she quickly sidestepped away.  "They'll come back...they just have to."

As Granny Smith started to cry, the stallion knelt before her and spoke with a voice that broke with emotion.  "I'm sorry sweetie, but they're gone."

"You're wrong!" Applejack shouted, stomping a hoof in anger.  "They wouldn't leave, they couldn't!  They love us too much...they love me..."  Gazing at Granny Smith as she continued to cry, then Big McIntosh, who was hanging his head and sniffling, she suddenly screamed, "YOU'RE ALL WRONG!"

Applejack whipped around, fled the dining room, and raced up the stairs.  

Not sure what she was running from, and not caring, Applejack galloped down the hall.  As she reached a small table that held a vase full of flowers, she reared up and threw it to the ground.  With a numb detachment, she watched as the vase shattered across the floor, the flowers bouncing among the broken shards.  	

Just as her life had shattered, leaving her to bounce and skitter toward an uncertain future.

From her room, Apple Bloom began to cry, but Applejack covered her ears and rushed past the infant's door.  She bolted into her room and slammed the door as hard as she could.  

Applejack dove onto her bed and pressed her face into the pillow.  With a scream of unbridled rage, she began to sob as the horrible truth seemed to smother her.  

Gasping for breath, her eyes landed on the storybook that lay open on the table next to her bed.  It was the storybook she and her mother read together every night.  The storybook that they would never finish.

With a shriek of fury, Applejack threw the book across the room, then covered her head with the pillow and continued to wail.  

Seconds later, the pillow was abruptly pulled away, and Granny Smith was hugging her fiercely.  

"W...w...why, G-granny?" Applejack managed between sobs.

"I don't know, deary," Granny Smith replied quietly.  "I just don't know." 

The two of them continued to hold one another in silence until Applejack drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

The next several days passed in a haze.  She spent all her time outside, wandering about the farm as if in a trance.  She ate, but couldn't remember what.  She slept, but only for a few hours at a time.  She spoke to Granny Smith only when she had to, she avoided looking at Big McIntosh, and she wouldn't even stay in the same room as Apple Bloom.  

It already seemed like it had been so long ago since she last saw her parents, and knowing that she would never see them again, all she felt within was a vast, terrible emptiness.  

Then, one night as Applejack lay awake in bed, Apple Bloom started to cry.  Covering her ears with the pillow, she heard Granny Smith enter the infant's room and try to soothe her, but the baby wailed on.  

Sitting up and listening to the endless bawling, Applejack started weeping as well.  After a moment, she realized that they were both crying for the same reason.  They both wanted the mother that could never hold them again.

Suddenly, she couldn't stand it anymore.  She jumped out of bed, dashed down the stairs, and out the door.  

Although she thought that she was running blindly, she wasn't at all surprised to find herself standing before her tree house.  She gazed up at it for several long minutes before finally climbing the ramp to the door.  

Slowly walking around the inside of her special hideaway, Applejack studied the floor and ran a hoof along the walls.

"I don't understand, Pa," Applejack whispered.  "I watched you make that wagon, just like I watched you make this tree house.  Nothin' you built has ever broke...so why did the wheel break?"

She climbed up on the table and hopped up and down on it, then she leaped off and landed on the wooden floor as hard as she could.

Without warning, an awful rage boiled from deep within her, spilling out of her in a violent scream as she tipped the table over.  Furiously, she began stomping on the floor, then she savagely kicked the walls repeatedly.  

She glared at the sturdy walls that surrounded her.  "Why are you still standin'?!  Why won't you break?!"  Pounding the floor with her hoof as hard as she could, she shrieked, "Why are you so strong, but the wheel wasn't?!"

She collapsed to the floor as bitter tears began to stream down her face.  "It's all your fault, Pa.  You should have built the wheels better."  Covering her face with her hooves, she hissed, "I hate you."

Lying there on the floor, exhaustion finally overcame her, and Applejack slipped into a deep dreamless sleep.  

As the rooster's crow echoed over the farm, Applejack rose feeling strangely different.  Walking around the tree house, she stared at all her drawings that were pinned to the walls and the overturned table, and then turned her gaze toward the ceiling and the wooden stepladder that led to the small attic above.   

She couldn't understand it.  Last night, her father's presence was so strong here, but now, she felt nothing.  It was just a plain old wooden tree house.  There wasn't anything special about it at all.  

Applejack descended the ramp and looked around at the quiet farm indifferently.  

The land seemed so silent and empty, her chores so mundane and useless.  How had she coped with it in the past?  Why had it all seemed so important just a couple of weeks ago? 

Suddenly, Applejack understood that she would never be whole again as long as she was on this farm.   She wanted noise to drown out the lonely silence, she wanted lots of ponies to fill the emptiness around her.  She couldn't live like her parents had, because she couldn't live with the memories.  She had to forget them and their way of living.

She needed to live in a city, to live the sophisticated life, like her mother once had.  She remembered her mother's sister, Aunt Orange, and how well they had gotten along.  

"I'll bet Aunt Orange would take me in and teach me everythin' about livin' in the city," Applejack stated.  

Her decision made, she trotted back to the farmhouse, and marched straight into the kitchen. 

"Oh, good morning, Applejack," Granny Smith began as she entered.  "I was wonderin'-"

"I want to leave the farm," Applejack interjected.

Immediately, Granny Smith's face fell.  "I know, deary." 

Stunned to her core, Applejack asked, "How do you know?"

"It's the way you've been actin'," Granny Smith explained.  "You've been takin' the news much harder than Big Mac and myself."  She stepped forward, and hugged her granddaughter fiercely.  "I'm not gonna try and stop you, but I have to be sure.  Is this really what you want?" 

"Yes," Applejack confirmed resolutely.  "I want to live in the city."

"All right."  Granny Smith smiled sadly.  "Just give me some time to talk to your brother."  Granny Smith left the room without waiting for her to respond.

Several days later, Applejack was all set for her journey to Manehattan.  

Standing beneath the arch that marked the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack hugged her Granny Smith a final time, then turned to Big McIntosh.  

"I love ya, Big Mac," she said in a shaky tone.

Big McIntosh sniffled as he embraced her.  "I love ya too, Sis."

She released him, then turned and trotted several yards away before coming to a halt.  With a final wave goodbye, she began her journey to the big city.

Although she was sad at leaving her family behind, she was excited about starting her new life with her Aunt and Uncle Orange and couldn't wait to reach Manehattan.

The trek to the city took her two days and was uneventful.  

She followed the road the entire way, and kept a careful eye on her map.  As the first day drew to an end, she had made camp with the supplies that Granny Smith had packed for her.  Eating her fill, she had laid out her blanket and gone to sleep without delay.

Around midday of the second day, the road led her to a steep hill, and with a sudden pain in her chest, she came to an abrupt halt.  

Gazing down at the sloping road, she realized that she was looking upon the place of her parent's death.  In her mind's eye, she could see the wheel breaking, and the wagon flipping as it careened down this very slope.  

With a large lump in her throat, she followed the road down, and stopped in the place where she imagined the wagon would have landed.  Staring up at the crest of the hill, she lost track of how long she stood there as countless unanswerable questions circled in her head.  

Finally, she tore her eyes from the scene and continued her journey.   

When she arrived in Manehattan later that evening, she was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer size of it.  The buildings seemed to stretch to the clouds, and the ponies seemed to move like waves over the surface of a pond.  Trotting through the streets, it was all she could do to keep herself from being carried away by the throng of ponies.  

As she struggled to remember her Aunt and Uncle Orange's address, she spotted an incoming stallion and managed to jump aside just before crashing into him.

"Hey!  Outta the way, you rube!" he yelled angrily.

Applejack looked after him as he stomped on, wondering what in Equestria a 'rube' was. 

Soon after, she located a large apartment building that had the same address as what Granny Smith had written on the back of the map.  Climbing multiple staircases, she gazed at the numbers in each hall until she found the right door.

Grateful to have finally arrived, Applejack knocked on the door and was welcomed by the warm smiles of her Aunt and Uncle Orange.  As she excitedly greeted them and thanked them for taking her in, they commented on her country accent and chuckled among themselves.

Over the course of the next month, Applejack strove to fit in with the city folk, but often ended up feeling like an outsider.  No matter how hard she worked, she would always slip up somehow, like the night that she accidently brought up the rooster on her farm at a dinner party.  The guests had all stopped talking and stared at her in confusion until Aunt Orange quickly stepped in and turned the conversation away from her.      

It wasn't long before she began to miss her life on the farm.  She also came to realize that living in the city was doing nothing to help her forget her parents.  The hurt was still there every night, and every morning they were the first thing to enter her mind. 

Applejack awoke abruptly one particular morning from a nightmare in which her parents had been leaving on the wagon, and no matter how much she called out for them to stop, they just smiled and waved.  After weeping for several minutes, she sat up and noticed that the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon.  

She quickly got out of bed and leaned on the windowsill.  Excited to see the first sun rise since she had arrived in the city, Applejack felt an unexpected sadness as the sun slowly rose into view.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo," Applejack mumbled to herself.  

Memories of her days on the farm began to fill her mind as tears formed in her eyes.  She missed applebucking the apple trees, and feeding the chickens and the pigs.  She missed picking corn and planting seeds and even cleaning the stables.  

But more than anything, she missed Big McIntosh, Apple Bloom, and her Granny Smith.  

Had she been wrong to leave the farm?  Was it too late to return?

Just then, a rainbow appeared in the sky and rocketed off toward the horizon.  With her mouth hung open in wonder, Applejack watched in disbelief as it led the way back home.   

This is impossible, she thought to herself incredulously.  How could this be happening?  

Suddenly, she realized that she didn't care.  She had never seen a clearer sign in all of her life, and she knew, without a doubt, that she needed to return home.  Her real home.

Her heart filled with a joy that she hadn't felt in nearly two months, Applejack raced down the hall and barged into her Aunt and Uncle's room.  

As they woke with cries of surprise, Applejack loudly announced, "I know where I belong now!  I'm goin' back home!"

Her aunt and uncle wiped the sleep from their eyes, and glancing at one another in confusion, asked her if she was certain.   When she confirmed, they got out of bed and helped the over-excited filly pack a bag.  

As soon as she was ready and had a map to safely return home, she hugged her Aunt and Uncle Orange, thanked them for their hospitality, and began her trek back to Sweet Apple Acres.  

Eager to return home, Applejack made remarkable time, but she once again came to a halt as she reached the steep hill.  She felt a deep sadness well up within her as she gazed up at the crest, but all the anger and confusion was gone.

She understood now that it had been an accident.  She would never know the why, but she knew now that she would never need to.  All she needed to know was that she had a family that she belonged to, a family that loved her, and she was never going to leave them again.

Sweet Apple Acres came into view a little before midday on the next day.  As soon as she caught sight of it, Applejack broke into a full gallop and screamed as loud as she could that she was coming home.  

By the time she reached the entrance, Granny Smith and Big McIntosh were both standing under the archway, grinning ear to ear.  Applejack skidded to a halt directly in front of them, and then lunged forward and nuzzled Granny Smith as she began apologizing over and over and vowing that she would never leave again.  

It was then that a beaming Big McIntosh nudged her and pointed at her flank.  Her breath catching in her throat, Applejack twisted around to find that her cutie mark had appeared and began hopping up and down excitedly.  Laughing and hugging one another, the three of them shared the joy of this momentous occasion, and each felt more thankful than they ever had before to have one another.  

"I'm glad you finally found your place, pickle pear," Granny Smith said as she ruffled her mane.  Then, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she added, "Come with me.  I got somethin' for you."

As they entered the house, Granny Smith suggested, "Big Mac, why don't you go check on the baby?"  She waited for Big McIntosh to obey before leading Applejack up into the attic. 

Confused, she watched as Granny Smith climbed up on a trunk in order to reach a high shelf, and then gasped at what she pulled off of it.

Granny Smith held her father's hat up so that it could be plainly seen in the dim light.  "An officer returned this to us one day while you were out somewhere on the farm," she explained.  "You were takin' their deaths so hard, I was afraid to let you see it.  So I stuck it up here for safe keepin'."  She sat down and studied the hat closely.  "The officer told me that the crash had been terrible, and that the wagon had been nothin' more than a pile of splintered wood, but your Pa's hat was perfectly fine.  Not a single scratch, not even a small rip."  Looking Applejack square in the eye, she stated, "It was as meant to be as the accident itself."

Unable to speak past the lump that had formed in her throat, Applejack waited for her to finish.

"And now, I know why."  She placed the hat on Applejack's head.  "It was meant to be yours, deary.  I realized that when you earned your cutie mark.  Take good care of it now, and remember that your Pa is always with you."

Applejack embraced her grandmother as she began to sob.  "Thank you, Granny.  I will, I swear it."

That night Applejack was too overwhelmed with emotion to sleep.  Lying in bed and holding the hat tightly to her chest, she couldn't stop smiling.  It felt like a piece of her that had been shattered was now whole again.  Somehow, she just knew that her parents weren't as far away as they had seemed at first.

Suddenly, she realized that there was something that she needed to do.  Quietly getting out of bed, she set the hat down on her bedside table, right next to her open storybook, and carefully walked down the hall.  

Silently entering Apple Bloom's room, Applejack made her way to the crib and gazed down at the sleeping infant.  Smiling, she gently stroked her mane.  "I'm sorry I've been avoidin' you since the accident, and for leavin' you, but you got nothin' to worry about now.  I'm here to stay, and I'm gonna take the very best of care of you.  You may not have a Ma or a Pa no more, but I promise that I'll be the best sister you could ever ask for."  As a single tear ran down her face, she whispered, "Because you're my sweet little apple, and I love ya."  

She wasn't sure how long she stood in the darkened room, staring at her sleeping baby sister, but eventually she slowly exited the room and headed downstairs.  

There was still one more thing she had to do before she would be able to sleep.

Breathing in the cool air and gazing up at the beautiful night sky above, Applejack felt at peace with herself.  It seemed as though she were seeing the farm in a whole new perspective, and was able to appreciate it on an entirely different level.  

She closed her eyes as she relished the sound of the musical insects and hooting owls, the sweet smell of apples that hung in the air, and the soft grass beneath her hooves.      

As the tree house came into view, her smile faded and her heart quickened, but she knew that this needed to be done.

Applejack hesitantly entered, and noticing the table was still upended, turned it back over.  She stood in the center of the room for a long while, recalling the day that she had helped her father build it.  

"Pa, I'm sorry I left the farm, and I'm even more sorry for blamin' ya.  I understand now that it wasn't your fault that the wheel broke.  It was somethin' that just happened, nopony could have predicted it, or stopped it.  And I don't hate you, I love you.  I love ya with all my heart, you and Ma both.  

"Now, I don't want ya to worry none bout us.  You just take care of Ma, and I'll handle the family.  I'll take real good care of them, I promise.  You'll see, I'm gonna prove just how dependable of a pony I can be.  The farm will keep on goin' strong, the family is gonna be as close as it ever was, and little Apple Bloom is gonna grow up happy and well educated.  I swear it."

She started toward the door, but slowed to a halt.  "I probably won't be comin' back here, since I'm gonna be busy with the family and all, so I guess this is goodbye.  I'll never forget what you two taught me, and I'm always gonna be proud to be an Apple."

Trotting back to the farmhouse, Applejack felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.  A weight that she hadn't even been aware she was carrying, but now left her feeling light and free.  

Applejack returned to bed and slept peacefully all through the night.  Her dreams were filled with memories of her parents and the love that they had always shared.

As the years passed by, and the pain grew more bearable, Applejack managed to put her memories to rest.  Although the hurting never truly left her, she allowed the love of her family to mend her wounds.   

Now, as she lay in the murky swamp somewhere deep within the Everfree Forest with a broken leg, Applejack wiped at her wet eyes and stood determinedly.

She had made a promise to her Pa that she would take care of her family, and nothing in this blasted forest was going to make her go back on her word.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, Applejack once again started up the steep incline.  

Inch by agonizing inch she climbed, and whenever she believed that the pain was too much, she reminded herself of how she had survived her old scars. 

She remembered the pride on Big McIntosh's face when he had first seen her wearing the hat, and she kept going.  She remembered the look of gratitude on Granny Smith's face when she had volunteered to start looking after Apple Bloom, and she kept going.  She remembered how her old teacher had started bring her schoolwork to the farm, and how hard she had worked at caring for the baby and getting her assignments done.  She remembered her pride at her graduation, and she kept going.

Applejack suddenly slipped but quickly grabbed an exposed root with her teeth and clung tight until she got her hooves back under her.  Gasping from exertion and pain, she glanced up to find that she was almost to the top, and willed herself to climb the remaining distance.  As she crested the top, she dragged herself onto level ground and then slumped over, exhausted.  

Face down on the soft, moist ground with spikes of pain shooting up and down her right foreleg and tears of agony running down her face, Applejack began to laugh.  

Filled with elation despite her pain, Applejack yelled at the cursed forest, "You're gonna have to do better than that to finish me!"

Unseen by her, a creature of pure malice watched her from the shadows.  As its glowing blue eyes slowly disappeared into the gloom that surrounded it, it whispered a single word.  

Applejack.

> Showdown
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 10


Showdown


The first thing that pierced Applejack's consciousness was the pain in her foreleg, followed closely by the wet ground that she was lying on.  As she slowly stirred awake, she rolled onto her back and stretched, careful not to extend her injured leg.

Gingerly climbing to her hooves and shifting most of her weight to her left foreleg, Applejack gazed down at the incline that she had somehow managed to scale the evening before.  

"I wouldn't have known I had it in me..." she mumbled.  Finally, she shook her head in awe at her own feat of strength before turning away and continuing her journey east.

The pain shot from her hoof to her shoulder with every step, but it somehow seemed more bearable than before.  Worse than the pain was the sensation in her leg.  It felt as though there were little pebbles rolling and grinded together whenever she took a step.      

After a couple of hours, Applejack noticed that she was steadily heading upward, and realized that she had finally reached the other end of the swamp.  Thankful to be leaving this wet, murky terrain, she quickened her pace.  Although it was more painful to walk uphill, she gritted her teeth against the pain and kept moving.

Soon, the ground beneath her hooves grew firm once more as the trees and the canopy above grew more dense.  Even though she still had no idea how far she needed to travel to return home, she felt a sense of accomplishment at having successfully crossed the swamp.

As the hours passed by, Applejack gradually grew weaker as the pain and effort of walking with a broken leg drained her mentally and physically.  She knew that she needed to rest, but she also knew that the full moon would be gone tonight, which would make travel after nightfall near impossible.  She didn't want to stop while it was still light enough to see.

In an effort to take her mind off of the pain, Applejack allowed her thoughts to stray to the family that was waiting for her back home.

She thought of Granny Smith, and all the times that her stubbornness had made a situation worse than it needed to be.  All because she was older didn't mean that she was always right.  She needed to back off and let somepony who could remember what day of the week it was make the important decisions.     

Then she remembered all of the arguments she had had with Big McIntosh.  He was as hardheaded as Granny Smith, and he seemed to always challenge her role around the farm.  She was the one that kept the farm running strong and the family organized, and he needed to learn his place.  	    	

She began to shiver as her breath plumed out in front of her.  Without her realizing it, Applejack's angry thoughts turned to her friends.

Twilight was always prancing around, lecturing everypony and trying to tell them what was right.  Maybe she should let somepony lecture her on how to stay out of other ponies' business.  

Pinkie Pie was always such a pain on the farm.  She often knocked things over, created messes that Applejack would have to clean, and once she even jumped up and down on a wheelbarrow until it broke.

Fluttershy was always defending critters that wrecked the farm.  From thieving rabbits to pesky groundhogs to beavers and their destructive dams, Fluttershy stood up for them all.  She cared more for those stupid varmints than she did her so-called 'friend.'

Rainbow Dash was unbearable.  She was nothing more than a boastful idiot, and cared more about what she wanted than about their friendship.

Rarity never stopped fussing over Applejack's mane and tail.  So what if she wanted to keep her hair tied back?  It was her business.  Unlike her, Applejack didn't worry about what others thought of her, and she would never waste an entire morning prettying up her hair just so she could feel better about herself.

Seething with rage, Applejack came to a halt.  Why was she heading home anyway?  All that was waiting for her were an ungrateful family and a bunch of pretend friends that weren't even looking for her.  What was so special about Ponyville anyway?

Applejack abruptly turned around and started back the way she had come.  

The Everfree Forest was the perfect home for her.  She was going to start a brand new life out here.  She didn't need any of those stupid ponies.  She was better off alone.    	

Suddenly, Applejack blinked and shook her head.  "Alone?  What am I thinkin'?"  Sitting down, she tried to clear her mind.  "I don't want to live alone.  I want to get back to my family."

Why? a voice unexpectedly asked in a deep growl.  So they can rely on you to run the farm and tell them what to do?  They don't deserve you.  You're better than them. 	

Startled, Applejack quickly looked around, but saw nothing.  The voice had sounded as though it were echoing among the surrounding trees.  "Who's there?  What do you want?" she called, quickly standing up and turning in a small circle.

I want you, Applejack.  You're everything I want in a pony.  I knew you were from the moment I found you.  

"No!" she cried, slowly backing away.  "Stay away from me!"

You passed near me in the middle of the night, thinking of your friends Twilight and Rarity, and I felt the resentment in your heart.  Then I tried to turn your resentment against them, but you pushed it away with surprising ease.  I was intrigued.

Her heart racing wildly, Applejack whipped around, trying to catch sight of her pursuer.  "Where are ya?  Show yourself!"

And then you thought of your father.  What an unexpected delight that was.  Your mind was suddenly filled with so much pain, remorse, and resentment.  It was delicious.  That's when I realized that you were perfect for me.      

But you were remarkably strong-willed.  You had brushed away my first attempt as if I were nothing more than an insect.  So I tried attacking your mind while you slept, only to learn that you could resist me in your sleep as well.

Suddenly, Applejack recalled the times that she had awoken frightened, but was unable to remember what she had been dreaming.  As comprehension dawned on her, she accused, "You're the cause of those nightmares, ain't ya?  Only they weren't nightmares at all.  It was you attackin' my mind!"  	

Yes.  And then you resisted me again when I tried to turn your hate on your friend Pinkie Pie.  I became angry and lost control and attacked you with all my strength.  I would have had you there, but you jumped off that waterfall.  

I understood then that you were different than other ponies, that I couldn't simply overpower you.  I had to be patient and wear you down.

As she began shivering uncontrollably, her mind went back to the fire she had tried to build.  "You're the reason why the fire kept goin' out."

I couldn't allow you to signal for help.  You were so perfect, I couldn't let you go.  I had to make you mine.  

The awful voice began to laugh, and Applejack realized with an arduous horror that it was inside her head.  

And then you broke your leg.  As soon as it happened, I knew that you were mine.  I simply waited for you to wear yourself down, then I filled you with hate.  You were so exhausted that you didn't even notice, and I slipped right in.  Its laughter grew louder until it was nearly unbearable.

Terrified, Applejack cried, "What are you?!"

It doesn't matter.  Now, I'm you.  

"No!" she screamed, falling to the ground and covering her head with her hooves.  "Get out of my mind!"

You were a difficult pony to break, but it made the reward that much sweeter.

Suddenly, she was filled with a severe rage the likes of which she had never known before.  She thought of her friends, of Big McIntosh and Granny Smith, and of her parents, and felt a searing hatred for them all.  

She was glad that she would never see them again.  They were nothing but a bunch of useless foals sitting around at home.  They had probably forgotten about her by now.

Cradling her head in her hooves, Applejack wailed, "It's not true!  I love my friends, I love my family!  These thoughts are lies!"

Are they? the voice growled mockingly.  This is the resentment that resides in your heart.  I'm just bringing it to the surface for you to see.  Poor honest Applejack.  She won't tell a lie, but she can't help but lie to herself.

"Shut up!" Applejack shouted.  "SHUT UP!"

Yes, show me your anger.  It is exhilarating.

Completely helpless against this mental onslaught, Applejack began to sob uncontrollably.

She couldn't fight it.  She didn't know how, and its hold over her was too powerful.  Realizing that she had lost, and she now belonged to this terrible creature, Applejack's mind immediately turned to Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom!

"You're wrong!" Applejack stated defiantly as she slowly climbed to her hooves.  "There may be some resentment in my heart, but it doesn't mean that I hate them.  My friends and my family mean everythin' to me, and nothin', not even you, can keep me from them!"

Look inside your heart, Applejack.  You hate them.  Just admit it to yourself.

Applejack retorted, "I am lookin' into my heart, and ya know what I see?"  Suddenly smiling, she answered her own question.  "Absolutely no resentment at all for Apple Bloom!"           

The voice remained silent.

"Ya'll got nothin' to say bout that, do ya?!" Applejack demanded.  

She caused the accident that left you stranded in this forest.  She put her cutie mark ahead of you.  She doesn't care about you.	

This time it was Applejack's turn to laugh.  "Is that all you got?  She didn't put her cutie mark ahead of me.  Her desire for her cutie mark led her to make a bad choice, it had nothin' to do with me.  She's just a filly, and I'm not gonna blame her for makin' a mistake."  Closing her eyes, she concentrated with all her might and yelled, "Now get out of my head!"

No!  This is impossible!  I broke you, I turned you against your friends!  Against your family!  

"You won't ever turn me against my friends or my family!" Applejack cried in triumph.  "Because I'm an Apple!  And Apples don't fall far from the tree!"

She heard a scream of rage in her head as the evil presence was forced from her mind, but then realized that she could still hear it.  

She looked up and saw a light blue, somewhat transparent horse-like spirit above her.  It had the head and body of a horse, but its hindquarters disappeared into a swirling mist.  She could see its cold breath pluming out from its snout as its glowing blue eyes glared at her with an intense hatred.       

"A Wendigo!" Applejack gasped.   

Several years ago, Applejack had learned all about the Wendigo when Princess Celestia had asked them to star in a play celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve.  The Wendigo were spirits that were drawn to the resentment and hatred in a pony's heart and greatly intensified it before turning it back onto the pony.  Then, they feasted off of the negative energies their hosts emitted as the pony turned on their own kind.  

But they had been banished from Equestria several thousand years ago.  How could there be one here in the Everfree Forest?

"But why are you here?  Unless..."  A sudden thought occurred to her.  "Unless the Wendigo have been hidin' out in the Everfree all this time."

"No," the Wendigo answered with a growl that was no less menacing than when it had been in her head.  "We have only recently returned to your world."

Applejack gasped at the implications of this statement.  "Why now?"

The Wendigo began to laugh.  It was a deep, heinous laugh that shook her to her core.  

For  a moment, Applejack thought to flee, but knew that she wouldn't be able to move very quickly.  No, she knew that she needed to end this here.

"Even now, there are plans in motion that will lead us to our rightful place as rulers of this world," the spirit told her.  "Before long, all of you pitiful ponies will belong to us!"

As the Wendigo spoke, Applejack began scanning the ground, and finding what she was looking for, quickly positioned herself.  "And I'm guessin' your tellin' me all this cause ya think you already won."

"Yes," the Wendigo replied as it began to circle over her.  "You may have succeeded in resisting me, but it matters not.  You will die in this forest."

Without warning, the Wendigo dove toward her at frightening speed.  

Applejack tossed the rock that she had previously located into the air, and quickly spinning around, kicked it with all her might at the creature.

The rock soared toward the Wendigo and struck it in the forehead.  Although it passed straight through the spirit, the Wendigo flinched and pulled up out of its dive.  

It don't seem to like having things pass through it, Applejack thought to herself.  I may not be able to hurt it, but I can keep it at bay.

The Wendigo glowered at her as it slowly descended.

In one fluid motion, Applejack kicked another rock at the creature, but it quickly shifted to the right.  Growling menacingly, it reached out a hoof to touch her.

Suddenly, something massive flew over Applejack's head and landed right in front of her, causing the Wendigo to draw back. 

Her mouth hanging open in astonishment, Applejack watched the huge manticore turn toward the Wendigo and crouch low to the ground.  Raising its scorpion tail up over its head, it bared its long, sharp fangs and roared furiously.  

As the Wendigo tried to soar over the beast to reach her, the manticore swiftly plunged its stinger into the Wendigo's body.  Even though the tail passed through it just as the rock had, the Wendigo flinched and retreated.  	

After being foiled several more times by the manticore, the Wendigo shrieked with fury and threw itself straight into the beast.  Colliding with the animal, the Wendigo disappeared into the manicore's chest.

With a savage roar, the manticore began flailing its paws into the air wildly as its breath plumed out before it, but after only a few moments, the Wendigo was expelled from its body.

It don't have any power over the manticore, Applejack realized.  It's a wild animal, it don't have any of the anger or resentment that us ponies have. 

Watching the massive beast as it once again crouched protectively in front of Applejack, the Wendigo growled, "I tire of this."  It swooped high into the air and hissed, "You haven't won, Applejack, you have only delayed the inevitable.  Soon, we will rule this world, and when we do, I'll be back for you."

With an ominous laugh, the Wendigo escaped into the surrounding trees, leaving a trail of freezing vapor in its wake.

As the manticore turned to face her, Applejack stated, "Well, I reckon we're even now."

For a long moment, the manticore simply stared at her.  Her heart racing and her hooves shaking, Applejack desperately tried to think of a way to defend herself, but knew that she was at the beast's mercy.  

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the manticore took to the air, and with one last roar, it disappeared from sight.

Unaware that she had been holding her breath, Applejack exhaled and collapsed to the ground.  After a moment, she began to laugh as relief washed over her.

She had done it, she had beaten the Wendigo.  Her love for Apple Bloom had overpowered the vile creature, and it had been forced to flee her mind.  If it hadn't been for her sister, she would have been done for.

Smiling as tears of joy ran down her face, Applejack felt like a brand new mare.  Her mind had never felt so clear, and her heart felt lighter.  Her thoughts strayed to her parents, and there was only happiness.  She didn't feel even a shred of her old pain.  

Exhausted, Applejack closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.  As her consciousness faded, it felt as though her parents were right there next to her.

Without warning, she suddenly snapped awake several hours later.  Gazing up, she realized that she had an unobstructed view of the night sky.  Still feeling the same happiness that she had before falling asleep, she smiled as her eyes scanned the familiar constellations.         	

But then, she noticed the two bright stars.

"What the hay..." Applejack breathed in puzzlement.

The two stars were directly above the horn of the constellation Taurus, and they were glowing more brightly than any other star in the sky.  

Certain that they had never been there before, Applejack stared at them in wonder as she felt a peacefulness envelop her.  Without understanding why, she knew that she had to follow these stars.

Slowly climbing to her hooves, Applejack started off in the direction that they seemed to be indicating.  

For the next several hours, she limped on through the near perfect darkness of the forest, confidently following her stars.  Whenever she lost sight of them, she allowed her instincts to guide her, and when the canopy opened next, she always found that she was still on the correct path.    

Abruptly, she stumbled through some dense brush and found herself in a clearing.  Looking straight up, she found that the stars were now directly overhead.

"Why did you lead me here?" she spoke softly.  

"Oh my gosh!  Applejack!  APPLEJACK!"

As she turned toward the sound of the shout, Applejack was knocked off of her hooves.  Landing flat on her back, she smiled up at the excited face of one of her closest friends.  "Howdy, Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash burst into tears and hugged her friend fiercely.  "I found you!  I can't believe I found you!"

Returning the hug with only her left foreleg, Applejack began to cry as well.  For several long minutes, the two simply held each other, then Rainbow Dash stood up.

"Are you okay?" Rainbow Dash asked worriedly as she reached for Applejack's right foreleg.

"Not that one," Applejack said quickly, then offered her left foreleg instead.  She allowed her friend pull her to her hooves, and then answered, "I've never felt better in my whole life."

Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow.  "You sure about that?  Cause you look pretty awful."

Applejack laughed.  "I may look as frowsy as a shredded wheat biscuit, but I feel great."

Unconvinced, Rainbow Dash gestured toward her right foreleg.  "How bad is your leg?"

"It's definitely broken.  I can walk on it, but it hurts somethin' fierce."

Rainbow Dash stooped low to the ground.  "Get on my back, I'll fly you to the hospital.  I'll have you there within the hour."

Applejack shook her head.  "No, take me home."

"Are you crazy?!" Rainbow Dash retorted.  "Your leg is broken!  You need to go to the hospital."

"No, Dash," Applejack argued.  "I need to see Apple Bloom.  Once I've talked to her, I'll let you take me."

"All right," Rainbow Dash relented.  "I guess if this happened to me, I would probably be just as anxious to see Scoot."

Climbing onto Rainbow Dash's back, Applejack gripped her tightly with her three good legs as the Pegasus leaped into the sky.  

As soon as they rose above the treetops, Applejack gasped.  She could see nothing but trees in every direction, and realized that if Rainbow Dash hadn't found her, she would never have made it home.

Leaning forward so that she was inches from her friend's ear, she said, "I reckon I was pretty deep into the forest."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash called back over her shoulder.  "Once we found the balloon, and realized how far in you were, I was really scared that we would never find you."

"How did you find me?" Applejack inquired, suddenly curious.

"It was the strangest thing," Rainbow Dash yelled.  "I was way off to the west of here, and I thought I heard a voice call my name.  It sounded like a mare, but I guess it was just the wind.  Anyway, I decided to go the direction that I thought it came from and ended up at the clearing just as you stepped out of the trees."

Applejack found that she couldn't speak through the lump that had formed in her throat.  Quickly glancing up at the sky, she found that the two bright stars were gone.    

Throughout her entire childhood, she had believed that her parents would always be with her, and now, she knew that she had been right.

Laying her head down on the base of Rainbow Dash's neck, Applejack allowed the Pegasus's strong, rhythmic wing beats to lull her to sleep. 

> Reunion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 11


Reunion


"Applejack, wake up," Rainbow Dash called.  "You're home!"

Slowly opening her eyes, Applejack glanced over her friend's shoulder to see the rolling hills of Sweet Apple Acres just ahead.  As she watched, the first light of dawn began to spread across the farm, and she heard the crow of the rooster.  

As she gazed down at her home, Applejack couldn't help but feel amazed that she was seeing it again.  There had been several times when she had been sure that she would never make it back, but here she was.  

As Rainbow Dash circled lower to the ground, Applejack's eyes fell onto the fruitless zap apple orchard.  

Applejack felt a brief moment of dismay at the visual confirmation that the zap apples were gone, but then shoved her worries aside.  After all that she had been through, she harbored no doubt that they would make it through the winter just fine.  They were Apples after all, and Apples always beat the odds.  

"Hold on tight," Rainbow Dash hollered.  "This landing is gonna be tricky!"

Applejack clung to Rainbow Dash tightly with all three good legs as the Pegasus swooped down.  With a powerful flap of her wings, she halted her decent and landed lightly on the ground.  

Rainbow Dash stumbled, then grinned sheepishly.  "Sorry about that, it's a bit harder when there's somepony on your back."

Gingerly climbing off of her friend's back, Applejack reared up and offered her left hoof.  "Ya'll did a mighty fine job if ya ask me."

Rainbow Dash grinned as she hoof bumped her.  "So, you want me to go in and get them?"

"No, I'm gonna go in," Applejack replied, carefully lowering herself onto just her left foreleg.	

Just then, she heard a bark and turned around to see Winona rushing toward her.  Whining profusely, the Border Collie rose up on her hind legs and began licking Applejack's face.

"Hey girl, I missed you too."  Applejack laughed.  Smiling as Winona rolled onto her back, Applejack cheerfully rubbed her belly before turning back to the house.

Applejack opened the front door and felt an overwhelming sense of peace upon seeing the familiar room.  Grinning widely, she looked around at the furniture and the framed pictures on the walls as though it was the first time she were seeing them.

"Who's there," she heard Granny Smith call out from the kitchen as she poked her head into the room.  As her eyes landed on Applejack, the elderly Earth pony nearly fell over.  

"Sorry, Granny," Applejack said with a large grin.  "I reckon I'm a little late for supper."

"Oh, Applejack," Granny Smith blubbered as she raced toward her granddaughter.  

Surprised at her speed, Applejack barely managed to get her injured leg out of the way before the elderly pony embraced her fiercely.  Hugging her grandmother back, she glanced up and saw Big McIntosh standing in the doorway.  

With tear filled eyes, he crossed the room and joined in the hug.  "I knew you'd make it," he whispered earnestly.  "I just knew it."

"Where's Apple..."  Applejack trailed off as she caught sight of her little sister standing at the top of the stairs.  With tears running down her face, Apple Bloom suddenly turned and ran down the hall.  

Releasing her, Granny Smith said, "She's been takin' it hard."

"I know..." Applejack responded as she headed for the stairs.

Without warning, Rainbow Dash was next to her.  "I'll help you up."

She shook her head and gently pushed the Pegasus away.  "I got this."

Applejack gritted her teeth as she slowly climbed the stairs.  The whole way, Rainbow Dash was directly behind her, and as she reached the top, she glanced over her shoulder at her friend.  "Thanks, Dash."  

Limping down the hall, she pushed Apple Bloom's door open and peered inside.  Apple Bloom was lying on the bed, the sheets pulled over her head.  Even from the doorway she could see that the little filly was shaking.

As she entered the room, her breath caught in her throat as she spotted her hat sitting at the foot of the bed.  She hadn't lost it!  It had been here all along!

"I see ya took care of my hat while I was gone," Applejack stated as she sat down on the bed.  Gently pulling back the covers, she placed her beloved hat back atop her head and favored the filly with an affable smile.  

"You don't have to pretend, Sis.  I know it was all my fault," Apple Bloom spoke softly as she toyed with the covers.

"It was just a bad decision, Apple Bloom.  You're still a filly, and you're allowed to make mistakes.  What's important is that you learn from them."

"So you...you forgive me?"  Apple Bloom sniffled.

Applejack pulled her sister into a hug.  "Of course I do, sugar cube."

Apple Bloom sighed with relief.  "I was so worried that you would hate me."

"Never."  Holding her sister at leg's length, she looked her straight in the eyes.  "When I was out there in the Everfree, I ran into a Wendigo."

"A Wendigo!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, horrified.

"Yeah."  Applejack nodded.  "And it used the resentment in my heart to turn me against my friends, my family, and even our parents.  But ya know how I beat it?"  She smiled as she watched the wide eyed filly slowly shake her head.  "I discovered that there isn't even a shred of resentment in my heart for you, and the Wendigo was powerless against that kind of love.  That's how I broke free of its hold, it was all thanks to you."

"Really?" Apple Bloom asked hesitantly.  "You really love me that much?"

Embracing her sister as the tears began flowing down her face, Applejack answered, "I sure do."

Apple Bloom buried her face in her sister's dirty mane.  "I love you that much too."

The two of them held each other for a long time, and only parted when an impatient Rainbow Dash demanded that it was time to go to the hospital.


***


By noon, Applejack's leg was set in a cast and she was being examined by the doctor.  

"You seem remarkably well, considering everything you've been through," the doctor stated after several minutes.  "But you are severely dehydrated, and I'm worried about your leg.  I know you didn't have a choice, but I really wish you hadn't walked on it so much."

"Will it heal all right?" she asked worriedly as she sat back up.

"Yes."  He nodded.  "But I'm more worried about the swelling and the possibility of an infection.  I'd rather you stay for the remainder of the day, and if it looks better, I'll discharge you this evening."

"That sounds great," Applejack agreed.  "Thanks, Doc."

The doctor smiled.  "Now, I believe you have some friends that are dying to see you."

As soon as he opened the door, she heard Pinkie Pie shout, "Oh, can we come in?!  Can we, can we, can we?!"

A few seconds later, her friends were rushing into the room and surrounding her bed.  Smiles and tears were on every face as they all welcomed her back.

With her mascara running down her cheeks, Rarity said, "Applejack, you look simply dreadful.  I'm going to have to give you a full makeover once you're released."

Smiling pleasantly at her friend, Applejack replied, "Maybe tomorrow.  Right now, all I care about is gettin' back home as soon as possible."  Fidgeting with her hat, she added, "I'm kinda worried about Apple Bloom."

"Don't worry yourself too much," Fluttershy said.  "She did remarkably well without you."

Surprised, Applejack asked, "How so?"

Twilight grinned brightly.  "She learned a valuable lesson in friendship, and has a newfound pride in her family."  Noticing that the others were all staring at her, she blushed and said, "She just wrote a letter to Princess Celestia yesterday."

At that moment, the nurse entered the room and placed a large pitcher of water on the table beside the bed.  Setting a stack of paper cups next to it, she smiled.  "Make sure you drink plenty of water."

After the nurse left, Applejack poured herself a cup.  "Have ya heard anythin' about the zap apple harvest?  I reckon they didn't collect very many without me."

Her friends all shared a look and began giggling.  Confused by their odd behavior, Applejack inquired, "What?" 

Rainbow Dash stepped forward.  "It was the best zap apple harvest the Apple family has ever known.  You're gonna have tons of zap apple jam!"

Before she could respond, Pinkie Pie began jumping up and down excitedly.  "The whole town showed up and helped pick the zap apples!"  She reached out to either side of her, and pulled both Rarity and Twilight into a giant hug.  "Sweetie Belle and Rarity came up with the whole idea, and Twilight organized it!  And I threw a We Love Applejack And Hope She Comes Home Soon Party!  It was awesome!"

Pleased to hear that her family had been well cared for in her absence, Applejack felt a surge of gratitude for her friends.  Her happy feelings were short-lived, however, as she suddenly remembered the resentment that she had felt for them.

Although she had meant what she had said to the Wendigo about how her resentment didn't mean she hated them, Applejack couldn't free herself from the guilt.  The fact that she had any resentment in her heart at all confirmed that she wasn't as good of a friend to these wonderful mares as she had thought she was.

"Is something wrong?" Fluttershy asked, sounding frightened.

Realizing that her thoughts must have been reflecting on her face, Applejack answered, "I was just thinkin' bout my time in the Everfree."  She paused to take a long drink from her cup.  "I've got a lot to tell ya."

For the next couple of hours, Applejack recounted everything that had happened within the Everfree Forest.  She left nothing out, even though it pained her to see the looks of shock on their faces when she described the hatred she had felt for them.  

When she reached the part of her story when she freed the manticore from the rocks, Fluttershy suddenly leaped forward and embraced her.  "You did the right thing," she declared happily.

Amused, Applejack hugged her friend back and continued her tale.

As she described how she had broken her leg, Rarity seemed to grow faint, but Pinkie Pie quickly grabbed a chair and helped her sit.  Then, when she told them of the Wendigo, they all gasped in shock.  Listening with bated breath as she described the mental battle she had had with the foul beast, they all cheered when she explained that her love for Apple Bloom had been what saved her.

Only at the end of her tale did she leave something out.  She didn't tell them about the stars that had led her to Rainbow Dash.  She simply felt that it would be better if it stayed with her.

After she had finished her story, Twilight stated, "I've got to send a letter to Princess Celestia about the Wendigo.  If what it told you was true, we may all be in serious danger."  	

As she started for the door, Applejack quickly said, "Twilight, please don't leave yet.  There's somethin' I gotta say."

Twilight frowned.  "What is it?"

"I...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry I'm not as good a friend as y'all deserve."

Sharing looks of confusion with her friends, Rarity cocked her head.  "Please...pray tell."

"Well..."  Applejack hesitated, unable to comprehend how they didn't understand.  "That Wendigo almost won because of the resentment it found in my heart.  The resentment that I have for all of you."  She lowered her head, unable to meet their eyes any longer.  "If I were a better friend, then I wouldn't have had that resentment, and the Wendigo wouldn't have had so much power over me."

"Applejack," Twilight said sincerely.  "We all know that you love us, but we also know that you don't love everything about us."

"Yeah," Pinkie Pie chimed in.  "I know that I can be annoying sometimes."

"And I know that I get on your nerves when I boast about my accomplishments," Rainbow Dash added.

"She does mine too," Fluttershy said quietly to Applejack, and then giggled.

"Everypony feels a little resentment toward others, even their closest friends," Twilight told her.  "What makes you a great friend is that you look past it, and love us for who we are."

Applejack sniffled.  "You girls are the greatest."

Together, they all hugged her and said, "And so are you."


***


That night, Applejack and Apple Bloom were lying side by side in the field, staring up at the stars.  

The first thing she had done was locate Taurus's horns, and just as she had suspected, found that the two bright stars were now absent from the sky.  

While she was pondering this, Apple Bloom suddenly spoke up, "You know, losing you made me realize how important you are.  I mean, I loved you before, but..."  She trailed off for a moment, then rolled over to face her.  "I never knew Ma and Pa, and I only know what they look like from those old pictures.  But it's never really bothered me because I have you.  I guess what I'm trying to say is...you may not be my Ma, but you're a great sister, and having you is good enough for me."

Deeply touched, Applejack beamed at her sister.  "I feel the same way about you.  In fact, takin' care of you while you were a baby actually helped me cope with their deaths."

Carefully avoiding her big sister's cast, Apple Bloom hugged her.  After several long moments of silence, she asked, "What were they like?"

"Well, Ma was very smart and funny.  She valued honesty above all other things, and she taught me to always put others ahead of myself."  With tears brimming in her eyes, she continued, "Pa was the most dependable and likable pony in these parts, and he believed in the value of hard work.  He was also an amazin' carpenter, and by the way ya fixed up your clubhouse, I reckon ya inherited some of his skills."

Rolling over onto her back once again, Apple Bloom's gaze returned to the stars.  "I  think that, even though they're gone, they've never forgotten us.  And when we need them the most, they're right there with us."

"I reckon you're right, Apple Bloom," Applejack agreed as she stared up at the spot where the two stars had been the night before.  "Maybe more than you know."

Several hours later, Applejack was tucking her sister into bed.  Smiling warmly, she kissed the filly on the forehead.

"Good night, Applejack," Apple Bloom said as she closed her eyes.  "I'm glad you're back."

"So am I, sugar cube."

Applejack limped to her room and climbed into her bed, relishing the softness of the mattress.  Pulling the covers up to her chin, she sighed with pleasure, but then her eyes landed on the framed picture of Apple Bloom that stood on the table next to her bed.  

After staring at it for several moments, she got out of bed and made her way over to her closet.  She dug her way toward the very back, and pulled out an old trunk that hadn't been opened for many years.  

Blowing off the layers of dust, Applejack opened the trunk and rummaged around for a few moments.  Finally finding what she was looking for, she pulled it out and returned to bed.  

Lifting up the picture frame, she removed the picture of Apple Bloom and set it gently aside.  

"Sorry, Apple Bloom," she whispered as she slipped the new picture into the frame.  "I'll get over to the marketplace tomorrow and buy ya a new frame.  I promise."

Lying back down, Applejack gazed lovingly at her parents' wedding picture until she slipped into a peaceful sleep.



The End