The Barn
Applejack, Big Mac, and Rainbow Dash were standing outside the old barn on the eastern field. It was a sad looking thing; holes all over the place, shingles falling off, and the paint had been completely weathered off.
“That’s totally gotta be the ugliest looking shack I’ve ever seen. It’s a good thing you called me over AJ, this things a dump!” Rainbow lifted her wings, ready to charge head on, when she felt a tug on her tail.
“Hold on there sugar cube, ya can’t just blast this shed like ya did the last time. The wood in this barn is so rotted that the roof caved in after Big Macintosh barely budged the door.” Rainbow Dash just looked at her earth pony friend quizzically. “What I’m tryin ta say is that we don’t want you to blast a hole in that wall, only to have you crush by the roof afore you can get out in time.”
“You sayin I’m not fast enough to out run some dumb old roof?” Rainbow huffed, snorting a little steam at the slight chance that her abilities were being questioned.
“Not at all rainbow, Big Mac and I just feel we would rather be safe than sorry.” Applejack wanted to make sure her hot-headed friend didn’t do anything rash. “Besides, the last shack you blew up damaged several of the nearby trees and almost caused Granny Smith to break into another fit; isn’t that right Big Mac?” Big Mac chewed on his piece of straw for a bit, before replying with an “eeyup!”
“Fine, I won’t blow it up!” Rainbow interjected, notably sore she wouldn’t be able to show off her awesomeness with one of her patented sonic rainbooms. “How do you want go about this then, since we’re being all ‘better safe than sorry’ and all?”
“Well, we were hopin that you coul- Applebloom! Get away from that barn this instant, ya hear!” The small, cream colored filly jumped noticeably in the air at being caught sneaking around. “Ahh, but sis…”
“No buts about it. That there barn is far too dangerous to go in, ya hear? Now get on back to the farm hold and do something with your crusader friends.” Applebloom slowly trotted up the grassy knoll towards the others. “But Scoot and Sweetie Bell are busy today, and Granny’s all cranky cause I accidently woke her up from her nap.”
Rainbow and Big Mac started to walk away to talk demolition strategies while AJ took Applebloom back to the ranch home. “Now, I understand that you’re bored, but you can’t play in the barn anymore. It’s just too dangerous.” But Applejack didn’t understand. Applebloom needed to get inside the barn before the got rid of it. Little did the orange mare know, but the old barn was where the Cutie Mark Crusaders stored the bits they needed to earn their cutie marks in merchandising. She just HAD to get the stuff before anyone found out and steal their ideas.
Apllebloom knew she wouldn’t have to wait much longer for her chance though. If she learned anything from Scootaloo’s constant obsessing over Rainbow Dash, was that exactly 11:45, Rainbow had to eat something if she didn’t want to fall asleep at noon when she would normally take a nap. And according to the sun dial, Applebloom didn’t have to wait much longer. Besides, Applejack worried too much. She knew that barn inside and out. She would be able to get in and out with their CMC stuff before anypony knew she was missing.
“Argh! This is getting us nowhere! We need to take a lunch break if I’m going to be able to have to stay awake during my nap time.” Applejack had already planned ahead and quickly went back to fetch a platter of apple tarts and some bottles of cider.
Now’s my chance. Applebloom ran as fast as her little filly legs would carry her through the apple grove towards the old barn. Luckily for her the door was still slightly ajar from when big mac had tried to get rid of so rodent pests that had been eating the apples. The roof’s cave-in had scared the rodents away, but had made it that so that the door could no longer open nor close.
Boy howdy, this place always gives me the creeps. Applebloom crawled and inched her way towards the hiding place of the CMC treasure trove. Each shaky step hesitant as the black wood creaked and groaned over the small filly’s red topped head. She finally was able to squeeze through the last piece of debris that kept her from her goal. She carefully stored the little chest in her saddle bag and turned to head back, when the entire building started to shake.
Rafter beams and metal bits rained from the sky as a puddle left over from the last rain finally proved too much for the weak balcony. Applebloom tried to make a run for it, but since her saddle bag was thicker going out than when she had come in, she soon got stuck. All she could do was cover her head and wish for it to end. The last thing she could remember is feeling a big shadow above her head and then the world went dark.
Applebloom could hear pacing hoof steps before the strong smell of medicine and strong cleaning products invaded her nose. “She’s waking up! Oh, sweet Celestia! Applebloom, can you hear me?” The world slowly started to sharpen as Applejacks face crammed into Appleblom's line of vision.
“Applejack? What happened?” Two sturdy orange hooves grabbed Applebloom by the shoulders and started to shake her. “I thought I told you to stay away from that barn!” Tears were running down Applejack’s face, eyes filled with a mix of absolute furry and complete relief. “I was so worried we had lost you. Don’t you ever do that to us again young lady, ya hear! Whatever were you thinkin child?” Applejack could scarcely breathe as Applejack embraced her in a bear hug.
“I’m sorry Applejack, but you don’t understand. I had to get our Cutie Mark Crusader gear we hid in the barn. It had all our secret plans on getting our cutie marks.” Applebloom took this time to take in her surroundings. She was apparently in the hospital and there were cards and balloons all throughout the room. “You could have just told me or Big Mac to get it for you sugar cube. I’m just so glad you’re ok! But you’re grounded for a month, ya hear?”
Applebloom’s legs started to flare up with pain. “Not to worry Ms. Apple, young Applebloom won’t be doing any extreme sports anytime soon.” A unicorn stallion walked in wearing a lab coat and carrying a clip board in his red magical aura. “You are one lucky young filly. You could have lost both your legs in that accident. Instead you just have some compound fractures that should heal in a month or more. You will need plenty of bed rest and no Crusading until you can walk again.” For once in her short life, Applebloom didn’t complain. As AJ and the Doc stepped outside to discuss ways to accommodate a wheelchair on the farm, Applebloom decided she would be able to wait to get her cutie mark after all. All this being impatient stuff was really starting to be a pain in the flank. The world started to go fuzzy as Applebloom started to drift off to sleep where she could dream of the day when she’d finally get her cutie mark.