> A Quest for Love: An Apple-Pear Family Story
>  by Silver_Bolt
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





“Love, an invisible force that is ever-present. It is something that everypony seeks, something that is long desired. At the same time, it is something that is easily overlooked, forgotten, neglected, yet it is always there, waiting patiently for anypony who looks for it eagerly. One can argue that it is the most powerful magic in all of Equestria. Dispelling darkness and evil, one has every reason to argue so, and yet... maybe it isn’t magic at all.

Yes, magic shares its qualities with love, both being enchanting and marvelous, yet magic is complex, its full nature exclusive to only a certain group of ponies. Love, however, is simple and available to everypony. There is no special incantation nor complex spell to conjure it. No. It is ever-present. Held within the hearts of all ponies, within the hearts of pegasi, alicorns, unicorns, and earth ponies alike. It transcends distance, time, and space; it binds each pony together, so that loved ones are never truly lost.

Yes, indeed, love is a remarkable thing…”


- Star Swirl the Bearded.  Magical Anomalies, Volume III

> Chapter 1: All Is Well
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





Cockledoodle doo!

The sound of a distant rooster echoed across the rolling green acres of pear trees, eventually making its way to a small wooden house, through a window, and into a small bedroom.

Groaning, an aged stallion, lying comfortably on a bed, began to open his eyes, awakening from a deep sleep.

“Morning already? Well then Grand Pear, you better get your old flank to it,” he muttered to himself as he stretched and inched his way out of his comfortable warm bed. “Those pears won’t pick themselves.”

He made his way through his empty house and to the kitchen, grabbing a ripe green pear off the fruit basket lying on the kitchen table.

The refreshing Vanhoover breeze greeted him as he opened the front door, the light from Celestia’s rising sun beginning to trickle through the tall mountain peaks in the East, giving him some warmth from the chilly, northern air. The view was, of course, spectacular. The small hill he had chosen to build his wooden house on offered a breathtaking view of the forested valley.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before biting down into the juicy pear. He stood there for a moment, admiring the beauty and majesty of all of his hard work before trotting down the stone path into the seemingly never-ending fields of pear trees.

He grudgingly pulled weeds that came across his way and harvested the ripe, juicy pears from the trees that were spread throughout the vast acres of land, fertilized the young saplings, then tilled the soil to make way for the new generation.

Later in the day, he would take the harvested pears into his barn, where the fruits of his labor were made into tasty jams, ciders, preserves, and other unique products that were to be sold later in the week at the Vanhoover market, where the eager townsponies gathered and waited for a chance to exchange their hard-earned bits for his renowned pear products. 

This was his new routine, his new life. Gone were the days of having his flesh and blood help work the land. It was a never-ending battle since he gave up his previous life. He had fought long and hard to part away those precious memories and bury them to be long forgotten.

From sunup to sundown, he worked the fields, made pear products, and sold them in the Vanhoover market, with no assistance from friends or family. It was his pride and joy, and his alone -- that he made sure. Since he moved from Ponyville, business was skyrocketing as ponies from across the town regularly ventured to his fruit stand, gathering by the hundreds to buy some of his delicious pears.

“All is well,” he told himself day after day, night after night. “All is well.”


But the past had a funny way of reminding him about what he had lost.


During a particularly hot, summer afternoon, as he was working the trees in the north field, closest to the main entrance, he heard a friendly voice call out to him from a distance.

“Hello! Mr. Grand Pear?”

Tending to a pear tree on a ladder, he shifted his attention towards the front gate, squinting his eyes against the bright sun, just barely making out the familiar face of a young stallion with a postal hat and saddle bag. 

“Sticky Stamp!” Grand Pear called out waving his hoof. He climbed down the ladder and trotted towards the gate. “Good to see you!”

“You too sir,” he said as he shook the older stallion’s hoof.

“What can I do you for?”

“Well sir, I have quite a bit of mail for you. Just sign here,” he replied, taking a clipboard and pen from his bag.

“Now how many times do I have to tell you lad? Just Grand Pear will do,” he said with a smile, signing the receipt.

Sticky Stamp nodded as he exchanged the signed receipt for a large packet of letters, held tightly together by a thick rubber band. 

“So Grand Pear, how has the pear season been?” he asked as he removed his hat, fixing his blonde mane that was frizzed by the summer heat. 

“Wonderful. Great so far. Business is doing very fine. Very... fine,” Grand Pear replied, not paying much attention as he shifted through the mail.

“I know I say this time and time again, but I must say that your pear jam is simply delicious!” continued Sticky Stamp, trying to keep the conversation alive. “I never had anything like it before! I kinda wish you had moved here to Vanhoover sooner so I could have had it sooner!”

He continued to shift through his mail silently.

“So… umm. I heard from some of the townsponies that you’re originally from Ponyville, right?”

At this, he successfully grabbed his attention. One of the larger letters slipped out of his hooves, and tumbled to the ground. He snapped his head up and blinked a few times at Sticky Stamp. “I-I, yes. Though that was sometime ago.”

“That’s a good distance from Vanhoover," the mailpony said as he picked up the letter and returned it to him. "What made you move here?”

“A number of things,” he said with a sigh as he stared blankly at the ground. "Just needed a change of pace.”

“Well, I respect that. Vanhoover is a great place isn’t it? It’s a great place to unwind and settle down. I grew up here my whole life an—“ 

Grand Pear heard the chattering mail pony abruptly stop, rightfully so, as an overwhelming sense of frustration began to build inside of him. It wasn’t his chattering that angered him, rather, it was what he had found in his mail. In his hoof was a pink envelope, a letter from a past he had almost long forgotten, a letter from Sweet Apple Acres. 

“Grand Pear?” Sticky Stamp said in worry. “Is everything alright?”

He snorted, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his mind. “Now you listen here,” he said in a scolding manner, glaring at the innocent pony that stood behind the gate, “Next time you see a letter from this here pony, get rid of it! I never want to see a letter like this ever again! Do you understand me boy?” 

He took the envelope from him, his eyes widening as he looked at the hoofwriting.

“Pear Butter?” he said in awe. “You two related or somethin’? It’s addressed from Ponyville.”

“That’s enough out of you!" he shouted, the sound of her name stinging him all the more. "The only thing I want from you is my mail with not a single letter from that name and that address! For your sake boy, never bring this topic up again.”

He stomped his hooves at the ground, kicking up the dirt behind him as he marched back to the house. 







Years had passed since then. For Grand Pear, it was business as usual. He carried out the same duties and routines as before, but things were never quite the same since that envelope made its way to his hooves. As he pulled weeds in the fields, his mind would picture Pear Butter, her curled mane filled with sweat, glistening in the bright sun as she pulled the weeds in the old farm in Ponyville. As he picked the ripe fruit from the trees, he could hear the sound of his daughter's laugh, a sound he would hear while he stood on a ladder, picking fruit and tossing it down for her to catch, a game that she would love to play when she was a filly. While he patiently waited for customers behind his fruit stand in the market, he would remember Pear Butter, standing next to him in their old stand in Ponyville as she kept him company, eagerly talking to him about the exciting day that she had with her friends.

The memories he recalled were like a plague, an illness that he desperately wanted to be cured from. As the days dragged on, he began engrossing himself in his work, putting every fiber of his being into labor, hoping that in doing so, it would forever keep his mind away from those memories. 

Until one day, while tending to the same trees in the north field, the same pony that inadvertently brought this plague years before, called out to him once again.

“Mr. Grand Pear?” Sticky Stamp called out gently, standing behind the front gate. “Got some mail for you.”

“Just leave it in the mailbox like you always do,” he called out as he busily picked fruit from a tree. “No need for my signature.”

“Yes sir”, Sticky Stamp mumbled as he placed the letters in the mailbox. “Actually, sir? May I speak to you for a moment?”

He heard the nervousness in his voice as he stopped his harvesting. He looked at him sternly from atop the ladder, before making his way down and over to the gate. 

“Yes?” he said calmly, meeting Sticky Stamp once more.

“I know you asked me to never bring this topic up again, and please don’t get angry sir. But I thought you should know that the pony who sent you that pink letter a while ago hasn’t sent you a letter for quite some time now,” he said in a soft voice.

He proceeded to grab the mail from the mailbox, carefully trying to hide his intent. “So what? It shouldn’t be surprising, being that I never write back.”

“I understand that Mr. Grand Pear, but you should know that she has been writing to you almost every week since then for several years, up until recently that is.”

He gripped the stack of mail tightly. He couldn’t believe her persistence. Anypony else would’ve given up long before. Stubborn? Maybe. Urgent news? Perhaps. Honestly, it was about time she finally threw in the towel, but then again, she was never the type to do so. Why now?

Was she alright? 

He shook his head and turned his back from the young stallion, making his way back to the house in a poor attempt to flee from his past once more.

But the chattering pony continued. 

“You should know sir that I kept all those letters, hoping that one day, you would read them. I know that it probably isn’t my place to tell you this, but I feel that you should let go of any past feud you may have had with your family. My family is so precious to me and I haven’t got the slightest clue what I would do without them. I can’t imagine how hard it must be trying to keep that kind of love away. This, Pear Butter, obviously cares a lot about you.”

He stopped in his tracks. 

The lad is right, he thought to himself. But after all these years, after what he did, how could he ever set things right? How could a daughter ever forgive her father for leaving her at a time when she needed him the most?

He slowly turned his head towards Sticky Stamp, his old eyes meeting his, and gave him the answer he would give himself time and time again, whenever he began to ponder about the family he had left behind.

“The past is the past,” he said coldly. “Best not to dwell on it.”
> Chapter 2: A Bittersweet Lullaby
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------






Chapter 2

A Bittersweet Lullaby




“Shhh… Shhh… Come now Sugarcube, don’t cry. Don’t cry. Mama’s here.” 

But the newborn filly cried even louder, her round face turning the same shade of red as the silk bow she wore in her crimson mane.

“Buttercup!" An old scratchy voice called out from downstairs. “You best get that little one to settle down ya here!? It’s been far too long since I had me a nice, quiet relaxing day. All this crying is making my old ears hurt. Perty soon I’ll be deaf! Well... I'll be even more deaf!”

“Sorry Ma!” Buttercup yelled back. 

She wiped the tears off her filly's face, her ears now ringing from her infant’s never-ending tantrum. 

“Come now, Apple Bloom!” she pleaded as she continued to rock her in her arms. “No need for all this crying!”

“Mama?” 

She turned towards the door, her eyes meeting another small filly. 

“Applejack, what are you doing here? Didn’t I ask you to help Granny and Big Mac with supper?”

“Yeah, but Granny told me to come up here to help you quiet down Apple Bloom. She says her ears hurt and that she’s going deaf. Actually, she’s becoming even more deaferer than she already is," she said innocently.

“Yes I heard,” she said with a chuckle as she walked over to her daughter, embracing her in one arm while holding the crying filly in the other. “So you want to help me calm down your sister hmm?”

Applejack nodded.

“Well then, it’s a good thing you came up just now. I was fixing to sing a little lullaby to your sister."

“Which one!? Which one!?” her filly asked, bouncing up and down. “Hush Now Quiet Now? Or Sleep Now Little Filly? Or-“

“Actually,'' she began to say, trying to avoid even more commotion,  “I was going to sing Little Pear Blossom.”

“Little Pear what now?” Applejack said as she stopped, raising an eyebrow. “I never heard that one before.”

Buttercup swooped her up, now having both little fillies in her arms. “Sure you have. I used to sing this to you when you were Apple Bloom’s age.”

“I don’t remember that. Ya sure?”

“I'm positive,” she grinned as she began to fix her daughter’s messy blonde mane. “It’s a lullaby that I don’t sing too often.”

“Well, why don’t you ever sing it?” 

She stopped in a cold sweat, seeing the curiosity building in her daughter’s green eyes. 

“It’s… well… It’s because I…” 

But there was no thought, no compelling lie or made-up story that came to mind. All she could do was stare at her, pressured by this little filly who asked a simple, innocent question. She closed her eyes, drowning out the crying and her emotions with the thought of a song, a song that hadn’t left her lips for what seemed like an eternity. 

“That ain’t important right now,” she said softly before opening her eyes with a smile. “Just listen, okay?”

The melody of a forbidden hymn left her lips, flowing through the air like a magical spell. It was like recalling a precious memory, rolling off her tongue effortlessly as if no time had passed at all. With each passing note she sang, the crying began to quell, subsiding until it was replaced with the melody of a long-lost lullaby.




“Hey there little pear blossom, don’t you cry,

You are the pear of my eye,

Through stormy days I’ll always be with you,

Yes, I will be with you till the sun breaks through,

Oh little pear blossom, how I love you-“


But it happened again. As quickly as the song had started, it began to break, interrupted by an unwelcoming feeling of sorrow that grew with every note. She could feel her breath beginning to thin as she desperately tried to continue. She moved her lips, but no sound, nor note was to be heard. She took another breath, the lyrics of the next verse in her mind, but what came out were no words, just a crack in her voice that was quickly met with a gentle tug on her mane.  

“Mama? Are you alright?" 

Buttercup gasped as she looked down at her fillies, seeing Apple Bloom sound asleep and Applejack half awake as she rubbed her eyes. 

She felt tears run down her cheek which she quickly wiped off with her shoulders. 

“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” she said softly.  “It’s just that sometimes, this song makes your mama feel sad, that’s all."

“But the song is so beautiful,” Applejack said with confusion. “How could that make anypony sad?”

With a small kiss on her forehead, she gently placed her daughter back down on the floor.

“Never mind that,” she whispered, placing her sleeping infant into her crib . “Why don’t you run along downstairs and continue to help with supper? I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Yes ma’am,” Applejack said disappointingly as she slowly made her way out of the room.

Just as she was finished tucking in Apple Bloom, the deafening silence was broken once more. 

“Papa! You’re back!” Applejack shouted excitedly as she bounced up and down once more. 

She could see her husband, standing in the doorway with his contagious grin. He quickly took off his battered hat from his sweaty red mane, placing it on his daughter’s head, and tapping her nose with his muddy hoof. 

“Shhh! Be quiet now,” he said, raising his hoof over his mouth. “You don’t want to wake up your sister now do you?”

“Oh yeah,” she said quietly, lifting the brim of her dad’s hat from her eyes as she looked up at him. “Mama and I worked very hard to get her to calm down. Actually, Mama did most of the work, but you should have been here Pa! She just sang the most prettiest song I ever heard and just like that, Apple Bloom went and hit the hay!”

“Oh is that so? Your Mama has the prettiest voice in all of Equestria,” Bright Mac said with a smile. “What song did sh—“, he paused, as his eyes met hers.

She tried to hide the fact that she cried with a delicate smile, but he could clearly see through her guise.

“Ah. I see,” he said quietly. “Jackie, go downstairs and help your brother and Granny. We’ll be down in just a minute.”

“But Pa, could I just-”

He took back his hat that was on his filly’s head, cleaning off the mud he had placed on her nose with a sincere, yet stern look. 

“Jackie. Please,” he said calmly. 

Applejack averted her gaze from her father’s eyes down to the floor, slowly making her way out of the room.

“Yes sir…” she mumbled. 

Bright Mac quietly inspected his hat, brushing off the dirt and grime with his one clean hoof. 

“How was the tree cutting at Burnt Oak’s?” Buttercup asked while she tucked in Apple Bloom. “I’m guessing it went pretty well, being that you’re home so early.”

“Eeyup. Sure did. Ended up clearing an acre and a half of trees in under two hours.”

She looked at him with surprise. "An acre and a half?" 

“I know, I know. Impressive right?” he gloated with a teasing smile.

"You know, honesty is one of the traits that I love most about you," she said, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Okay, fine. I might've exaggerated just a bit… but enough about me. How have you been, dear? According to Applejack, you had a little concert here just before I came in. Shame I missed it. Wish I could’ve been here. Sounded like it was lovely.”

She rolled her eyes and embraced him, putting her head snugly on his neck. “It was. Shame you weren’t here.”

“Is everything alright Buttercup? Sang that lullaby again didn’t you?” 

She bit her lip. 

“Yeah,” she said with a sigh as she brushed her mane back from her face. “One of my favorites, but I always have a hard time just tryin’ to finish it, no matter how hard I try.”

“I know,” Bright Mac said gently.

“It’s just that… I just wish… Why did he…” she said weakly, unable to find her words as her eyes began to brim with tears once more. “Why did he have to leave Bright Mac? And why wouldn’t he want to come back? I write almost every single week to him about Big Mac, Applejack, and just recently about Apple Bloom, and still no response. Doesn’t he want to meet his grandchildren? Doesn’t he want to see us, and… and… be there for them? To be there for us? To be there... for me?” 

Her husband’s embrace tightened around her, feeling his broad hoof gently comb through her mane, just as he would always do whenever her mind decided to think about her father. 

“I just miss him. I miss him so much."


***


In the kitchen, Applejack busily helped Granny and Big Mac set the table for supper. She laid out the place mats at each seat, as well as the plates, napkins, and utensils, while Granny and her brother were busy placing the freshly cooked food at the center of the apple wood table. 

"That about does it!" Granny said proudly. "I'ma freshen up before supper. Be right back!" 

Seeing Granny leave for the outhouse, Applejack dashed over to her big brother and nudged him.

“Big Mac!” she whispered.

“What are you whispering for?” he asked in his booming voice.

“Shh! Would ya quiet down? I have a question for you. Do you know anythin’ about a lullaby that Ma used to sing for us?”

He looked at her in annoyance. “She sings a lot of songs Jackie. You need to be more specific.”

“It’s a lullaby called Little Pear Blossom. Does that mean anythin’?”

He froze. “You heard her sing that?” 

“Yeah. To me and Apple Bloom just a short while ago. Why?”

Her brother looked down at the floor, tapping his hooves anxiously on the wooden panels. “I only heard her sing it once when you were just a baby, about the same age as Apple Bloom. As beautiful as it sounded when Mama sang it, I couldn’t help but hear a bit of sadness in her voice. Did you?”

She nodded. “But why? Why does that lullaby make her sad Big Mac?”

He continued to lightly tap the floor, a curious little habit she had noticed whenever something made him uncomfortable. “You promise to say nothin’ to anypony?”

She nodded.

He stopped his tapping before letting out a big sigh. “I don’t know much about it. I only heard Ma, Pa, and Granny talking about it when I was younger. Apparently there was some feud between our family, and another family, the Pears. From what I can piece, it hurt our family pretty badly, especially Mama.”

She looked up at her brother, having more questions than answers. “Who are the Pears? And what’s a feud?”

“I’ll tell ya what it is!”

Her heart stopped at the sound of that scratchy, stern voice.

Her and Big Mac quickly turned around, only to be confronted by a stern-faced Granny Smith. “It’s something that you two should never poke your noses in.”

“But Granny…” she started to say. 

But her response was met with a death stare. “Now you two listen close and listen hard. Never, ever talk about the Pears. Got it? It’s been really hard on all of us, especially your Ma. For her sake, and for yours, you best forget you heard any of this. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes Granny,” the two said together guiltily.

“We all set for dinner?” their father called out from the floor above as he and their mother climbed down the stairs.

“We’re all set in here!” Granny said with a smile. Looking at the two fillies, she said in a cold tone, “Remember, not a word.”
Dinner at the Apples’ is nothing short of a feast. The long, apple wood dinner table was covered, head to toe with innumerable amounts of food, something that was expected every night. Fragrances of mashed potatoes, apple fritters, mac n’ cheese, and other delicacies filled the entire house, all coming together in perfect unison to create a distinct scent that was found only in their family dinners. This was the best time of the day for Applejack, not just because she can stuff her face (although she enjoyed that very much) but the fact that she can sit down with her entire family. Talking is a must for an Apple family dinner. It was expected that you told everyone what you did that day, even if your day was boring. No one cared if it was, and that was the beauty of it. Everyone felt included, everyone was heard, and everyone broke out in laughter, which was something, other than the food, that was always passed around the dinner table. 

Like every other Apple family dinner, the food that night was amazing. It filled the mouth with a multitude of delicious flavors just as soon as it entered the mouth and touched the tongue. But this Apple family dinner was different. The dinner table, as Applejack noticed, was quiet. Too quiet.

Clearing his voice and taking her mother’s hoof, her father finally broke the deafening silence. “Kids, Ma. We have an announcement to make.”

“Oh please!” Granny cried out, “Not another one!”

“Another what?” Big Mac asked, his mouth filled with food.

Applejack immediately leaped out from her chair, feeling her heart leaping out from her chest just the same. “You’re going to have another baby Ma!?”

Her mother immediately spat out her water as she was taking a sip from her cup. “What!? No, no, no!”

“No Applejack, and no Ma,” her father said laughing, “We are definitely not having another filly.”

“Aww come on,” Applejack said to herself quietly as she slumped back down in her chair.

“Your Ma and I decided, that we are going to take a little trip.”

“Really!?” Applejack exclaimed, regaining her excitement. “Where we goin’?”

“Oh Jackie,” her mother began in a soft tone, “Only your Pa and I will be going.”

She leaped to her hooves once more. “What? What do you mean?”

“Yes indeed. What do you mean?” Granny Smith asked, raising an eyebrow. “Where in blazes are you two going?”

“Buttercup and I need to… We need to tend to something. Something that has been long due for a fixing...”

Granny closed her eyes and nodded. “When are you two leaving?” 

Looking up from his plate, Bright Mac made a forced grin. “Well… Ma… We decided to leave tomorrow mornin’.”

Granny spat out her food, nearly choking in the process. “Are you two serious? Just like that you two decide to take a trip all the way to Vanhoover without any proper time to plan? And what about Apple Bloom? You think I can take care of her by myself?”

“Ma, Pa…” Applejack began, unsure as to what Granny and her father were arguing about, “why are you leavin’?”

Her father let out a sad smile. “We have to go to Vanhoover to tend to some business, that’s all. Your Ma and I have always talked about taking this trip, but we have been delaying it for far too long.”

“But why now? Why can’t you just take the trip some other time?” Big Mac asked with the same sorrowful tone.

“I know this is a shock for both of you, but your Pa is right. We have been delaying this for far too long. Please understand that this isn’t easy for us either,” said their mother.

Applejack bit her lip, feeling tears building up. “It’s about that lullaby you sang, isn’t it Mama?” she said, her eyes closed tightly, “the one that made you sad?” 

Her mother turned to her in surprise. “Jackie...” 

She threw her fork down at the floor. “No! Just No! I don’t want any of you to leave! I want you both to stay here with all of us… and with me!”  

Before she even realized, she got up from her chair and ran out of the kitchen towards the stairs.

“Applejack!” her parents called as she raced up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door behind her. 

She leapt onto her bed, burying her face onto her pillow, soaking it with her tears. 

She laid there for about an hour or so, until she heard a knock on her door.

“Applejack?” her father called out calmly from behind the door.

“Can we come in?” asked her mother.

“Yeah,” she said sniffling as she sat on the edge of her bed, her back against the door. “I guess.”

Her bedroom door slowly creaked open, the light from the hall casting two shadowy figures onto the wall. She stared at them, hearing the sound of her parents' hoofsteps as they made their way towards her.

She continued to look away, her parents taking a seat on her bed, one on each side, sandwiching her as she prepared to be scolded. 

“You alright Jackie?” her father asked gently.

“No. I’m still a little angry at ya’ll,” she said looking down at the floor.

“Now, now. There’s no need for that,” her mother said soothingly, her voice as soft as butter as she lifted her chin with her hoof. “The last thing we need is for our little Applejack to be mad at us.”

She looked into her mother's teal blue eyes, her anger slowly melting away. 

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, her anger replaced with a sense of guilt, “I just don’t want you guys to go.”

“I know sweetheart,” her mother said, embracing her as she wiped the tears off of her freckled face. “Believe me. I wish we didn’t have to go either. But please understand, your Pa and I need to take this trip. We won’t be long. Why, we’ll be back faster than you can say apple jam!” 

She let out a little giggle. “How long will you guys be gone?” 

“We’ll only be gone for a week tops,” said her father.

“A week?” she exclaimed, “That’s way too long. It’ll be so lonely without you guys."

Her father chuckled as he tipped his hat. “Jackie, you know that we will always be with you, no matter how far apart we may seem to be?” 

“How so?” 

He lifted his hoof and placed it right over her heart.

“Because of this. Your mother and I will always be with you, because our love for you is so strong. The same goes for Big Mac, Apple Bloom, and Granny. We will be with all of you. Always."

Her mother placed her own hoof over her heart as well, right next to her father’s. “Don’t you fret Jackie. We’ll be back bright and early a week from now, so early that when you wake up, the first thing you’ll see is us."

Applejack was comforted by her parents' words, taking every single thing that they had said to heart. She hugged her parents as tight as she could, feeling their warm embrace, savoring every second of the precious moment.

“Mama?” she said gently. “Can you promise me something?”

“What is it Jackie?”

“When you guys come back, do you think… maybe… you could finish that lullaby you sang earlier today? I know it makes you sad, but…”

She took her hoof and held it tightly. “I promise."

“You Pinkie Pie swear?”

“Pinkie Pie, what now?” asked her father with a laugh. “What in Equestria is that?”

“My friend Pinkie Pie taught me. Like this!” 

She performed the gesture taught to her by her friend, performing every little detail to a T. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”

Her parents burst out laughing as she performed it, marveling at the strange (yet cute) routine.

Her mother smiled as she began the same routine, mimicking every minute detail to the best that she could. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” She let out a laugh. "How was that?" 

Applejack giggled with delight. "I think you got it!"

“Alright,” her mother began, “You best get some sleep now.”

Her parents tucked her into bed, gave her a kiss on the forehead, and turned off the lights.

“Good night Jackie,” her father said softly.

“Good night Pa. Good night Ma," she said with a yawn, "I love you."

“We love you too Jackie, so much,” her mother said gently as she closed the door.

At this, she began to drift into a deep sleep, thinking about what her parents had said. She thought about how much they loved her, and about how much she loved them…


“Applejack!” 

“Huh?” she gasped.

“Applejack! You best get out of bed and get down here! Otherwise, there won’t be much breakfast left for you! Big Mac is eating all the eggs and flapjacks!” Granny called out from downstairs.

“Gah! Big Mac!” she exclaimed to herself, leaping out of her warm bed. “You best hope there’s enough food for me Big Mac!”

She quickly fixed her bed, sprinted out of her room, and ran down stairs to the kitchen. She saw Granny, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom already seated at the table. Granny, holding the morning paper, was feeding little Apple Bloom in her high chair, while her brother was busy stuffing his face with flapjacks.

“Gee Big Mac,” said Applejack as she grudgingly pulled out her chair next to him. “Thanks for waiting.”

“Well we did try calling you,” he said without an ounce of guilt, “but you hit the hay pretty hard.”

She noticed the two empty seats that stared at her from across the table. 

“Don’t you worry little filly,” Granny began, “They didn’t leave yet. They’re outside prepping the carriage. Now, hurry up and finish your breakfast so you and your brother can help ‘em.”

She usually took her time eating to enjoy the delicious food, however she quickly cleaned her plate and took her dishes to the sink before bolting out the screened door. 

Outside in the front lawn, she could see that her parents were busily loading up the family carriage with suitcases and supplies for the long journey ahead of them.

“Ma! Pa!” she called out, running towards them.

“Morning Jackie!” her father called, “you slept pretty hard! Wasn’t sure if you were ever gonna get up!”

“I almost didn’t!” Applejack said panting after she reached them. “When I heard Granny say that Big Mac was eating all the food, I woke up immediately and sprinted downstairs!”

“Is that so?” her mother said with a grin. “I believe that.”

“You two fixing to head out?” Granny called out as she walked over from the house to meet them, along with her brother and a smiling Apple Bloom in her arms.

“Yes Ma,” Bright Mac said as he secured the last set of luggage to the back of the wagon. “Looks like we’re all set to go.”

Applejack looked down at the ground, her father's words hitting her like a hammer. 

“Remember what your Pa said Jackie. We’ll always be right here,” she heard her mother say as she took her hoof and placed it over her heart once more.

“I know,” Applejack said with a tearful smile. "I'll always remember that." 

"Hey Jackie? I need you to do me a favor.” 

Her heart began to race, seeing her father take off his old, worn-out hat as he approached her. 

“Pa?”

“I want you to take care of this for me till I get back,” he said with a smile. “I can trust you, right?”

She took the old hat that her father had worn for as long as she could remember and placed it on top of her head, the large brim covering her small eyes. 

“You sure can," she said proudly. "You can count on me!" 

Big Mac, who was silently standing next to Granny, let out a brief, yet noticeable sniffle.

“Now I know my Big Mac isn’t crying now, is he?” their mother said as she walked over to him.

“Nope...” he said as he looked away. “...Eeyup.”

“Come here,” she said as she held him in a tight embrace.

“Big Mac,” Bright Mac said in a firm, but loving voice, “My boy, promise me you’ll look after the family while I’m gone? Don’t let anything happen to your sisters, or Granny, okay?”

“Yes sir,” Big Mac said, wiping the tears off from his face. “I promise.”

“I love you son,” Bright Mac said as he hugged his boy.

Buttercup made her way over to Granny, taking cheerful little Apple Bloom from her arms as she cooed.

“My little Sugarcube,” she began as she gently rocked her baby filly in her arms. “You be a good girl now ya here?”

“Mama?” said Apple Bloom in a sweet voice.

“Oh my lands!” gasped Applejack. “Ma, Pa! That’s her first word!”

"What? No fair!" Bright Mac said as he approached them. "Her first word was supposed to be Papa!"

“Papa!” repeated Apple Bloom.

With tears in their eyes, the two hugged their little filly, each leaving a small kiss on her forehead.

“Goodbye Apple Bloom,” her mother said with a smile as a tear rolled down her cheek. 

Bright Mac returned Apple Bloom to Granny and then hugged his mother. “Ma? Will you be alright here?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Granny said with a smirk, “I have plenty of help.”

“I know you do," he said as he looked at his three children. He hugged his mother once more. "I love you Ma."

“Bye Ma,” said Buttercup, hugging her as well.

“Goodbye you two,” she said softly. “Come back home safely.”

After exchanging their tearful goodbyes, the two made their way over to the carriage. Bright Mac, after helping his wife up onto the seat, began strapping on his harness.

“We’ll be back!” called Bright Mac.

“We love you!” called out Buttercup as she waved her hoof.

Bright Mac began pulling his harness, the large bulky carriage slowly moving, eventually making their way out the front gate.

The remaining Apples stood in the front lawn, keeping their eyes fixed on the family carriage, which made its way up over a tall hill, until it disappeared from their sight.

Granny, holding Apple Bloom, and Big Mac began to make their way back to the house, except for Applejack, who remained staring at the hilltop.

“Applejack!” Granny called out to her before entering the house. “You don’t plan on standing there till they get back do you?”

Applejack didn’t mind that at all. In fact, she was perfectly fine waiting there till she saw her parents again, but she knew there was no sense in doing that.

“Alright Granny. I’m coming.”





After many days of waiting, the day finally came in which all of the Apples (especially for Applejack) were waiting for. She sat at the kitchen table, picking aimlessly at her breakfast. The night before, she had tried her hardest to stay awake as she laid in her bed the entire night, hoping to catch her parents returning. After all, they did promise that they’d be back before she woke up.

Big Mac sat at the table happily munching on his breakfast as usual, while Apple Bloom sat in her high chair, delighted that Granny was feeding her.

Granny hit the table firmly with her hoof. “Applejack!" 

“Gah!” Applejack exclaimed, dropping her fork.

“Up all night, weren’t you Applejack?” Granny said, staring suspiciously at her.

“And what makes you say that Granny?” she asked with a yawn.

“Lucky guess I suppose,” Granny muttered as she continued to feed her sister.

“Where's Ma and Pa? Shouldn’t they have arrived by now?” asked Applejack worriedly.

“Well, Vanhoover is a very good distance from here. I’m sure they’ll be here sometime today,” said Big Mac, his mouth filled with flapjacks.

She was not content with his answer. She picked up her fork, placed it on the table, and got out of her chair. The thought of them not being here upset her to the point where she couldn't take another bite of the delicious food. 

“And where are you going?” Granny asked with a glare.

“I’m going up to hay loft in the barn to wait for Ma and Pa,” she said as she opened the kitchen door.

“But you barely touched your food!” Granny said firmly.

“I’m not very hungry Granny. I’ll eat later though!”

She made her way out of the house and into the cool morning, hearing the birds sing their tunes. She ran into the barn, climbed up the rickety wooden stairs, and settled onto the dusty wooden floor of the hay loft. There, she sat comfortably near a large opening, overlooking the entire Sweet Apple Acres orchard. From here one has a clear view of the front gate, as well as the long dirt road that made its way up and over the hill, which was the last place she saw her parents. Here, she reasoned, was where she would stay while looking out for them.

She waited patiently, looking out from the barn, beyond the acres of apple trees, staring blankly at the hill where she last saw her parents, waiting to see them reemerge from the hilltop.

“They’ll be here soon,” she said to herself, “And I’ll be the first one to greet them.”

She continued to stare at the hill, with the gentle sun pressing on her face, giving her warmth, while the songs of birds echoed from across the orchard…


“Jackie?” 

“Pa?” Applejack said softly, slowly opening her eyes.

She looked up, only to see Big Mac, with tears in his eyes, at least it looked like tears. She wasn’t sure, as her eyes were still heavy.

“How long have I been sleeping?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

“I-I I'm n-not sure," he stuttered.

 She looked sharply at him, seeing much clearer now that he was indeed crying.

“Big Mac, what’s wrong?”

“Jackie,” he said, his voice shaking, “Ma and Pa…”

Her heart felt as if it had stopped beating. “What!? What’s wrong!? Are they okay!?” 

“Ma and Pa… they aren’t coming back,” Big Mac said looking down, tears rolling down his cheek. “Sheriff Silver Star came by just a bit ago and… and…” 

She took his hoof and held it tightly, bracing for the news she knew was coming.

He looked at his sister, his eyes swelling with tears, as he let out a heavy sigh. “Sheriff Silver Star said that there was an accident. A few ponies who were passing through High Mountain Pass on their way to Ponyville found Ma and Pa’s carriage smashed to bits, lying at the bottom of a valley a good distance away from here. It looked like the carriage fell off the edge of the road and… tumbled down the cliff."

She sat silently on the wood floor of the loft, staring blankly at the apple orchard that was now dimly lit by Celestia's setting sun. She averted her gaze to the hilltop and paused a minute, taking in everything her brother had said, debating whether or not she should continue to ask questions. 

“And Ma and Pa?” she asked reluctantly, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. 

“Sheriff said that a group of them went to the scene. They searched everywhere, but couldn’t find them. He said that there’s still a group of them searching right now. He said that he’s going to send more ponies to search first thing in the morning.”

She looked sternly at her brother. 

“So they’re still out there then?” 

“Jackie…”

“What are we still doing here? We need to find them! Now!” 

She leapt onto her hooves and raced down the stairs, sprinting out of the barn and into the orchard.

“Applejack! Wait!” her brother called out, following closely behind her, “You can’t go out there! It’s getting dark! Don’t you know how far High Mountain Pass is? It’s miles away from here!”

But she didn’t care. She needed to find them. They were out there. They had to be. She was promised that they would be back, promised that they would be there before she woke up, and above all, promised that she would hear the rest of her mother's lullaby. 

She continued to sprint through the South Orchard towards the front gate. Where High Mountain Pass was, she did not know. All she had in mind was finding her parents. The thought of them out there, all alone in the wilderness, waiting to be rescued, gave her every bit of energy needed for a long journey. 

With the sun setting and just barely over the horizon, the farm and its numerous trees started to become darker by the second. Looking up, she could see the Mare in the Moon slowly emerging into the night sky as the sun retreated. She continued to run towards the front gate, losing her balance from the rocks and roots that littered the dirt path, but quickly regaining her momentum. She could barely see through her tears as the sunlight began to fade, however, she could just barely make out the front gate only a short distance away. Behind her, she could hear heavy hoof steps growing louder and louder.

“Applejack!” cried Big Mac as he chased her through the dark orchards. “Applejack stop!”

But she ran faster and faster, her heart beating so hard that it felt as if it were coming out of her chest. But just as she reached the gate, she felt a hoof grab her by the back, pulling her backwards. Unable to control herself, she fell to the ground, along with her brother. 

The two of them toppled and rolled across the ground until they came to a stop. 

Applejack struggled to get onto her feet, inching herself towards the front gate, but two strong arms pulled her back down. 

“Let me go!" she shouted, striking at his arms with her hooves. “Let me go! Please! I need to find them! I need to find them!”

But the hold became tighter, feeling her brother’s face pressed against her back, his warm tears beginning to soak her coat. 

“Stop it Applejack! Stop! I promised Pa that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you! And I will keep my word!” 

She slumped to the ground.

“They promised,” she said weakly, a cascade of tears flowing down her face. “Big Mac, they promised!”

“Shhh,” her brother said as he combed his sister’s mane, attempting to calm her down. “I know, I know.”

“No. No you don’t understand Big Mac,” she began again while managing to get out of his hold. “They promised they’d be back today and Ma promised! She promised that she would finish singing her lullaby for me when she came back.”

He hugged her, tighter than he did before. “I’m so sorry Jackie,” he said quietly, closing his eyes. 

They held onto each other for what seemed like an eternity under the pale moon in the cold airy night, before slowly making their way back to the house.

Upon opening the kitchen door, the two saw Granny, her eyes tinted red with tears, sitting in one of the dining chairs holding a calm Apple Bloom. Seeing her grandchildren, she immediately got out of her chair and hurriedly ran towards them.

“Where in Celestia’s good name have you two been!?” she said in a panic. “I looked high and low for you two! You two nearly gave me a heart attack!”

“We’re sorry Granny,” Applejack began, unable to look at her grandmother. “We were-“

But her grandmother’s sudden embrace cut her off, a gesture that had her speechless. With tears in her eyes, she held  Apple Bloom in one arm, while embracing her and her brother in the other. She had never seen her grandmother emotional, let alone cry. She always maintained a tough shell, always lecturing them about acting rather than reacting, keeping a level head during hardships. 

But not even Granny could withstand the overwhelming sorrow and pain. Applejack could feel her sadness, every gasp, every sniffle, and every wet tear she shed as she stood there, locked in a tight embrace with her and her siblings. 

Without any words, they all stood there in the kitchen, embracing each other as they silently cried about the tragic events that unfolded. A day that was meant for joy and happiness, had ended in bitter sorrow, the darkest day in which their family had ever endured.







Days passed since then and no news was heard regarding the whereabouts of Buttercup or Bright Mac. The Apple family, once filled with so much joy and happiness, never fully regained that same feeling, as if that tragic night left a deep scar on the entire family itself.

Big Mac, albeit a quiet pony, fell even more silent since that night. Rarely did anypony hear him speak, even his own family. The only words anypony managed to get out of him were either a “Eeyup” or a “Nope”.

For Granny, she never dared to again show her sorrow in front of her grandchildren, although she, like the rest of them, felt torn inside. Never did she mention the reason for their parents' departure. For many moons since that night, she fought a silent battle within herself, blaming herself for losing her son and her daughter-in-law, two precious ponies that she loved so much, who became casualties in a pointless feud.

As for Applejack, she continued to make her way to the hayloft in the barn, staring blankly at that hilltop where she last saw her parents, hoping that if she waited long enough, she would see her parents once more.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. Still no news came through about her parents. But that didn’t stop her. She continued to wait there patiently, every day, up in the hay loft.

“They’ll be here,” she would tell herself time and time again while placing her hoof over her heart. “They’ll be here.”







One day as Applejack was lying up in the hayloft, she heard the hoofsteps of somepony climbing up the stairs.

“Applejack?” said a sweet, innocent voice.

Turning around, she saw her sister, Apple Bloom, now a few years old, clumsily climbing up onto the loft.

“Hey there Sugarcube,” she said with a smile. “What are you doing here?”

“I was going to ask you the same question,” her sister said as she sat her blank flank down next to her.

“Oh,” said Applejack as she put her arm around her as they both looked out across the endless rows of apple trees. “I like spending time up here, that’s all. Say, shouldn’t you be inside the house? Taking a nap?”

“Yeah, I know,” she said with a pout. “I can’t go to sleep though. I just lay there in my bed, but I can’t seem to hit the hay.”

“You know what? I have a lullaby that I think would do the trick.”

“You do?” she said in excitement. “What is it?”

She picked up her sister and placed her on her lap. “It’s a lullaby that our mama used to sing to us.”

“Really?” Apple Bloom asked, her crimson eyes widening.

“Really. It’s called Little Pear Blossom.”

And just like their mother, she began to sing a song, the same song she had heard all those years ago. With each note that left her lips, that precious moment came back to her, where her mother’s voice filled the air which carried her and her sister into a deep sleep.


“Hey there little pear blossom don’t you cry,

You are the pear of my eye,

Through stormy days I’ll always be with you,

Yes, I will be with you till the sun breaks through,

Oh little pear blossom, how I love you-“


But she slowly began to stop, her voice becoming thinner, and her eyes filling with tears. 

That was it. That’s all she knew. She never had the chance to learn the whole thing. The remaining lyrics to that beautiful hymn eluding her once more. 

Her sister began to stir in her lap, talking softly in her sleep. "Applejack... keep singing please? It's... beautiful..." 

“I'm sorry Sugarcube,” she whispered softly, rocking her in her arms, “It’s just that sometimes, this song makes me sad.”
> Chapter 3: The Quest (Part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------







Chapter 3



The Quest (Part 1)





“All rise!” 

Sitting comfortably on the wood floor of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ clubhouse, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo proceeded to stand up obediently.

“I hereby declare this CMC meeting, adjourned!” With that, Apple Bloom cheerfully slammed the gavel down onto the wooden podium.

“I still can’t believe we have a free day tomorrow,” said Sweetie Belle.

“With the amount of ponies we helped this past week, I can’t believe it either. I mean, we helped six different ponies get their cutie mark in a single week! That’s a new record for us,” said Scootaloo. “You sure we don’t have any appointments set up for tomorrow Apple Bloom?”

Looking through the agenda book on the podium, Apple Bloom nodded. “Yup. Nothin’ for tomorrow or the next day.”

“Well that’s convenient,” Sweetie Belle said with a smile. “Just so happens that my parents are returning tomorrow from their vacation in Manehattan. They planned to meet up with Rarity and I, but I told them that I might be busy. Guess not!” 

“You too huh?” Scootaloo said with a frown.

“What’s wrong?” Sweetie Belle asked with concern.

“Eh. It’s nothing really. It’s just that my parents decided that they wanted to spend time with me as well. Guess I’ll be spending it with them tomorrow.”

“Well what’s wrong with that?” asked Apple Bloom while she stepped down from the podium to join her friends.

“Nothing I guess. It’s just that their definition of 'spending time together' usually means doing whatever they want.”

“Wait, you hang out with your parents?” Sweetie Belle asked with a look of confusion, which was immediately met with a glare from Scootaloo.

 “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just… I never seen your parents before so I always thought that-“

“That I was some poor, sad, lonely little filly who doesn’t have any parents? Well gee, that would be miserable now wouldn’t it?” 

Apple Bloom looked down at the wood floor, her friend’s words stabbing into her like a knife.

Sweetie Belle swiftly elbowed Scootaloo in the shoulder.

“Ouch! What was that for?” she snapped as she rubbed her shoulder. 

With a stern face, she tilted her head towards Apple Bloom, who was still looking dismally at the floor.

Scootaloo placed her hoof over her mouth. “Apple Bloom! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean-“

“Nah it’s ok,” she said, looking up at her with a smile. “I know you didn’t mean it like that.”

She casually walked over to the door, softly biting her lip as she fought back tears. There were no ill feelings towards her friend. She knew her remark wasn’t towards her, but for some inexplicable reason, the thought of her parents triggered a flurry of emotions that she could feel building inside of her. She just hoped she could at least get through the club house door before letting it all out. 

“You two have a fun time tomorrow with your family. I’m going to go back home.”

“Wait Apple Bloom," Scootaloo began, “If you want to hang out with my family tomorrow, then you’re more than welcome to.“

“No, that’s alright. I’ll be busy doing chores anyways.”

But her friends didn’t buy into her charade. 

“I’ll be fine, really!” she said with another forced smile. “I’ll see you girls later.”


As Apple Bloom walked slowly back home, she couldn’t help but think about her parents. This was something that she would do from time to time, but recently, she would constantly find herself pondering about them, and Scootaloo’s comment made her think about them even more. She couldn’t explain why her mind suddenly decided to wander like that. For some reason, she had a strange urge to find out more about her parents, an urge that she could feel was tugging inside her heart.

She would frequently hear stories from either Granny or her siblings about cheerful memories involving her parents. Those were bittersweet moments for her. Sure she enjoyed those stories along with the rest of her family, but she always felt a bit left out. She would try desperately to search her mind in hopes to recollect her own memories or events yet she could never do so. Sometimes, she would recall something involving her and her parents, however after thinking about it some more, she would find out that it was only her imagination, a made up memory, much to her dismay. It was a piece that was missing, not only in her mind, but in her heart. The only thing she had to remember them by were old family photos, stories, an incomplete lullaby, and, well, her imagination.

She pondered this as she walked through the endless rows of apple trees, blankly observing the beautiful scenery. Birds danced around the air singing their beautifully crafted tunes, while the sun shined brightly in the cloudless blue sky onto the thick canopy of apple trees, casting shadows and silhouettes across the dusty path that led back to the house. A beautiful day indeed, yet it wasn’t enough to lighten her mood.

“Why is my mind wandering like this?” she asked herself, while that emotional flurry she felt earlier slowly began to calm, instead turning into a burning desire.

She stopped in her tracks, and placed her hoof over her heart, now very confident that she indeed felt something, an indescribable feeling that she had never felt before. It felt sort of like a small flame, gentle and warm. She stood there, closing her eyes, as it lingered there in her heart, feeling her sadness slowly beginning to melt away. But as quickly as it came, the feeling faded. 

What was it? 

She waited there for a few moments hoping it would come back but it didn’t. Contemplating what had happened, she continued her walk back to the house.

After a few minutes, she finally reached the house and upon opening the door leading to the kitchen, she was greeted with a sweet aroma.

“Hey there Sugarcube!” said Applejack cheerfully, seeing her enter the house. She then opened the oven, the delicious smell becoming even stronger.

“Smells good sis!” Let me guess…”

“Applefritters!” they said together.

“Freshly baked! Although they’re usually fried, I decided to try a new method of preparing them!” her sister said proudly while placing the hot pan on the kitchen table in front of her. “Let it cool for a minute and then…” she began to look around, “let’s hurry up and eat it before Big Mac does!”

“Eeyup! He does have a big appetite!” she said jokingly. “But wait, aren’t we going to eat dinner soon?”

She gave her a little wink. “I think a few before dinner wouldn’t hurt anypony. Just don’t tell Granny I let ya, ok?”

As Applejack took her seat across from her, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but stare at the delicacies lying just a few inches in front of her. She could feel the heat emanating from the pan, accompanied by a sweet, delightful aroma. She could also hear the soft crackling of the pastries as it sat there sizzling on the table.

After letting the fritters cool off for a bit, the two began to eat the freshly made pastries, happily munching away.

“So how was your meetin’?” asked Applejack, taking a pastry from the pan.

“It went really well! We ended up helping six different ponies get their cutie marks. A new record!”

Applejack stared delicately at her.

 “What?” she asked as she stared back, her mouth filled with fritters.

“Oh nothing... it’s just that… I’m just so proud of you. You’ve grown so much and have accomplished so many things since you got your cutie mark. I know I said it before but, if Ma and Pa were here, they would be so proud too.”

Hearing this, she looked down at the table, her mind beginning to think about her parents once more. Seizing the moment, she looked up at her sister.

“Hey, Applejack? Could you tell me more about them?” she casually asked.

Applejack happily placed her half eaten fritter down onto her plate and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

“What do you want to know Sugarcube? I have plenty of stories, not as much as Granny of course but-“

“Actually,” she began hesitantly, “I was wondering if you could tell me… what happened to them?”

The cheerful, kind look that Applejack had moments before quickly faded, turning almost instantly into a sad, disheartened one.

“I know it’s a topic you don’t like discussing, it’s just that I feel like I have the right to know. I mean, you, Big Mac, and Granny share all these wonderful memories about them, which I appreciate and all, but I just wondered-“

“But isn’t that enough?” her sister asked her with sorrow in her eyes, a sense of sadness that Apple Bloom had never seen in her before. “All those happy memories and stories we share with you, isn’t that enough for you to know about them?”

“Applejack…” 

“What made you ask this anyway?” she snapped.

“I… I can’t explain it. Recently, my mind has been wandering off and I just can’t help but think about them. I also have this strange feeling in my heart, pulling me towards them. Please Applejack, I just need to know."

But she turned away.

“That feeling you have is just curiosity. Nothing more.”

Apple Bloom stared at her helplessly, an eerie silence filling the kitchen as she waited for her big sister to have a change in heart. 

But she soon realized that wasn’t going to happen. “I see,” she said in defeat as she got up from her chair.

“Where are you goin’?” 

“I’m going to turn in for today. Not feelin’ so well,” she said sadly, slowly making her way back to her room. “Just tell Granny and Big Mac that I’m not really that hungry.”

“Apple Bloom…”

“Sorry. I just need some time alone.”


As Apple Bloom laid in her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, she couldn’t help but cry, feeling as if she would never get the opportunity to find out the truth about her parents. But she could feel that peculiar feeling return, this time more prevalent. She laid there, holding her hoof over her heart as that burning feeling began to grow. Rather than ignore it, she allowed it to fill her up with happiness and comfort, a stark contrast to the emotions she had felt before with Scootaloo and Applejack. What it was, she could not explain, however she didn’t care. As that feeling grew stronger, her mind began to fill with stories that her family shared about her parents, like the time when Applejack hid for almost an entire day from Ma and Pa after she almost burned the entire kitchen down trying to make a surprise dinner. Or the time when Pa had to rescue Big Mac after he fell down a well while trying to save his stuffed animal that he dropped, which, funny enough, he still carried around today. But probably her favorite story was the one her sister told her, about the time when their mother sang a lullaby to them when she was a baby. She still remembered that moment, up in the hay loft, the moment when her sister sang that song which carried her away into a deep sleep…


“Apple Bloom?” echoed a gentle voice.

“Apple Bloom?” said another in the same tone.

Those voices. I’ve heard them before.

She opened her eyes slowly, seeing not one, but two figures standing at her bedside. Her eyes still heavy from sleep, she had only caught a glimpse of them, but enough for her to know that she had seen these two before... but from where? From pictures perhaps? Or maybe from town? 

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, before gazing at the stallion with a crimson red mane, fair colored coat, and an old brown hat that looked exactly like her sister’s. To his side stood a mare, who was easily the most beautiful mare she had ever seen, with a gold curly mane, coupled with a freckled face and soft blue eyes that bestowed a sense of comfort as she stared at them. 

It can’t be.

“Ma? Pa?” she asked in disbelief.

Without any words, the two nodded their heads, smiling.

“You’re… you’re here! You’re both here!” she exclaimed, jumping from her bed and into their  loving arms. 

“I… I can’t believe it… how are you here? Where have you guys been?”

But they didn’t say anything, their silence sending an uncomfortable, ominous feeling through her.

“What's the matter? she asked in concern.

With sadness in their eyes, her father and mother gave her a kiss on the forehead, as they hugged her in a warm embrace.

Without warning, her room began to shake violently. The windows began to shatter, picture frames and shelves, which were hanging on the wall, crashed down onto the floor, creating a deafening noise as the walls of her room started to crumble, while the wooden floor beneath them began to break away. 

Looking down, she could see nothing but darkness.

“Ma! Pa! What’s going on!?” she screamed, holding them tightly while she shut her eyes. 

She couldn't see anything, fear preventing her from opening her eyes. She could feel her parent's warm touch, and at the same time, she could feel herself falling, feeling as if she was being dropped from the peak of a tall roller coaster.

After the feeling had faded, she reluctantly opened her eyes, finding herself sitting on a gravel road that seemed to be somewhere on a mountainside. She frantically looked around, but nopony was in sight. It was just her, along with a fog that quickly began to thicken around her to the point where she couldn’t see what was beyond it. A dreadful howl from the winds echoed down the jagged cliffs and down onto the empty road that she stood on. She cautiously made her way towards the road’s edge, which was just a few yards away from her. She reached the edge, periodically looking around to ensure nopony was sneaking up on her. Looking down into a deep, seemingly endless ravine, she could see something. Lying at the foot of the mountain was a horse carriage that was smashed to bits. The only thing still intact was a single wheel that was slowly rotating in the wind. She had seen that carriage before, but she couldn’t recall where. She quickly turned away from the unsettling sight and began to walk through the fog, which seemingly began to clear with every step that she took. 

“Apple Bloom..." 

She turned to the gentle sound of her name, seeing her parents standing only a few yards away from her. Suddenly, her father jumped in front of her mother, as if he was protecting her from something. 

Confused, she turned around once more, only to be surrounded by a large crowd of ponies. 

“Who are you!?” she cried as she quickly backed away.

But they didn’t say anything. With sadistic smiles, they began to slowly make their way towards her and her parents, each one beginning to glow with a strange green aura.

As she stared in horror, the green glow slowly engulfed them and quickly disappeared and in their place stood a horde of black, insect-looking creatures: Changelings.

The Changelings hissed with their snake-like tongues, their sinister eyes glowing as they slowly made their way towards her and her parents.

“Pa!” she screamed as she scurried away. 

The horde, however, began to sprint towards her. 

As she sprinted towards her parents, she felt a large stone stub her hoof, causing her to tumble down onto the gravel road, the rough gravel sending a stinging pain through her as she laid there helplessly.

“Get away from us!” she screamed as she saw the black mass of Changelings approach her. 

She closed her eyes and placed her hooves over her head, bracing herself for her impending doom. She continued to lay there helplessly, eyes closed, waiting to feel a bite or a scratch, but nothing happened. Mustering up a little courage, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see the horde leap over her and charge towards her parents, leaving her unscathed. 

“No! Stop!" she cried, seeing her father fight off the swarm that surrounded him and her mother. 

She sprang to her hooves and quickly dashed towards them, seeing a few of the Changelings managing to pin her father down onto the ground. 

But the harder she tried to run, the farther she got. It was as if she were on a treadmill. No matter how hard she sprinted, she couldn’t reach them. She continued to gallop mindlessly, until she noticed a large shadow beginning to loom over her

She finally stopped and looked up towards the sky, seeing a large dark being with long transparent, insect-like wings that glistened in the sun, and a large crooked horn on its head. Its pale blue mane flowed from its black body with menacing green eyes, accompanied with a mouth filled with sharp fangs and a serpent-like tongue.

“Queen Chrysalis!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

But the Queen flew passed her, flying to where her parents were. With a distasteful smile, her crooked horn began to glow, a green magic illuminating it.

“Fight all you want!” sneered the queen, “But either way, you’re mine!” 

The light from her horn began to shine brighter than before and soon, a large beam of energy shot out towards her parents, creating a blinding light.

“Ma! Pa! No!” cried Apple Bloom, squinting her eyes. 

“Apple Bloom! Apple Bloom!”

It was the voice from before, but where it came from and to whom it came from, she did not know.

“Who's there!?” she called out blindly, her hooves out in front of her hoping that she could at least feel the pony calling to her.

“Apple Bloom, please, concentrate on my voice! Concentrate!”

She closed her eyes, obediently focusing on the sound of the mysterious voice until the noises around her ceased. 

Opening her eyes, she found herself standing in a cold sweat, back in her room. 

“How the hay did I get back here?” 

“Because of me.”

She turned to her doorway, seeing a tall, dark colored mare approaching her. Her beautiful midnight blue mane flowed majestically in the air as she smiled gently at her.

“Princess Luna!” she exclaimed, hugging her in relief. “Where did you come from? Wait...” she began to say as she looked around. “Where are my parents?”

“Apple Bloom,” the alicorn began, placing her hoof on her shoulder.

“It was only a dream, wasn’t it?” 

“Indeed. Although, you are still dreaming.”

“I am?” she asked as she gazed around her room. 

“Yes. You had a terrible nightmare. I had to quickly transfer you into another dream, for it began to severely damage your psyche. It was truly one of the worst nightmares I had ever seen, although I must say, in my many moons, I have never encountered a dream like yours before,” she said as she began to pace around the room.

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is, your dream, was not necessarily a dream. Rather, it was more of a memory.”

“A memory?” she asked with confusion. “But I was too young to remember my parents. I was only a baby when they-“ she stopped as she looked down at the floor. “Actually, I don’t know what happened to them.”

The Princess of the Night lifted her chin with her hoof and let out a comforting smile. “You are correct. This was not your memory,” she said softly as she looked delicately into her eyes. “This memory belonged to somepony else.”

“Who? None of my siblings, nor Granny, was there during-” she stopped herself once more. “Princess Luna... It can’t be my parents’ memories… can it?”

“It appears that way,” said the princess. She continued to pace around the room as if she herself was trying to make sense of the strange phenomenon that occurred. 

She then ceased her pacing and looked directly at her.

“Tell me, have you experienced anything strange recently? Heard anything, seen anything, felt anything?”

“Actually, I have felt something odd,” she began. Lifting her hoof, she placed it over her heart. “Recently, I’ve been having this strange feeling. It feels like it’s in here, in my heart. I can’t really explain it. It sort of feels like a small fire that’s burning, but it doesn’t hurt. It’s gentle, peaceful, and calm, sort of like sitting near the fireplace on a cold winter’s day, and yet it’s more than that. It fills me up with so much happiness and joy and I can feel it pulling at me at the same time. I never experienced anything like it.”

Her answer seemed to have made her even more confused as she stared at the floor, thinking about what she had said. 

“It seems as if your parents are calling out to you,” she finally said, still staring blankly at the floor.

She gasped. “So they’re alive!?” 

“I am not exactly sure,” said Luna, “But one thing I do know is that this call is an act of love.”

“Love?” 

“Yes. Not the love you would find in some mare’s tale or storybook. No. This is a different kind of love, a stronger, more genuine kind. That feeling you have within your heart, is love’s call. Love, unlike magic, is capable of transcending distance, time and space. Although simple, it is very complex as its power is immeasurable.”

“But why do I feel this call all of a sudden? And how come no pony else can feel it, like my sister?”

The princess made her way over to her bedroom window where she contemplated to herself quietly as she gazed at her starry night. 

“Tell me, have you been thinking about your parents recently? And not just thinking, but rather, yearning, desiring to learn more about them?”

Apple Bloom nodded.

“A wise pony once told me that love is ever-present; it is always around us, even when we do not know it. It waits patiently, making itself known to only those who desire it. I believe that in your quest to know more about your parents, you inadvertently opened your heart, allowing love to enter. On the contrary, pain, sorrow, guilt, prevent love from entering and prevent it from working fully, as is the case for your family. As I mentioned before, love is always present and is made available for those who seek it. Yes, your family continues to love your parents even till today, but they have ceased to open their hearts, unable to hear love’s call. Unfortunately, they have hardened their hearts, calloused by that tragic night. Indeed I sense it has left a large scar on all of them, especially your sister.”

Apple Bloom had a hard time digesting what she had said. Sure she knew that her parents’ tragedy caused so much pain on their family, but she had no idea the extent of it.

“I… I had no idea they felt that way,” she said with tears in her eyes. 

Wiping them away, she looked at Princess Luna, an overwhelming sense of determination gripping her.

“What must I do?” 

“It is simple,” Luna said smiling, admiring her courage. “You must answer love’s call. But be cautious little one, for the quest you take, will be dangerous. There will be many obstacles, but you must trust in yourself and in love’s power, to overcome them.”

After saying this, Apple Bloom's room began to illuminate in a white light, slowly growing brighter by the second. 

At this, the Princess of the Night began to spread her majestic wings, flying away into the light.

“Princess Luna! What’s going on!?” 

“It is time for me to depart Apple Bloom. Remember what I said.”


“Princess Luna!?” she gasped.

She looked around, finding herself lying in her bed, her bedroom window now plastered with Celestia's early-morning sun, its orange light beginning to flood the room. 

With her encounter with Princess Luna still fresh in her mind, she quickly jumped out of bed and sprinted down stairs to tell her sister what had happened.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, she found Granny Smith and Big Mac busily preparing breakfast. 

“Mornin’ Apple Bloom!” Granny said in a cheery voice. “Yer up early. Why don’t ya help me and your brother out with breakfast? We’re fixing to eat soon.”

“Actually Granny,” she began frantically, “I need to talk to Applejack. Where is she?”

“She’s out in the East Orchard bucking apples. She wanted to get started early so that she could-“

“Okay! Thanks Granny!” she said hurriedly as she bolted out of the kitchen door and out into the cool morning.

“Apple Bloom! What about breakfast!? You didn’t even eat dinner last night!" she heard Granny call out as she galloped through the yard. 

“Sorry Granny! I’ll eat later though!” she shouted back as she sprinted towards the east orchard. Although she hadn’t eaten for some time, she wasn’t hungry. The only thing that mattered now was finding more about what she had seen in her dream, and telling her sister exactly what had happened.

She kept replaying the images from her dream in her head, afraid that she might forget it, until finally reaching the East Orchard, where she began to look for her sister. It didn’t take long for her to hear the distinct sound of hooves kicking a tree. She followed the sound and after a few moments, saw her big sister, busily bucking an apple tree.

“Applejack! Applejack!” she called as she ran over to her.

Applejack turned towards her. “Sugarcube! You’re up early. What’s wrong?” 

“It’s… It’s…”.

“Slow down Sugarcube,” Applejack said, patting her lightly on the back. “Take a deep breath.”

Taking a deep breath, like she had said, she finally found her voice. “It’s Ma and Pa!” she belted out, “They’re alive!”

She backed away in disbelief. “What in Equestria did you just say? How in Celestia’s name do you know that?”

“I had a dream! Ma and Pa were up in a tall mountain on a road and were in trouble and-“

“What road!? How do you know that!?” 

“I told you!” she said impatiently as she stomped her hoof. “I had a dream about them and they were in trouble! They were taken by Changelings!”

“Changelings?” Applejack said with a scoff, turning her back against her. “Now you’re just talking silly. It was a dream Apple Bloom! Nothing more! Now quit bringin’ this up!”

“I’m serious! Princess Luna came to me in my sleep and explained that it wasn’t really a dream I had, it was a memory! Their memory!”

“That’s enough.”

“And that feelin’ I told you about? It was a call from them! Love’s call!”

“I said that’s enough!” she shouted, turning around to confront her with tears in her eyes. “I don’t understand why you have a sudden interest in our parents, but it needs to stop!”

“You may have given up on them, but I won’t! They’re out there! I know it!” 

Her sister slowly made her way towards her.

She backed away, not recognizing the pony that was approaching her. She had never seen her sister so distraught before, to the point where she actually feared for her own safety. 

“They’re gone Apple Bloom! Gone! They’re never coming back! Do you not understand that? Do you want to know why I went up to that hay loft every day for all those years? Because I was a stupid little filly who waited for her Mama and Papa to come back! I waited and waited, thinking if I waited long enough, I would see them come back over that hill and guess what? They never did!”

She stood only a few inches from her, unable to go anywhere else, her back pinned against the trunk of an apple tree. 

“But you?” she continued to say, refusing to let up,  “You have it so easy! You were only a baby when they passed! You’ll never remember that tragic night, a night filled with sadness, despair, and mourning! You have cheerful, happy memories about them, nothing that is sad or depressing! Well, how about me!? I don’t have that luxury!”

“A luxury!?” Apple Bloom exclaimed in disbelief, finding an ounce of courage to stand up against the pony that cornered her. “I have no memories of them Applejack! Those memories, that you keep bringing up, are nothing but stories! Stories told by you, Big Mac, and Granny! They’re events that I never experienced! Tell me, how is that a luxury!? Do you want to know what a luxury is? A luxury is actually remembering them, remembering that precious feeling of when they held you, embraced you, hearing their sweet, gentle voices as they comforted you when you were sad or lonely, telling you that everything was going to be okay, or remembering the feeling of when they tucked you into bed and sang you a sweet lullaby. Now that’s a luxury!”

She stared at her with a cold glare.

“It’s time to grow up Apple Bloom,” she said coldly. “Don’t be the same stupid filly I was. They’re gone. Accept it.”

She turned away, her sister's words piercing her heart like a spear. 

“She’s right,” she said in a near whisper. “Princess Luna was right. You have hardened your heart."

She galloped away, fleeing from the bitter sorrow that surrounded her sister. She needed to get out of there. If she didn't, that same sorrow would consume her and she refused to let herself go down that path. She continued to run, eyes still filled with tears, through the endless fields of apple trees. She sprinted out through the front gate and onto the dirt road in front of Sweet Apple Acres. 

She stopped, and looked back at her home.

As she stood there, silently staring at her home, she knew that after her argument with her sister, that she was alone. There was no sense in telling Big Mac or Granny about her dream. If Princess Luna was right, then they too will react the same. She knew, deep down, that she had to do this without them. It hurt knowing that her family had allowed pain and sorrow to enter their hearts and willingly consume them. She was the only one who truly believed that they were still out there somewhere.

She mindlessly made her way towards town. She was determined to answer love’s call, find her parents, and bring them home. To do that, however, she needed to speak to a Changeling first. 

Luckily, she knew of one.


After walking through the bustling streets of Ponyville for some time, she finally reached her destination at the edge of town. She approached a large castle door and knocked loudly, listening to the sound of her knocking as it echoed through the castle corridors inside.

Almost instantly, the large door began to open revealing a short, purple and green dragon.

“Oh! Hey Apple Bloom!” he said happily. “What brings you here?”

“Hey Spike. I was wondering if I could speak to Twilight about something.”

“Yeah sure! What for?”

She froze. 

She tapped her hoof on the crystal steps as she started to think of a compelling lie.

“I was just uhh… hoping that Twilight could help me with uhh…” 

Spike raised an eyebrow.

“I was hoping that Twilight could help me... write a school report,” she finally said with a forced smile.

Spike let out a smile of his own. 

“Oh! Of course! You came to the right place! If anypony knows how to write an A-worthy report, it’s Twilight!”

He then fully opened the castle doors, creating a loud creaking sound that echoed through the hallways. “Right this way! She’s in the library.”

She walked through the castle doors and into a vast, crystalline hallway. Every square inch was covered in shimmering crystal rocks. The floors, walls, and ceiling glistened, so much so that they seemed to be emanating their own sparkling aura.

After walking through the hallway, the two finally reached the doors leading into a large library, filled with numerous shelves that were jam-packed with books. 

Upon entering, Apple Bloom could see the purple alicorn busily reading a book while seated behind a large crystal table.

“Apple Bloom!” she said happily, seeing them enter from the corner of her eye. She placed a bookmark onto the page she was reading before closing it. “What brings you here?”

“She’s writing a report for school,” said Spike as he began to pick up books from the table to return back onto the vast shelves.

“Ooo! A report? How exciting! Lucky for you, I’ve written thousands of reports and essays, many of which became published. Just last week, I finished writing one on the theory of inter-dimensional travel while utilizing quantum physics based on simple theories of relativity! Isn't that exciting?” she said with a smile. 

She looked at her with a dull face, seeing Spike do the same, her intellectual remark going completely over their heads.

“Yeah… I don’t think Apple Bloom’s report will require anything complex like that,” Spike said rolling his eyes as he continued to carry the books.

“Oh… of course,” she said, blushing from embarrassment. “So what’s your report about?

“Oh. Umm… just a report on Changelings,” said Apple Bloom as she rubbed her arm with her hoof.

“Changelings?” she said surprisingly. “Really?”

“Yeah, you know… basically a report on their recent developments, being that they recently reformed from being creepy insect creatures that fed off love, to beautiful creatures that now share love.”

“That sounds like an interesting topic. Unfortunately, I don’t have any books or scrolls about that since it did just happen recently.”

“I know. I was actually hoping that you could possibly… teleport me to the Changeling Kingdom? So that I could interview Thorax?” 

Twilight looked at her with intent. “Hmm," she said as she started to pace around the room. "It just so happens that I just perfected my long-distance teleportation spell with Starlight. However, it would be tricky, being that I’ve only been to the Changeling Kingdom once. Plus, it’s a bit trickier teleporting another pony with me.” 

She suddenly stopped pacing and looked directly at her, raising an eyebrow. “Wait. Is Applejack okay with this?” 

She started to tap her hoof on the floor once more. Just like her sister, it was difficult for her to lie, especially to her friend, but she knew it was for the best.

“Yeah of course she is!” she said with another forced smile. “She actually suggested that I come to you for help.”

Despite her poor attempt at lying, it seemed to have worked. 

“Okay!” she exclaimed happily, “As long as she’s okay with it.”

“Yup. She sure is,” she mumbled under her breath.

“Alright. Now, be sure to stay close to me.”

“How close?” 

Before she knew it, Twilight had her in a tight hug.

“Umm… Twilight? Is this necessary?” she asked, barely being able to breath.

“Sorry,” Twilight said, loosening her grip. “It’s just that we have to be careful. Long distance teleportation with another pony can be tricky, as I mentioned before. I just don't want us to be separated."

She then turned to Spike, who was busy placing the last set of books back onto the shelves. "Spike! We’ll be back! Oh and tell Starlight that I’ll be gone for awhile.”

“Yup! Sure thing! See ya guys!” he said happily as he waved goodbye. 

Twilight’s horn began to glow with a purple light, a sparkling glow beginning to surround them. 

Apple Bloom watched in amazement as the aura soon engulfed them in a sparkling veil. And then suddenly…

Poof!

Before she even realized, she found herself standing in a near-desolate wasteland, with the exception of a few green trees that were spread throughout the plains, along with some small patches of green grass that were beginning to sprout across the land. In the distance, she could see a blue river, its waters gently reflecting the sun, causing the river to gleam beautifully.

“We’re here!” Twilight exclaimed. “Welcome to the Changeling Kingdom!”

She looked around intently. “So this is it?” 

“Yup. Although, it does look a bit different since the last time I was here. It was a barren wasteland, with nothing but dead trees. And there definitely wasn’t grass or a river here before… but never mind that.” 

Twilight then turned her attention to a large castle-like structure that sat in the distance. 

“That over there is the Changeling nest. Follow me!”

After walking through the wasteland, the two ponies finally made their way to the foot of the nest where they were greeted by two Changeling guards. 

They looked very different from their previous forms, as seen in Apple Bloom’s dream. She gazed in awe at these creatures, admiring what love's power had done to them. They still looked like insects, but their bodies had unique, yet beautiful, vibrant blends of colors, along with sparkling wings and majestic horns on their head.

“Greetings Princess Twilight!” the two Changelings said as they bowed. “What brings you to our beloved kingdom?”

“I have a little filly here who needs to speak with your king, Thorax. She’s doing a school report.”

The two Changelings smiled. “But of course! Right this way!”

Apple Bloom followed Twilight and the two guards into the nest. She admired in wonder at the numerous openings and passages that lined the ceiling and walls. It was like a bee-hive, however the passages, tunnels, and openings sporadically sealed itself closed, while another one opened simultaneously. Dozens of Changelings buzzed overhead, busily traversing through the nest's network of tunnels. They seemed to know exactly where and when an opening was going to appear, an intriguing sight to see.

“Be sure to follow us closely,” said one of the Changelings. “It’s very easy to get lost in here.”

“Did you bring a pen and paper?” asked Twilight with concern. “I think it would be a good idea to be taking notes right about now.”

“Oh! Yeah. Don’t worry about it,” Apple Bloom said as she looked around. “I got all of it in my head.”

Twilight, however, was not keen with her answer. “Okay,” she said pettily. “If you say so.”


The two ponies followed the Changelings through an opening, which led back outside and onto a large balcony that overlooked the entire wasteland below. Towards the edge of the balcony was a large, regal, stone-like throne and on its seat was a tall, beautifully colored Changeling, with majestic horns, its purple wings spread out, glistening in the sunlight.

“This here was the throne room,” Twilight said, resuming her history lesson, “It unfortunately blew up after our last showdown with Chrysalis, but I see they decided to make the most out of it! Pretty neat right?”

Uninterested, Apple Bloom began to follow the Changeling guards towards the Changeling king.

“We have guests for you, Thorax,” said one of the guards as they bowed their heads.

“I can see that," he said smiling as he flew down to greet them. "Princess Twilight! How are you? What brings you here?” 

“Hello Thorax,” Twilight said happily. “I see you did a little yard-work outside?”

He began to laugh. “It’s funny. After we defeated Chrysalis and transformed, the land around us started to change as well! Before we knew it, trees, grass, and even flowers began to grow. Oh and that river over in the distance was dry, up until recently.”

“Really!?” Twilight exclaimed, “That’s so fascinating! Do you think-“

“Ahem.” Apple Bloom said subtly, clearing her throat.

“Oh! This is Apple Bloom! Applejack’s little sister," said Twilight as she nudged her towards Thorax. “She’s here because she’s doing a school report on the recent events that transpired here.”

“Is that so?” he asked intently. “I’m guessing you want to ask me a few questions?”

“Well, yes your majesty, but-“

“Please, just call me Thorax,” he said with a smile.

“Well, Thorax, I do want to ask you some questions, but not for a school report. I’m actually here for… umm… family business,” she said nervously, knowing that she had to finally reveal the truth.

Thorax quickly turned to Twilight, confused. “What kind of family business?”

“I’m here because of my parents. You see, they disappeared when I was only a baby. Everyone, including my family, believe that they’re gone… for good. But I have reason to believe otherwise."

“What?” Twilight exclaimed. “You mean you lied to me?”

“I’m sorry Twilight, but I needed to talk to Thorax! I knew that you wouldn’t teleport me here willingly, so I sort of… lied.”

To Thorax, she resumed her explanation. 

“I had a dream last night. It was very vivid and detailed. It showed my parents. They were traveling on a gravel road, high up in the mountains somewhere.” 

She stopped, and closed her eyes, the sounds and images from that dream still fresh in her mind.

“Go on,” Thorax said as he placed his hoof on her shoulder.

She continued. 

“I saw my parents. They were surrounded by a large group of Changelings. This was in the past, so this was way before you guys became reformed. Anyways, they attacked my parents and then suddenly, Queen Chrysalis appeared. She said that they were hers, and then she attacked them with a surge of magic. I’m not sure what happened to them exactly. After my nightmare passed, Princess Luna appeared and told me that my dream was a memory, a memory from my parents. She explained to me that my parents were calling out to me.”

Thorax closed his eyes, thinking about what she had just said. 

“Apple Bloom,” Twilight began gently, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I wasn’t sure if you would’ve taken me here,” she said softly. “It was my idea to come to you. Applejack doesn’t even know I’m here. She's actually pretty upset with me.”

Twilight hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry Apple Bloom. You know that you can come to me for anything right?"

"I know. I should’ve known that," she said with a smile. "Thanks Twilight." 

She had always been there for her, sort of like an older sister. She felt foolish for ever thinking that she wouldn't help her. 

Thorax, after contemplating to himself quietly, began to speak. 

“There was a story that was told to us by Chrysalis herself that she had had, at one point in her life, possession of the strongest source of love that she had ever encountered, so strong that it was able to sustain and feed the entire Changeling colony for many, many years.”

 "What was it?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Nopony knows exactly. There were rumors that only a select few knew about this love source, but they were part of Chrysalis's inner circle and nopony knows where they are now. However, after hearing your story, it all makes sense.”

“What makes sense?” asked Twilight.

“You mentioned that you saw your parents on a gravel road, high above the mountains right?” 

Apple Bloom nodded.

“Before moving here to this nest, we had another nest. In fact, we have several spread throughout Equestria, but all of them are abandoned now. The area you described in your dream sounded a lot like High Mountain Pass. Coincidentally, we had a nest near there, which, funny enough, is the one we used to live in before moving here. That’s where we heard Chrysalis tell her story about the all-powerful love source.”

“So you think that my parents are this love source? And that they were taken captive there?” 

Thorax nodded. 

"I have never seen them, nor have any other Changeling to my knowledge. However, Chrysalis did have secret entryways and passages that she alone could access. It’s possible she kept them in one of those secret chambers without any Changeling knowing about it."

“Then what are we waiting for?” Apple Bloom said impatiently. “Let’s get moving!”

“Apple Bloom,” Thorax began, “You should know that, that love source eventually… ceased.”

She shot him a stern look. She knew exactly what he was implying and she refused to accept it. 

“No. You’re wrong. If they were truly gone, then they wouldn’t have been able to call out to me!”

“I suppose it is possible…” he began, still filled with doubt.

“I know they’re alive. I can feel it,” she said as she held her hoof over her heart.

“Love’s call,” he said with a smile.

“Wait. You know about it?” she asked with surprise.

“Yes. We Changelings started to experience it after our transformation. It’s truly a beautiful thing.”

She reached out her hoof. “Will you help me?”

Thorax let out a smile and held her hoof tightly. "Absolutely."

“Hold on!” exclaimed Twilight, who had been quietly listening to them talk. 

“You’re not planning on taking her to High Mountain Pass, are you? That's all the way in the Smokey Mountains!"

“With all due respect, you have to let her go. She has to answer love’s call. Her parents may well indeed be alive.”

He then knelt down, allowing Apple Bloom to climb up on his back.

“I understand that but it’s dangerous!” said Twilight. “Apple Bloom, you can’t go out there by yourself! You have no idea what’s out there!”

“I do,” she said confidently. “My parents are out there and I’m going to get them back. Besides, I’m not truly alone. I have Thorax!”

“I swear to you, I will protect her at all costs,” Thorax said as he began to stand up with Apple Bloom on his back.

“Apple Bloom stop! You can’t go! Let’s at least talk to your family about this!” cried Twilight.

But Thorax continued his ascent, with Apple Bloom sitting comfortably on her back.

Twilight hurriedly began to fly after them, frantically flapping her wings. “Apple Bloom! Please don’t do this!”

“I’m sorry Twilight, but I have to!"

“Hold on tight!” Thorax said as he began to accelerate into the sky, leaving Twilight hovering in the air as she stared helplessly at them.

With the cool wind rushing across her face, she peered down, the landscape now in clear view, seeing newly grown trees, flowers, and grass that Thorax had mentioned before.

“You’re right! The landscape is changing! It’s beautiful!”

“All because of love,” he said proudly. “Without it, life would be desolate and barren, just like how the landscape used to be before.”

Suddenly, she could feel a familiar sensation quickly beginning to build from within her, its feeling becoming stronger with each passing moment. Holding her hoof over her heart once more, she let out a tearful smile.

“I hear you,” she said as she looked to the Smokey Mountains in the distance. “I hear you... and I’m coming.”
> Chapter 3: The Quest (Part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------






Chapter 3



The Quest (Part 2)




Apple Bloom continued to look out to the northwest at the blue colored Smokey Mountains in the horizon, its peaks filled with glistening white snow, barely visible through a thick layer of mist. She could see the mountain range growing closer into her view as she and Thorax continued to fly speedily across the chilly blue Equestrian skies. She stared at the mountains, quietly sitting on Thorax’s back, wondering about the dangers that Princess Luna mentioned the night before.

 So far so good.

But still, she had this underlying feeling that the worst was still yet to come. The feeling of love’s call was, at the moment, no longer present. Instead, a new sense of worry began to creep in at the thought of what awaited them at the old Changeling nest. 

“Hey Thorax? What do you think is over there in the old nest?”

“Don’t worry Apple Bloom”, he said reassuringly. “After the incident with Chrysalis, we Changelings investigated almost all the old nests spread throughout Equestria. They were completely empty.”

Almost?

“But what about this one? Did you explore it already?" 

“Well… no,” he admitted, “There are still a few nests that we need to check out but don’t worry. This nest should be empty. It’s been years since any Changeling lived in those catacombs. All of us who are living in our current nest in the Mysterious South, migrated from the nest that we’re going to now.”

She still was a bit fearful, however, Thorax was right. The nest should be empty. Should. Didn’t mean that it actually was.

She averted her gaze from the mountains to the landscape around her in hopes to keep her mind distracted, and to her content, it did just that. She could see all of Equestria, its vast lands spreading in every direction, meeting the blue skies on the horizons on each end. So large and grand and yet, everything seemed so small while looking down, high up from the clouds. It was truly a breathtaking sight. Her fears and worries began to diminish as she stared, awestruck at the amazing view.

Looking down below, she could see small villages, nestled gently across rolling green hills, accompanied with tall trees, their thick canopies reaching up into the air.

Taking in the sights around her, she recalled the map of Equestria that hung on the wall of her classroom, a map that she would occasionally study from time to time. Gazing ahead of her to the north, past the Smokey Mountains, she could easily point out Mount Everhoof, the tallest mountain in all of Equestria, standing mightily over all the other snowy mountain peaks of the Crystal Mountain Range. 

To the west, she could make out the unknown lands of the Undiscovered West, an area she heard from class, was where many explorers ventured, never to be heard from again. Its mysterious lands, filled with uncharted mountain ranges and forests, stretched endlessly beyond the western horizon. The land looked harmless and peaceful, however she could sense an ominous feeling as she stared at it, feeling as if the strange land was waiting, waiting patiently to devour any curious pony looking to discover its hidden secrets.

Bordering the Undiscovered West to the north was the tranquil North Luna Ocean, sitting adjacent to the Smokey Mountains. Much like the princess it was named for, the color of its icy waters were dark midnight blue, lying calm and gentle in the distance. She was entranced by the ocean’s serenity as she gazed at the small white glaciers, floating peacefully in the still waters, reflecting the rays from Celestia's afternoon sun.

“Hey Apple Bloom. Look to your right. You see that tall mountain?”

She turned to where Thorax was pointing, seeing the tall mountain standing perfectly in the center of Equestria by itself, standing far away in the east, just barely visible on the horizon. She could just barely make out its majestic waterfalls, its waters sparkling in the sunlight as it cascaded down the mountainside. Built into its cliffs was a large regal castle, standing over small buildings and houses.

“Is that Canterlot?” 

“Yes,” he said smiling, looking at Celestia and Luna’s castle in the distance. “And do you see that small speck just a bit south of it? That’s Ponyville.”

She quickly strained her eyes, having a hard time at first but eventually making out the small speck that laid innocently in the Equestrian landscape.

“So this is what pegasi and alicorns see,” she said in wonder. “We’re all just a tiny speck. I never knew the world was so big.”

“You don’t fly often do you?” Thorax said with a chuckle.

“Well no, considering I don’t have wings,” she retorted with a smile.

She continued to stare at the small town of Ponyville, the chilling breeze wrapping around her. She was so far away from home. She thought about Applejack and the rest of her family, thinking about how angry and worried they must be, for by now, Twilight surely had told them about her quest.




After an hour or so, the two began to close in on their destination, located deep within the Smokey Mountains.

“Hang on tight!” Thorax called out as he slowly made his way down. “These mountains are called the Smokey Mountains for a reason. The thick mist can be blinding at times.”

Apple Bloom held Thorax tightly by his orange horns, seeing a large cloud of mist approach them as they descended. She shivered as the mist touched her coat, leaving behind chilling droplets of water. She couldn’t see anything through the impenetrable layer of mist. She looked at Thorax worriedly, scared that he might accidentally crash into a jagged mountainside, but the lack of expression on his face gave her some sense of comfort. After a brief moment, the fog began to clear, revealing an enormous valley of tall blue mountains which began to slowly engulf them as they descended. 

Thorax continued to soar through the vast mountain range, gliding gently through the misty air, carefully navigating past rocky behemoths that were scattered throughout the valley.

After making their way around a tall mountain peak, Apple Bloom could see something familiar, directly in front of them, lying on a mountainside as it snaked through the valley. 

“Is that…” she began to say, losing her thought while she stared.

“Yes,” he said dismally. “That’s the road from your dream. That’s High Mountain Pass.”

She stared grimly at the gravel road, becoming more visible as she and Thorax approached it. The sight of it sent shivers down her spine, as it was exactly how she envisioned it in her dream: the narrow gravel road, the steep rocky cliff that led down into a deep ravine, and she could even hear that same dreadful howl from the winds that flowed through it. 

She continued to stare at the road until they flew over it, along with the mountain that held it.

“The Changeling nest is just a little ways more,” said Thorax, breaking her train of thought. “You see that mountain over there?”

She looked ahead and saw a tall blue mountain, slightly covered by mist, standing only a short distance away. It looked much like the rest, but this one was isolated, segregated from the others.

“The mountain is a nest?” she asked in surprise.

“Kinda cool isn't it? Unlike the others, this nest was built within the mountain. Like the one you saw before, there are an endless amount of changing passageways and tunnels that run inside.”

It looked anything but cool. Much like the road, the sight of the mountain gave her an unsettling chill, but as they drew closer, it felt more sinister, almost as if the mountain itself was radiating an invisible, malevolent aura.

Thorax began to descend upon a large cliff that hung off the Changeling mountain and upon landing, the two came face to face with the mountain’s tall jagged side. 

She sat quietly and looked around.

“So… what are we waitin’ for exactly?” she asked.

“Remember, this is a Changeling nest. The openings constantly open and close. If my memory is correct, there should be an opening here. We just have to wait.”

Not long after he said this, she heard a soft rumble, slowly growing louder with each passing second. She noticed that the mountainside began to change, a small opening emerging, quickly growing in size. It continued to grow until finally it stopped, creating a large gaping cavern leading into a black abyss.

“We need to hurry,” said Thorax as he knelt down to let her off his back. “Like all the other openings, this one will seal itself shut soon.”

Apple Bloom jumped off the Changeling’s back and hurriedly followed him, who immediately began to sprint ahead of her into the cavern. She chased after him, but stopped, standing a mere inches from the cave’s opening. She froze as she peered inside, face to face with impenetrable darkness. 

“Apple Bloom! Where are you!?” Thorax called out, his voice echoing from deep within the cave.

She closed her eyes, attempting to clear her mind, reminding herself why she was here, why she traveled so far away from home. 

I need to find them. I need to bring them home... I need to bring them home.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way into the cavern, forcing her legs to move as she slowly inched her way into the abyss, the darkness slowly engulfing her with each step she took, along with the dense cold air that it harbored. 

“Thorax?” she called out, her voice strained from the unexpected coldness that was in the air. She could barely see, the only light being from the dull sunlight that seeped from the outside.

Without warning, the soft rumble she heard just moments before began again. Turning around, she saw the opening beginning to close, the light from the outside that lit up the dark cave fading until finally, she was standing in complete darkness. She turned once more and looked around, blinded by the dark.

“Thorax! Thorax where are you?” Apple Bloom called out, her voice bouncing around the catacombs.

Her eyes gradually adjusted to the dull green glow that radiated from the stalagmites and stalactites that lined the cave. She could make out the hive-like interior of the nest, which looked exactly like the nest she had left hours before, with multiple openings that lined the ceiling and walls, opening and closing sporadically. The only difference was the deafening silence that filled this nest. There was no life, no Changelings buzzing around in the air. The only sound heard was her deep panicked breathing, along with the sound of the numerous passageways shifting.

She caught glimpse of a blue light illuminating from one of the tunnels a few feet away from her. She stood there in the dark, panic building once more, trying desperately to move but fear rooting her hooves firmly into the ground. The only thing she could do was wait, wait to see what horror appeared from that passageway, but to her relief, a friendly face appeared, illuminated by a blue magic that glowed from its horns.

The fear that held her quickly melted away, regaining the feeling in her legs as she sprinted over to her friend.

“Thorax! I’m over here!”

Upon seeing her, he sprinted towards her.

“There you are!” he exclaimed in relief as he hugged her tightly. “I was so worried! As soon as I entered the nest, the passageway shifted on me unexpectedly. I had no idea where I was. Are you okay?"

“Yeah. I am now!” 

“I’m so sorry. I thought I could navigate through this nest, but it has been so long since I was here.”

“It’s alright. We're together again so that's all that matters. Now then,” she said as she looked around, “where is this secret room you mentioned that Chrysalis had?”

“I believe she had one in her throne room.”

As he said this, a passageway opened on the wall adjacent to them.

“Let’s go this way,” he said. “Follow me closely. We don’t want to be separated again.”

She obediently followed him, making sure to walk closely behind the Changeling, his magical horns illuminating the dark corridors as he led the way.

The entire hive was dead silent. The only sound heard was the various passageways opening and closing, along with the sound of their hoofsteps echoing as they continued their way through the shifting maze.

For a few minutes, she followed the Changeling king through the nest’s network of changing tunnels, slowly making their way deeper and deeper into the heart of the mountain. 

“Sheesh. I wish a brought my winter coat!” she exclaimed as she shivered, feeling the air around her becoming much denser.

Thorax did not say anything. He continued to make his way through the shifting openings, his movements becoming much less irregular and random. He began to approach each newly opened passageway with sudden confidence, almost to the point where it seemed as if he knew where and when an opening was going to appear. 

“So… do you remember how to get there now? It looks like you’re makin’ your way through the nest pretty easily,” she said curiously.

He froze in his tracks.

“Yeah, I uhh,” he stammered, “I remember much clearer now. We're just about there.” He then continued to walk through the tunnel.

She could sense that something was off, but before she could ask, he stopped again, this time, in front of a newly opened passageway.

“We’re here.” 

He then proceeded into the opening, as she reluctantly followed behind.

She found herself standing in a massive throne room. It looked very much like the throne room she saw before, with a rocky throne, stalagmites and stalactites that lined the room, along with other rock structures, however this one was fully enclosed, sealed tightly from the outside. Aside from the familiarity of the room, she noticed something peculiar, hanging from the rocky ceiling. Squinting her eyes through the dimly lit room, she could see a glowing green chrysalis, dangling from the cavern’s ceiling. Focusing more, she could see something was in it, but after a brief moment, she realized that it wasn’t something but rather… somepony.

She gasped.

It was Thorax, hanging inverted, sealed tightly within the chrysalis.

She returned her gaze at the Changeling standing next to her, her heart beating faster and faster as she slowly backed away.

“What’s the matter?” he said quietly, his back facing her as she continued to back away until she had her back against a rocky wall.

“Scared?” he hissed as he turned towards her, his glowing horns illuminating a spiteful smile.

“Who are you!?” she said as she cowered against the cavern’s wall. She then heard familiar sounds echoing softly through the cavern, chilling sounds that she had heard from her dream the night before. It was as if a thousand serpents were hissing at once, slowly becoming louder until eventually, she could see a black mass emerge from behind the impostor.

Standing directly behind him were a dozen of Changelings, but unlike the ones she encountered in the Mysterious South, these Changelings were in their previous, un-reformed state, their unsettling appearance exactly as she remembered from her nightmare.

The impostor began to glow, a green magic engulfing him, which quickly vanished and in his place, stood a horrid sight.

She stared at the tall dark being standing just a few feet in front of her. 

“Chrysalis,” she said with a scowl, her fear now replaced with anger. 

“That’s Queen Chrysalis to you!” the Changeling snapped.

Her and her subjects began making their way towards her. With nowhere to go, she stood her ground. 

“Don’t you dare come any closer!” she said firmly, gritting her teeth. 

“Oh how adorable!” the queen exclaimed as she laughed, “But don’t worry. I won’t do anything to you… yet. Not until I get some answers.”

The queen turned towards the green chrysalis that encased Thorax. Her crooked horn glowed with a green magic and immediately, the casing dropped to the floor with a resounding thud that filled the entire throne room.

The chrysalis cracked open and Thorax began to regain his consciousness. He slowly made his way out of the chrysalis and clumsily stood on his hooves, groggy from the spell that put him in a deep sleep.

“Pleasure of you to join us, traitor!” Chrysalis hissed.

A few of the Changelings standing with Chrysalis quickly made their way to Thorax, surrounding him.

He looked around frantically, spotting Apple Bloom.

“Apple Bloom!” he called as he hurriedly made his way to her, but was swiftly cut off by a barricade of Changelings.

Looking over the horde, he could see Apple Bloom with Chrysalis standing over her. He looked sternly at his former queen, while Chrysalis responded with a smirk.

“You okay Apple Bloom?” asked Thorax.

“Yeah, so far. Looks like the nest isn’t quite as empty as you hoped."

“I can see that,” he said as he glared at Chrysalis.

“Now that the gang's all here, why don’t we just cut to the chase,” Chrysalis said, making her way to Thorax. “Why are you here?”

“Where are my parents!?” Apple Bloom shouted, not giving Thorax a chance to explain.

Chrysalis quickly spun around. “What was that dear?” she asked, making her way over to her.

“You heard me! Where are they!?” 

She didn't respond. Instead, she slowly made her way towards her, curiosity filling her eyes.

“I know the truth!” Apple Bloom continued to say, “You took them from High Mountain Pass years ago didn’t you? You and your subjects. I saw it happen. Now tell me where they are!”

Chrysalis stopped, now standing over her. She lowered her head, staring into her eyes, her face only a few inches from her's.

Apple Bloom could see the Changeling’s misty breath coming from her nostrils, quickly dissipating in the cold air that surrounded them as she continued to stare at her, but she wasn’t intimidated nor afraid. She wanted answers. She waited too long and came a long way to find out the truth about her parents and she wasn’t going to leave empty-hoofed.

“Your name. Apple Bloom was it?” she asked, continuing to look at her, examining her as if she were some bug under a microscope. 

“Can it be?” she exclaimed, her eyes widening. “Could this be the child of my two precious blossoms?”

Apple Bloom stared back at her with confusion.

Chrysalis let out a smile as she laughed with delight. “Oh but it is! The crimson mane and fair colored coat! Why, you look exactly like him!”

Apple Bloom’s eyes grew. “You know exactly who I’m talking about don’t you!? Where are they!?”

Chrysalis backed away, still smiling at her. “But of course I know who you are talking about. My two blossoms!”

She made her way to Thorax and looked at him with a displeasing smile. “I’m afraid you two are far too late. They’re no longer here.”

Chrysalis turned, shooting a cold gaze to Apple Bloom. “They’re gone… for good.”

“You’re lying,” she began as she made her way over to the queen, ignoring the Changelings that hissed at her along the way. “They called me here. They showed me in a dream what had happened to them all those years ago.”

“What do you mean they called you?”

“Love’s call,” Thorax responded, looking to Chrysalis and her loyal subjects. “Something that none of you will understand.”

Chrysalis stared at them both, puzzled. “You’re right. I have no idea what you two are blabbering about. But believe me, they are gone.”

Apple Bloom became impatient, shaking her head in frustration as to what Chrysalis had said. “I know they are here!” she cried, “I felt them! Now you better tell me where they are or I’ll-“

“THEY ARE DEAD!” Chrysalis snapped with a hiss as she made her way to Apple Bloom. “When my subjects informed me that they had come across a potentially strong love source, I immediately traveled to that mountain trail, and what I found were two ponies. Indeed I sensed that their love was unique, the strongest I had ever encountered. I knew I needed that love in order to feed my starving colony, so as any good queen would’ve done, I took them captive in this very nest, allowing them to live the rest of their pathetic lives as I drained every last bit of love they had. What I did not expect is the sheer power of their love. They provided me, and my colony, an overwhelming amount of love that continued to feed us for years to come. Oh, you would’ve been so proud of them as they struggled to continue on, day after day, night after night, as I consumed their love. It was quite impressive. Over time, however, they passed away, fulfilling their purpose. After this, I knew I needed to find another source, which is why we migrated. Eventually I came across that sorry excuse for a princess, Cadence and her beloved Shining Armor, however their love did not compare to the love in which your parents had."

She paused, now standing only a few feet from Apple Bloom whose eyes were starting to brim with tears. Chrysalis turned away from her and began making her way back to the throne, as if she felt pity for her.

But she continued her story. “They were truly a one-of-a-kind, perfect pair. They were my two ‘precious blossoms’, at least that’s what I called them anyways. I never knew their names. They only referred to themselves as Bright Blossom and Butter Blossom, but I figured that those were not their true names. I did not care. All I cared for was the sweet, delicious, love that they gave me and my colony.”

Apple Bloom stood there in utter shock, her eyes cascading with tears. She refused to believe anything she had just heard as she closed her eyes, shaking her head once more as the tears streamed down her face and onto the cold rocky floor.

“No,” she said weakly, struggling to breathe, feeling as if the life was being sucked out of her. “No. You… You’re lying.”

“You still don’t believe me?” asked Chrysalis, with a scoff. “See for yourself then.”

She flew up towards her rocky throne that towered over the room. As she stood there, her horn began to glow once more.

Suddenly, Apple Bloom could feel the floor beneath her shake, seeing a large passageway beginning to appear on the floor at the foot of the throne.

She cautiously made her way to the opening.

“Apple Bloom wait! It could be a trick!” Thorax called out from behind the horde.

“Silence!” snapped Chrysalis. She then looked at Apple Bloom, a look of genuine sincerity in her eyes. “I speak the truth. See for yourself.”

Apple Bloom peered down into the opening, seeing a flight of rocky steps that descended into complete darkness.

Thorax glared at Chrysalis, his horns beginning to glow. “I swear, if anything happens to her I-“

“I’ll be fine Thorax,” Apple Bloom said with a nod. “It’s time I found out the truth.”