> The Last Crusade
>  by Paradigm Shine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Last Crusade
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Apple Bloom held her breath as she gazed out the clubhouse window. The sun was beginning to dip below the tree line as the sky turned a soft, beautiful orange. Night began to creep its fingers across the sky, silently snuffing out the day.

Twilight.

Apple Bloom rushed to the other window, facing Sweet Apple Acres. They told her they'd come from the Apple family barn this time. And the time was right - Apple Bloom had already attempted the math in her head several times over to confirm that. She had always been an impatient filly - well, perhaps not as impatient as Scootaloo - but when something was on her mind, she just couldn't let it go. Nothing would change that.

Her heart beat feverishly, and she began to feel as if she were breaking into a cold sweat. Although she felt no moisture, just the sensation. She remembered that feeling - it meant anxiety. She'd felt it often enough before, whether it was from her sister Applejack's annoyance with her from some clumsy mistake, or perhaps just a bad feeling before one of Scootaloo's ridiculous cutie mark crusader schemes.

The filly smiled softly. They'd been through so much together, the three of them. Just the thought of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle made Apple Bloom's heart skip a beat in joy.

Her thoughts turned to her sister, Applejack. Oh, how Apple Bloom wished she would come to the clubhouse tonight too, but the filly knew it couldn't be. Applejack was just too old for this. She was too mature for "mumbo jumbo", as she would call it. It saddened Apple Bloom to think about it, but she knew too well how stubborn her sister was. She just couldn't see things the way her friends could. But at least she had them. Being a blank flank, the fear of loneliness had always plagued Apple Bloom, the fear of being shut out, having nopony to talk to. Initially, the growing pain had been a curse, but it was because of that very curse that she had befriended Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle in the first place. And they were incredible friends, the best anypony could ever ask for. Apple Bloom knew for sure, these days more than ever, that they would never ever leave her.

The sound of hoofsteps broke Apple Bloom away from her thoughts. She sniffed, and quickly wiped her eyes with a hoof. It was still habit, and she certainly wanted to do as much as she could to look strong in front of her friends. They had to see that she was alright.

She looked out the clubhouse door again and saw two small figures making their way along the path. Apple Bloom could barely suppress the widest grin she'd made in a long time. The filly quickly sidled herself up against the wall, ready to jump out at any unsuspecting pony to open the clubhouse door.

A knock resounded from the door, and it opened slowly. "Applebloom? We're back, are you in there?" Sweetie Belle's voice was as sweet as her name.

"Of course she's in there! Where else would she be, huh?" Scootaloo's voice, though rough and blunt, was just as sweet to Apple Bloom's ears.

"Well I don't know, maybe she's - "

"BOO!"

Apple Bloom leapt out of her hiding place, all the while scrunching her face up, trying to look as terrifying as possible. Sweetie Belle screamed and shot out of the clubhouse like a bullet. Scootaloo's eyes went wide, but her eyelids soon dropped, unamused.

"That's original." The orange filly dead-panned, a smirk creeping on her face.

"Oh shut it, Scoot! Ah'm mighty scary!"

"Ya call that scary? I'm ten times more scary than you, and I'm not even - " Scootaloo's voice trailed off. She looked to the side and cleared her throat. "Hey, Sweetie Belle! Come on, stop being such a scaredy-pony, it's only Apple Bloom!"

There was a silence. Then, there was the clambering of hooves and a white filly burst through the door, embracing Apple Bloom with her outstretched forelegs. Apple Bloom threw her strong-pony facade out the window and returned the hug as best she could, dry tears running down her cheeks as she pressed her head into Sweetie's soft mane.

"Ah'd be lyin' if Ah didn't say Ah missed you two like heck!" Apple Bloom sobbed into Sweetie's mane. "Ah know you guys had that trip ta Canterlot, and Ah really do hope ya had fun. And Ah know y'all can't stay here twenty four seven, but sometimes, Ah just dunno what ta do! All Ah got is mah thoughts ta keep me company! Ah can't do this, Sweetie! Ah can't..."

Apple Bloom looked up at her friends to see her own feelings reflected on their faces. Even Scoot's eyes were welling up with tears. She didn't like seeing them like this. Not for her sake.

"Ah'm sorry guys, Ah don't wanna put this on you." She sniffed. "How's Applejack?"

Sweetie's voice cracked. "Sh-she's great, Apple Bloom!"

"Yeah, almost as cool as Rainbow Dash these days!"

Apple Bloom smiled at the mention of Dash. As always, she was still Scootaloo's hero. Apple Bloom hadn't been in Ponyville much in the last couple months. She really wanted to go back into town, but it was just too close to...the Spot. She'd gone as far as Fluttershy's cottage, and it was nice to see the kind yellow pegasus again, but she really just didn't see everypony else anymore, except for those that stopped by the farm every now and then.

"Why don't you go back into the farmhouse?" Scootaloo asked. "I mean, at least you could see your family more often."

Apple Bloom shook her head. "Naw, Ah can't. Ah tried to a couple times but Ah think Ah cause them more trouble than anythin' else. Ah think they can hear me, and Ah always cause a racket. Ah don't wanna bother them. Or worse, scare 'em."

"How could they be afraid of you, Apple Bloom?" Sweetie Belle frowned. "You're the nicest pony I've ever met! We're not afraid of you! Nopony should be!"

"Well...y'all can see me, can't ya?"

"Of course!" Sweetie said matter-of-factly, but her face soon darkened at the sight of her friends' faces. "What?"

Apple Bloom sighed heavily. Scootaloo looked down, but her face soon hardened with a determined anger.

"THAT'S IT!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle jumped at the orange filly's sudden outburst. "I can't take this anymore! We're showing you to Applejack, come on!"

"Scoot! Yer crazy! Ya know what'll happen, they'll think you've gone bonkers! Please - "

"No, okay? I'm not just gonna let you stay here all alone and see you like this all the time! You're really lonely, Apple Bloom, and I can't just sit and watch!" Scootaloo shut her eyes tight as a new stream of tears was beginning to form. "I can't..." 

Apple Bloom trotted up to her, and placed a hoof around her shoulder. "Look Scoot, Ah know how ya feel. Gosh, Ah'd feel the same way if Ah were in yer situation. But it just ain't happenin' that way, and you know that. Ah know you guys care about me, and, in the same way, Ah worry about y'all too!"

"I just..." Scootaloo's voice was weak. "I just don't know what to do anymore...I worry about you all the time, and it just makes me feel empty inside."

"Well," Apple Bloom's voice became hard. "Ah've been doin' a lot a thinkin', girls. Ah've had a lotta time ta think. Maybe Ah've taken too long ta make up ma mind, but Ah know it's gotta be done." She swallowed. "Now."

Sweetie Belle's face was a mess of worry and confusion. She didn't know what her friend meant by all of this, and a part of her didn't want to find out. She realised that Scootaloo must've known better, as tears began to blind the orange filly's sight.

"The Spot? No, Apple Bloom..."

"Ah gotta, Scoot. Ah think everypony's gotta at some point. Please don't worry about me." Apple Bloom looked out the clubhouse window. Although the night had settled in, a brilliance of light, more spectacular than anything Apple Bloom had ever witnessed, sparkled in the distance, down in Ponyville. "Ah've been avoidin' that place this whole time, but Ah'm not afraid of it anymore, Scoot. Ya see, Ah've heard her talk ta me. She's been talkin' ta me a lot lately. She tells me it'll be okay, a-and Ah believe her, with all ma heart. The Princess wouldn't lie."

Scootaloo wiped her eyes and blinked at her friend. "Princess Celestia?"

Apple Bloom nodded.

"But...how?"

"Ah really don't know. Ah was as confused about it as you are. It's hard ta explain, but Ah just know she's down there, waitin' for me."

Sweetie Belle, who had been silent throughout Apple Bloom's revelation, looked at the yellow earth pony with wide eyes. "I don't get it, what's going on, Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom opened her mouth to speak, but as hard as she tried, no words would come out. She looked at her friend sadly, stuttering. Scootaloo managed a soft smile and cut in.

"We're going an another crusade, Sweetie." The orange pegasus gathered her friends into a group hug. "One last crusade."


- - -


The three fillies trotted on the country road in silence. So many times had they taken this route - the route from Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville. So many times they had galloped down the path together, laughing, playing, and acting outright silly. They had gotten into so much trouble then, and the route would often make use as somewhat of an escape from an angry adult, or worse: an angry older sister.

Now, they were travelling it again. But there was no laughter, no playing, no angry sisters to hide from. Only memories. But they were memories that the three would share together.

Apple Bloom trotted between her two friends. Her very best friends. Nothing would ever change that. A soft smile blessed her face, and her eyes were closed. She didn't need to see. She could already see everything within herself, all at once, past, present and future. She had travelled down this road so many times before. Her heart knew the way.

Sweetie Belle glanced at her friends. Even Scoot now had a nostalgic smile on her face. She didn't understand. They were so sad before - so was she. Why were they smiling now? Where were they going? What did Scoot mean by "one last crusade"? Should she be smiling too?

But as hard as the little filly tried she couldn't. Apple Bloom was her friend, and she just couldn't help but worry about her. Something was going to happen, she was sure of that. Something was already happening. But like before, she was still afraid to find out. 

Her thoughts turned to the past. Everything had become so strange after Hearth's Warming. Apple Bloom had stopped coming to school. She had stopped coming out to play. Rarity had said she was home sick, and needed rest. But days turned into weeks. Sweetie grew angry as everypony eventually stopped talking about her. Even Scootaloo grew quiet. They wouldn't tell her where Apple Bloom was. They wouldn't tell her anything.

Then, one day after school, Scootaloo came bounding into Carousel Boutique. She had found Apple Bloom; she was hiding in the clubhouse. Sweetie followed, and sure enough, there she was. They played, they laughed, they made mischief; it was just like before. But Apple Bloom would never want to go into Ponyville, and always stayed around Sweet Apple Acres. When Sweetie asked why, the old apple family stubbornness in her surfaced, and the earth pony would say she just couldn't. Sweetie had eventually stopped asking.

The strangest thing of all was that nopony really mentioned Apple Bloom. Applejack talked about her on occasion, but it was very strange whenever she did. She'd always wear a sad smile, and have a twinkle in her eye. The others would too, even Rarity. But whenever Sweetie would mention her new adventures with her earth pony friend, she'd get a weird look from her sister, and, on occasion, a stern one.

Then one night, Rarity had a talk with her. She had told her Apple Bloom was gone, and couldn't come back. Sweetie had entered a furious temper tantrum and cried herself to sleep that night. The next day, Sweetie frantically begged Apple Bloom to come to Carousel Boutique, but she wouldn't. Sweetie remembered how angry she had been at her friend. Even Scootaloo just looked at her sadly and shook her head.

But now, they were all going to Ponyville together. Sweetie Belle would have felt happy about it, if not for the lump in her throat, and beating of her heart. What was going on?

As the fillies entered the town of Ponyville, Apple Bloom opened her eyes and looked around. She wanted to take in every detail of the place: the colorful houses, the beautiful flowers, even the well worn dirt of the street beneath her hooves. She wanted to remember it. She wanted to remember everything.

The sparkling light was everywhere. It may have been night-time for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, but to her it was as bright as day. Soon, they would reach the Spot. Apple Bloom took a deep breath.

As the three fillies rounded a corner, Apple Bloom stopped. She looked ahead, but the fear in her heart that she had expected didn't come. In fact, she felt happy, really happy. The earth pony smiled, her eyes sparkling beautifully. Scootaloo let out a sigh, accompanied by a single wet tear. Sweetie Belle simply looked at her friends, wide-eyed.

"What is it, Apple Bloom?" The white filly asked, confused. "Why are you staring like that? You look like you've seen a ghost. Well, if ghosts were really pretty, I guess." She followed Apple Bloom's gaze and pouted in confusion. 

Ponyville Hospital. Was this the Spot?

"They are pretty, Sweetie Belle." Scootaloo's gaze went to Apple Bloom, and then back to the white filly. The orange pegasus smiled. A thousand thoughts suddenly went through Sweetie Belle's mind as she pieced together the puzzle that had stumped her for so long. At last, she began to understand. But she wasn't sure she liked that at all.

"No..." Sweetie Belle sobbed as her eyes grew watery. "Apple Bloom, t-tell me it's gonna be fine. T-tell me you're still okay..."

Apple Bloom looked away from her invisible wonder and turned to Sweetie Belle. "Ah am okay, Sweetie. In fact, Ah'm great!" Apple Bloom's grand smile softened as she realised the sorrow in her friend's eyes.

"Look, what yer thinkin' about me right now, Ah'm sorry Sweetie, but it's true. Ah was sick, Sweetie, real sick, and...well..." Apple Bloom struggled for her voice again.

"I know." Sweetie Belle sighed. "I think I always knew, it's just... I wouldn't believe it. Oh, I still can't, Apple Bloom!" The little white filly threw her arms around her friend, realising for the first time how empty the space really was. But she knew it wasn't truly empty, and so she grasped tighter.

"Sweetie Belle, Ah don't wanna say goodbye either!" Apple Bloom cried. "But it's not really goodbye! It's more like a see ya later if ya think about it!"

"I just don't want you to go, Apple Bloom! I don't know what I'll do without you..." Sweetie Belle cried into Apple Bloom's transparent mane. "M-maybe I can convince Rarity! Or Twilight! Or the Princess! Yea, sh-she can probably see you, th-then she can tell everypony else and you can stay! It'll be like nothing changed, we can try really, really hard, and..."

"Sweetie, Ah have ta do this, and Ah'm sorry it's gotta be so soon, but, well, one day you will too." Apple Bloom wiped her dry tears away and her eyes hardened. "Ya just gotta trust me."

"And me, little one." This was not the voice of her friend Apple Bloom or Scootaloo, but a motherly voice as old as time that spoke now. "Your friend Apple Bloom is wise, and what she tells you is true. It is her time, Sweetie Belle, and you must learn to do what is best for her, and let go."

Sweetie Belle was in shock of the disembodied voice speaking to her. But she wasn't afraid of it, it was a loving, caring voice. Eventually, the little filly managed to gather up her strength and spoke. "I-I guess Apple Bloom would do the same for me. I know she would." All three fillies could hear the voice, and her friends smiled at her. "A-and if I have to do this for you to be happy, then...then okay, Apple Bloom."

"I will take care of her, as I take care of all of you, little ponies." The voice continued. "And you will see your friend again, Sweetie Belle, I promise you." Although Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo could not see the owner of the voice, they knew that she was smiling, for a brilliant essence of warmth encompassed all three fillies, and they couldn't help the powerful urge to smile. The three fillies joined together in a group hug which seemed to last forever. Their tears had dried, and none of them were crying now, not even Sweetie Belle. They just held their loving embrace. No words were spoken as they all told each other their feelings. In that instant, they were not three little fillies anymore, but one union, one soul. An eternity passed before the friends finally let go of each other.

Sweetie knew what was coming, but she didn't feel sad about it anymore. In fact, for the first time, she felt happy for her friend. Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo and looked each of them in the eyes. "See ya later, guys. Ah love ya."

As Apple Bloom's eyes once again transformed into those beautiful orbs of light, Sweetie Belle could've sworn she saw the form of Princess Celestia reflected on their glassy surface. And the Princess was smiling.

"Take it easy, Apple Bloom."

"S-see ya later, Apple Bloom. We love you too."