"It's not fair, IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!"
Apple Bloom just couldn't stand it. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, arguably the two biggest jerks she had ever known, had gotten their Cutie Marks before she did! The pair had, of course, rubbed this fact in her face every opportunity they had. Only Twist, herself, and a few others were still without that special mark. She madly paced back and forth as her sister collected their family's namesake apples.
To her eternal irritation, her perfectly legitimate complaints fell on deaf ears and earned only a mild tsk from her older sister. "Don't get your mane in a tangle. You'll get your cutie mark, everypony gets one eventually"
The youngest Apple couldn't believe her ears, didn't AJ know important this was? "I don't want one eventually, I want one right now! I can't go to Diamond Tiara's cute-ceañera without one, I just can't!" The idea of showing up at a cute-ceañera without a cutie mark was was pure madness!
" Course you can." Apple Bloom kept silent as Applejack continued, doubt clear on her face. "Y'know, I was the last pony in my class to get my cutie mark, and I couldn't be prouder of it. I knew my future was to run Sweet Apple Acres, and these bright shiny apples sealed the deal." As she rubbed the trio of apple marks on her flank, Applejack small gasp of realization. "Come to think of it, Granny Smith was the last one in her class, too. Huh, same with‐"
"APPLEJACK!"
The conversation was abruptly cut short as an earsplitting shout rang across the orchard, shaded with the unmistakable tenor of old age that belonged to the eldest Apple pony on the farm.
AJ gave a small sigh, "I'm gonna go see what all the fuss is about, oh and before I forget, could you get the shovel out of the far shed? Big Mac broke the one he was using to dig up that ol' stump in the south orchard."
Apple Bloom sighed before bobbing her head in affirmation. As she walked she continued to stew in her discontentment. Why didn't she have her cutie mark yet?! She was special, wasn't she? But what if she wasn't special. What if she wouldn't ever be good at anything and have a blank flank for the rest of her life! Then she'd have to leave Ponyville so she didn't embarrass the whole Apple family tree! She'd have to go somewhere else, someplace where nopony knew her and she could pass herself off as a younger filly, but how long would that work? Eventually, someone would notice that a full-grown mare was sitting in on some elementary school class. And even if she somehow managed to fool everypony that long, what about when she got old like Granny Smith! Nopony would believe that a filly could have a greying mane and crows feet! She'd have to live like a hermit, away from everypony, becoming one with nature, or something. Whatever it is that hermits do, maybe swap shells? Wait... no that was Hermit crabs...
Lost in her thought, the little filly failed to realize she had passed the shed, and that the path was becoming increasingly overgrown with each step she took.
"Ah mean, what kind of talent does a diamond tiara stand for anyway?" Apple bloom mumbled to herself. "Being rich an' spoiled? They got their cutie mark so why don't I have one. If I show up to the cute-ceañera without my cutie mark my life is ruined! If only I had my cutie mark."
She paused and suddenly her face lit up, "That's it!" She shouted, her head snapping up and out of its previously pensive position. "All I have to do is get my cutie mark before Diamond Tiara's party!"
It was at this moment Apple Bloom became aware of three things.
Item the first, she was no longer in the orchard.
Item the second, if the trees were any indication, she had wandered into the Everfree Forest.
Finally, Item the third, she had been really loud just now. And the forest was REALLY quiet.
After a brief moment of silence, Apple Bloom began to slowly backpedal down the path. All she had to do was go back the way she came, she couldn't have wandered that far. All she had to do is turn around, her family's farm would be right there, and–
It was at this point the brush in front of her began to rustle.
She pulled a u-turn to sprint to safety, but in her path was the last thing she wanted to see. A pair of glowing yellow eyes.
Out of the gloom prowled a pack of Timberwolves, the first one blocked her path back to the farm, the second and third climbed out of the brush behind her, growling at the terrified filly.
She didn't think, she just ran. Bolting away from the first wolf in and between the second and third, screaming all the way. She plunged through the underbrush, not daring to look behind her. She didn't have to, she could hear the Timberwolves baying as they perused, and they were getting closer.
She dodged between the roots of trees, through hollowed logs and tall grass. She ran and ran, harder than she had ever before in her life. Still, she could hear the snapping of twigs and pounding of paws drawing closer. She pulled a quick left turn behind another bush. As she desperately maneuvered she saw the biggest one snap its jaws just inches from her tail.
Apple Bloom screamed again and put everything she had as she blindly charged through underbrush and shrubbery, branches and thorns opening cuts and scrapes on the little filly's sides. She didn't notice, the only thing she could focus on was getting away from those ever-encroaching paw steps behind her.
The steady Thumpa, Thumpa Thumpa the Timberwolves made egging her on.
...Until they suddenly stopped.
As she turned to identify the reason for the cessation of the paw steps, a loose rock sent her sprawling. Apple Bloom lay for a moment, crying. She was hurt and scared and sore. A few sniffles later she worked up the gumption to stand again and turned to see if the Timberwolves were going to eat her.
To her astonishment they were gone, not a single malevolently glowing eyeball or oddly shaped stick to give a hint of their presence. All the more strange was there was a truly monumental briar patch that seemed to wall off the way she came. The only indication that she had actually gone through the patch at all was her ribbon, torn and tattered, trapped in the thorns.
Unfortunately for Applebloom, it was too deep in the briar for her to get to, she shuffled on in search of a way home away from the thorn bush.
As she walked she noticed the forest was behaving stranger than usual, it was unnaturally silent. She couldn't hear so much as two blades of grass rubbing together. The lone fillies hoofsteps sounded deafening in her own ears as any thought of calling for help was quickly banished, she had no desire to run into any of the other denizens of the forest.
What was more, the quiet seemed much too total to be natural, it was as if some sort of mandate that even the Everfree obeyed had fallen when she wasn't looking. The silence pressed in on Applebloom as she walked, and she started to feel like she was breaking some sort of long-forgotten rule just from making noise whilst breathing.
Though the silence persisted as she walked along some game trail that seemed to appear underneath her hooves, there was something else that accompanied it that she couldn't place...
Then she realized it, the trees were getting bigger. As she walked the winding serpentine trail of the woods, the trees seemed to grow larger and larger by orders of magnitude. Some were bigger around than the schoolhouse, others than the town hall and some were titans towering unfathomable heights, making Applebloom feel like she was an ant crawling along the ground. She even looked between her hooves to make sure the grass was the same, and she hadn't shrunken from some strange Everfree magic.
But no, the grass was the same as it always was. She shuddered as she stared at the massive vegetation that now surrounded her, mountainous and majestic, ancient and enduring. If these silent sentinels made note of her passing, they made no indication of such.
How old are these things? Big Mac said that you could tell how old a tree is by looking at the rings on its stump, I don't think all the woodsponies in Equestria could cut one of these down.
Then she saw it, after what felt like hours of walking, the path led to a parting of the titanic forest and to a clearing. As she stepped out and into the sunlight she felt like her breath had been stolen away. A massive pool spread out before her, dotted with moss-covered rocks and ancient timbers jutting out covered in wild growth. The water was crystal clear, almost imperceptible to the eye, with a lonely island with solitary willow tree bent and gnarled over the water. Never touching, never moving as though it had been painted into being rather than grown.
Applebloom was suddenly aware of how VERY thirsty running for your life made a pony and slowly walked to the water's edge. She cast a wary glance around as she bent her neck to drink, the ever-present silence still pressing in on the filly. Giving her a strange sense of claustrophobia in the wide expanse she found herself in.
As her lips touched the pond she sent ripples across its entirety, only now emphasizing its unnatural stillness. She froze as she had a momentary panic attack, she was certain. There was magic in this place. She didn't know a lot about magic, to begin with, but this was far more foreign to her than the usual unicorn magecraft, even the Zap Apple trees and their strange magic were more familiar to her than the sensation this place gave her. Her trepidation was then immediately cast aside for just how ridiculously refreshing that water was. It was crisp and cool and everything a cold glass of water aspired to be on a hot summer's day and then some.
She looked up and found herself drawn to the little island in the great pool, next to the willow tree that sat upon it was a trio of berry bushes, and as her stomach pointed out with a low rumble, she was hungry.
She slowly dipped her hoof into the water, more ripples. Oddly enough the water wasn't as cold as she thought it should be after drinking some not so much as a moment ago.
All of a sudden a gust of wind blew through the forest, sending branches creaking and branches rustling. You know the normal, ambient background noise one would expect in a forest. To Appleboom however, it was as if a hurricane had snuck up behind her given how there had been no sounds but her own breathing until that point. She naturally, flipped out.
After a minute or so of undignified squealing and flailing, she eventually got her bearings again before casting her gaze about, as if to make sure no one else had seen her little spazz attack before lowering herself into the water to swim towards the little island and the food it promised, and then immediately misjudged the depth and plunged in headfirst.
For a terrifying moment, she was submerged in the liquid, then before her was a dark brown expanse that was the lake bottom. dotted with green from the occasional stem of a lilypad or other underwater growth. It was quite beautiful, actually. So much so Applebloom almost forgot she needed to breathe. Almost.
"Ack, pth, ptu." She sputtered intelligently. Shaking the water from her eyes as she reared her head out of the water. She cast a look around again, before remembering there wasn't anypony around to witness her embarrassment. While not terribly comforting, it did mean her reputation was intact. She started paddling over to the island, the cool water soothing the cuts and bruises she had collected in her flight from the Timberwolves.
The mud that made up the island's shore was warm and didn't cling to the hoof as she pulled herself up and onto the lonely little piece of land. As she looked around she had to admit this whole place was very pretty. Even if it was inside the Everfree... though this place seemed far removed from the stupidly dangerous forest that lay just outside her family's land.
Her thoughts were interrupted by her stomach, reminding her that those berries weren't going to pick themselves and shook herself dry.
She looked at the trio of bushes and their pinkish-red berries, she recognized Huckleberries when she saw them and these were nice and ripe. She didn't bother to take the time to pick them and just ate off of the bush. As she was eating she became aware that the wind had died down and now the forest was silent once more, filling the air with a strange tension. However, at this point, the filly was having none of it.
"Oh, come on!" She shouted up at the trees. "Ah know you're supposed to be some super-secret magical lake or what have yah, but going all quiet like that is really Cree-
*plip*
-py"
The sound was not unlike that of someone stepping in a puddle, quiet and unintrusive, but in the silence, it was like a judge's gavel crashing down to find her guilty of breaking some unknown law that this place held sacred. in her peripheral vision Applebloom could see ripples dancing along in the water, their origin point directly behind her.
She slowly turned, and behind her was the strangest thing. It was tall and lithe, covered in old clothes that seemed to be interwoven with moss, reeds, and all manner of foliage. Over its face was a strange eyeless mask, made from the bark of some old tree, with three interlocking and sweeping ovals creating a T shape carved in the middle from behind the mask a great number of branches pierced a green hood forming a crown of greenery that fluttered in some unseen breeze. As she gazed upon it she could swear she heard music pouring out from between the trees as it brought itself up from a crouch and onto its hind legs, making it appear even taller. Its oddly shaped feet stood upon the water, unsupported by anything as mundane as earth, stone, or any other solid.
She knew immediately that this was its domain. She didn't know how she knew, but it felt right.
It looked at her, tilting its head slightly as it took in her admittedly ragged appearance before taking slow calm steps towards the little filly. Despite the calmness instilled in its movements, Applebloom backed away from the advancing figure. As she began to panic it stepped onto the land, and what happened caused the filly to freeze. Not in fear, but in awe. Wherever its feet fell, plants exploded into life. Vines, reeds, flowers of all kinds crowded the creature's footsteps, each leaving behind a patch of newly sprouted greenery.
So enraptured by what she saw, it took her a few moments to realize it was kneeling in front of her, inspecting her from the way it bent around, taking in the cuts the thorns had torn in her side, and the bruises the crash to the forest floor had raised.
"Uh..." Applebloom uttered uncomfortably. The attention given to her cuts was redirected to her face, she could feel it looking at her. And she was suddenly aware she had no idea what to say.
"Hi, mister... Uh, missus... Um. Hi." It tilted its head to the side slightly, barely moving and conveying little. "Uh, do you have a name?"
If it had one it didn't care to say, the question getting another head tilt. "Ah'm Applebloom," the filly valiantly plowed on. "Ah hope Ah ain't intrudin' or nothin', but Ah was kinda hungry and Ah, kinda ate some of your berries." She motioned to the depleted bush beside her. "Is... Is that alright?" She asked apprehensively.
The green thing nodded in reply, causing the Appleboom to blink in surprise. A response at last.
"Sooooooo... Uh... Ah'm gonna guess this is your... Lake? Forest?"
Nod.
"Could you help me? Ah'm kinda lost, and Ah need to get back before the-" She gasped. "THE PARTY!" The green one rocked back a bit at the volume as the filly before it began frantically pacing in circles. "Oh, Ah'm going to be in so much trouble, Ah'm totally late and Ah'm not supposed to go in the forest and Ah'm-" She looked down at her harried appearance. "-filthy."
There was a moment's pause before the creature gave another nod.
She glared up at the green thing. "Gee, thanks." She spat out with some slightly caustic sarcasm.
It shrugged and stood up back to its full height, walking over to the willow tree. Holding out a hand covered in greenery it waited and soon leaves fell from the tree and collected in its palm. Applebloom watched in fascination as nature seemed to simply bend to its will. It then cast the willow leaves over her and they spun around her, tickling her. She giggled in delight and she wanted to say something, but before she could she noticed one of the leaves whisked over a cut on her hoof and gawped in amazement as the blemish disappeared. She realized with a start that most of her aches and pains were gone and the ones that remained were vanishing rapidly.
After a long moment, she was fit as a fiddle and looked over in amazement at the strange being that helped her. It was looking over her, or at least appeared to be from its posture.
"Gee thanks, that feels a lot better."
As she spoke the creature sat down crossing its legs and gestured for her to approach. Seeing no reason to refuse at this point she walked toward the friendly being as it produced a tortoiseshell comb and motioned her to turn around.
Realizing its intentions she scooted around and sat in its lap. As soon as she touched it all the tension from her day seemed to seep out of her. She let out a happy squeak as she relaxed into the strange things embrace, feeling the comb pass through her mane in a slow and steady rhythm.
Everything seemed to melt away at the touch of the green one. All her worries seemed to be plucked away one by one with each pass of the comb. She felt so safe, like nothing in the world could intrude on the peace she felt at this moment. The warmth started to pull at her mind as she felt a brush pass through her fur now. Her eyes grew heavy as she idly wondered where the brush had come from.
Applebloom eventually started to stir as she realized languidly that she had fallen asleep at some point. Her eyes slowly opened as she looked around. She was covered in a very literal blanket of moss and the green one was tending to a bush she was fairly certain that hadn't been there before. Though it was hard to tell since it was so dark. Wait, dark?
She looked up and stared into the night sky that greeted her, the moon and glittering stars twinkling in the dark. It was at this moment she let out an inarticulate squawk of horror. She stood and started to pace.
"Oh no, oh no no no. Ah'm dead, Ah am SO dead." She said to herself, her companion not even turning to give witness to the freakout in progress. Its attention firmly on the slowly growing golden bush.
"Ah didn't just miss the party, Ah'm out super late, lost in the middle of a forest way past my bedtime. Applejack is going to be so mad." The filly lamented, hanging her head. She heard a soft snapping noise as her new friend finally turned to her. As she watched it placed laurels in her hair, they gleamed as if they were made of gold. Again her worries fled at the green one's touch. She startled when she was suddenly picked up, but marveled as she looked out over the moon-dappled lake. The creature carried her as it walked over the still waters. Once they had once again reached the shore she was placed gently down.
"Well, that definitely beats swimming." The filly commented.
The green one only nodded and gestured for her to follow as it moved through a nearby hedge that seemed to move out of the strange being's way of its own accord. She followed in its wake, but she found it was hard to keep up. The pace and stride never changed, but she could swear the creature was speeding up. She tried to give chase, but the farther behind she got the more the bushes pulled at her mane and tail.
"Wait!" She called out, "you're goin' too fast!"
If it heard her it didn't pay any heed, moving deeper into the green and it was becoming harder to distinguish between her new acquaintance and the surrounding foliage. Then she heard something.
"..pl...m"
The sound came from the direction she was going so she poured on the steam and powered through the underbrush.
"HELLO?" she called out as she sailed through the flora around her.
"Ap.le..oom?" She recognized the voice now, it was Applejack! Had she come into the Everfree to find her?
"AH'M HERE" she shouted as the brush gave way and she stumbled out into the light.
"Applebloom!" her sister whirled as the filly darted out of the scrub brush. "There you are, Ah've been lookin' all over for you. We're gonna be late for the cute-ceañera if you don't hurry."
"Wait what do you-" she did a double-take, she was standing in her family orchard, not a stone's throw away from her house. The sun was shining and all seemed right with the world. That couldn't have been right, she had been gone for hours, maybe even a whole day! It had been night when she left the lake she was certain of it.
Applejack gave her a once-over and was clearly surprised. "Well now, would you look at that. So you went an' got yourself gussied up. Not sure how you managed to braid your mane like that all by your lonesome but I say it looks wonderful sis."
Applebloom blinked and turned to look at her mane the best she could, it had been woven into braids and tied off by her ribbon that she was sure she had lost to the brambles. Her tail was the same way, and both had been inlaid with flowers and vines, making beautiful patterns and swirls of color.
"Uhh." the filly replied intelligently before she was yanked towards the house by her older sibling.
"Now we'll just get you in your dress and we might barely get there on time."
The youngest apple was too bewildered to respond so she just followed Applejack inside. At her sister's insistence to wait while she got the dress, Applebloom sat in the middle of the living room as Granny Smith bobbed back and forth on her rocking chair. Granny only stopped when she spied the golden laurels.
"Well now, how about that."
Applebloom turned to look as Granny lowered herself out of her chair and slowly trotted up to her. "Ah haven't seen laurels like that in a long, long time. Not since I was a filly."
"Wait, you have?"
The elder Apple nodded. "Those laurels don't grow anywhere, they can only be given by a special somepony who can make them." Granny leaned in conspiratorially, "you meet anypony recently? somepony that maybe helped ya out of a bind?"
Applebloom nodded "Tall and green, do you know them?"
Granny smiled, "Only met 'em once, and I only know that they're old. An ancient thing from times long lost. We can talk more when you get back. You have a party to get to."
Applejack chose that moment to return with the young fillies dress. Soon they were off and the eldest Apple was left alone in the house. She meandered over to a row of old scrapbooks and pulled one of the oldest from the shelf. She paged through it until she got to a pressed laurel leaf, still a radiant gold.
"Thanks, old friend, fer looking out fer my kin."
Author's Note
This was an old fic that I wrote back in the day. I liked the concept of humans being something akin to ancient spirits hidden away from the world. Old, powerful, and mysterious, usually doing things of their own accord for their own reasons.
I wanted to read a fic like that so I made one. Hope you enjoyed it.
