Outcasts
01. Leaving
Load Full StoryNext ChapterApple Bloom woke with a gasp as she was thinking about that weird nightmare she had. She rubbed her sunset eyes and she looked around. She was in her bedroom, of course.
"Phew! Glad that's over." replied the vanilla-colored filly, she she began tying her bow. Her elder sister, Applejack, called upstairs.
"Breakfast's on, everypony!" At that moment, Apple Bloom's stomach began to growl louder than a bullhorn in the middle of the Apploosan Railroad station. It was, indeed, time to eat.
The Apple Family was gathered around the large oak table as Applejack was placing pancakes and apple juice on top of it, as Big MacIntosh grabbed the plates. Granny Smith looked outside the window to see Celestia's sun, shining down on the apple orchard, shining their rosey glow.
"My, I've never seen a more beautiful day for at least half a dozen moons." She said. "Ain't that right, Big Mac?"
"Eeyup!"
A calm and gentle yawn was visible to the ears of the family, as Apple Bloom entered the dining room, covered with her bed sheets.
"Mornin'." She said, weakly from sleep. "What's fer breakfast?"
"Well, we're havin'...?" Applejack turned as she saw Apple Bloom, but she was looking at her with concern. So was the rest of the Apples. They turned their heads away from Apple Bloom, as she became confused.
"What?" Apple Bloom broke the silence. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothin'!" replied Granny Smith, without even looking at her. This became more confusing. Is she in trouble?
"Is somethin' wrong?" asked Apple Bloom, becoming more confused. "What did I do?"
"Well, Apple Bloom," answered the low and deep voice of Big MacIntosh. "It's your, (shudder), CUTIE MARK!"
"WHAT?!" Apple Bloom turned to see something on her flank. It was a comb, but there was no apple or anything else on it. Normally, she would be excited, but her face became shock. This was just like her dream.
"No, it's not--" The background suddenly changed to the foyer and then, she saw a pile of boxes with the markings of a permanent marker on them. Each box said:
"APPLE" BLOOM
"Wait," Apple Bloom cried, with tears coming out. "What's goin' on?" At that moment, the Apple family came out of the hallway, with Big Mac carrying another box with the same words as the others.
"Don't worry, 'Apple' Bloom," Applejack said, in a serious voice. "We've found a place fer you to stay."
"But Ah don't wanna leave!" sobbed Apple Bloom, as she grabbed her grandmother's foreleg. "Ah wanna stay here with y'all! Don't take me away!!"
"I'm sorry, sweetie," comforted the elderly earth pony. "But it's our rule: You're not an Apple if ya don't have an apple cutie mark."
"But..."
"No buts, Bloom." Big Mac interrupted. "The Ponyville Social Services'll be here any minute. If Ah were you, I'd get haulin all these boxes outside." With a stomp from his hoof and another tear from Apple Bloom's eye, the farm was gone.
She was now in the middle of a dark abyss, where Apple Bloom only saw darkness. The only light in this never-ending darkenss was a window, far high up on a wall, that matched the blackness around the heart-broken filly.
As Apple Bloom cried more, the light grew bigger and bigger until the light eliminated the darkness. It also blinded Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom woke with a gasp as she was thinking about that weird nightmare she had. She rubbed her sunset eyes and she looked around. She was in her bedroom, of course.
But instead of feeling relieved, she felt upset and worried. What if her family would send her away, like in her nightmare? She didn't want to take that chance. As quick as a pegasus, she hurried and collected her things into a piece of luggage. She even grabbed her piggy bank and peeked through the slot. There was at least nine bits inside. Not enough, but it'll suffice. She stuffed the piggy inside the case and closed the lid.
Her elder sister, Applejack, called upstairs. "Breakfast's on, everypony!"
Apple Bloom was scared, as she looked around for a way out, without the others knowing. Luckily, her bedroom was on the ground floor, so it was easy for her to get out the window. She grabbed a magenta cloak (Sweetie Belle's Heart's Warming gift from Rarity, but Sweetie didn't like it) and climbed out the window.
Before she took her first steps of relief, she shut the window, to make sure her family wouldn't come finding and sending her away to some group home or something. Apple Bloom quickly ran away from the farm, and left through the orchard. She needed to leave. It was the only thing she can do.
The flapjacks were sizzling on the metallic frying pan, as Applejack flipped another onto a stack of a few others on the table. Big Mac was balancing a stack of glass cups onto his head, as he set them down, accordingly. Granny Smith was placing the maple syrup, when something caught her attention: Apple Bloom hadn't came down yet.
"Applejack," The elder mare asked her granddaughter. "Have y'all seen Apple Bloom? You know how much she loves pancakes."
"I've called her," Applejack replied. "She probably never came down yet, right Big Mac?"
"Eenope!" The oldest answered. "She's probably reminiscin' about Babs' cutie mark."
"Well, she has been thinking about that the other night."
"She's probably just over-excited, child." reassured Granny Smith. "You know how much she loves her cousin. She'll come down when she's ready." Those words of wisdom did the job of comforting Applejack, as she sat down and the family began to eat. They did have a big work day ahead of them.
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