Outcasts

by MathewSwiftMLP

Rating: everyone
Tags: Starlight Glimmer, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad, Other, Apple Bloom
Length: 1569

After a series of nightmares, Apple Bloom runs away, hoping to not be ridiculed by her friends or family.

Unusual talents, non-apple cutie marks and no longer being a Cutie Mark Crusader. Three of Apple Bloom's fears, together in one nightmare. She couldn't take it anymore.

After a series of nightmares, Apple Bloom leaves Sweet Apple Acres, even Ponyville, to avoid all the fears she had faced alone.

An alternate ending of the newest episode, "Bloom and Gloom" if Apple Bloom was still worried about her cutie mark and her future.

Artwork by Ardail

Published 2015-04-21 00:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-04-27 18:47:09 UTC

01. Leaving

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.

"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.

02. Wrong Stop!

Leaving Ponyville was a bit harder than Apple Bloom thought. She had to dodge the Carousel Boutique, to not be seen by Rarity, for she knew if she saw her leave, she would tell the Apple Family. Or worse, tell Sweetie Belle. She didn't want those dreams to actually happen.

Then, she finally arrived at the Ponyville Train Station. She paid for a train ticket with the bits she had and boarded the train. Where she wanted to go, the ticket collector asked her, was anywhere but here. The collector was confused, but he returned to his job, as Apple Bloom took a seat by a window, showing the Ponyville Railway Station. Luckily, they hoofed out complimentary juice boxes, and she helped herself to some orange juice. If she's not part of the Apples anymore, she may as well choose the alternative.

There was a loud noise from the engine, and the train began to move. The vibration was soothing and calm, and as Ponyville came out of eye view, Apple Bloom fell asleep.

As the sun was moving across the sky, the rays finally hit Apple Bloom, waking her from her nap. She yawned and opened her eyes to see that there was nopony in the car. Some day, huh? She thought to herself. Well, at least I can get to Manehatten, without anypony wondering about me. Her plan was to probably stay with Babs Seed, until she's old enough to live on her own. A couple years should do it. Sure Babs was an apple, but she was as close to Apple Bloom than any apple in Equestria. She would understand this, right?

Then, the conductor's voice was heard. "LAST STOP, EVERYPONY OUT!"

The yellow filly grabbed her suitcase of belongings, and hopped off the train. As she jumped off, she noticed that something was off.

This stop was in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere even CLOSE to Manehatten, but that wasn't the worst part. The train was leaving!

"Hey, wait! Don't go!" roared the filly, but it was too late. The train was meters away from her, and now she's stuck in the middle of a barren desert. Just great.

"Horseapples!" Apple Bloom cursed. "Now how am I supposed to get to Manehatten now?" She looked around and took a bigger look at the landscape. It was indeed, a desert, full of sand and raging heat, with a few cactuses on the side. There was an occasional cow skull, and it had to happen on a clear day. But the only ray of hope was a large mountain range, covered with ghost-white snowcaps. Everypony knows Manehatten was beside a mountain range. Guess this is the stop to a better life.

Apple Bloom took her bag and headed for those mountains.

Okay, The filly thought to herself. I wish I was in the desert right now. The atmosphere of the mountains changed from too hot to too cold! Even through Sweetie Belle's jacket, it still felt like the coldest winter in Equestria. Maybe even the one when the Fire of Friendship was created. The chilling wind felt like the bite of a Timberwolf, scratching through the fabric and scarring her coat. She tried to open her eyes against the wind, but she would just close them tight.

But when she did open them, she saw a sihoulette, of another pony.

She opened them again, but the pony was gone. Her mind was playing tricks again. In fact, it was her mind that got her into this mess. But this wasn't the time to bicker. It was time to find shelter.