Apple Bloom stood atop the hill overlooking the orchard below, a smile on her face and her cape gently blowing in the breeze. She took a deep breath, breathing in the faint smell of spring and adventure. “There it is, girl,” Apple Bloom said as she glanced to her side. Standing next to her was her trusty companion—someone who would never let her down, the family dog, Winona.
“The Jeweled Basin is somewhere down there in that forest.” She looked back down at her destination, a determined look in her eye. “If we can find that, I bet I can get my cutie mark in adventurin’ for sure!”
An utterly ecstatic grin overtook her face as the thought of a cutie mark in adventuring took shape in her mind. With a small hop, Apple Bloom took off down the hill in a blaze of excitement, her bow bouncing with each gallop she took. “Come on, girl. We got a treasure to find!”
Winona bolted after her, loyally following her into the unknown. They came to a gradual stop just on the outskirts of the endless maze of towering apple trees the family owned. “You ready to go inside the Dark Forest, girl?” Apple Bloom asked, looking to her trusted companion.
Winona barked.
Apple Bloom nodded and walked in. She looked around in awe of the rows upon rows of trees, marveling at their height and splendor. “I hear this place was made by some witch back in the day.”
Winona barked again.
“Keep it down, girl. We don’t know what’s hidin’ in these woods. Could be a manticore,” Apple Bloom snapped her head to her left, “or a pack of rabid timberwolves,” she then snapped her head to the right, “or even a huge hydra!” She came to a stop, and struck an imposing stance.
Winona simply wagged her tail as she watched Apple Bloom.
“We gotta stay on our hooves or else we might end up somethin’s dinner.” Her eyes shifted back and forth, on the look out for anything suspicious.
Suddenly, her eyes caught some movement. Apple Bloom jumped back, causing Winona to bark. “Stand back, girl. I’ll protect us!”
Apple Bloom focused on a rustling bush. She kept a firm gaze on it, waiting for whatever horror would pop out and attack her and her faithful companion. She didn’t have to wait long. A small, grey bunny hopped out and stared at her innocently.
Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide. “Sweet Celestia! You see that? It’s a huge wererabbit with giant teeth and claws as big as a dragon’s!”
The small bunny made eye contact with Apple Bloom and tilted its head slightly.
Apple Bloom looked around her hooves, frantically. “I need somethin’ to defend us against that monster!” Her eyes caught a root by her foot. next to it lay a large twig. Her eyes lit up. She took the twig in her mouth and glared at the bunny confidently.
The bunny continued to stare at Apple Bloom for a moment before the little filly charged it. Her bow and cape flailing in the wind from her burst of speed. She swung the twig with her mouth in a side-ways slash, far above the bunny’s head. though it missed by a mile, it was still far too close for the small bunny.
It ran off into the orchard leaving Apple Bloom huffing and puffing for air. Winona ran to Apple Bloom’s side, barking at the rabbit as it fled.
“I scared it off, girl. Not even a wererabbit can beat me. Not now that I got me a trusty sword!” Apple Bloom held up her twig, her eyes shining with pride.
After a moment, Apple Bloom’s eyes narrowed with confidence. “Let’s go, girl.” She looked down at Winona again and stuck her twig in the collar of her cape for safekeeping. “I’m sure that ain’t all these woods’ll throw at us!”
With a motion of her head, Apple Bloom and Winona ventured even further into the depths of Sweet Apple Acres on their quest. They walked for what felt like hours with Apple Bloom occasionally stopping to swat her stick at a bug to protect her faithful companion from the dangers of the forest. But as the sun started its descent in the sky for the evening, she heard a thunderous sound.
Apple Bloom looked ahead, her eyes widening with horror. “It’s rainin’…” she muttered in fright. “It ain’t no ordinary rain though.” Ahead of her, she saw Apples falling from the trees after a quick with a quick tremor ran through them.
Apple Bloom looked at her faithful friend, giving her a confident nod. “We gotta get past that rock storm up ahead or else we’re gonna be in for some trouble!” She lowered her head and readied herself. Winona did the same next to her. As soon as she heard another crack of thunder, she took off towards the tree. A vibration rushed up it, shaking the apples loose.
She reached reached into her collar and pull her twig free. She swung her weapon in front of her, barely brushing one of the apples out of her way. She felt another just graze her tail, and a third hit her on her hoof as it was in the air behind her. “Run, girl, run!” she yelled to Winona.
Suddenly the hail stopped, but Apple Bloom and her dog did not. They charged ahead, Apple Bloom giggling the whole way until she was out of sight. Big Mac poked his head out from behind a tree just in time to see his sister disappear and laughed to himself.
The two came to a stop with the filly panting for air. “That was close…” she said between breaths.
Winona barked and wagged her tail.
Apple Bloom smiled at her. “After all this place has thrown at us, I have a feelin’ we’re gettin’ close. Fallin’ rocks, wererabbits, and all those huge bugs, it’s gotta be just around the corner, girl.”
Once she caught her breath, she resumed her journey. This time, scanning the forest around her as she walked. Her eyes bounced between the trees, carefully scanning for her target. She knew it was close, Apple Bloom could feel it.
Just then, she saw it. A small crevice under one of the apple trees. Her eyes went wide with excitement. “There it is girl! The cave I told you about!” She scampered over to small opening and reached inside. Once she felt her hoof bump something, her whole body tensed in anticipation. “The legends were true. The Jeweled Basin!”
Apple Bloom pulled free a wooden bucket and held it high into the air. “Have you ever seen somethin’ so amazin’, Winona?”
The dog barked in excitement for her master.
“Let’s get this back. I know somepony who’ll pay handsomely for this. And then, I’m sure to get my cutie mark!” Apple Bloom set the bucket on her back and trotted off towards the farmhouse.
Once home, she set the bucket on the porch and strolled up to an old sleeping mare in a rocking chair. “I’m home, Granny!” she said, excitedly.
Granny Smith roused from her nap with a small start. When she looked down at the young Apple before her, she smiled. “How was your day, youngin’?”
“It was great!” Apple Bloom smiled as she headed inside. She headed into the kitchen and saw her sister standing at the stove.
“Just in time for supper, Apple Bloom.”
“I found the Golden Basin you were lookin’ for!”
Applejack turned to her sister with a puzzled look on her face. “The what?” she stared at her for a moment before it clicked. Her sister’s cape, the twig in her collar, the dirt all over her face. Applejack smiled. “Thank you, kindly. Did you have a rough time findin’ it?”
“Don’t mention it! It weren’t too hard, I had my trusty sword and travelin’ partner with me!” Apple Bloom looked to Winona, finding her sitting patiently and wagging her tail.
“Sounds like you had quite the adventure today.”
“Yeah-huh, I fought off a rabid wererabbit, and ran through some hailing rocks, and fought off some giant bugs, and went into the evil forest, and—”
“Slow down little Apple. And here you thought today was gonna be borin’ since Sweetie Belle was busy and Scootaloo was sick.” Applejack smirked and gave a knowing glance.
“I did, until I realized you needed that bucket—I mean, uh…treasure—you left out in the orchard—”
“Yeah, I needed it a few hours ago, but it weren’t a problem. Besides, it sounds like you had your fun.”
“Well, yeah, I realized I could get my cutie mark in adventurin’ if I went on a quest, so—” Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide. “I forgot!” Her gaze quickly shifted to her haunch. Her excitement quickly turned to disappointment when she found it still a blank canvas awaiting its masterpiece.
Applejack gave a halfhearted smile and walked up to her sister. “I know you didn’t get your cutie mark, but at least you had fun today, right?”
Apple Bloom looked up at her big sister. She pondered for a moment and then nodded. “I did. Winona and I had a blast, right, girl?”
Winona barked in agreement.
“And that’s what matters. Now, why don’t you get washed up and ready for supper.”
“Okay, Sis!” Apple Bloom scampered out of the kitchen leaving her sister and Winona alone.
The two looked at one another, and Applejack laughed to herself. “She didn’t give you too much trouble, did she, girl?”
Winona tilted her head to the side and Applejack shook her head, still laughing. “That sister of mine.”
The End
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